1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:05,120 And over these last weeks we’ve been learning together that authentic worship is God-centered. 2 00:00:06,000 –> 00:00:09,360 If it’s God-centered that’s got to mean that it’s Christ focused because 3 00:00:10,000 –> 00:00:15,680 the only way that we really know the God of the Bible is through his Son Jesus Christ. 4 00:00:16,959 –> 00:00:22,240 Then last week we began to ask the question, well now how will this kind of worship happen? 5 00:00:23,360 –> 00:00:28,000 And we saw that the answer to that question is that God-centered and Christ-focused worship 6 00:00:28,000 –> 00:00:37,680 comes as a result of a work of the Holy Spirit as he opens up the senses of your soul to become 7 00:00:37,680 –> 00:00:47,360 responsive to God. Now think of it this way, your body has the senses of sight and sound and touch 8 00:00:47,360 –> 00:00:54,639 and taste and smell and there is in the Bible a spiritual parallel to each of these physical 9 00:00:54,639 –> 00:01:02,160 senses. One of the joys of worship is that the Spirit activates the spiritual senses 10 00:01:02,160 –> 00:01:10,959 of the soul. In other words, worship is about tasting that God is good. It is about glimpsing 11 00:01:11,599 –> 00:01:18,639 the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is about hearing the voice of God in the scriptures, 12 00:01:18,639 –> 00:01:26,320 it is about laying hold of Jesus Christ by faith, it’s about spreading, the Bible says, 13 00:01:26,320 –> 00:01:33,199 the fragrance of God throughout the world. So we’re seeing then that there’s all the 14 00:01:33,199 –> 00:01:41,199 difference in the world between coming to church and coming to worship. The person who merely comes 15 00:01:41,199 –> 00:01:51,279 to church may believe that God is good, but he doesn’t taste it. He may sing about Jesus, 16 00:01:51,279 –> 00:01:58,879 but he doesn’t see Jesus’ glory. He may listen to the word of God, but he doesn’t hear it. 17 00:02:00,239 –> 00:02:07,680 He may know God’s offer of grace, but he doesn’t grasp it. That’s why we said last week that 18 00:02:07,680 –> 00:02:15,440 coming to church will never make you different, but coming to worship will never leave you the 19 00:02:15,440 –> 00:02:26,080 same. So we’re discovering then that we need a ministry of the Holy Spirit within us, to activate, 20 00:02:26,080 –> 00:02:34,240 enliven the inner senses of the soul, so that you can taste, and see, and hear, and touch and feel 21 00:02:34,399 –> 00:02:42,559 the things of God that are revealed to us in Jesus Christ. Now this is a place where 22 00:02:42,559 –> 00:02:49,119 we need great honesty. If you don’t see, if you don’t feel, if you don’t taste, if you don’t touch, 23 00:02:50,960 –> 00:02:51,839 ask for help. 24 00:02:55,360 –> 00:02:57,279 The help of the Holy Spirit. 25 00:02:58,000 –> 00:03:02,559 I went for an eye test, just a few weeks ago. The optician up the road here sat me down 26 00:03:03,520 –> 00:03:08,399 the little office asked me to read from the card, you know the routine through these 27 00:03:08,399 –> 00:03:16,720 lenses set up in a frame. And I couldn’t read. below the second line. And I said to her, 28 00:03:16,720 –> 00:03:20,559 I don’t know what’s wrong here. I say, I didn’t think I aged so much in two years, 29 00:03:20,559 –> 00:03:24,880 but I hope you’re going to give me a little bit more help, because I can’t read a thing. 30 00:03:25,119 –> 00:03:28,880 Well she came over and she took a look at this frame. Oh, she said, I’m so sorry. I thought 31 00:03:28,880 –> 00:03:32,800 they’d set it up for you. They had put in completely the wrong lenses. 32 00:03:33,759 –> 00:03:39,360 But this was a huge relief. But it struck me afterwards. You know, 33 00:03:40,240 –> 00:03:46,320 it’s a foolish thing to sit in on opticians and pretend you can see when you can’t. 34 00:03:48,800 –> 00:03:51,679 And it’s a foolish thing to sit in church 35 00:03:52,240 –> 00:04:00,720 and pretend that you see when you can’t. We come here in order to see and hear and 36 00:04:00,720 –> 00:04:07,679 taste and touch the things of God. And if that is to happen, we need the help 37 00:04:08,720 –> 00:04:14,639 of the Holy Spirit of God. That’s why Moses, knowing God as he did, 38 00:04:14,639 –> 00:04:19,440 when he went up the mountain 39 00:04:19,440 –> 00:04:24,079 of Sinai, he said in one of the greatest prayers in all of the Bible, 40 00:04:24,079 –> 00:04:28,480 Lord, show me your glory. 41 00:04:29,200 –> 00:04:33,920 Now, that’s how we need to come to worship every Sunday. 42 00:04:33,920 –> 00:04:40,959 Holy Spirit, open up my eyes my ears my senses to worship because I 43 00:04:40,959 –> 00:04:44,959 see the glory of Jesus Christ. 44 00:04:45,359 –> 00:04:51,839 Now, when we are filled with the Spirit in this way, we will begin to 45 00:04:51,839 –> 00:04:58,079 experience singing that flows from the heart, 46 00:04:58,079 –> 00:05:03,519 praying that is filled with faith, 47 00:05:03,600 –> 00:05:12,640 preaching that feeds the soul, giving that is sacrificial and yet 48 00:05:12,640 –> 00:05:19,839 joyful. See, these things are not natural. They don’t just happen. 