Church 101: A Beginners Guide to Church
Part 2 – Music and Church
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music.”
Psalm 98:4
“Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.”
Psalm 149:1
If you come to church here on a Sunday morning you will notice that music is a big part of our worship services
We have the full orchestra, the big ol’ choir, solos, chorus etc.
Music is important!
It is one of the few activities that we currently have in common with angels
It is a spiritual thing
But also an emotional, mental, and physical thing as well
1 Corinthians 14:15 - I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind
But how does that impact my work week
So I sing Sunday morning…what about Tuesday afternoon?
1. The Participants
Psalm 150:6 - Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Everyone is to participate
No one is left out in the world of praise
Psalm 150 tells us
Where to praise (v 1)
Why to praise (v 2)
How to praise (vv 3-5)
Then it finishes up by saying that all are invited to enter into wholehearted praise
The final phrase of that psalm is a command to praise (imperative)
2. The Power
Acts 16:25-30
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
a. It impacts those around us (v 25)
“…and the other prisoners were listening to them.”
b. It breaks chains and opens doors (v 26)
“At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose.”
c. It offers opportunity for ministry (v 27)
“But Paul shouted, ‘Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!’ 29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’”
Singing is more than just putting words and music together
It does something
3. The Plan
James 5:13 – “Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.”
NIV “Happy”
KJV “Merry”
From the Greek euqumew – ‘eu’ meaning to be well off, well
‘thumos’ meaning anger, wrath, or passion
In other words our singing should well up from a passionate understanding of how well off we are in Christ
Furthermore, it should be “enthusiastic”
That statement comes on the heels of a statement to the contrary
Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray.
We will all have trouble in life
And that trouble should compel us to pray
“Fervent” prayer is implied by the context (v 15ff)
Likewise, when times are good we should be compelled to sing an enthusiastic song of praise
Doors aren’t going to open and chains aren’t going to be broken in the lives of those around us if all we ever do is hum the melodies to funeral dirges.
4. The Purpose
Psalm 100:1-5
1 A psalm. For giving thanks. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
We sing to bring our hearts, our minds and our spirits into the presence of God
Whether you are in church on Sunday morning or having church on Tuesday afternoon,
singing psalms hymns and spiritual songs brings us into God’s presence
Once there it is easier to see things from God’s perspective
To accept life
Closing
Psalm 40:1-3
1I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
