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[0:00] Before we jump back into Colossians chapter number 3, I just want to remind you or show you how that we are a sating people because that's how God has created us. If you would take your Bible today and you set it down on the table and it opens to the middle, it would open to the largest book, the largest book that we have in the Bible is a song book that God has given to us.

[0:19] And if you go to the beginning of the Bible and you begin to look at it, it's not until chapter, even as early as chapter number 4, Genesis 4.21, it says, And his brother's name was Jubal, and he was the father of all such as Handel the harp and organ.

[0:34] If you want to see how quickly in the Bible people begin to form instruments and begin to organize themselves there in music. Greg and I, if we were at a restaurant together and they had A1 sauce, we like to joke about how in the middle of the Civil War, 1862, somebody said, We need to have a good steak sauce, right?

[0:50] That's when it's on the side of the bottle. It was invented in 1862. And you think, of all the things that are going on, do we really need a steak sauce, all right? And so I go all the way back to Genesis and I think, man, there's dinosaurs running around.

[1:03] There's about to be a global flood. And people are like, why don't we make some harps and some right now, you know? And you think, is there nothing else that you should be doing? But it's that important to civilization, it's that important to us as people that we are going to sing.

[1:17] You will not stop us from being singing. Singing is not merely a happy byproduct of God's real intent just to make us so that we could speak, but we were designed so that we can sing.

[1:29] You can speak without singing. Let this sentence be an example of that, all right? You can speak without singing. God could have chosen to make us in that way, but he gave us the ability. And from the youngest of ages, we're able to recognize notes and harmony and respond to it because we were made in this manner.

[1:48] In Scripture, there's 400 commands for us to sing. Parents, you've told your kids things over and over again, probably not 400 times, but our God has told us 400 times that we are to sing unto him.

[2:01] Then if we were to be able to listen, go into the New Testament, Jesus in the upper room, about to head into the garden, and there he is with the disciples. And what is he doing? He's singing.

[2:12] Then he's on the cross, and he's quoting what? A psalm, a song from Psalm 22. If we were able to appear in the heaven today, in Revelation chapter 4 and verse 8, we'd see these four beasts, these creatures with six wings that are flying around singing to our Father, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was and is and is to come.

[2:34] In Revelation 4, we see that the 24 elders are responding to that with, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for Thou hast created all things, and for that pleasure they are and were created.

[2:47] Then if you go to the end of the Bible, in Revelation number 5, you're going to see a time that I sing. I'm part of this. You know that? The Bible speaks about a time that we will be gathered, this choir that is brought together of every tribe and nation.

[3:00] And it says in Revelation 5, 13, And here and say, Blessing and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever. You and I will be there singing unto the Lord.

[3:13] And it's wonderful. God is organizing a choir to sing praises unto his name. And from the very beginning of man all the way through eternity. I don't know. I think it's what sopranos and tenors and altos and bass.

[3:27] I think those are four of the big ones, right? And I don't think any of those, all right? I haven't found out where I'll land. But I think that someday maybe I'll be in heaven with millions of people from every tribe and tongue, and I'll be in my own category with them, all right?

[3:40] And just by myself, I don't sound great, but with the millions of redeemed, I have my place and my voice needs to be heard. God wants us to sing because he sings.

[3:51] I already told you about Jesus there in the New Testament. But in Zephaniah, it tells us that our God rests in love and he will joy over thee with singing that the Father sings. Ephesians tells us that a result of us being yielded to the Holy Spirit is that we are a singing people.

[4:07] So music is such a wonderful gift to us as the children of God. It's no small matter to God. It's not been insignificant in the history of God's people. And music, as we've seen, is no small part of our future.

[4:21] One of the first descriptions of a church service by roving governor of Pithinium, he sent a report about the activities of the Christians there to the emperor, and this is what he said. They meet at dawn to sing a hymn to Christ as God.

[4:35] That was the report there of that early church. The gratitude of the church has always gone up to God in praise and in Christian song. Martin Luther, I love how he said it. He said this about music.

[4:46] He says, A person who gives them some thought and yet does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being.

[4:58] He should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of donkeys and the grunting of hogs. Caleb, you and I or moms don't let us call people clodhoppers anymore. But I like how Jonathan Edwards says it.