49 00:05:19,839 –> 00:05:23,760 They are the fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit of 50 00:05:23,760 –> 00:05:28,720 God. Now, that’s the foundation of our series. 51 00:05:28,720 –> 00:05:32,720 Authentic worship. If we’re to understand it at all before we talk about anything 52 00:05:32,720 –> 00:05:36,640 else we must grasp these things. It is God centered, it is Christ-focused, 53 00:05:36,640 –> 00:05:41,440 it is spirit-filled. That is authentic worship, that is what we seek, that is 54 00:05:41,440 –> 00:05:45,600 what we pursue. Now over these next weeks we’re going to 55 00:05:45,600 –> 00:05:49,200 focus on the key elements of Christian worship. Remember that 56 00:05:49,200 –> 00:05:53,519 our series is entitled, Worship, What We Do 57 00:05:53,519 –> 00:05:59,359 and Why We Do It, and I hope that as we think about worship 58 00:05:59,359 –> 00:06:03,119 this will help all of us, but in particular 59 00:06:03,119 –> 00:06:06,160 I hope that it will help our parents to consider 60 00:06:06,160 –> 00:06:10,559 again the value of your children worshiping with you 61 00:06:10,559 –> 00:06:14,480 in church. You know that this is something that we want to encourage 62 00:06:14,480 –> 00:06:18,000 and I think that it is an area in which we can significantly 63 00:06:18,000 –> 00:06:21,679 help each other. So over the next few weeks 64 00:06:21,679 –> 00:06:24,880 we would like to promote a discussion on this 65 00:06:24,880 –> 00:06:32,399 issue. Remember that the aim of parents who bring children into the sanctuary 66 00:06:32,399 –> 00:06:36,959 should not be simply to bring our children to church 67 00:06:36,959 –> 00:06:43,119 but for our children to learn to worship, and if you think about it you’ll see the 68 00:06:43,119 –> 00:06:47,279 big difference between these two things. In the coming weeks, we’re going to talk 69 00:06:47,279 –> 00:06:50,959 about prayer. We’re going to talk about preaching. 70 00:06:50,959 –> 00:06:54,239 We’re going to talk about giving. We’re going to talk about baptism, 71 00:06:54,239 –> 00:06:58,480 and we’re going to talk about the Lord’s Supper. Now there are important questions 72 00:06:58,480 –> 00:07:02,160 about how we help children to relate to all of 73 00:07:02,160 –> 00:07:07,119 these elements of worship. This week, the subject is singing that 74 00:07:07,119 –> 00:07:12,720 part of worship that is so important, and here are some questions to set you 75 00:07:12,720 –> 00:07:16,320 thinking. I’d like to invite you to respond to these 76 00:07:16,320 –> 00:07:19,440 questions by email to either Linda Green or 77 00:07:19,440 –> 00:07:22,239 Linda Rivenacji. The email address will come up on the 78 00:07:22,239 –> 00:07:25,920 screen in just a moment. But here are the kind of questions that I’d like us 79 00:07:25,920 –> 00:07:29,600 as a Christian community to engage in together as we think about 80 00:07:29,600 –> 00:07:38,239 raising our children. How do you help your children engage in 81 00:07:38,239 –> 00:07:42,079 singing? How do you cultivate their appreciation of psalms, 82 00:07:42,079 –> 00:07:46,399 hymns, and spiritual songs? The three categories that we’re going to look at 83 00:07:46,399 –> 00:07:49,760 today. How do you shape your children’s 84 00:07:49,760 –> 00:07:54,559 appreciation of music? How do you help them with words the do 85 00:07:54,559 –> 00:07:58,480 not understand? How are you developing your children’s 86 00:07:58,480 –> 00:08:03,519 ability to concentrate? How do you give them a sense that when 87 00:08:03,519 –> 00:08:08,239 we gather, we gather together to meet with God? Now, 88 00:08:08,239 –> 00:08:12,160 these are greatly important questions that all 89 00:08:12,160 –> 00:08:16,079 parents struggle with and we’re all trying to find practical 90 00:08:16,079 –> 00:08:20,640 helping ways to move forward in these things that are the big picture of 91 00:08:20,640 –> 00:08:25,359 shaping a large part of life for our children. 92 00:08:25,359 –> 00:08:28,880 One outline, please turn to Ephesians chapter 5 93 00:08:28,880 –> 00:08:34,000 and verse 18. Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 18. 94 00:08:34,000 –> 00:08:39,359 Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery. 95 00:08:39,359 –> 00:08:45,919 Instead be filled with the spirit. Speak to one another 96 00:08:45,919 –> 00:08:55,520 with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart 97 00:08:55,520 –> 00:08:59,840 to the Lord. Now, do you notice the direct connection that Paul makes between 98 00:08:59,840 –> 00:09:04,559 being filled with the spirit which is what we’ve been talking about 99 00:09:04,559 –> 00:09:11,760 and singing. Singing to God. Now, notice that Paul makes a contrast 100 00:09:11,760 –> 00:09:15,280 here between being drunk with wine and being filled with the spirit. 101 00:09:15,280 –> 00:09:20,400 Both of these things obviously have a direct effect on a person’s behavior. 102 00:09:20,400 –> 00:09:23,440 But the important thing to remember is that the effects go in the opposite 103 00:09:23,440 –> 00:09:27,599 direction. Being drunk with wine 104 00:09:27,599 –> 00:09:32,559 loosens a person’s grip on reality. And that’s why Paul says it leads to 105 00:09:32,559 –> 00:09:37,599 debauchery all kinds of debased behavior. 