SINGING TO ONE ANOTHER

SINGING TO ONE ANOTHER

Text: Colossians 3:15-17.

Delivered on: October 21, 2007. Streetsboro.

Introduction.

1. This congregation has received many compliments on it’s singing.

2. For good reason, we sound good when we sing.

3. Let us spend this morning studying the “Who, What, Why, and How” of singing.

Colossians 3:15-17

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Body.

1. Who is to sing?

1. Colossians is addressed to “the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse.” (Colossians 1:1).

   1. Therefore, Paul’s command to sing is to all faithful brethren in Christ today as well.

   2. Therefore, when the congregation sings, we all should be singing.
      
      

2. This seems like such a simple point but some still choose not to sing.

   1. Perhaps some feel that they can not sing well enough.

   2. Perhaps the song leader is leading a song that you don’t know and you can’t read music.

   3. Perhaps the song leader is leading it too high or too low for you.

   4. Perhaps some don’t like to sing.

3. There is no valid excuse to not sing as long as you are physically able!

   1. God does not care what you sound like.

   2. What matters most are the words and their meaning!

   3. Proper singing is more a matter of the heart than the lips.

      1. Ephesians 5:19. Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

      2. Matthew 12:34. “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

      3. It is possible for one to sing a song technically perfect but not be pleasing to God if it does not come from the heart.

2. What are we to sing?

1. Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

   1. These three words all have the same basic meaning.

   2. They mean:

      1. Pious songs.

      2. Songs of praise.

      3. Songs that deal with spiritual matters.

2. Most of the songs in our songbook fulfill these requirements.

   1. However, they must speak the truth.

   2. It is just as bad to sing a lie as it is to speak a lie.

   3. We must think about what we sing!

      1. 1 Corinthians 14:15. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

      2. Psalm 47:7. For God is the King of all the earth; Sing praises with understanding.

3. Why do we sing?

1. We sing to praise and glorify God.

   1. Because of His righteousness. Psalm 7:17. I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.

      1. Holy, Holy, Holy.

      2. I Stand in Awe. You are beautiful beyond description, Too marvelous for words, Too wonderful for comprehension, Like nothing ever seen or heard. Who can grasp Your infinite wisdom, Who can fathom the depth of Your love? You are beautiful beyond description, Majesty enthroned above. And I stand, I stand in awe of You...

      3. My Hope is Built on Nothing Less. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name.

   2. For His mercy and generosity. Psalm 13:5-6. But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

      1. Praise Him, Praise Him! Praise Him, Praise Him! Jesus our blessed redeemer! Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim! Hail Him! Hail Him! Highest archangels in glory; Strength and honor give to His holy name. Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children; In His arms He carries them all day long...

      2. O the Depth and the Riches. O the depth and the riches of God’s saving grace Flowing down fro the cross for me! There the debt for my sins by the Savior was paid In His suffering on Calvary!

   3. For His power. Psalm 21:13. Be exalted, O Lord, in Your own strength! We will sing and praise Your power.

      1. A Mighty Fortress. A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing; Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing...

      2. How Great Thou Art.

   4. Thanksgiving. Psalm 147:7. Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God,

      1. To God Be The Glory. To God be the glory, great things He hath done; So loved He the world that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an atonement for sin, And opened the life-gate that all may go in...

      2. A Wonderful Savior.

2. We sing to teach and admonish one another.

   1. We teach one another in the songs that we sing.

   2. Angry Words.

   3. God’s Family.

   4. Count Your Blessings.

   5. Sowing the Seed.

   6. All of our invitation songs.

4. How are we to sing?

1. We are to sing with enthusiasm! Psalm 95:1. Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

2. We are to sing with our voices.

   1. “Speaking to one another...” (Ephesians 5:19).

   2. At this point I feel that it is important to look at verse 17 of our text. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

   3. All that we do (including singing) must be done by the authority (or permission) of Jesus.

   4. We have been authorized to SPEAK to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

   5. We have not been authorized to:

      1. Clap.

      2. Hum or make other unintelligible noises with our voices.

      3. Play an instrument.

3. Arguments in favor of instrumental music.

   1. Psalmos and psallos denote a plucking or twanging of an instrument.

      1. Psalmos - psalm.

      2. Psallos - making melody (Ephesians 5:19).

      3. There is much discussion as to whether these words had this meaning during the time of the writing of the New Testament.

      4. However, even if we allow it to have this meaning, we are told what instrument to use - the heart.

   2. “God never said that we couldn’t use an instrument!”

      1. What if a pharmacist used this logic?

      2. What if an auto mechanic used this logic?

      3. God’s silence does not authorize!

      4. Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by fire for offering fire which “God commanded not.” Leviticus 10:1-2. Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.2 So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

      5. Moses was not allowed into the Promised Land because he hit the rock instead of just speaking to it as God had commanded. Numbers 20:8-12. “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.”9 So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?”11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

   3. “They used instruments in the Old Testament and in heaven.”

      1. It is true that mechanical instruments were used in the Old Testament.

      2. It is also true that they are mentioned in heaven.

      3. However, all this shows us is that nowhere can one find authority for one living under the New Testament of Jesus Christ to use mechanical music.

      4. Such authority does not exist.

      5. We do not live under Old Testament law. Romans 7:4. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another— to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

      6. Likewise, we are not in heaven.

      7. We are subject to the law under which we live. For us that is the New Testament.

      8. To illustrate... Slavery use to be legal in the United States. However, that law has changed and it is no longer legal. I am bound to obey the law as it stands today.

Conclusion.

1. Let us strive to worship God as He told us to.

2. Let us do it with joy and enthusiasm.