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Tell the story of Nathan Jamerson’s wedding.

Here’s what he sang:

I will be here and you can cry on my shoulder, When the mirror tells us we're older, I will hold you and I will be here to watch you grow in beauty And tell you all the things you are to me I will be here

There have been some remarkable moments in my life when it comes to people singing.

Hailey walked down the aisle at our wedding to “Ever Be,” and the doors were opened when the song got to this point:

Now You're making me like You Clothing me in white Bringing beauty from ashes

For You will have Your bride Free of all her guilt and rid of all her shame And known by her true name And it's why I sing

Your praise will ever be on my lips Ever be on my lips Your praise will ever be on my lips Ever be on my lips

Hailey and I were walking through a tough season, and at our Bible conference a few years ago one of the bands sang, “Your Cry has Awoken the Master.”

It hit you without any warning The storm of your life had begun Seeing no hope in the distance You're frightened and nowhere to run By now your vessel is filling And you're thinking that you'll surely drown You cried out for help from the Saviour And you know you can't give up now

Because you've prayed all night Because you've held on with all of your might Child, your cries have awoken the Master Oh, He knows your voice Lift your hands, it's time to rejoice Child, your cries have awoken the Master

Tonight, we’re going to look at a moment in Jesus’ life when He sang. What a moment.

Matthew 26:30 KJV 1900

30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

1. The Scene

Don’t miss the marvelous in what seems mundane.

What may look like an ordinary chapter is actually a magnificent moment.

a. The Sovereignty

Let me bring you up to speed on what’s happening?

It’s passover week for Israel - a time when Israel and the Jews would venture back to Jerusalem to celebrate the Exodus from Egypt.

God released them from bondage.

This year was different

26:1-5 - the authorities plotted to kill Jesus

b. The Sacrifice

26:6-13 - Jesus was anointed for His burial by Mary

c. The Sedition

26:14-16 - Judas made a covenant to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

“I can’t believe Judas would do that for so little… some people we know have done it for a lot less”

d. The Savior’s Preparation

26:17-19 - the disciples were sent to prepare for the meal.

26:20-29 - Jesus tells of who would betray Him, and they participate in the last Supper.

b.

Who is involved in this singing?///

1. The Savior

2. The

2. The Singing

Why did they sing?

Partly because of tradition.

Why did they sing? // The Truth of this Song

They were celebrating passover, and WORSHIPPING what God had done!

Worship is the human response to the revelation and work of God.

God revealing Himself and will

Response by the worshiper of adoration, humility, and obedience to God.

In the Old Testament, people expressed worship by offering sacrifices in the Temple to God.

In the New Testament, we can worship because Jesus BECAME the sacrifice to God.

In the Old Testament, worship was associated with a place

In the New Testament, worship is associated with a Person

So why did Jesus sing?

In this moment, He was fully God and Fully man, right?

Jesus sets an example for us to SING!

What did they sing?

Explain what happened during the passover.

Jews would come together.

They would travel to Jerusalem and remember what God did in Egypt.

Setting His people free.

On the tenth plague, the BLOOD over the door post set the people free from the angel of death that passed over Egypt that night.

So they would come together and celebrate the Power and work of God.

They would have a meal.

They would sing.

What would they sing, though?

Many people believed they would sing the Hallel Psalms 115-118

Here’s how they would do it… The Worship Leader, if you will, would stand up, and sing a line of the psalm, and then the congregation would shout “Hallelujah.”

“Hallelujah” means - praise be to God.

Let’s practice this, turn to Psalm 115, and imagine the Upper Room scene.

Psalm 115:1 KJV 1900

1 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But unto thy name give glory, For thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

“Hallelujah - God Be Praised”

Psalm 115:2–3 KJV 1900

2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? 3 But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Psalm 115:18 KJV 1900

18 But we will bless the Lord From this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord.

Psalm 116:1 KJV 1900

1 I love the Lord, because he hath heard My voice and my supplications.

Psalm 116:13 KJV 1900

13 I will take the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of the Lord.

Psalm 116:15 KJV 1900

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of his saints.

Psalm 116:16 KJV 1900

16 O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: Thou hast loosed my bonds.

Psalm 118:22 KJV 1900

22 The stone which the builders refused Is become the head stone of the corner.

Psalm 118:24 KJV 1900

24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:28 KJV 1900

28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt thee.

They didn’t know it then, but Jesus would have glory!

Wow… how pure. How holy. How powerful.

In the moment they didn’t realize what they were doing.

In the moment, they were probably just going through the normal motions of passover.

But could you imagine that following year when they celebrated together?

Could you imagine the next week? Could you imagine the next time they sang these songs and the memories that flooded their minds?

James and John asked to sit at His right and left hand - now Psalm 115:1 became more and more real.

Psalm 118:22 - Thomas probably remembered how he doubted, but then remembered that Jesus was the stone!

Psalm 118:24 - the memory of denying jesus was faded away when Peter sang this - thinking even though I failed, I can rejoice in That day!!!

They didn’t know it then, but Jesus would hear their cries.

They didn’t know it then, but Jesus would be the stone of the corner

They didn’t know it then, but this would be a day where we can rejoice!!!

Why is it important that we sing together?

Singing is a form of worship.

Singing is a way to point to the work of the cross!

c. Why do we sing?

It’s important for us to sing because when we do, we are:

Communicating Truth

Comforting Those around us

The bible tells us to sing

Colossians 3:16 KJV 1900

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.

But it also helps us

But when life is falling apart, and trials threaten your security, that is when your singing becomes a forceful testimony to the faithfulness of God.

The expecting mother who suffered a devastating miscarriage the day before, but through the tears sings out, “In Christ alone my hope is found; he is my light, my strength, my song.”

The young professional who, because of his Christian convictions on sexuality, was fired from his dream job on Friday, but who arrives on Sunday and belts out, “How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord, is laid for your faith in his excellent word.”

The divorced woman, battling loneliness and depression, who declares, “Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him — how I’ve proved him over and over.”

The 76-year-old husband and wife who recently buried their youngest daughter and two granddaughters, but still sit in the second row on Sunday morning — as they have for the past forty years — and cry out, “He will hold me fast. He will hold me fast. For my Savior loves me so. He will hold me fast.”Why do we sing?