106 00:09:37,599 –> 00:09:40,880 But being filled with the spirit has the opposite effect. Being filled with the 107 00:09:40,880 –> 00:09:45,200 spirit strengthens a person’s grip on reality. 108 00:09:45,520 –> 00:09:51,520 And that leads to joyful praise, which is what he’s talking about in verse 19. 109 00:09:51,520 –> 00:09:54,719 So, as we look on to verse 19, which is our focus today, 110 00:09:54,719 –> 00:09:58,640 we ask the question, well now what will happen 111 00:09:58,640 –> 00:10:06,400 when a person or a congregation is filled with the Spirit of God? 112 00:10:06,400 –> 00:10:09,599 And here’s the first answer that the apostle gives. 113 00:10:09,599 –> 00:10:13,280 When a person or a congregation is filled with the Spirit of God 114 00:10:13,359 –> 00:10:16,799 you will make music in your heart, he says there. 115 00:10:17,599 –> 00:10:21,919 You will speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs 116 00:10:21,919 –> 00:10:26,799 and you will sing to the Lord. 117 00:10:26,799 –> 00:10:29,280 Well that’s our focus for our time now. 118 00:10:29,840 –> 00:10:34,080 First then, make music in your heart. 119 00:10:34,960 –> 00:10:36,719 Verse 19, that’s where we’re going to begin. 120 00:10:37,440 –> 00:10:41,679 Make music in your heart. 121 00:10:43,840 –> 00:10:54,159 Now music is always something that overflows from the experience of the heart. 122 00:10:55,919 –> 00:11:00,400 And before you can sing with your mouth 123 00:11:02,239 –> 00:11:06,640 you need to learn to make music in your heart. 124 00:11:07,520 –> 00:11:12,640 Now I want to be sensitive and sympathetic to the fact 125 00:11:12,640 –> 00:11:15,760 that there are many of us who find it difficult to sing with our mouth. 126 00:11:16,880 –> 00:11:20,419 Come to church. We’re not used to singing. Feel kind of awkward. 127 00:11:20,419 –> 00:11:22,659 I’m glad the choir can do some singing for us. 128 00:11:22,659 –> 00:11:28,159 We don’t kind of feel it’s easy for us to personally engage in singing. 129 00:11:28,159 –> 00:11:33,840 There are many of us who are right at that point and Paul speaks directly 130 00:11:33,840 –> 00:11:39,419 to the person who struggles with the whole issue of singing. 131 00:11:39,419 –> 00:11:49,200 Before you can ever sing with your mouth you need to learn to make melody, 132 00:11:49,200 –> 00:11:52,359 to make music, in your heart. 133 00:11:52,359 –> 00:11:57,419 If we can understand that we’ll make great progress in this business of singing. 134 00:11:57,419 –> 00:11:58,559 Now you say, 135 00:11:58,700 –> 00:12:00,700 How do you make music in your heart? 136 00:12:00,700 –> 00:12:01,960 Well, let’s just ask this question, 137 00:12:01,960 –> 00:12:05,500 how do you make music? 138 00:12:05,500 –> 00:12:11,880 The way you make music is that you look at notes that are printed on the page 139 00:12:11,880 –> 00:12:19,059 or that are printed in your memory and you bring them to life by producing them 140 00:12:19,059 –> 00:12:24,380 on the piano or on a guitar or on a violin or whatever it is. 141 00:12:24,419 –> 00:12:30,719 Or if you can’t play an instrument, you get a CD and you play it 142 00:12:30,719 –> 00:12:33,760 in your stereo, in your Surround Sound, or whatever it is. 143 00:12:33,760 –> 00:12:36,200 Either way, you’re essentially doing the same thing. 144 00:12:36,200 –> 00:12:42,500 You’re taking what is written or what is recorded and you’re bringing it to life 145 00:12:42,500 –> 00:12:47,140 so that you experience the enjoyment of it. 146 00:12:47,140 –> 00:12:49,919 That is how you make music. 147 00:12:50,679 –> 00:12:55,739 Now how then do you make music in your heart? 148 00:12:55,739 –> 00:13:04,919 Answer, you lift God’s truth from the page of Scripture or indeed from your memory 149 00:13:04,919 –> 00:13:15,059 and in an act of faith, you play it in your heart so that you experience the enjoyment of it. 150 00:13:15,059 –> 00:13:19,559 Now just so that it’s clear what I’m talking about, let me try to illustrate simply by doing it. 151 00:13:19,659 –> 00:13:27,280 Turn back in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 1 and I’m going to just try and lift some things off the page 152 00:13:27,280 –> 00:13:33,179 which if you belong to Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit will immediately witness with your spirit 153 00:13:33,179 –> 00:13:34,679 that these things are true of you. 154 00:13:34,679 –> 00:13:37,359 And I’m just going to read one or two verses here, 155 00:13:37,739 –> 00:13:44,119 and if these statements are true of you, I want you to respond with a loud and hearty Amen 156 00:13:44,239 –> 00:13:51,679 which will be your way of saying, this is true not just in general, but this is true of me. 157 00:13:53,679 –> 00:13:59,679 So if it’s true of you, an Amen. If you’re not sure it’s true of you don’t worry about saying Amen just now. 158 00:14:00,500 –> 00:14:03,500 Here’s Ephesians chapter 1 and I’m going to read from verse 3. 