Romans 15.8-13

As mostly Gentiles...

Why We Should Sing

v.8-9

Opening Illustration: What brings us happiness and joy that leads to singing? (Noel is always singing!).

Why we sing what we sing.

Gospel

Examples...

Why we may not sing.

Sad… But sad psalmists sing.

Angry… But angry psalmists sing.

Disconnected… But ‘disconnected’ psalmists sing.

Music as powerful expressions of our emotions.

Christmas music.

Country music.

God Provides Singing

v.10-13

Why we don’t sing… Our enemies have ...

mi: God Provides for Singing (Awesomely).

Psalm 137 ESV

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy! Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem, how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!” O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us! Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock!

Gentiles; History

Gentiles; Law

Gentiles; Psalms

Gentiles; Prophets

Look very carefully at this with me. What is it saying?

It is saying that God is making your enemies sing of His glory.

God has done MORE than we could have asked for!

“But I didn’t want God to convert them! I wanted God to crush them!”

We don’t ask for our enemies to bow to us! When they bow, they bow to Christ!

mi: God Provides for Singing

SO WHY AREN’T YOU SINGING!?

God provides hope and joy… God provides singing.

Application:

When we sing the last song today…I want you to look around. Does it please you to see someone who you might be frustrated with enjoying Jesus? Think of a former church… Think of a current ‘enemy.’

Family Worship

Invite

Growing Forward (Note: “All”)