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MUSIC IN WORSHIPPING GODText: John 4:23-24 Introduction:
I. In our text, it is plain that God expects His
followers to worship Him.
II. What is worship?
A. Reader’s Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary – The
adoration, homage, or veneration given to a deity
or to something regarded as sacred.
B. Webster’s - 2 : reverence offered a divine being or
supernatural power; also : an act of expressing
such reverence 3 : a form of religious practice
with its creed and ritual
C. American Heritage Dictionary – The reverent love
and allegiance accorded to a deity, idol, or sacred
object.
D. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English
Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. - 1a. The reverent
love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a
sacred object. b. The ceremonies, prayers, or other
religious forms by which this love is expressed. 2.
Ardent devotion; adoration.
E. Vine’s - It is used of an act of homage or
reverence
III. Today, I would like to focus on one aspect of our
worship of God, music.Body:
I. There are two kinds of music: vocal and instrumental.
A. The scriptures teach that we are to use vocal music
in worship of God today.
1. Scriptures:
a. Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26
b. Acts 16:25
c. Romans 15:9
d. 1 Corinthians 14:15
e. Ephesians 5:19
f. Colossians 3:16
g. Hebrews 2:12
h. Hebrews 13:15
i. James 5:13
2. This includes both public and private worship. (1
Corinthians 14:15 deals with the assembly,
Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 deal with
whenever Christians are together; and James 5:13
deals with private worship.)
B. Let us notice some of the arguments that are used to
defend the use of instrumental music in worship of
God today.
1. The Bible does not say that we can’t use it (The
silence of the scriptures).
a. There are two types of commands General (go
preach the gospel) and specific.
b. Roman Maxim: “The expression of one thing is
the exclusion of all others.”
c. Genesis 6:14 “Gopher wood”
d. Leviticus 10:1-3
(1) the fire to be used in the incense censer
was specific to forbid all others.
(2) Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire and
found out the hard way that God means what
He says!!
e. Hebrews 7:14
f. When something more than singing is done, we
are not abiding in the doctrine of Christ (2
John 9)
2. It is found in the Old Testament (Some might even
say that it is “scriptural”).
a. The same could be said of:
(1) The stoning of those who commit adultery,
homosexuality, incest, cursing parents,
etc., Leviticus 20:8-13.
(2) The offering of animal sacrifices. Genesis
4, etc. (starting in Genesis 4…)
(3) The worshipping God on Saturday (Exodus
20:8-11).
b. Paul’s point in Galatians 5:3
c. God said in the Mount of Transfiguration that
we are to hear Jesus not Moses or Elijah (or
David for that matter) (Matthew 17:4-5).
d. The Scriptures emphasize that the Old
Testament is not the source of authority for
us today.
(1) Ephesians 2:14-16
(2) Colossians 2:14-17
(3) Hebrews 7:12-14; 8:7-13; 9:15
(4) Romans 7:1-4
3. It is an aid. No, it is a different kind of
music.
4. There will be instruments in heaven, Revelation
14:2.
a. First, the book of Revelation is a book of
symbolic language, Revelation 1:1.
b. Even it is true, some things that are in
heaven is not true here on earth, Matthew
22:30.
5. Psallo (yallw)
a. psallo NT:5567, primarily "to twitch, twang,"
then, "to play a stringed instrument with the
fingers," and hence, in the Sept., "to sing
with a harp, sing psalms," denotes, in the NT,
"to sing a hymn, sing praise"; in Eph 5:19,
"making melody"…Elsewhere it is rendered
"sing," Rom 15:9; 1 Cor 14:15; in James 5:13,
RV, "let him sing praise" (KJV, "let him sing
psalms"). (from Vine's Expository Dictionary
of Biblical Words, Copyright (c)1985, Thomas
Nelson Publishers)
b. psallo--1) to pluck off, to pull out 2) to
cause to vibrate by touching, to twang a) to
touch or to strike the chord, to twang the
strings of a musical instrument so that they
gently vibrate b) to play on a stringed
instrument, to play, the harp, etc. c) in the
Septuagint, to sing with the music of the harp
d) in the New Testament, to sing a hymn, to
celebrate the praises of God in song (from The
Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown
Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright
(c)1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario,
Canada. Licensed from the Institute for
Creation Research.)
c. Ephesians 5:19 (Making melody)-Every who is to
sing also should play if this authorizes
instrumental music. Also, this verse shows
the instrument to be pluck is the heart.
d. A psalm was originally a song accompanied by a
stringed instrument…The idea of accompaniment
passed away in usage, and the psalm, in New-
Testament phraseology, is an Old-Testament
psalm, or a composition having that character.
Vincent's Word Studies (on Colossians 3:16)
II. When we sing in worship to God we are to have the
proper attitude.
A. It is not to be done for entertainment and
attraction. (this is true for any part of worship)
B. It is to be directed to God. John 4:24
C. It is to be with the proper spirit. John 4:24
D. It is to be done from the heart. Ephesians 5:19;
Colossians 3:16
E. It is to be done with understanding.
F. It is to be an expression of joy. James 5:13
G. It is to be done so that others can understand.
Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:15
1. This enables us to teach one another.
2. This enables us to admonish one another, Hebrews
10:24-25.
a. as we sing about heaven.
b. as we sing about being purer in heart.
c. as we sing about working for the Lord.
H. It is to be the proper kind of songs.
1. Psalms
a. Songs devoted to God, extolling his name,
power, character, and works.
b. An Old Testament psalm, or a composition
having that character.
2. Hymns
a. properly a song or ode in honor of God.
b. Songs of praise, thanksgiving, and
supplication, teaching our dependence on God
and His willingness to hear and bless.
3. Spiritual songs
a. Songs relating to spiritual things.
b. Songs that are intended to inspire and
cultivate feelings of spiritual devotion and
to bring the spirit of man into harmony with,
and under the control of, the Spirit of God.
Conclusion:
I. Why does it matter?
II. Two reasons:
A. To help us to worship God in spirit and truth.
B. Jesus said in Matthew 7:21 that the only way we can
enter heaven is to do the Father’s will.
III. The question right now is have you followed the
Father’s plan of salvation.
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