[5:11] He says, Next to the word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. Next to the word of God, that the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in this world. And believer in here, brother and sister, I want to tell you that I've seen, I've experienced personally in my own life, that the gift of music is often neglected in the life of a believer.

[5:32] If last week we said you cannot have a high view of Christ and a low view of his church, this week I bring to you that you cannot have a high view of God's word and a low view of expressing praise to him in song.

[5:45] It is a natural outflow of a heart that gets filled with the word of God and how good that he is. I'm so thankful for it. If we did not have that ability, we would be looking for some way to communicate it.

[5:58] So first off, we'll see here in Colossians 3, 1 and 2, I want you to see that singing can help set your affections where they belong. Let's go ahead and put that up there. Point number one, singing can help set your affections to where they belong.

[6:11] If ye then be risen with Christ, which means Christians, listen up. If you are risen with Christ, that's you and I, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on the things on the earth.

[6:25] You and I are hearts, they are prone to wonder. We could have a restless heart. In Daniel 6, there's a king and he said he couldn't sleep at night. And the next day, he was singing. My musicians and my singers didn't come in and sing for me last night.

[6:39] And so Darius wasn't able to sleep. You know the story where Saul, he is restless, says that he has an evil spirit. And he calls for the musician of Israel there. He calls for David to come.

[6:49] And David comes and plays the heart and ministers to him. Music affects our emotions. And that's not negative. It's wonderful. But it's something that we need to be aware of.

[7:01] That we are submitting ourselves to music that it's going to have an effect upon our emotions. Even with words or without words. I started coaching Selah's basketball team. Having a great time. 27 to 7 yesterday.

[7:12] Alright. Hope the other team hears that. They're watching today. And when they come out, the girls come out of that tunnel. You know, they can't just play like, Here comes Salem, her team. And we announce them and they're playing like Cannon and D.

[7:25] Or Baby Shark has been liked so much. Alright. Could you imagine that here comes the team and they're playing Baby Shark. That is not going to intimidate the other team. They're going to, the music that they play is going to affect the environment that we're in.

[7:38] And so that's why you have marching bands and team anthems at different schools. And so it's going to have an effect upon us. So we need to be mindful of it. And we want to yield that to the Lord and use it for his honor and glory.

[7:51] That it has a design purpose. Setting our affections on things above leads to the peace of God ruling our hearts. Sipping down to verse number 15, it says, And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.

[8:03] To which also ye are called in one body and be ye thankful. I really considered that coming straight to music after wellness weekend. Because they're so vitally connected.

[8:14] A weekend about emotional and mental and spiritual health. The gift that music is for all of us. Letting the peace of God rule in your heart. Then it goes on to say, called in one body.

[8:25] Which means that this peace that is characterized by the community of God's people. Letting Christ judge and decide and govern our hearts.

[8:36] That's what we want. That's where peace is going to come from. Is letting Christ do his work in our hearts. Let's see if you can fill in the words here for me. Okay? From the song, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.

[8:48] So to grace, how great a debtor, daily I am constrained to be. Let thy goodness like a fetter bind my wondering heart to thee. The songwriter here acknowledges that we are prone to wonder.

[9:01] And we need to ask the Lord to tune our hearts to sing his grace. Our hearts are prone to wonder. And the wonderful truth of music can bring our hearts back to where they belong.

[9:13] Second thing in there is I want you to see that music is a wonderful way to seek those things above. Seek those things which are above. Where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Our identity is going to define what we seek after.

[9:25] If you're risen in Christ, then these are the kind of things that you're going to seek after. And it's only because we were raised with Christ that we now would seek these things. If you saw pictures of me as a teenager, you would find somebody with a real identity crisis.

[9:38] One day I'm wearing JNCO jeans. Another day I'm wearing N1 shorts or wearing cowboy boots or whatever because I was always trying to find some group. Jared, you think that's funny, don't you? All right.

[9:48] I was trying to find some group to fit into. A non-believing songwriter said this in regards to identity of music. He says, music, especially as an adolescent, helps to build identity because that's when people start developing a sense of self.

[10:02] You can kind of tell based on what music a person listens to, to what kind of person they'll be pretty much for the rest of their life.