159 00:14:03,900 –> 00:14:07,739 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in 160 00:14:07,739 –> 00:14:14,299 heavenly realms with every blessing in Christ. OK verse 4, he chose us in him 161 00:14:15,260 –> 00:14:21,820 before the creation of the world. Is that true of you? Amen! You’re sure? 162 00:14:24,299 –> 00:14:26,780 Amen I’m not sure I understand this. 163 00:14:28,539 –> 00:14:33,179 But I know and thank god that he laid hold of my life and if he hadn’t I wouldn’t be here 164 00:14:33,179 –> 00:14:38,940 today. You agree with that? It’s true of you? Let’s look at another couple of verses here. 165 00:14:39,739 –> 00:14:49,659 Verse 7, in him in Christ we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins. 166 00:14:49,659 –> 00:14:56,619 Is that true of you? Amen! Course it is! It is not just true in general it is something that’s 167 00:14:56,619 –> 00:15:01,580 coming to our experience that we look up into the face of god and say in your mercy through 168 00:15:01,580 –> 00:15:12,219 the passion of Jesus Christ I am forgiven through faith in his blood. Chapter 2 verse 5. 169 00:15:13,979 –> 00:15:22,700 God who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ when we were dead in our sins it is by 170 00:15:22,700 –> 00:15:29,739 grace that you have been saved. Is that true of you? Amen! Course it is I’ve got life in Jesus 171 00:15:29,739 –> 00:15:40,460 Christ I was dead towards God but he has made me alive. Now we make music in our hearts 172 00:15:41,979 –> 00:15:51,020 as we bring into the frame of our senses the knowledge of what God has done for us in Jesus 173 00:15:51,020 –> 00:15:59,419 Christ we play the scriptures. Jesus said about the holy spirit in John chapter 16 verse 14 174 00:15:59,419 –> 00:16:03,979 the holy spirit will take the things that are mine and he’ll make them known to you 175 00:16:03,979 –> 00:16:10,619 the work of the Holy Spirit is to personalize truth there is all the difference in the world 176 00:16:10,619 –> 00:16:17,419 between a man who says I believe God is good and a man who says God is good to me 177 00:16:19,500 –> 00:16:25,979 the latter is true faith it is the faith that has apprehended this relationship with God in 178 00:16:25,979 –> 00:16:33,419 all the mysteries of life yet I have come to know this and as you play the truth 179 00:16:34,619 –> 00:16:40,219 the Holy Spirit bears witness to the believer that these things are true of you as they resonate in 180 00:16:40,219 –> 00:16:47,340 your mind you will find the making melody in your heart and as you play them in your heart 181 00:16:47,340 –> 00:16:55,739 it will not be long before you want to sing them with your mouth now I want to remind you that the 182 00:16:55,739 –> 00:17:00,780 apostle Paul writing this letter of Ephesians is just writing to an ordinary group of believers 183 00:17:00,780 –> 00:17:06,459 if you read chapter four you’ll find that they’re struggling with all the same temptations that you 184 00:17:06,459 –> 00:17:10,699 and I struggle with you look at chapter five you’ll find that there were people who were 185 00:17:10,699 –> 00:17:14,380 having difficulty in marriage and they needed counsel on that other folks were 186 00:17:14,380 –> 00:17:18,219 struggling with all kinds of problems with their kids you get that in chapter five chapter six 187 00:17:19,180 –> 00:17:22,859 and yet in all these difficulties that are addressed 188 00:17:23,420 –> 00:17:28,140 in the lives of these people the Apostle Paul lifts them up in worship and he says but 189 00:17:28,140 –> 00:17:34,380 these things are true of you and they’re true of you 190 00:17:35,420 –> 00:17:37,979 If you are in Jesus Christ 191 00:17:39,420 –> 00:17:44,219 now some of us are in difficulty because the only tunes we play in our heart 192 00:17:44,780 –> 00:17:48,619 are the dull tunes of the problems of life 193 00:17:49,739 –> 00:17:53,180 learn to make melody in your heart to the Lord 194 00:17:54,699 –> 00:17:58,859 ask the Holy Spirit to open up your mind and your senses 195 00:17:59,420 –> 00:18:02,459 especially in the middle of difficulties 196 00:18:02,459 –> 00:18:06,699 to the music of the ultimate purpose and sovereignty of God 197 00:18:06,939 –> 00:18:10,859 and your security in His hand 198 00:18:10,920 –> 00:18:12,959 His Hand 199 00:18:12,959 –> 00:18:15,920 that’s what happened to two men called Paul and Silas 200 00:18:15,920 –> 00:18:18,500 you read about it in Acts chapter 16 201 00:18:18,719 –> 00:18:20,839 they went to a town called Philippi 202 00:18:21,119 –> 00:18:24,140 they were attacked, physically attacked 203 00:18:24,140 –> 00:18:26,979 they were mobbed they were brought into a marketplace 204 00:18:26,979 –> 00:18:30,780 and a magistrate commanded that they should be flogged 205 00:18:30,780 –> 00:18:32,479 Can you imagine that happening to you? 206 00:18:32,479 –> 00:18:34,439 they took their clothes off 207 00:18:34,920 –> 00:18:37,939 they were severely beaten with sticks 208 00:18:38,500 –> 00:18:41,239 they were then dragged away naked 209 00:18:41,660 –> 00:18:43,900 and they were locked in prison 210 00:18:43,900 –> 00:18:46,199 and shackled by the ankles 211 00:18:47,119 –> 00:18:49,760 and in Acts chapter 16 in verse 25 212 00:18:50,239 –> 00:18:51,319 we read these words 213 00:18:51,319 –> 00:18:55,000 that about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying 214 00:18:55,920 –> 00:18:57,780 and singing 215 00:18:58,739 –> 