The Song of Worship

Singing aligns us with God

The Power of Music

The Power of Music

16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.

The Power of Music

SINGING CAUSES US TO MOVE INTO ALIGNMENT WITH GOD

Music is a major influencer. It has the power to move you in the right direction or the wrong direction.

the author is telling his church to avoid the temptations of this world and align themselves with the things of God. How do they do this? They do it by singing hymns and songs by getting together and making music. It is meant to help the Christian realign themselves with the will of God.

Music literary makes you move. It activates the motor areas of your brain.

Play Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pi_HiInBipc

Singing leads us to a place of surrender

Everyone in this video chants along with the leaders. It doesn’t matter if they are getting popcorn, if they are texting and taking a selfie. Everyone stops and aligns themselves behind the team taking the court. Everyone is aligning themselves with victory. It causes you to move.

When you come in this sanctuary you bring with you all the distractions of life, you bring in your ideas both good and bad, you bring in your issues both good and bad.

But when the music begins your body and your soul have the opportunity to be realigned.

God knows this!

Psalm 96:1 NASB95

Sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord, all the earth.

All throughout the scriptures God places rhythmic poems and songs. We have the whole books of Psalms filled with song and poetry. But all throughout these books we find song after song celebrating and remembering the works of God. In fact the entire nation of Israel is taught to worship together in assembly.

Even in the NT different writers will embed hymns and chants into the text to the churches. There are over 24 hymns embedded in the different books in the NT. All over scripture God has placed the songs of freedom, songs meant to engage the entire being and realign them with the will and plan of God.

Music is apart of Scripture, God is a musician, he created the rhythms and patterns of life and breathed those into us.

Every once in a while Rodney and Greg does body pump at the YMCA. I refuse to go with because my mom attends and I can’t be whipped by my own mom. I’m done with those days.

The Workout of Singing

Ambrose of Milan (4th Cent) Singing is the “Gymnasium of the Soul”

The Benefits of the gym

You will not benefit from the gym unless you go routinely.

I went and lifted weights with Rod and Greg a while back and it was the first time in a long time.It was so uncomfortable because I had forgotten my stances and my muscles have gotten tight. I was so out of shape that after a short 30 minutes workout, I almost vomited in the garbage can. It was super uncomfortable, I made me feel sick but if I want to get stronger I have to face the music and turn it up a notch.

I’d like to tell you I have gone back everyday since and put on ten pounds of muscle, but that would be a lie. I have only been back once and it was to go to the pool with my girl.

Think of singing as a workout for your soul.

When you work out you are strengthening your muscles but your also strengthening your mind. You tell yourself, “just one more”. You are constantly faced with the option to quit yet you always have to reject it and keep going.

The more you lift the more you can handle, the more you can take, the stronger you get.

You can be simple or you can make things a bit more complicated.

If you lift with Rod, he likes to keep it simple, curls and bench!

Some of you love the old hymns that have alot of words and deep theology. You like the rythm and almost chant like structure.

Others of you love the simplicity of some of the newer songs with fewer words and repeated choruses.

WHICH ONE IS BETTER?!

Have the crowd yell out their answers.

You’re all wrong, Their is a place for both. Throughout scripture we see songs written that are deep in theology. the words are difficult but the message is deep and poetic. “As the deer panteth for the waters so my soul longeth after you, you Oh Lord are my hearts desire and I long to worship you.” But other songs are incredibly simple, in fact my favorite song is one word. teaches us this song “Holy, Holy Holy is the lord God of hosts.” When I don’t know what to sing this is my prayer and my song, “Holy”

Worship takes us to the depth of theological truth and enjoys the shallowness of simple relationship with God.

Some songs may require a PHD to unpack, but other songs can be sung by the youngest child. God has given us both and we should strive to sing both because both will align us with G

od’s plan.

Singing moves us to a place of surrender

Singing helps us see God for who he really is and who we really are.

“Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Music is Influence.

I love to sing over my littlest girl. I love to sing over her because in that music there’s a connection. I will hold my baby in my arms and her eyes will run wild. I know she is tired and exhausted but she is fighting sleep, she is fighting what she currently needs. But I found something out. I found when I sing over her and look her in the eyes, the eyes shut almost immediately. When she hears my voice and sees my eyes she finds the comfort to sleep. She found rest because of my voice, she found what she really needed because she looked into my eyes, heard my song that I sang over her and boom she was gone. She finally surrendered to my smooth voice and articulate melodies!

She found rest because of the song and the relationship

She surrendered to me because I was able to give her what she needed.

We sing to God, because He first sang over us.

Every person has a song to sing. Even Jesus sang.

Every person has a song to sing. Even Jesus sang.

Did you know Jesus was a singer? Jesus sang, he never made it on a top ten list, he never made it onto a late show or toured the country because of his music but he performed some of the greatest hits our the known world.

- Jesus is about to move into the most scary, difficult, uncomfortable, trying time of his life. He about to be betrayed, abandoned and turned over to a lonely death on the cross but first the last thing he does at his brodeo is sing a hymn with his boys.

He would’ve sang . check out some of the lines Jesus would’ve sang with his.

Psalm 118:5–7 ESV

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

English Standard Version Psalm 118

I thank you that you have answered me

and have become my salvation.

22  The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

English Standard Version Psalm 118

This is the LORD’s doing;

it is marvelous in our eyes.

24  This is the day that the LORD has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

English Standard Version Psalm 118

Save us, we pray, O LORD!

O LORD, we pray, give us success!

Jesus knew he would die but he still sang the song of victory.

Jesus song was one of surrender. He surrendered to the plan of God.

His song aligned him to the plan and purposes of God. His song showed how the time he spent singing over the years prepared him for what lay ahead.

Jesus was taken, beaten, mocked abused and slandered. He was nailed to a tree and stabbed in the side. His body was broken for you and for me. He surrendered himself for you and for me. He died not because he was an offensive teacher, he dies because you and I have sinned against God and the only way God could get us is if he himself came into our world and took our sin and punishment upon himself. He was the only one good enough, he was the only one strong enough, he was what we could never be, giving us what we could never earn. Loving us even though we loved everything but Him. Jesus chased us down on the cross and showed us the grace and justice of a merciful God.

But Jesus did more than just die on the cross.

Jesus cried out with a loud voice

- My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.

- - Father into your hands I commit my spirit.

- - Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

- - Father into your hands I commit my spirit.

- My God, My God, why have you forsaken me.

Jesus took your sin in that moment, he took your death; but in doing so, he wrote your song. he wrote your song of victory. He wrote the song that would lead you to victory, he wrote the song that would realign you with the savior. He wrote the song that would cause you to come to him in repentance and surrender.

You can sing to God because he first sang over us!

That day he died mankind became hopeless because God had been slaughtered, but the heavens stirred. When, three days later, the tomb began to shake, the stone broke loose and slowly rolled away from our formerly dead savior, the hosts of heaven stood from their seats, and began to chant “I believe that we will win.”

Do you need a win today?

Maybe you have run from God and you can feel him looking you in the eyes. Today is your day to participate in his victory. today is the day for you to repent and align yourself with the savior.

Maybe you know Christ but you are tired, you are hurting, you are broken. Today Jesus wants to remind you of the song he sang over you and give you rest.

If you want to participate in Jesus victory, all you have to do is admit you have lost.

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