[10:13] Just highlighting the fact that music is a big part of our identity. And so what kind of music? What am I into? What kind of genre am I into? And the answer that I decided as a teenager is that I've been risen with Christ and so that I'm going to seek those things that are above.

[10:29] That is my real identity and my identification. So music is a way that people identify us and I'm identified as a person that has now been risen with Christ, which means I seek those things above, which includes seeking them on the radio or searching for them on Spotify, which would be more what we do, right?

[10:47] I'm seeking for truth. I'm seeking for those things above. That's what I want to be reminded of. Someday I'll be with him in heaven. But until then, I'm going to place my face up against the glass of his word and I'm going to search and I'm going to see those spiritual things.

[11:02] I'm going to invite music into my life that reminds me of the truth of God's word. Because of my identity, those are the kind of things that I'm going to seek after. Worship is seeking things above and responding to them.

[11:14] You know, you can drive by a church and they'll have a marquee and they'll say, we're having revival June 12th through the 16th. And I think, wow, if it was so easy, we should get a marquee. All we have to do is declare that we're going to have revival.

[11:26] But the truth is, we know what they're saying, right? There's nothing wrong with it. They're meaning that they're having revival services. They're going to have special preaching. They're going to come together for the purpose, setting time aside so that revival would come among them.

[11:38] But they don't just declare it. In that same regard, I want to say this, and you may not understand, but stick with me here, is that music is not worship. Music is not worship. Worship may take place during singing, but they can exist separately.

[11:52] We should seek and find those things that are above in the songs that we sing. So music is a wonderful way in which we can hear truth and respond. And that's where worship takes place.

[12:03] It takes place outside of singing, but it certainly should be happening during singing. And I just say that, not to belittle music, because I want you to know how important it is, but just simply saying words doesn't mean that you're going to be worshiping the Lord.

[12:15] It means that you hear the truth, and then you're saying them unto him. And when you come into a service, you might have heard it said growing up that music is to prepare your heart for preaching. And if you believe that, then you have a wrong view of what we're doing, because music conveys the same truth that I am to preach, that our service starts at the very beginning when we gather, that we are singing unto the Lord.

[12:38] So worship is more than singing. It's more than just lyrics of songs. Worship is standing in the presence of God and declaring praises unto his name. Next thing here, we can put this up so you can remember it.

[12:51] It is this, singing will help the word of Christ dwell in you. That's what we're told to do in verse 15. Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, and to which also are called in the one body. And be thankful, but let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another.

[13:09] And then you may think by coming to the church service and letting somebody preach to you, or being in a life group, and all those are ways. But it goes on, and there's a connection. There's a direct connection between the word dwelling in you and your heart and music, admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

[13:28] That psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, it gets repeated in Ephesians 5.19. Psalms is an easy one. We know exactly what that is. It's singing the words of Scripture. We can and should do that.

[13:40] The psalms. Many of our songs that we sing come from it. Some psalms we sing directly, and it's wonderful. Hymns, that's a song that gives praise and honor to the Lord and thanksgiving to God.

[13:50] It's not Scripture, but it's encouraging to sing truth-filled hymns that remind us of the doctrines of God's Word. As with spiritual songs, they might not directly praise God, but they will teach a doctrine, encourage the body, or prompt others towards love and good works.

[14:05] So there's a distinction there. It doesn't just say music, but it says psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs and reminding us of these things. I would like to say more, and time permits me to say more, but my understanding doesn't.

[14:19] That's all I got for you there, all right? Three distinctions there in music, and they're given to us here that we ought to be singing unto the Lord. And when it says, it says, Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.

[14:30] That word dwell is important because he who dwells in the house is the master of the house. He is not just a passing guest. And so when we turn on music, and different ones of you at different parts of the day turn on music at different times in your life, and maybe it's in your car, or maybe it's in your house.

[14:48] But when you turn on whatever it is, how many of you are setting a record player? How many of you are still doing that? Any eight-track players? Look at you, Matt Minster. You still got that eight-track player. All right, anybody? Whatever way throughout the day that you set your music, and in the morning or wherever it's at, you turn on music, truth-filled music, and what you're saying is, God of heaven, I welcome your presence into this room.