00:18:59,979 hymns to God 216 00:18:59,979 –> 00:19:03,219 that’s a filling of the holy spirit, isn’t it? 217 00:19:03,219 –> 00:19:04,619 that’s not natural 218 00:19:05,500 –> 00:19:08,760 that’s people in great difficulty 219 00:19:09,319 –> 00:19:12,000 being enabled by the holy spirit to say 220 00:19:12,000 –> 00:19:15,359 and yet i am in the hands of God 221 00:19:16,020 –> 00:19:19,400 and yet I can lift my mind up to this gracious saviour 222 00:19:19,400 –> 00:19:21,119 who gave everything for me 223 00:19:21,119 –> 00:19:23,119 and will never let me go 224 00:19:23,119 –> 00:19:26,380 and no, I do not understand what is happening right now 225 00:19:26,380 –> 00:19:29,859 but yet I will praise him 226 00:19:30,680 –> 00:19:35,579 their souls are renewed and strengthened 227 00:19:35,579 –> 00:19:40,819 if ever there was a day when Paul might have thought that god had abandoned him 228 00:19:40,819 –> 00:19:42,119 this was it 229 00:19:42,119 –> 00:19:47,319 but the holy spirit strengthened his grip on reality 230 00:19:47,319 –> 00:19:50,599 the reality that god never lets one of his people go 231 00:19:50,599 –> 00:19:53,420 so that even in their pain 232 00:19:53,420 –> 00:19:55,939 and no doubt through their tears 233 00:19:55,939 –> 00:19:58,160 and with all their bruises 234 00:19:58,640 –> 00:20:01,140 they sing 235 00:20:01,140 –> 00:20:05,479 learning to speak God’s truth into your own soul 236 00:20:05,479 –> 00:20:08,500 in the most difficult times is one of the most important skills 237 00:20:08,500 –> 00:20:10,400 in the whole of the Christian life 238 00:20:10,400 –> 00:20:12,180 find it again and again 239 00:20:12,180 –> 00:20:14,839 Psalm 103 is a classic example 240 00:20:14,839 –> 00:20:16,359 remember these words 241 00:20:16,359 –> 00:20:19,900 Bless the LORD oh my soul 242 00:20:19,900 –> 00:20:22,459 and all that is within me praise his holy name 243 00:20:22,459 –> 00:20:24,099 bless the LORD oh my soul 244 00:20:24,099 –> 00:20:26,619 and do not forget his benefits 245 00:20:27,359 –> 00:20:28,979 now you see it wasn’t speaking to God 246 00:20:28,979 –> 00:20:30,579 he was speaking to himself 247 00:20:33,140 –> 00:20:36,640 and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it this way 248 00:20:36,640 –> 00:20:37,880 it bears some thinking about 249 00:20:37,880 –> 00:20:39,819 but I found it profoundly helpful 250 00:20:39,819 –> 00:20:42,339 that most Christians are in difficulty 251 00:20:42,339 –> 00:20:44,739 because we listen to ourselves 252 00:20:44,739 –> 00:20:47,439 instead of talking to ourselves 253 00:20:49,140 –> 00:20:50,439 in other words I listened to all the fears 254 00:20:50,439 –> 00:20:52,680 all the doubts, all the questions 255 00:20:52,680 –> 00:20:53,819 I listened to them 256 00:20:54,619 –> 00:20:57,060 when in fact what I should be doing 257 00:20:57,060 –> 00:20:58,560 is talking to myself 258 00:20:59,680 –> 00:21:01,819 and saying Colin, this you know 259 00:21:01,819 –> 00:21:03,719 your life is in the hand of God 260 00:21:03,719 –> 00:21:05,000 this you know 261 00:21:05,000 –> 00:21:06,540 Jesus Christ died for you 262 00:21:06,540 –> 00:21:07,819 this you know 263 00:21:07,819 –> 00:21:09,479 the holy spirit is within you 264 00:21:09,479 –> 00:21:11,099 take yourself in hand 265 00:21:11,099 –> 00:21:12,300 talk to your soul 266 00:21:12,300 –> 00:21:13,420 talk to yourself 267 00:21:13,420 –> 00:21:15,140 teach yourself 268 00:21:15,140 –> 00:21:17,640 play the music of truth within your heart 269 00:21:17,640 –> 00:21:20,199 and then like Paul and Silas 270 00:21:21,839 –> 00:21:22,800 you will be able to sing 271 00:21:24,800 –> 00:21:27,660 make melody in your heart 272 00:21:27,660 –> 00:21:29,760 you see that’s the beginning of worship 273 00:21:31,739 –> 00:21:34,079 that you lift the truth of God 274 00:21:34,079 –> 00:21:36,040 from the page of scripture or from memory 275 00:21:36,040 –> 00:21:37,859 and you play it in your heart 276 00:21:37,859 –> 00:21:39,760 here as the first mark of a person 277 00:21:39,760 –> 00:21:41,300 filled with the spirit 278 00:21:42,300 –> 00:21:43,839 secondly 279 00:21:43,839 –> 00:21:45,599 not only does he talk about 280 00:21:45,599 –> 00:21:47,359 making music in your heart 281 00:21:47,359 –> 00:21:50,119 but he talks about speaking 282 00:21:50,119 –> 00:21:52,459 to one another 283 00:21:52,880 –> 00:21:57,400 in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs 284 00:21:57,400 –> 00:21:59,000 now notice two things that are important here 285 00:21:59,000 –> 00:22:00,839 the first is what we sing 286 00:22:00,839 –> 00:22:04,380 and the second is who we sing to 287 00:22:04,380 –> 00:22:05,939 and it’s very significant 288 00:22:05,939 –> 00:22:08,420 for us to look at this verse together 289 00:22:08,420 –> 00:22:09,560 notice that he talks about 290 00:22:09,560 –> 00:22:12,959 psalms, hymns and spiritual songs 291 00:22:12,959 –> 00:22:14,739 historically some people have thought 292 00:22:14,739 –> 00:22:17,079 this was three ways of describing the same thing 293 00:22:17,079 –> 00:22:18,439 other people have made it into 294 00:22:18,439 –> 00:22:20,819 three very rigid watertight categories 295 00:22:20,920 –> 00:22:22,500 neither