HOW TO USE MUSIC TO ENHANCE OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH GOD and PEOPLE - Col. 3:16
Illustration: Martin Luther said, "The devil takes flight at the sound of music, just as he does at the words of theology, and for this reason the prophets always combined theology and music, the teaching of truth and the chanting of Psalms and hymns."
"After theology, I give the highest place and greatest honor to music."
Martin Luther.
1. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom, teaching one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual song, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to the Lord. (Col. 3:16)
Music has a way of penetrating through the complex defenses of peoples’ hearts and minds.
Use all types of inspirational, instructive, persuasive, worshipful, and entertaining music to enhance your relationships with God and people. In this way your music will be spiritual, emotionally appealing, intelligent, socially contemporary, culturally relevant, and Biblically based. Paul wrote,
I have become all things to all men that by all means I may save some. (I Cor. 9:19-23)
2. Do not judge others for their musical tastes. To one, gospel rock may be offensive, but to others it may help them relate to God and others in a way that bridges many barriers.
Romans 14:4,5 says, "Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? … One man considers one day (By implication - each type of music) more sacred than another…
Each one should be fully convinced in own mind. This puts most of the emphasis on the motives and interpretations we bring to the music.
We should learn to appreciate different people’s levels of interests or maturity regarding musical types. Because as Paul says,
"The kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink (Or by implication - what type of music we employ) but our concentration should be on developing righteousness, joy and peace in greater quantitative and qualitative measure in ministering in our spheres of influence.
Just remember that the cardinal rule is:
Whatever is not done by faith is sin. (Rom. 14:23)
3. Music is an important vehicle to enhance our personal, family, and congregational worship. David wrote in Psalm 89:1, "I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness know through all generations."
David’s Psalms are often put to scripture for the facilitation they offer us in our worship, praise, and appreciation of the Lord and His attributes.
David also writes in Psalm 92:1-3, "It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp."
The Lord wants songs sung to Him using a symphony of instruments and people who display a variety of gifts and levels of skills. This is a representation of the choruses of praise that will be song to Him for eternity in heaven.
Through this uplifting harmony of melodies are our hearts are strengthened as we gain a greater insight into the glories of our Lord.
4. The Holy Spirit has a way of guiding, enabling, inspiring, instructing, correcting, healing, persuading, convicting, and illuminating truth to us in a deeper way through music. (John 16:13)
The Spirit gives us deep assurances through spiritual music about our eternal securities and restores a Christ like perspective to our thoughts.
This is part of the reason why music can be used so effectively in teaching, admonishing, and bringing conviction to those around us in confidential ways that are far more effective than human efforts.
5. Spiritual music is trans-cultural in the way it transcends human prejudices. By using a relevant mode of melody and rhythm music has a way of bridging barriers to human understanding.
Through the penetrating power of Spirit directed music people of all ages, cultures, and classes are able to find a frequency of acceptability with some aspect that resonates with the emotional, social, and spiritual truths that are hidden in each person’s heart.
6. Music gives Christians a greater sense of empowering to serve the Lord with gladness, purpose, and confidence.
When Jehosaphat led the armies of Israel into battle he went forth singing praise to God!
There is great joy in serving Jesus as we come into His presence with praise and enter His ministry with singing. This reassures of God’s abiding promises, power, and guiding purposes.
7. Spiritual music has a way of redirecting our motivations, methods, and ministries.
When we have a song in our heart the world around us looks less daunting and we can approach our tasks with courage.
Our human tendency is to look at our circumstances with fear, doubt, and skepticism, but music focuses our thoughts on things above rather than on all of the disparities of the world, our flesh, and the devil.
8. Spiritual music allows us to forgive, over look faults and love the way Jesus did.
When Jesus was reviled He often took time out to be alone with God and lift up His voice in praise for His greater purposes in the midst of hardships.
This enabled our Lord to say with full submission to the heavenly Father, "Nevertheless, not my will but your will be done. For yours is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. (Matt. 6:10)
9. Spiritual music gives us greater emotional and spiritual maturity.
When faced with adversity, spiritual music acts as a buffer to the pain, pressure, and temptation.
Remember when David played his harp to King Saul that relief would flood his soul. "Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul (One of conviction for his sins), David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better and the evil spirit would leave him. (I Sam. 16:23)
Without music to restore us to a higher level of Spiritual maturity many remain vulnerable to depression, sin, and the consequences of yielding to temptations.
10. Spiritual music provides a place where we can enhance our unity with people of like spiritual mind.
Paul said, "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." (Phil. 2:2)
Corporate singing gives us a sense of bonding together with one voice in our praise and affirmation of our allegiance to the Lord and His greater purposes than our individual agendas.
Corporate worship helps us remember we are all sinners saved by grace who need the Lord’s grace, forgiveness, and continual empowerment to achieve His will.
11. Spiritual music gives us hope with a glimpse of what is to be given to us in heaven.
Revelation 19:1 says, "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: ’Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments.’
Rev. 7:9-11, ’After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no-one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb… They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever."
Conclusion:J.S. Bach said, "All music should have no other end and aim than the glory of God and the soul’s refreshment; where this is not remembered there is no real music but only a devilish hub-bub."
He headed his compositions: "J.J." "Jesus Juva" which means "Jesus help me."
He ended them "S.D.G." "Soli Dei gratia" which means "To God alone the praise."
J. S. Bach.