[15:11] I want you to know that I know that you are watching and you are active among us. It's an invitation. Turning on Christian music is an invitation to say, God, I don't want to hide from you.

[15:23] I don't want to ignore you in my activities of the day. I know that you're here, and I'm so happy that you are. It's wonderful. There's a connection between music and our hearts dwelling in the Word of God.

[15:35] And I believe that it's neglected. It's neglected so much, and we suffer as a result. We suffer from it emotionally in so many different ways. I've listened to more music this last week because I knew I was coming.

[15:48] I know how to prepare for the invitation before you do, right? So I make sure I do right before I ask you to do right. And I've listened to more music in this last week than I probably had in so long, and it's just helped me tremendously.

[15:59] I'm so thankful for it. And so here we have many saved people and cannot honestly say that God's Word dwells in their hearts richly because we do not take time to read, study, memorize, and listen to truth-filled music.

[16:16] Music finds its highest purpose when it's used to remind us of the greatness of God. It can console, encourage, teach, and even admonish those who are away from God. I'm not telling you that music like sports and other things cannot have an entertainment value, and they can be wholesome, and that's from opera to bluegrass.

[16:34] I prefer more of the bluegrass to opera, all right? But the highest purpose of music in which it was created was to remind us of the greatness of God. Next thing I want you to see here is that singing can make a wonderful friend.

[16:51] Singing can make a wonderful friend. One of my daughters makes fun of me when I tell you as a teenager how much I wanted to have a Christian friend, and I sought for it, and I didn't have it for some time, and I wanted one so bad as I was following after Jesus.

[17:06] But I can tell you that I found a friend in Christian music, and I'm grateful for it. I've even stopped by the little radio station there in Hardin, Kentucky, and told them how grateful I am that they provided music as I was a teenager.

[17:19] And as I drive through that town, I can look at so many different places where I was sitting in my car, listening to some song, and making the decision about what kind of dad I wanted to be and what kind of person I'd be when I would grow up.

[17:32] And so with teenagers, as a youth pastor, I'd talk to them about friendships, such an important part of our lives, and I would talk to them about what kind of friends you should have, all right? So let's pretend I'm a youth pastor again. I'm going to talk to you teenagers here about what kind of friends you should have.

[17:43] And your friends should not be filthy communicators. You shouldn't have friends with people who tell you lies, that are always lying to you. You shouldn't have friends that are angry and rebellious.

[17:54] You shouldn't have friends who don't have any desire to talk about the things of God. You shouldn't have friends that make you feel anxious and always discontent. You shouldn't have friends that are always stirring up in you some kind of lust and desire for fame.

[18:06] Now take the word friend and replace it with music, and I just gave you a template for how we ought to go about choosing music as a friend. I want friends that are honest.

[18:17] I want friends that help me emotionally. I want friends that aren't angry and rebellious. I don't want friends that make me feel anxious and discontent. I want a friend in music that helps me follow Jesus.

[18:29] Verses 5 through 8 tells us about admonishing. So in verse 16, it says that psalms, these things they can teach and they can admonish. Admonish means provide a warning for.

[18:40] So I'm not looking for music that promotes the things that I'm supposed to put off in my life. Colossians 3, 5 says, Mortify therefore your members, which upon the earth fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affections, evil compubitance, covetousness, which is idolatry.

[18:54] For these things sake, the wrath of God come on the children of disobedient, in the which you also walked sometime, which you lived in. That used to be how we were, but now also put off all these, wrath, anger, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication.

[19:10] I don't want music about my old life. I want music about my new life. I want music about the life to come that is with him. And so I want to put off those things. Those aren't good friends to me.

[19:22] And then verse 9, it says, lie not one to another, seeking that you have put off the old man with his deeds. And that's why you want truth-filled music. You want the lyrics of the songs that you're singing to be words in which are going to help you and they're truthful.

[19:39] I was driving on the road some years ago with somebody I love very much. And we were having an argument back and forth, all right? And I was trying to admonish them and trying to help them. They were just at a bad place in life.

[19:51] And I was trying to give them the truth of God's word. And they finally just had enough of it. So they pulled out of their backpack a little portable speaker. My truck already had speakers. I was already playing music. But it wasn't the music they wanted to listen to.