seems very helpful to me 296 00:22:22,500 –> 00:22:24,540 it seems best to see these as 297 00:22:24,540 –> 00:22:27,119 overlapping categories that really 298 00:22:27,119 –> 00:22:30,300 express the broad range of words and of 299 00:22:30,300 –> 00:22:32,579 music that God continues to give 300 00:22:32,579 –> 00:22:34,699 through every generation in the church 301 00:22:34,699 –> 00:22:36,599 to express our worship 302 00:22:36,599 –> 00:22:39,300 notice that he says first, psalms 303 00:22:40,420 –> 00:22:41,180 It’s good to remember 304 00:22:41,180 –> 00:22:43,160 God has given us a hundred and fifty psalms 305 00:22:43,160 –> 00:22:46,540 in the Old Testament and others in other places 306 00:22:46,800 –> 00:22:49,760 and they cover the whole spectrum of life 307 00:22:51,479 –> 00:22:53,280 they express every emotion of human 308 00:22:53,280 –> 00:22:55,699 experience, there are psalms that David 309 00:22:55,699 –> 00:22:57,660 sang with tears 310 00:22:59,260 –> 00:23:01,180 there are psalms that help us 311 00:23:01,180 –> 00:23:02,280 when we’re angry 312 00:23:03,680 –> 00:23:05,239 there are psalms that help us 313 00:23:05,239 –> 00:23:07,099 bring every emotion 314 00:23:07,099 –> 00:23:09,180 and every experience you will ever 315 00:23:09,180 –> 00:23:12,160 encounter in life, into the presence of God 316 00:23:12,160 –> 00:23:14,500 and we need to learn to use them more 317 00:23:14,640 –> 00:23:17,300 of course as far as singing the 318 00:23:17,300 –> 00:23:18,680 psalms is concerned we don’t have the 319 00:23:18,680 –> 00:23:21,199 original tunes that David used and so 320 00:23:21,199 –> 00:23:23,560 we have the privilege of inventing and 321 00:23:23,560 –> 00:23:25,839 using many tunes as the Church has done 322 00:23:25,839 –> 00:23:26,680 throughout the ages 323 00:23:26,680 –> 00:23:28,780 here’s an old one and you’ll hear the 324 00:23:28,780 –> 00:23:30,500 tune of this immediately I’m sure 325 00:23:30,500 –> 00:23:35,079 Oh God our help in ages past our hope 326 00:23:35,079 –> 00:23:36,400 for years to come 327 00:23:36,400 –> 00:23:39,040 our shelter from the stormy blast and 328 00:23:39,040 –> 00:23:42,280 our internal home, let’s breathe strength 329 00:23:42,280 –> 00:23:43,420 into the soul 330 00:23:44,300 –> 00:23:46,739 it is Psalm 46 331 00:23:47,739 –> 00:23:50,099 here’s a more modern one, you’ll think of this tune 332 00:23:50,099 –> 00:23:51,099 in your head too 333 00:23:51,119 –> 00:23:53,699 shouted to the Lord all the earth let us sing 334 00:23:53,699 –> 00:23:56,260 power and majesty, praise to the King 335 00:23:56,260 –> 00:23:58,540 mountains bow down and the seas will roar 336 00:23:58,540 –> 00:23:59,920 at the sound of his name 337 00:23:59,920 –> 00:24:02,500 I sing for joy at the work of your hands 338 00:24:02,500 –> 00:24:04,859 forever I’ll love you, forever I’ll stand 339 00:24:04,859 –> 00:24:09,300 nothing compares to the promise I have in you 340 00:24:09,300 –> 00:24:10,939 that’s Psalm 95 341 00:24:11,699 –> 00:24:12,619 fantastic 342 00:24:13,459 –> 00:24:14,540 Hymns 343 00:24:15,079 –> 00:24:17,780 hymns are an expression of praise to God 344 00:24:17,780 –> 00:24:20,920 that describe his greatness and his glory 345 00:24:21,160 –> 00:24:22,619 I’m going to quote an old one 346 00:24:22,619 –> 00:24:24,020 and a new one 347 00:24:24,319 –> 00:24:25,979 holy holy holy 348 00:24:25,979 –> 00:24:28,699 Lord God Almighty 349 00:24:28,699 –> 00:24:32,680 all thy works shall praise thy name 350 00:24:32,680 –> 00:24:34,880 in earth and sky and sea 351 00:24:34,880 –> 00:24:36,339 holy holy holy 352 00:24:36,339 –> 00:24:38,739 merciful mighty 353 00:24:38,739 –> 00:24:40,819 God in three persons 354 00:24:40,819 –> 00:24:42,619 blessed Trinity 355 00:24:42,619 –> 00:24:45,319 that’s our confession of faith 356 00:24:45,319 –> 00:24:47,880 or in a more modern version 357 00:24:48,520 –> 00:24:51,300 God of wonders beyond all majesty 358 00:24:51,300 –> 00:24:53,939 you are holy holy 359 00:24:53,939 –> 00:24:56,420 the universe declares your majesty 360 00:24:56,420 –> 00:24:58,319 you are holy holy 361 00:24:58,319 –> 00:25:00,380 Lord of heaven and earth 362 00:25:00,959 –> 00:25:04,959 Lord of heaven and earth 363 00:25:04,959 –> 00:25:07,680 and then thirdly spiritual songs 364 00:25:07,680 –> 00:25:10,000 probably best described as 365 00:25:10,000 –> 00:25:13,920 songs of testimony and of experience 366 00:25:13,920 –> 00:25:15,560 and you have a number of examples of these 367 00:25:15,560 –> 00:25:17,420 within the scriptures themselves 368 00:25:17,479 –> 00:25:19,660 for example when Moses led the people 369 00:25:19,660 –> 00:25:20,739 across the Red Sea 370 00:25:20,739 –> 00:25:23,540 he and Miriam broke out into a song 371 00:25:23,540 –> 00:25:25,099 of testimony of what God 372 00:25:25,099 –> 00:25:26,219 had done for them 373 00:25:26,219 –> 00:25:28,839 he found that in Exodus 15 374 00:25:28,839 –> 00:25:31,180 or when Mary was told about 375 00:25:31,180 –> 00:25:33,500 the birth of Jesus Christ 376 00:25:33,500 –> 00:25:34,619 that was to take place 377 00:25:34,619 –> 00:25:35,560 from her own womb 378 00:25:35,560 –> 00:25:37,640 she was given by the Spirit 379 00:25:37,640 –> 00:25:39,660 a song of testimony 380 00:25:39,660 –> 00:25:41,359 a beautiful song that we call 381 00:25:41,359 –> 00:25:42,359 the magnificat 382 00:25:42,359 –> 00:25:44,880 there are many other examples in the Bible 383 00:25:44,880 –> 00:25:46,160 the Spirit gave words 384 00:25:46,199 –> 00:25:48,619 to express experience 385 00:25:49,579 –> 00:25:53,020 of God’s grace and kindness 386 00:25:53,020 –> 00:25:55,780 in a person’s life 387 00:25:55,780 –> 00:25:57,459 throughout history 388 00:25:57,459 –> 00:25:58,459 believers have written 389 00:25:58,459 –> 00:25:59,739 songs of experience 390 00:25:59,739 –> 00:26:00,760 here is an old one 391 00:26:00,760 –> 00:26:04,380 And can it be that I should gain 392 00:26:04,380 –> 00:26:08,219 an interest in my Savior’s blood? 393 00:26:08,219 –> 00:26:09,219 Did he die for me 394 00:26:09,219 –> 00:26:11,560 who caused his pain for me 395 00:26:11,560 –> 00:26:12,560 who him to death 396 00:26:12,560 –> 00:26:14,500 pursued amazing love? 397 00:26:14,839 –> 00:26:15,839 How can it be 398 00:26:15,839 –> 00:26:17,119 that thou my God 399 00:26:17,119 –> 00:26:19,760 should die for me? 400 00:26:21,119 –> 00:26:22,000 A more modern one 401 00:26:22,000 –> 00:26:25,359 Jesus, you are changing me 402 00:26:25,359 –> 00:26:26,540 by your spirit 403 00:26:26,540 –> 00:26:28,500 you are making me 404 00:26:28,500 –> 00:26:29,500 like you 405 00:26:29,900 –> 00:26:30,739 Now you see 406 00:26:30,739 –> 00:26:32,579 Christian singing brings together 407 00:26:32,579 –> 00:26:35,040 truth and experience 408 00:26:35,040 –> 00:26:37,239 from the whole spectrum of life 409 00:26:37,239 –> 00:26:41,920 psalms, hymns, spiritual songs 410 00:26:41,959 –> 00:26:44,420 The God given words that express 411 00:26:44,420 –> 00:26:47,119 experiences from the whole of life 412 00:26:47,119 –> 00:26:49,260 and worship from every circumstance 413 00:26:49,260 –> 00:26:51,760 as scriptions of praise to God 414 00:26:51,760 –> 00:26:53,079 declaring His glory 415 00:26:53,079 –> 00:26:55,880 Expressions of our experience 416 00:26:55,880 –> 00:26:57,219 of His grace and kindness 417 00:26:57,219 –> 00:26:58,219 as it has touched 418 00:26:58,219 –> 00:27:00,079 and is touching our lives 419 00:27:00,079 –> 00:27:01,300 All of this 420 00:27:01,760 –> 00:27:03,719 is part of the rich tapestry 421 00:27:03,719 –> 00:27:05,219 of Christian worship 422 00:27:06,760 –> 00:27:08,920 Then if we ask who we sing to 423 00:27:10,079 –> 00:27:11,079 of course we would all immediately 424 00:27:11,119 –> 00:27:13,599 and rightly say we sing to God 425 00:27:14,000 –> 00:27:15,680 And of course that is the right answer 426 00:27:15,680 –> 00:27:18,260 but it is not a complete answer 427 00:27:18,880 –> 00:27:20,380 Notice what we learn about the 428 00:27:20,380 –> 00:27:22,380 Audience for Christian singing here 429 00:27:22,380 –> 00:27:24,880 Speak to one another 430 00:27:24,880 –> 00:27:28,579 with psalms, hymns 431 00:27:28,579 –> 00:27:30,000 and spiritual songs 432 00:27:30,000 –> 00:27:31,000 I say this is something 433 00:27:31,000 –> 00:27:32,000 very important to grasp 434 00:27:32,000 –> 00:27:33,000 When our worship is 435 00:27:33,000 –> 00:27:34,000 God centered 436 00:27:34,000 –> 00:27:35,000 and Christ focused 437 00:27:35,000 –> 00:27:36,000 and Spirit filled 438 00:27:36,000 –> 00:27:38,000 We minister 439 00:27:38,000 –> 00:27:40,000 in the gathered congregation 440 00:27:40,000 –> 00:27:44,000 to one another in singing 441 00:27:44,000 –> 00:27:49,000 Your singing is a gift 442 00:27:49,000 –> 00:27:51,000 to the person in front of you 443 00:27:51,000 –> 00:27:53,000 and beside you 444 00:27:53,000 –> 00:27:54,000 Now you are going to say 445 00:27:55,000 –> 00:27:56,000 If you had ever heard me sing 446 00:27:56,000 –> 00:27:58,000 You would not think that that was true 447 00:27:58,000 –> 00:27:59,000 but I want to promise you 448 00:27:59,000 –> 00:28:00,000 that is the case 449 00:28:00,000 –> 00:28:01,000 and let me just 450 00:28:01,000 –> 00:28:02,000 try and spell it out 451 00:28:02,000 –> 00:28:04,000 a little bit like this 452 00:28:04,000 –> 00:28:06,000 Some of us have come here today 453 00:28:06,000 –> 00:28:07,000 Carrying terribly 454 00:28:07,000 –> 00:28:09,000 terribly heavy burdens 455 00:28:09,000 –> 00:28:12,000 Some of us have come here today 456 00:28:12,000 –> 00:28:16,000 and we can hardly sing 457 00:28:16,000 –> 00:28:18,000 Some of us have come here today 458 00:28:18,000 –> 00:28:21,000 and we tear up easily 459 00:28:21,000 –> 00:28:23,000 but we’re here 460 00:28:23,000 –> 00:28:25,000 Why are we here? 461 00:28:25,000 –> 00:28:28,000 because we know that in our agony 462 00:28:28,000 –> 00:28:32,000 we need to lay hold of the sovereignty of God 463 00:28:32,000 –> 00:28:34,000 we know that at this time 464 00:28:34,000 –> 00:28:36,000 of all times in our lives 465 00:28:36,000 –> 00:28:38,000 we need to sense 466 00:28:38,000 –> 00:28:41,000 that our lives are in the hand of God 467 00:28:41,000 –> 00:28:43,000 We need to know the nearness of God 468 00:28:43,000 –> 00:28:44,000 and to remember again 469 00:28:44,000 –> 00:28:49,000 and experience something of his comfort in our pain 470 