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A Culture of Singing
Ephesians 5:15-21
January 21, 2018
Lord’s Day Worship
Sean Higgins
Download the bulletin.
Download the Kids’ Korner.
The sermon starts at 15:30 in the audio file.
Or, Making Joyful Noise Because the Days Are Evil
Nowhere in the New Testament are Christians commanded to sing when they congregate. This isn’t a sermon about how singing doesn’t matter, but I still love pointing out that observation to us “Bible people.” There are examples of singing and there are discussions about singing, but the closest to an imperative is in James 5 concerning happy Christians. “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise” (James 5:13). Note, though, that is an individual not a corporate response.
It’s reasonable to believe that singing didn’t require a command because singing was assumed. Men and women and children sing. It seems to be part of our image-bearing disposition. We like music and melody and rhythm. The first believers in the New Testament were Jewish believers, and Jews were singers. They were commanded over and over again in the Psalms to sing and praise and make a joyful noise. A song with a certain tune and learned lyrics allows and moves the whole assembly to worship in gladness. These early church worshippers were tuned to worship in song and would have no reason to stop.
The observation that NT saints regularly sang still isn’t as binding as an imperative for the church to sing; it’s an assumption. But perhaps even more consequential than a command, a culture of singing is an argument of light in a world of darkness. Stated differently, full-hearted, melodious, Spiritual singing is (at least one way of) standing against the schemes of the devil.
We’ve been considering our liturgy for the last few Sundays. Our worship is a service of sacrifices; we offer ourselves in Christ’s offering to the Father. Christ Himself fulfilled the Old Testament sacrifices such as the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offering, and our confession, consecration, and communion remind us of what He fulfilled. In a similar way, the pattern of our liturgy reminds us of the pattern of the gospel. God calls men everywhere to worship Him, to repent and receive forgiveness for their sins, to devote their lives in obedience to Him, to share fellowship with Him and each other, and to represent Him in their work. Every Sunday, from start to finish, we are learning again what God wants with us.
God’s Word is an explicit part of all the pieces of our service. Prayer is an explicit part of all the pieces of our service except for the commissioning, though the pronouncement of blessing is a prayerful expectation for God to give His blessing. Another element that is part of all the pieces of our service except for the commissioning is worship in song. I addressed singing as part of our liturgical opportunity in the message “Sing and Shout” in 2012 and it has been on my heart to address it again.
Some people talk as if singing is worship, not recognizing that prayer and preaching and communion are also ways that we worship. Some people choose what church to attend based on the singing, usually with more concern about the style of songs (or the type of instrumentation) and less about the participation (or lack thereof) of the congregation. Some people apparently would rather listen to a (good or entertaining) performance of singing rather than sing themselves. Some people are at the heights of their theological discerning powers during singing, using their eagle-eyes to spot the next heretical line (which powers are not always so vigilantly applied elsewhere in their week). Some sing loudly though they don’t know what they’re doing, some know exactly what they’re doing but wouldn’t ever sing loudly. Some don’t like certain instruments, some don’t like certain beats, some don’t like certain arrangements, some don’t like anything, everyone ha[...]
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By Trinity Evangel ChurchEphesians 5:15-21
January 21, 2018
Lord’s Day Worship
Sean Higgins
Download the bulletin.
Download the Kids’ Korner.
The sermon starts at 15:30 in the audio file.
Or, Making Joyful Noise Because the Days Are Evil
Nowhere in the New Testament are Christians commanded to sing when they congregate. This isn’t a sermon about how singing doesn’t matter, but I still love pointing out that observation to us “Bible people.” There are examples of singing and there are discussions about singing, but the closest to an imperative is in James 5 concerning happy Christians. “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise” (James 5:13). Note, though, that is an individual not a corporate response.
It’s reasonable to believe that singing didn’t require a command because singing was assumed. Men and women and children sing. It seems to be part of our image-bearing disposition. We like music and melody and rhythm. The first believers in the New Testament were Jewish believers, and Jews were singers. They were commanded over and over again in the Psalms to sing and praise and make a joyful noise. A song with a certain tune and learned lyrics allows and moves the whole assembly to worship in gladness. These early church worshippers were tuned to worship in song and would have no reason to stop.
The observation that NT saints regularly sang still isn’t as binding as an imperative for the church to sing; it’s an assumption. But perhaps even more consequential than a command, a culture of singing is an argument of light in a world of darkness. Stated differently, full-hearted, melodious, Spiritual singing is (at least one way of) standing against the schemes of the devil.
We’ve been considering our liturgy for the last few Sundays. Our worship is a service of sacrifices; we offer ourselves in Christ’s offering to the Father. Christ Himself fulfilled the Old Testament sacrifices such as the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offering, and our confession, consecration, and communion remind us of what He fulfilled. In a similar way, the pattern of our liturgy reminds us of the pattern of the gospel. God calls men everywhere to worship Him, to repent and receive forgiveness for their sins, to devote their lives in obedience to Him, to share fellowship with Him and each other, and to represent Him in their work. Every Sunday, from start to finish, we are learning again what God wants with us.
God’s Word is an explicit part of all the pieces of our service. Prayer is an explicit part of all the pieces of our service except for the commissioning, though the pronouncement of blessing is a prayerful expectation for God to give His blessing. Another element that is part of all the pieces of our service except for the commissioning is worship in song. I addressed singing as part of our liturgical opportunity in the message “Sing and Shout” in 2012 and it has been on my heart to address it again.
Some people talk as if singing is worship, not recognizing that prayer and preaching and communion are also ways that we worship. Some people choose what church to attend based on the singing, usually with more concern about the style of songs (or the type of instrumentation) and less about the participation (or lack thereof) of the congregation. Some people apparently would rather listen to a (good or entertaining) performance of singing rather than sing themselves. Some people are at the heights of their theological discerning powers during singing, using their eagle-eyes to spot the next heretical line (which powers are not always so vigilantly applied elsewhere in their week). Some sing loudly though they don’t know what they’re doing, some know exactly what they’re doing but wouldn’t ever sing loudly. Some don’t like certain instruments, some don’t like certain beats, some don’t like certain arrangements, some don’t like anything, everyone ha[...]