[20:03] It wasn't the message that they wanted to listen to. So the portable speaker, they turned it up real loud. And as I began to listen, all the arguments that they had been making to me were being said in these songs.

[20:14] And now there's three of us in an argument. And the one that was the loudest was the one that was going to win in his heart and mind. And they wanted to play music that would help them feel and continue the way that they were singing and fighting the truth.

[20:27] So music should be a friend that reminds us of the truth. We have examples of songs being written. Moses and Miriam, They help teach and lead Israelites in singing. Exodus 15 too.

[20:38] They write a song that says, The Lord is my strength and song and he has become my salvation. We need songs that remind us that our new life is our real life. As we read in Colossians 3 verse 3, it says, For you are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.

[20:52] And when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then you shall also appear with him in glory. That's a wonderful verse. I need to be reminded of that, that I am hid in Christ. And so I need ways of doing that.

[21:04] Help me finish these lines. No power of hell, no scheme of man can ever pluck me from his hand till he returns and calls me home. Here in the power of Christ I stand.

[21:15] That was a little harder one, wasn't it? These are spiritual songs reminding us of spiritual truths. That song, singing it, is a way of me reminding myself of the truths of Colossians chapter number 3.

[21:27] And it's in my heart and I can sing it there. Corporate worship is a friend reminding each other of truth. Corporate worship when we sing together. We, some of us, all of us in here, we don't sing professionally, but we sing confessionally.

[21:44] What I mean by that is when we stand and we sing, we're making a confession. Stephen has a very difficult job in here because I decide it's a joyful job, but it is a difficult job because as I prepared this morning, I prepared for what I was going to say.

[22:01] Stephen, in choosing the songs, he decided what we were all going to say, what we were all going to confess together, that words were put onto the screen and you were to sing them unto the Lord.

[22:12] And that's so important as we stand together and we sing. And we meet together as the redeemed saints, we remind each other of whose we are, how we got here, and why it matters. As in the Old Testament, so many psalms are reminded them of God's deliverance of the Red Sea.

[22:27] So many times our song list is going to be filled with reminders about the cross and praise to God and other spiritual teaching. And so it's wonderful. And then lastly here, it's that singing is a wonderful way to serve one another.

[22:41] It's a wonderful way in which we serve one another. Ephesians 5, 19 says, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord.

[22:52] Speaking to yourselves doesn't mean speaking to yourself, all right? What we're saying is we're speaking to all of us. And I've heard it said and understand what people would say. They would say in a worship service, they would say now just, you're in here today, just draw a circle around you and it's just imagine there's nobody but just you and God.

[23:11] And I could see the value of that because the decisions you're making are personal, but that's not what God calls us to in corporate worship. I'm not in a circle by myself. I am standing by somebody. I'm standing by my wife.

[23:23] I'm standing in a room with you and I'm making this confession together and it shows a unity among us and it's wonderful. Husbands and wives in here, how many times has God used the music?

[23:35] Maybe you've got here and things have been a little more tense. Not today, praise the Lord, but other days, all right? Maybe you come in and things are a little tense. I know Jonathan or Danny and Mindy have been married 25 years and we celebrate that and he told me it felt like 25 minutes and I said, underwater or above water, all right?

[23:54] And he said, above water, all right, all right? He said, 25 years and I heard somebody talking about that this week and people in church get so uncomfortable because we're not supposed to say that.

[24:05] We're not supposed to ever say like marriage and life is hard, but it is and we're not aiming for perfection, but we're aiming for healthy. But you come in and you hear your wife sing the song unto Jesus and it just makes everything else seem so small.

[24:19] It's just so wonderful, that person you're standing by. Or to look across the room and see somebody and you say, I don't know how they're standing today, but not only are they standing, but they're singing the same song with me.

[24:32] So when you come in here, don't draw a circle around yourself. Let's draw a circle around this whole entire place because we came here together to make the same confession together that Jesus Christ is Lord.

[24:44] And so we're served together by good song selection. It brings encouragement and it brings conviction in our lives and it's so wonderful. Having to say truth out loud provides an invitation to repent and put on what belongs.

