Renovating Our Music
Blake Heffner February 11th, 2007
“Renovating Our Music” 2/11/07
Texts: Colossians 3:12-17 Psalms (selected verses)
INTRO – For the past few weeks, we have been focusing on three themes for our congregation this year- Ministry, Mission, and Music. This morning we arrive at the third and final theme: Music.
I don’t know whether you pay much attention to titles. The title of this message is sounds a bit odd. It’s not – but easily could have been -“Renovating Our Organ.” This year our nearly ninety-year-old organ is receiving a complete overhaul. Right after Easter, most of its guts will be pulled out and hauled to the Geiger and Sons Organ Company for rebuilding. It will return sometime around Thanksgiving with a very new, magnificent sound. It was tempting to focus this morning’s message on the value of an organ for worship.
The title is “Renovating Our Music.” And I’m not talking about changing our choirs or instrumental musicians. No, we need to focus on our congregational singing. The word renovation means literally “to make new again.” The pressing question for this year is: when the new organ comes, will we have a renewed passion for singing and making a joyful noise to God? I believe that nothing would please God more.
1. Passion
“I was glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go up to the house of the Lord” (Ps. 122:1). Can you relate to that? The psalmist was enthusiastic about worship. His enthusiasm didn’t begin when he entered the Temple in Jerusalem. It didn’t get turned on like a switch when he entered the parking lot, outside the Temple. No, it began at home, when someone simply invited him to join in making the trip to worship in the Temple of Jerusalem. That trip might have lasted a few hours or a few days! Now that’s a level of enthusiasm that is very rare these days. How many of you started getting excited about coming to worship back on Wednesday or Thursday? How many us haven’t quite reached what could be called “enthusiasm” yet this morning? Please, don’t raise your hands! What is missing?
We certainly understand “enthusiasm.” Many of us were euphoric this past season when the Wilson Warrior football team was on its undefeated march to the State Championship. We were ecstatic all week long, couldn’t wait for Saturday to come. Afterall, we knew some of the players personally. And, there was the tremendous comraderie of attending with our friends. It was a natural “high” for the whole community. So, we perfectly well understand how the psalmist may have felt. What we may not fathom is how he could get so excited about worship!
You know as well as I that there are churches around where folks find worship exciting. At Shiloh Baptist Church music plays a big role. They do a lot of singing, a lot of clapping, and even dancing, because they believe that God is great and worthy of our praise. But, you may say, that’s a charismatic style of worship, and not our tradition. Right you are. So, the question is can we imagine – within our own style – reaching the level of gladness and enthusiasm which is worthy of the living God – our Creator and Redeemer?
Let me put it another way. Imagine Jesus Christ has come to join us today. He is incognito, of course. He’s come just to see and learn how much we love him. As we sing the first hymn, “May Jesus Christ Be Praised,” he looks around and listens. He sees many folks not even using a hymnal, many lips not even moving; some faces are looking tired or even bored, and eyes are staring off in a distracted way. How do you think he feels? Does he feel praised? Does he feel loved? Does he feel honored and worshiped? My friends, Jesus Christ is here every time we gather in his name, and we cannot draw near to Him without an attitude of praise and adoration.
2. Praise
So, it’s not surprising that the psalms continually summon us to praise the Lord. Why is praise so important? Our scripture lessons sum it up.
First of all, God “inhabits the praises of Israel.” God “indwells” or “lives in” the praises of his people. Surely God is present everywhere, but God is especially near to us when we exalt his name and offer him his rightful place as King of kings. No wonder Jesus taught us to begin the Lord’s Prayer with “hallowed be Thy name.” We are saying, “Your name is holy and above all names. You alone are worthy of our adoration.” That’s the posture of humility with which we ought to begin every prayer.
Secondly, the psalms indicate that praise is especially suited for singing. “O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!” “O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!” Finally, the psalms reach their crescendo in the last one of all: “Praise God in his sanctuary… Praise him with trumpet, lute and harp; praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with cymbals – even loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”
There are no exceptions, are there? Sing to the Lord all the earth. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. That must certainly include you and me. There’s no “free pass” from the cosmic chorus of joyful praise. So, in a sense, if we can’t get ourselves to sing God’s praise, we’re missing something utterly essential.
3. Joyful Noise
Ok, someone is thinking, “Get me out of here! This is making me very uncomfortable.” Hold on a minute. What is the Lord really asking of us? Let me close with a few suggestions for non-singers.
· God is thrilled if we will just make a “joyful noise.” He doesn’t say anywhere that our singing has to be on key or sound beautiful. God simply wants us to put ourselves into worship as much as we would put ourselves into cheering at a ballgame. Because He is worthy of our praise. Don’t be self-conscious (afraid of what others around you will think); strive to be God-conscious – consider how God is before you, beholding you.
· If you don’t sing out loud, why not at least smile before the Lord. Praise him with your body language.
· If not with your voice, you can make a joyful noise with your hands. Psalm 47 begins, “Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with loud songs of joy.” Perhaps we should invest in a few tambourines and create a percussion section! Even “shouting” is an acceptable way to express praise to God; because, as the psalm continues, “the Lord is awesome!” If clapping doesn’t suit you, why not quietly raise a hand. That is an ancient way of giving God glory and honor. May no one take offense at such an innocent and humble act of adoration.
· What if it’s not a matter of ability at all, but more a matter of will: “I just don’t want to sing!” I have heard this from younger folks, who don’t think it’s cool. The truth is there are times for all of us when we don’t feel like praising God. To this the Bible replies, “Let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God” (Heb. 13:15). Maybe it shouldn’t depend on how we feel. God doesn’t change like our feelings. If we offer praise as a sacrifice, God is especially honored
· If singing isn’t your gift, at least concentrate on the words of the hymn or chorus. You may even want to close your eyes for this. Very often the lyrics are prayers to the Lord, or reminders of his promises to us. Meditate on what is being sung, savor the meaning. You may actually get more out of the hymn than those who are singing.
· If making joyful noise isn’t your cup of tea, and you’re not good at following the word, there is one more possibility. Paul says, “Sing to God with thanksgiving in your hearts.” Consider “dancing inside!” Ask the Lord to put a melody in your heart that fills your whole being. You don’t have to dance literally, but let the music lift your heart into joyous communion with Jesus Christ. If we had a whole congregation of people who are dancing on the inside – and all we could hear during a hymn is the organ - I assure you God would be so pleased.
All right, there’s something to work at. This year, may each of us accept the challenge to come into God’s house with glad hearts, ready and willing to make some joyful noise. And, may the Lord who meets us here take delight in our singing and be honored by our praise. To this end, I propose that the lyrics of our next hymn become our fervent prayer:
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise His name – I’m fixed upon it – Name of God’s redeeming love.
Let us pray:
O patient and merciful God, you are worthy of the loudest cheering. You alone are full of majesty and deserving of all honor, glory and praise. Pour out your Holy Spirit and tune our hearts to sing your grace. Fill us with such enthusiasm for you that we may not be ashamed or timid when we gather to worship you. Loosen our tongues, open wide our mouths to sing your praise. O Lord, may our offerings of praise lift us into your holy presence – in the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
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