Colossians 3:16h
Music That Pleases the Lord
Continued
A. Worship in Spirit and in Truth
i. When the choir sings… or the piano plays a familiar hymn, TRUTH is being conveyed to our hearts through the medium of music.
ii. The message of the song can have a positive effect on our spiritual lives.
iii. Have you ever been convicted by the TRUTH conveyed through the words of a song? (Sweet HOUR of Prayer; Take My LIFE and Let it Be; ALL To Jesus I Surrender)
iv. Have you ever been comforted… etc.? (Be Still My Soul; All Your Anxiety; etc.)
v. Have you ever been challenged by music? (I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go; Thy Word Have I Hid in my Heart)
vi. Have you ever been encouraged by music? (He is Able; It Will Be Worth it All)
vii. God USES music in our lives to accomplish His will.
viii. Truth speaks to our whole being… we are not merely intellectual beings. We are emotional beings as well. Music uses the intellect and the emotions to convey truth.
ix. Music is a powerful medium for GOOD when coupled with the Truth.
Þ Some of Wesley’s songs convey some of the errors of the Wesleyans! (surprise, surprise!)
Þ Some entire songs ought to be blotted out.
Þ Some songs have verses that ought to be blotted out.
Þ Some songs were obviously written by one embracing Reformed Theology… and confuse the church with Israel.
Þ Some songs confuse the comings of Christ.
Þ Some promote post millennialism. (We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations)
Þ Some are quite misleading about the ministry of the HS.
B. Performance
a. These verses can be obeyed anywhere… in any culture… in any century.
b. They require no electricity… no amplification… no choreography…
c. In fact, singing requires no instruments other than the human voice.
d. Instrumental accompaniment adds a nice touch… but it is NOT necessary…
e. Christians living in deep in the jungles of Brazil or the Congo can obey this verse… even though they don’t have a piano… or an organ… or purple microphones or amplifiers.
f. The music that really pleases God is the kind of music that emanates from a filled heart and reverberates through the vocal chords and sounds forth as a harmony of praise and thanksgiving to God!
g. Heartfelt, sincere, worshipful, reverent, music from a filled heart – that’s what pleases God.
a. What do you suppose would be the reaction of the crowd at a Christian rock concert if instead of their rock band… a skilled ensemble came and sang some of the great hymns of the faith?
b. What would be the reaction of a group of young people who grew up in a rock and roll church if they visited SBC?
c. They would say, “This place is DEAD… lifeless… you don’t have the Spirit. You don’t know how to worship. You need a worship team.”
d. THINK about what they are actually saying.
e. Evidently these folks are ignorant of the fact that the words for worship (OT & NT) mean to bow down in reverence and respect.
f. Neither the Greek nor the Hebrew term means to shake, rattle, and roll.
a. Music sung is to done with the right inward motive and spirit.
b. It is to be an offering unto the Lord… not a show for men.
c. The local church is NOT a venue for the performing arts… although it is often degenerated to such.
i. Look at the large, old churches in Boston’s Back Bay. They have become stages for classical music performances and dance troupes, and drama.
ii. The newer more modern, evangelical churches have become venues for other types of performances.
iii. It matters not WHICH type of music; it is a violation of what the church is.
iv. There is a place for the performing arts, but the local church is not the place!
v. When a performance is put on for the pleasure of the audience, it can hardly be called worship.
vi. And of course this goes for ALL types of performances, from classical, to opera, to rock…
d. The new way of worship today has hopelessly confused and blurred the line between entertainment and worship… especially in the area of music.
i. Is it a show or is it worship? There really isn’t much difference in many circles today.
ii. The musicians perform for the audience and the audience claps for the entertainment they received.
iii. Watch one of these so called worship services on TV… and then watch a rock concert on TV.
iv. They are virtually identical… (stage show; choreography; lights; the microphones; the acting & crooning of the singers; arms waving; bodies swaying; musicians with celebrity status;
v. Apart from the lyrics, the SOUND, the stage performance, and the crowd reaction are virtually identical.
e. It is obvious who copied who.
i. I’ll give you a hint – the world never copies the true pattern of the church in the NT.
ii. But boy is there a tendency in carnal Christendom to copy the world – to be conformed to the world.
6. I Cor. 14:26 - The early church had a similar problem with showmanship in the local church.
b. But unfortunately, the Corinthians were using their God given gifts in the WRONG way and with WRONG motives.
c. 13:1 – some spoke in tongues, & loved to display their gifts before all, but were not demonstrating love.
d. 13:2 – some had the gift of prophecy, but did not have love. They were showing off their superior knowledge, but in God’s sight, it was nothing!
e. 13:3 – some had gift of giving, but they gave with the wrong motive.
g. 14:12 – they were zealous of spiritual gifts… they loved to think of themselves as gifted and talented… everybody was trying to take center stage…
h. They were driven by a desire to perform before an audience.
i. Some folks are scared to death to stand up before a crowd.
ii. Others absolutely LOVE it! They thrive off the rush they receive by performance and the applause.
iii. THIS was error Paul was trying correct here.
i. That which God intended to be used to edify the Body and glorify the Head, was instead being used to draw attention the individual… They were displaying SELF rather than Christ. This is the error Paul addresses in I Cor. 14.
i. They should have used their gifts selflessly for the edification of others.
ii. Instead, they used their gifts to exalt themselves and show off their gifts. That selfish.
iii. Paul introduced this chapter by defining love: sacrificing self for the good of others… because their showmanship in using their gifts displayed the opposite!
a. Whatever we do, we lose our reward if our motive is to be seen or acknowledge of men… to receive glory from men. (applause)
b. There is no reward for showmanship other than the fleeting applause of men. It is merely earthly entertainment.
c. God was not pleased. He was in fact, nauseated.
d. This is just as much a problem with GOOD music in a doctrinally sound church as it is with TERRIBLE music in a worldly church.
e. All teachers and singers – anyone who ministers before men, need to be reckoning self to be DEAD as their gifts are used in the LC… to prevent just such an error.
a. The believers came to worship and employed various gifts in the worship service: singing, teaching, prophecy.
b. Paul was concerned for the edification of the Body, but he was also concerned about how their worship service was perceived by outsiders… by visitors… their testimony.
c. Paul did not want the worship service to be chaotic or indecent (14:40)
d. The way we conduct ourselves in the Lord’s House is one of the pieces that can influence the eternal destiny of a visitor! He could either say, “They are mad!” or “God is in you of a truth!”
e. Music is ONE of those influences Paul mentions here: a psalm!
f. Our doctrine ought to reflect truth. It ought to be an indication that God is with us of a truth!
g. Our music ought to do the same.
h. What DOES our music convey to visitors (whether it is their style or not… it conveys something…)
i. If it conveys reverence, respect, order, discipline, awe, joy, enthusiasm, etc… then we are conveying the right message.
j. If it conveys adolescent rebellion, sensuality, frivolity, giddiness, immaturity, or showmanship, then we are conveying the wrong message.
k. A visitor should sense a DIFFERENT atmosphere in a church than they sense in barroom, a night club, a comedy club, or a Red Sox game. Shouldn’t the atmosphere be different? Doesn’t music play an important role in that?
l. We need to be careful with music.
a. The WAY a song is sung and performed can completely change the meaning of that song.
b. Amazing Grace – sung by nearly every popular singer… from George Beverly Shaw… to Elvis Presley to in nearly every style… country & western; jazz; rock; symphony orchestra; church choirs; moog synthesizer;
c. Ex: Jimi Hendrix playing the national anthem. He turned a song that normally evokes a sense of patriotism into a song of rebellion against the government… anti establishment.
d. Marylyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday to President Kennedy. She turned that simple tune into a song of a harlot.
e. Do you see how the WAY a song is sung and performed can completely change its meaning?
f. Beatles melodies… their music represented a lifestyle of rebellion against authority… promoted drug use… and free sex… and all the rest that went along with the message of the 60’s.
i. When compared to the pop and rock of today, their music seems quite mild. But in its day – it spoke of rebellion and defiance.
ii. It was associated with a lifestyle… and promoted attitudes that are not conducive to holiness.
iii. But it was NOT the MELODY of the songs. It was a combination of (1) the lyrics and (2) the WAY the songs were sung…
iv. I recently heard Beatle songs performed by a symphony orchestra. It was beautiful music.
v. So should we add Christian words to the Beatle songs? Some have already done that.
vi. Perhaps in 100 years from now.
vii. But today, there are many (like me) who would be distracted by such a song… because I know the connection.
viii. It is an area of weakness on my part – but I acknowledge that weakness. It would be a stumblingblock… and a hindrance to worship.
ix. It would remind me of my past… that I want to keep buried.
x. Association matters. It is nearly impossible for folks who grew up with that music to disassociate it completely in their minds to be able to sing those songs without thinking of their origin.
xi. If enough TIME goes by… and that association is no longer made… then those melodies perhaps COULD be used… but not now.
g. A perfectly good melody or hymn can be completely transformed into something else entirely by the WAY it is sung and performed.
i. Marylyn Monroe turned a good tune, “Happy Birthday” into the song of an harlot…
1. By the way it was performed.
2. When she sang it, it conveyed a different meaning than when your family sings it.
ii. Jimi Hendrix turned a good tune, “Star Spangled Banner” into a psychedelic song of a druggie…
1. By the way it was performed.
2. When he played it, it took on a different meaning than when the Marines Band.
iii. Christian rock bands have the capacity to turn a good tune, “Amazing Grace” into the song of a drunkard… or a druggie… by the way it is performed.
1. It takes on a different meaning… it conveys an addition message…
2. That new meaning is not necessarily congruous with the author’s intention!
iv. Even if the words are good and the melody is good… the PERFORMANCE of the music can change the meaning of that song.
1. Style and performance can OVERSHADOW the message of the words.
2. Style and performance can convey an attitude apart from the words… and even contrary to the words.
3. I’m not buying the argument that says “music and style” are neutral. They are NOT.
a. Ex. 32:17-19 – singing that stirred up the crowd to lewd behavior.
i. Here was another KIND of sound.
ii. At first it sounded like the noise of war… loud shouting that got men stirred up and excited to go to war. (Something similar to a war dance.)
Þ Some men would be afraid to go to war. They were afraid of the consequences (death). Some might be afraid as to whether they could actually kill someone in hand to hand combat.
Þ The music was designed to stir them up for war and remove their inhibitions. (Music can do that!)
Þ When the band of soldiers prepared for war they would play loud music and perhaps jumping up and down. The mob would get stirred up by the music.
Þ They would work themselves up into a frenzy… and drive out their inhibitions and fears of the consequences.
Þ Then when Moses got a little closer, he discovered that they were singing… It was not the music for war.
Þ He discovered that this kind of music got the people dancing…
Þ But this music was not designed to call them to war. This kind of music got them stirred up to lewd behavior! (They were dancing naked! (Vs. 25)
Þ Clearly, the music was instrumental in stirring up this crowd… stirring them up into a frenzy… and exciting them sexually…
Þ Usually young soldiers don’t need a lot of help in that department… but music can be conducive to that end.
Þ The music had a spirit of looseness to it… so that they forgot about Moses, forgot about God and His Word.
Þ It can cause folks to dismiss their inhibitions. Those who dance in night clubs are obviously uninhibited!
iii. Music plays an important role in all this.
iv. Don’t you think that the music that stirred up these men to lewd behavior would be appropriate music for worship in the Temple - even if they changed the words?
v. What do you suppose Moses’ reaction would be if they attempted to sing those songs in a worship service? What do you suppose would be God’s reaction?