[24:58] Colossians 3.12, put on therefore as elect of God, holy, beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering. So as we see these words on the screen and we say, I know that's who I should be and I know that's who I want to be, we make a decision.

[25:13] I'm either going to say, I'm not going to say me because that's not who I want to be or we can repent and say, I want to put off this attitude that I brought in here and I'm going to put that attitude on because I am a child of God and that's my true identity.

[25:27] All right, in all of our songs that I've been giving you, here's the hardest one yet. Okay, here we go. What truth can calm the troubled soul? God is good. God is good. Where is his grace and goodness known?

[25:40] Next line. In our great Redeemer's blood. Somebody is really good over here. All right. In our great Redeemer's blood. It's an answer. Where is grace and goodness known?

[25:50] It is in our great Redeemer's blood who holds our faith with fears arise, who stands above the stormy trial, who sends the waves that bring us nigh unto the shore, the rock of Christ.

[26:03] What happens? Truth is revealed and I respond to it and worship takes place. There's no greater truth than the gospel and so we sing it. Sing unto the Lord. Bless his name.

[26:14] Show forth his salvation from day to day. And this singing expresses a unity. Paul uses the term of harmony three times, speaking not of music, but our relationship one together.

[26:26] In Colossians 3, it gives a list of people, the uncircumcised, the barbarians, the bond, nor free. And he says in all of this, but Christ is all and all. There's no division here.

[26:37] The foot of the cross is all level. We all come and sing to the same Jesus. There's no separation that is here and singing reminds us of that. Hebrews 4 tells us that God is the discerner of our heart.

[26:49] He knows our heart. If he knows our heart fully, then doesn't he deserve to hear our voice when we sing? He already knows you completely. And so knowing that, we should allow him to hear our voice when we sing.

[27:02] And the singing takes Sunday's truth in the Monday. Singing takes Sunday's truth in the Monday. Paul and Silas found themselves in prison one day, Acts 16, 25.

[27:12] And at midnight, what do they decide to do? They sing praises unto God and the prisoners heard them. This week you may find yourself in a prison-like situation. Do you have a song prepared for it?

[27:23] Do you have a song prepared for it? Christ is my firm foundation, the rock on which I stand when everything around me is shaking.

[27:40] I've never been more glad that I put my faith in Jesus cause he has never let me down.

[27:51] You know what? That was not off key to God at all. And I sing to him and he ought to hear from me. And I should have a song when I am put in prison. And you should as well.

[28:03] And good music will do that for you. Have a song prepared for those prison moments in your life. It helps us, remind us of eternity. Good music reminds you of what God has done in your life.

[28:16] So here we are at the end. Music is a wonderful gift to us as God's children. Music is no small matter to God and I pray it's no small matter to you. Music has not been insignificant in the history of God's people and I'm sure you can testify of this truth in your life.

[28:32] Music is no small part of our future. And one day all the redeemed will sing praise to God and I'm grateful that we get to start warming up today and for that day to come.

[28:43] So here I'm going to give you some quick applications before I pray and we sing. And it's important that we do. First of all, I want to encourage you in here is do not define your family as non-musical.

[28:55] Don't say that. I've said it before. I said we're not musical. Stephanie and I don't play instruments. We don't sing up here. And so if you would say we're a musical family, I'd often say no. That's short-sighted. That just means that the two of us haven't currently been doing this but we're part of the family of God and we are very musical and historically our families would be as well.

[29:14] And as we have a love for music, our kids accept that they follow the same and they develop their talents. And there's no reason that we should tell them that we're not a musical family. If your kids want to play an instrument, get them the instrument, alright?

[29:27] If your kids want to be involved in the choir, get them the choir practice. We are a singing people. Not some of us but every family in here as the redeemed, we should be people that want to invest time and energy in the development of music.

[29:41] Secondly in here, and this one's meddling a little bit, older generation, you won't understand why I'm saying this. You have victory in this area because you were never challenged in this area. But replace the mindless scrolling of social media with truth-filled music.

[29:55] Replace the mindless scrolling of social media with truth-filled music. There's never been a time to have more information coming to you just all the time through YouTube and videos.

[30:06] You're constantly filling your mind with information. Make sure that you're giving time to having your mind and heart filled with the truth of God's Word. It can be done through preaching and teaching but music is a wonderful way to get the truth of God's Word into your heart.