00:28:49,000 –> 00:28:54,000 and one of God’s most wonderful means of grace 471 00:28:54,000 –> 00:28:56,000 one of the ways he works 472 00:28:56,000 –> 00:29:01,000 by the filling of the Spirit in his people 473 00:29:01,000 –> 00:29:03,000 is that a believer in that brokenness 474 00:29:03,000 –> 00:29:10,000 has the privilege of coming into a place like this 475 00:29:10,000 –> 00:29:14,000 and being surrounded by other believers 476 00:29:14,000 –> 00:29:20,000 who lift their voices in declaring the praise of God 477 00:29:20,000 –> 00:29:23,000 That is one of the greatest Christian ways 478 00:29:23,000 –> 00:29:32,000 of speaking strength into a believing soul 479 00:29:32,000 –> 00:29:36,000 Now I know what it is to thank God, to hear others 480 00:29:36,000 –> 00:29:41,000 declare what I know to be true when I couldn’t sing it myself 481 00:29:41,000 –> 00:29:46,000 So if you can sing, sing 482 00:29:46,000 –> 00:29:48,000 I don’t mean if you can carry a tune, sing 483 00:29:48,000 –> 00:29:54,000 I mean if you can resonate at all the truth of God, sing 484 00:29:54,000 –> 00:29:58,000 Because there are other people here who need to hear the community 485 00:29:59,000 –> 00:30:02,000 Singing and declaring what they know to be true 486 00:30:02,000 –> 00:30:06,000 But desperately need to apprehend, in their pain and in their darkness 487 00:30:06,000 –> 00:30:09,000 This is a ministry to one another as we are filled by the spirit 488 00:30:09,000 –> 00:30:14,000 Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs 489 00:30:14,000 –> 00:30:17,000 You do not know what it will mean for someone, perhaps, even in a moment 490 00:30:17,000 –> 00:30:21,000 to glance and to see the radiance in another person’s face 491 00:30:21,000 –> 00:30:25,000 as they sing and thereby to find hope in the body of Christ 492 00:30:25,000 –> 00:30:28,000 That is a ministry of the spirit 493 00:30:28,000 –> 00:30:31,000 I don’t come here to kind of gaze around me vacantly 494 00:30:31,000 –> 00:30:34,000 while other things are going on 495 00:30:34,000 –> 00:30:39,000 I come to be part of a community that declares the glory of God 496 00:30:39,000 –> 00:30:41,000 I know what a privilege it is to be part of that 497 00:30:41,000 –> 00:30:45,000 And many of us know the blessing 498 00:30:45,00 –> 00:30:47,000 In our darkest days 499 00:30:47,000 –> 00:30:51,000 of coming into an environment where others declared 500 00:30:51,000 –> 00:30:57,000 what we most, most needed to hear 501 00:30:57,000 –> 00:31:01,000 Well 502 00:31:01,000 –> 00:31:06,000 When we are filled with the spirit we’ll make music in our heart 503 00:31:06,000 –> 00:31:09,000 When we are filled with the spirit as a congregation 504 00:31:09,000 –> 00:31:14,000 we will speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs 505 00:31:14,000 –> 00:31:18,000 And lastly and just very briefly, as time has gone 506 00:31:18,000 –> 00:31:22,000 we will sing to the Lord 507 00:31:22,000 –> 00:31:25,000 Notice Paul is now preaching to the choir here 508 00:31:25,000 –> 00:31:26,000 he’s talking to all God’s people 509 00:31:26,000 –> 00:31:31,000 be filled with the spirit, that’s for all of us 510 00:31:31,000 –> 00:31:35,000 speak to one another in psalms and hymns in spiritual songs 511 00:31:35,000 –> 00:31:37,000 sing to the Lord 512 00:31:38,000 –> 00:31:41,000 You know one of my greatest prayers for this congregation? 513 00:31:42,000 –> 00:31:46,000 God will so fill us with His spirit that He will loosen our tongues to sing 514 00:31:48,000 –> 00:31:50,000 to sing 515 00:31:51,000 –> 00:31:53,000 to sing 516 00:31:53,000 –> 00:31:56,000 that some of us, especially some of us men 517 00:31:57,000 –> 00:32:01,000 will know an expansion of soul 518 00:32:02,000 –> 00:32:06,000 so that we feel more, we’ll be better husbands, better fathers 519 00:32:06,000 –> 00:32:09,000 and it begins with worship 520 00:32:11,000 –> 00:32:14,000 that we’ll have the confidence to declare what we do know 521 00:32:14,000 –> 00:32:18,000 and a world of confusion that has more questions than answers 522 00:32:19,000 –> 00:32:21,000 and we have so many questions 523 00:32:21,000 –> 00:32:26,000 But you know, we’re not just a bunch of people trying to figure out how to do life in this confusing world 524 00:32:26,000 –> 00:32:30,000 we have found the Christ 525 00:32:30,000 –> 00:32:34,000 We’re able to say, in all that I don’t know and in all that I do not understand 526 00:32:34,000 –> 00:32:38,000 I know whom I have believed 527 00:32:38,000 –> 00:32:44,000 because I am so persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him against that day 528 00:32:44,000 –> 00:32:47,000 That’s biblical Christianity 529 00:32:48,000 –> 00:32:52,000 And our destiny in the Book of Revelation is that one day we’ll stand with angels 530 00:32:52,000 –> 00:32:56,000 and with full souls we’ll declare the glory of Jesus Christ 531 00:32:56,000 –> 00:32:59,000 who we have known and apprehended by faith 532 00:32:59,000 –> 00:33:03,000 and now see and enjoy in his immediate presence 533 00:33:03,000 –> 00:33:08,000 were by faith we will enjoy by sight 534 00:33:08,000 –> 00:33:16,000 and the only distance between now and then is just a little bit of time