[30:22] Number three, evaluate whose words are dwelling daily, that you're dwelling in daily. How are they affecting you emotionally and spiritually? Alright? I want to encourage you.

[30:34] I want to, instead of kicking down music that I don't find that is helpful for you, what I'd rather do is exalt good music. If you ever see how valuable good music is in your life, you will lose the taste for the lesser things.

[30:47] And I'd like to ask you, say, well, it's not really a big deal to me, but ask yourself, is it? Do you find yourself thinking about the things of God? Do you find yourself emotionally where you should be? Is the music that you play throughout the week, is it helping you or is it hurting you?

[31:00] Is it helping take you to the things of God? Number four, moving from believing music is nice to knowing it's necessary. That's what I want all of you to do in here. I want you to move from believing that music is nice to knowing it's necessary in your life.

[31:14] You should have strong convictions about it. It ought to be part of your life. You ought to have an understanding of theology of what God says about it. You ought to be a student of it. You ought to be finding truth-filled music that you and your family enjoys.

[31:27] And here's a challenge for you. Commit to only Christ-honoring, truth-filled music for this week. Look for occasions that add music into your day. Commit to it for this week of adding music into your life that is Christ-honoring.

[31:42] And here in a moment, I'll pray, and as we respond, let's just take time and thank God for the gift of music. As I look back and I try to think about my testimony in my life, and I think, where would I have been without good music?

[31:55] And I just don't know. It is what's been used. I could not even imagine what life would have been like without being encouraged by music. So we're going to pray here in a moment, and it might have been a while and it doesn't seem like something we think about, but take a moment and say, God, thank you for making us a singing people.

[32:12] Thank you for giving us music. Thank you for giving us talented people. There is no church I know of 200 that has more gifted singers than our church has. We are just incredibly blessed, and part of that is those people have taken their talents and they've worked on it and they've developed it and then they've surrendered it to serve us.

[32:30] What a gift. You could be part of that as well. And when we stand and sing at the end, recognize that singing unto the Lord is a wonderful way to demonstrate your surrender of all that you have to Him.

[32:42] As you sang, hold nothing back and just say to the Lord, here I am, I know that you hear me, and I think that's wonderful. I'm going to respond to your truth today in worship.

[32:53] Let's pray together. Heavenly Father, I want to thank you for the gift of music, Lord. I want to thank you for what it has done in my heart. It's been such a good friend to me. I want to thank you for those that took me places and introduced me to this music and the work that it does and how it has helped me.

[33:10] And then Father, I also, I repent of the times that I have neglected it. I have pushed it out of my life, and Lord, I have renewed my commitment, Father, to finding places for truth-filled music in my life.

[33:23] With heads bowed and eyes closed, brothers and sisters, express your love to the Lord and for his music there and your seed. And I just take this moment right now and every week. If you're in here and you don't understand the songs that we sing, maybe you say you understand the lyrics that we sing, but you don't understand the affection that we have toward this person named Jesus Christ, I want to tell you that in this word that I have here and the word of God that was given to us, it tells us everything you need to know about yourself.

[33:53] It'll tell you everything that you need to know about your sinful state and how Jesus Christ came 2,000 years ago and he died for you. I want to teach you a new song to sing.

[34:03] I want to teach you how wonderful he is, and I would love that opportunity. Go on our church website, let's schedule a meeting, stop by the next steps table, get some information, let's talk together.

[34:14] My wife and I will be down front at the end of the service, but don't leave the day not understanding why Christian people love singing about Jesus so very much. And then believer in here, pray that some decisions are being made here that are going to change a kid's opportunity to be involved in music.

[34:33] They're going to change the radio dial some this week, that you're going to bring truth-filled music into your life and allow it to minister to you in such a special way. Make a decision, make a commitment here, appreciating the gift in which God has given us.

[34:48] Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us your words that we can sing back to you through the Psalms, through hymn writers, Lord, and then people today, Lord, writing spiritual songs that put the words of our heart down on paper so that we can learn them and memorize them and sing them to you.

[35:06]  Father, I thank you for the ministry of the word today as it has been sung and as it's been taught. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen.