WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.980 The scripture reading comes from Colossians chapter 3. 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:08.620 Please follow along in your bulletins or on the screen. 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:59.980 The scripture reading comes from Colossians chapter 3. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:18.379 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 00:01:18.379 --> 00:01:30.719 Here, there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free, but Christ is all and in all. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:43.599 Put on them as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another. 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:52.099 And if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 00:01:52.719 --> 00:01:59.039 And above all, these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:06.840 And let the peace of Christ roll in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful. 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:20.060 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 00:02:20.060 --> 00:02:29.759 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 00:02:30.140 --> 00:02:31.439 This is the word of God. 00:02:32.860 --> 00:02:34.719 Amen. Thank you, Betty. 00:02:37.219 --> 00:02:42.360 Church, my name is Jeremy. If you don't know me, if you're new today, I'm one of the pastoral staff here. 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:48.780 And it's just awesome to be able to continue the series that we started last week. 00:02:48.780 --> 00:02:54.000 We're kind of in this mini-series, just three weeks, and we're looking at why worship. 00:02:54.439 --> 00:03:00.080 Why do we gather Sunday after Sunday or week after week to gather to worship? 00:03:00.699 --> 00:03:13.180 And last week, we looked at the source of everything that we do, Jesus Christ, and how he's called us to gather regularly as a church so that we can be washed in the gospel. 00:03:13.180 --> 00:03:18.180 You know, all the things that draw us away from the Lord throughout the week. 00:03:18.260 --> 00:03:20.040 We need to be washed again and again. 00:03:20.580 --> 00:03:27.340 And we heard about a new word that may have been invented called gospelize, that we're actually here to gospelize one another. 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:32.420 Not just to be passive participants sitting in a seat, you know, for two hours. 00:03:32.419 --> 00:03:39.139 But God's called every member of his family, his body, to bring the gospel to one another. 00:03:40.219 --> 00:03:46.279 And today, we're going to actually look at a more specific aspect of worship, which is singing. 00:03:46.579 --> 00:03:53.519 And I'm really excited because usually I'm just singing, but how often do you get to preach a sermon and talk about singing? 00:03:53.520 --> 00:03:58.740 And so on a side note, notice that I said singing is an aspect of worship. 00:03:58.939 --> 00:04:07.960 And that's something that we really try and emphasize because we want us to see the entire service, whether it's greeting, the greeting that you just did, 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:15.140 the offering envelope that you just put into that box, the hearing of the scripture and reading it, 00:04:15.340 --> 00:04:19.939 and even listening to this sermon and applying it, all of that should be worship. 00:04:19.939 --> 00:04:26.079 And like Kevin said last week, in fact, all of life should be worship. 00:04:26.519 --> 00:04:31.959 So we just want to emphasize that singing is one aspect of worship. 00:04:33.379 --> 00:04:38.040 But if the singing is just one aspect, why are we devoting an entire sermon on it? 00:04:38.199 --> 00:04:40.000 And that's a really good question, guys. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:47.199 And I think the reality is that even though we sing regularly in church, in fact, we just did it, we just sang three songs, 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:51.079 it's actually, I think it could be quite uniquely misunderstood. 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:52.659 And here's what I mean. 00:04:53.339 --> 00:04:58.459 I think some of us in here have been in the church kind of context all our lives. 00:04:58.620 --> 00:05:00.120 And singing is just what you do. 00:05:00.680 --> 00:05:02.240 You saw it modeled to you. 00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:07.159 That's what you've just been taught to do and shown to do since you were young. 00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:11.839 And for maybe some of you, singing is just natural. 00:05:12.139 --> 00:05:12.959 That's just what you do. 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:18.939 You wake up with a song like a Disney movie or, you know, my wife notices, you know, at home, 00:05:19.500 --> 00:05:26.879 like I just will kind of, whatever I'm doing, I might just, I just kind of randomly turn that into like a jingle or a little thing. 00:05:26.979 --> 00:05:34.279 Like even if I'm just washing the dishes, I might be kind of singing like, I'm washing the dishes, scrub, scrub, scrub, you know, something like that. 00:05:34.500 --> 00:05:37.459 Some of you guys, the song just, it just comes out. 00:05:37.799 --> 00:05:41.719 You guys are just inherently musical for one reason or another. 00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:50.660 But when it comes to a church gathering, do we know biblically, theologically, why do we actually sing? 00:05:52.460 --> 00:06:00.820 And then for some of us, you know, if you're a new Christian or today you're not a Christian and you're just seeking and you're trying to figure this out, 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:02.940 this would be kind of weird, right? 00:06:02.939 --> 00:06:07.959 This idea of a whole bunch of people gathering together and singing out loud. 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:10.759 And you're saying to me, hey, I can talk. 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:13.000 I can even talk to someone. 00:06:13.620 --> 00:06:15.040 I can listen to a talk. 00:06:15.500 --> 00:06:17.480 I can listen to music on my Spotify. 00:06:17.779 --> 00:06:20.740 But man, singing is just not something I normally do. 00:06:21.420 --> 00:06:24.699 It just doesn't feel natural to you. 00:06:25.500 --> 00:06:26.319 And I get that. 00:06:26.360 --> 00:06:26.920 I get that. 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:29.020 I think I feel that way sometimes, too. 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:34.259 And then for some of you, if you're honest, you hate singing, right? 00:06:35.140 --> 00:06:44.360 You get that Facebook event of invite for a birthday karaoke and you just cannot hit decline fast enough, right? 00:06:45.580 --> 00:06:51.560 Or you hit maybe if you're trying to be a little more passive and not make a big fuss like I sometimes do. 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:58.379 And some of us, we know, if we're honest, we're just terrible singers in a technical sense. 00:06:58.579 --> 00:07:00.740 We couldn't hold a tune to save our lives. 00:07:01.280 --> 00:07:03.319 And maybe you're self-conscious of that today. 00:07:04.180 --> 00:07:06.819 And I used to be self-conscious about that, too. 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:08.060 I sometimes still am. 00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:11.100 Some of us, we just don't really get singing. 00:07:11.579 --> 00:07:17.259 Like, okay, I can understand why some people sing, but I'm just not inclined to do it. 00:07:17.259 --> 00:07:23.899 And so if you're skeptical about singing today, as much as I value your feelings and your opinions, 00:07:24.139 --> 00:07:27.279 as a church, we want to actually get back to what God says, right? 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:30.339 We want to get back to what God's Word says about singing. 00:07:31.300 --> 00:07:39.120 And even if you've studied this topic before, you know, I think it's pretty rare that we actually get to look at this as a church in a sermon. 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:42.120 So I think we need to probably be reminded. 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:47.860 So let's kind of dig in into the passage that Betty just read for us. 00:07:48.459 --> 00:07:54.340 And when we look at today's passage, it's really crystal clear that it ends with a command to sing. 00:07:55.079 --> 00:07:55.980 Verse 16. 00:07:55.980 --> 00:08:16.420 So what we're going to do for the remainder of this sermon is to look at some of the reasons for this command 00:08:16.420 --> 00:08:19.600 and actually how that applies to us. 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:26.300 And there's no kind of single passage of Scripture that gives us like the A's to Z's of singing. 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:31.460 But this little verse in Colossians is a real gem and it's a really good framework. 00:08:31.780 --> 00:08:37.420 And it'll be like our springboard to go into other passages of Scripture. 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:40.519 So let's take a stab at this. 00:08:41.180 --> 00:08:48.080 And when you look at the whole Bible in terms of what it says about singing and what it says about song, 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:52.900 one thing that you'll notice really quickly, that singing begins with God. 00:08:53.300 --> 00:08:54.920 And that's our first main point for today. 00:08:55.379 --> 00:08:56.560 Singing begins with God. 00:08:57.139 --> 00:08:59.879 Now if you've even looked through a Bible kind of in passing, 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:02.940 you'll notice there's a huge book called the Psalms, 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:06.800 which itself is actually a collection of five books, 00:09:07.420 --> 00:09:12.680 150 songs that were divinely inspired by God. 00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:21.859 And by one person's analysis, there are around almost 50 direct commands to sing in the Bible, 00:09:21.979 --> 00:09:27.279 in God's Word, and around 400 references to singing. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:34.799 But the singing that the Bible talks about isn't just, you know, singing gibberish or making random noises, 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:41.939 but actually it's something that's deeply rooted in a relationship with God. 00:09:42.419 --> 00:09:47.819 God's view of singing is that it's born out of a relationship with Him. 00:09:49.459 --> 00:09:53.199 And so as we were reminded last week, God is the source of everything. 00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:56.559 You see this in the entire book of Colossians. 00:09:56.699 --> 00:10:00.639 You know, Colossians was basically a letter about Jesus Christ. 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:08.960 And Paul is saying that Jesus is, He's God, and He's superior to all human traditions and philosophies, 00:10:09.100 --> 00:10:10.819 all the things we want to worship. 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:14.039 God and Jesus is greater than all of that. 00:10:14.580 --> 00:10:17.379 And so you get to chapter 3, Paul writes this. 00:10:18.100 --> 00:10:22.740 You have been raised in, you've been raised with Christ. 00:10:23.580 --> 00:10:25.360 You have been raised with Christ. 00:10:25.980 --> 00:10:29.980 We were spiritually dead, separated from our Creator. 00:10:29.980 --> 00:10:32.360 But Christ came to us. 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:34.200 He died for our sins. 00:10:35.019 --> 00:10:39.639 And He was raised back to life, showing that He had conquered death. 00:10:41.220 --> 00:10:46.740 So followers of Jesus today, we are raised to life with Him. 00:10:47.980 --> 00:10:49.860 We are given eternal life. 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:55.680 And when you get to our key verse, verse 16, it also starts with this. 00:10:55.680 --> 00:10:59.460 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. 00:10:59.980 --> 00:11:03.200 Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. 00:11:04.139 --> 00:11:10.060 Christ has raised us from the dead, and now we have Christ's Word dwelling in us. 00:11:11.220 --> 00:11:17.960 And singing always begins with God, with His Word, with Christ's Word in us. 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:25.840 But the cool thing is that it's not just that singing begins with God in kind of some abstract way. 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:32.620 But did you know that the Bible also says that God actually sings Himself? 00:11:32.620 --> 00:11:38.519 In Zephaniah 3.17, we read this. 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:45.320 The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save. 00:11:45.620 --> 00:11:48.600 He will rejoice over you with gladness. 00:11:48.779 --> 00:11:51.060 He will quiet you by His love. 00:11:51.799 --> 00:11:55.539 He will exult over you with loud singing. 00:11:55.539 --> 00:11:59.639 That word exult basically means to rejoice. 00:12:01.139 --> 00:12:05.639 And the context of this verse is the restoration of God's people. 00:12:06.219 --> 00:12:12.740 So God's people in Israel in the Old Testament, God had called them to be His people, His sons and daughters. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:14.259 But they had rejected Him. 00:12:14.319 --> 00:12:15.240 They had ran away. 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:20.899 But He loved them so much, and He found them, and He gathered them back to Him. 00:12:20.940 --> 00:12:25.840 And now this verse is saying that God is exulting over them and singing. 00:12:26.820 --> 00:12:34.820 And I was trying to think to myself, maybe what's something that can capture that feeling that we read here? 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:40.879 And I think a lot of us can remember a time when we got lost from our parents as a kid. 00:12:42.299 --> 00:12:44.799 Hopefully not as an adult, but as a kid. 00:12:45.339 --> 00:12:53.000 But if you remember that fear and that terror that you felt, that, gosh, you don't know if you're going to see your family again. 00:12:53.319 --> 00:12:55.139 As far as you know, you were on your own. 00:12:56.859 --> 00:12:59.059 And how did they react when they found you? 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:04.439 Maybe some of you guys, your parents actually yelled at you for being careless. 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:10.039 But I think more often than not, for my parents, man, they were just beaming. 00:13:10.539 --> 00:13:14.240 They were just so relieved, so thankful. 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:16.319 That I had been found. 00:13:16.819 --> 00:13:24.439 And it wasn't because I was great or I'd done anything great that they're like, yes, I found this money bank or whatever. 00:13:24.440 --> 00:13:28.660 But they just were excited because their son was found. 00:13:28.659 --> 00:13:37.319 Maybe some of you guys can resonate more with, like, if you're a parent, I can imagine just holding your newborn for the first time. 00:13:37.939 --> 00:13:39.459 They haven't done anything for you. 00:13:39.959 --> 00:13:40.839 They just exist. 00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:44.240 They're probably inconveniencing you, right? 00:13:44.920 --> 00:13:48.360 Or the first time you welcome your adopted son or daughter home. 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:52.639 I feel like that kind of captures that emotion. 00:13:52.980 --> 00:13:57.300 And Jesus tells a story in the Bible, actually, about a son who was lost. 00:13:57.560 --> 00:13:58.259 A prodigal. 00:13:58.259 --> 00:14:00.879 And he wasn't just lost accidentally. 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:03.019 He didn't just kind of accidentally wander off. 00:14:04.179 --> 00:14:07.659 The son basically told his dad, Dad, you're dead to me. 00:14:08.340 --> 00:14:09.340 Give me my inheritance. 00:14:09.939 --> 00:14:11.419 I'm going to go do my own thing. 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:12.860 And he ran away. 00:14:12.860 --> 00:14:19.300 And he kind of wasted all his money and his livelihood on frivolous, stupid things. 00:14:19.480 --> 00:14:26.300 And finally he realizes, through many ups and downs, that, man, how stupid have I been? 00:14:26.940 --> 00:14:29.639 My father's servants have a better life than me. 00:14:30.180 --> 00:14:34.240 Why don't I just kind of go back and see if my dad will take me back as a servant? 00:14:35.300 --> 00:14:37.500 And so he finally makes his way back home. 00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:39.720 And his father sees him from a distance. 00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:41.800 And he just runs to him. 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:43.920 An undignified thing to do. 00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:49.460 And he puts on this amazing party and celebration. 00:14:49.720 --> 00:14:51.940 And he's exalting over him. 00:14:52.779 --> 00:14:58.019 And church, that's a story that just comes to my mind when I imagine, how is God feeling? 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:02.220 What does it mean that he's exalting and rejoicing over us? 00:15:04.360 --> 00:15:08.580 For those of us who have come back to God, 00:15:08.580 --> 00:15:13.080 who we've come back home to God this morning, 00:15:13.139 --> 00:15:14.580 you'd say, yeah, I'm a believer. 00:15:15.520 --> 00:15:17.100 I'm a follower of Jesus. 00:15:18.940 --> 00:15:21.980 Have you thought and have you kind of stopped and thought, 00:15:22.320 --> 00:15:27.000 what does it mean that God actually rejoices over you in singing? 00:15:27.879 --> 00:15:32.800 That really how delighted he is to have you in his family. 00:15:33.400 --> 00:15:34.740 He doesn't tolerate you. 00:15:34.740 --> 00:15:40.879 He doesn't just see you as a project of self-improvement. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:48.560 He loves you and rejoices over you when you have absolutely nothing to offer. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:55.559 For those of us who maybe you've been wandering, 00:15:56.539 --> 00:15:58.979 maybe you've wandered from home like that prodigal, 00:15:59.059 --> 00:16:00.299 maybe it's been a few days, 00:16:01.259 --> 00:16:03.879 maybe your whole life has been running away from God, 00:16:04.919 --> 00:16:07.919 do you know this morning that the one who created the universe 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:11.099 is longing to rejoice over you in singing? 00:16:11.100 --> 00:16:15.399 who wants to gather you back home? 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:18.139 How he loves you. 00:16:18.740 --> 00:16:20.720 Oh, how he loves you. 00:16:22.740 --> 00:16:24.860 Some of you hear this and it makes sense 00:16:24.860 --> 00:16:27.960 because maybe in your upbringing, 00:16:28.300 --> 00:16:32.240 you actually got a lot of love and affirmation from your parents. 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:36.580 But for those of you who maybe you didn't experience that growing up, 00:16:36.820 --> 00:16:38.360 this sounds like foreign to you. 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:42.519 I just want to remind you that God is not like any human parents. 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:44.779 He's totally different. 00:16:44.940 --> 00:16:47.919 He's a perfect father and a perfect parent. 00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:50.340 And he wants to be proud of you. 00:16:50.560 --> 00:16:51.779 He wants to love you. 00:16:52.100 --> 00:16:54.740 He wants to affirm you and sing over you. 00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:59.820 Some of you hear this specifically about singing, 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:02.379 and it makes sense because maybe even your parents, 00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:06.059 maybe they sang lullabies to you when you were a kid. 00:17:06.259 --> 00:17:07.960 And you're like, okay, I get it. 00:17:08.299 --> 00:17:09.440 God sings over me. 00:17:10.700 --> 00:17:12.240 Some of you, maybe like me, 00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:15.700 you never really heard that or had that experience growing up, 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:18.960 and you're like, okay, I really understand. 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:21.799 I'm getting the fact that God is rejoicing over me. 00:17:21.859 --> 00:17:22.660 He loves me. 00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:24.000 He's like a father. 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:25.680 He is a father to me. 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:28.180 But why does he have to sing? 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:32.819 Why can't he just kind of pat me on the back or say, you know, 00:17:33.140 --> 00:17:37.420 I love you, son, or anything? 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:39.299 Why can't he just use normal speaking? 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:40.859 Because that's kind of how I communicate. 00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:44.640 And if he wants to sing, fine. 00:17:45.140 --> 00:17:45.880 That's great. 00:17:46.099 --> 00:17:48.599 But then why does he want me to sing as well? 00:17:49.619 --> 00:17:52.099 And actually, those are really good questions, church. 00:17:52.099 --> 00:17:52.960 So well done. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:57.700 Obviously, God uses a lot of ways to communicate. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:00.400 You know, we just heard his word read to us. 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:07.380 But I think there are at least two really important reasons that God both uses songs, 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:10.119 and he also commands us to sing. 00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:18.199 And so the first thing is that God uses songs to uniquely help us to remember his truth. 00:18:18.919 --> 00:18:27.019 And secondly, God uses songs to uniquely help us to engage our emotions for God and his truth. 00:18:27.219 --> 00:18:28.879 And this is our second main point today. 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:32.460 And these two reasons are basically two sides of the same coin. 00:18:32.580 --> 00:18:34.940 So we're going to look at them together. 00:18:35.900 --> 00:18:39.560 It helps us to remember God and help us to engage our emotions. 00:18:41.080 --> 00:18:45.220 Now, many of us know the great story of Moses, right? 00:18:45.300 --> 00:18:46.280 Who's heard of Moses here? 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:48.180 Okay, half of you. 00:18:48.260 --> 00:18:48.340 Good. 00:18:48.339 --> 00:18:51.099 So for the other half, I'll recap for you. 00:18:51.799 --> 00:18:54.159 So God raises up this prince of Egypt, right? 00:18:54.220 --> 00:18:55.579 You might have even seen the cartoon. 00:18:56.579 --> 00:18:57.480 Partially correct. 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:02.119 But he raises up this prince of Egypt to lead his people out of captivity. 00:19:02.819 --> 00:19:06.159 And Moses becomes God's representative to the people. 00:19:06.339 --> 00:19:08.079 So he brings in the Ten Commandments. 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:12.819 He leads the people through the wilderness, through all their complaining and whatnot. 00:19:13.259 --> 00:19:18.599 And finally, they're at the cusp of entering the promised land that God has promised to them. 00:19:20.139 --> 00:19:27.759 And so now, as Moses' life and his ministry draws to an end, he appoints Joshua as his successor, 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:29.259 as the next in line, right? 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:34.619 And he's telling Joshua, he's telling his people, hey, be strong and courageous, guys. 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:36.819 Don't be afraid. 00:19:36.819 --> 00:19:39.159 Don't forget God. 00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:42.599 Choose life today by obeying God. 00:19:43.819 --> 00:19:49.119 And actually, the entire book of Deuteronomy, which is the fifth and final book of Moses, 00:19:49.399 --> 00:19:55.259 it's actually a giant recap of what's happened, of what God has done and who he is. 00:19:56.299 --> 00:20:01.579 And so when you get to the final chapters of Deuteronomy, after all this amazing recap, 00:20:02.639 --> 00:20:06.019 Moses, as God's representative, does something really interesting. 00:20:06.019 --> 00:20:07.420 Guess what's there? 00:20:08.779 --> 00:20:10.339 He teaches them a song. 00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:14.460 He teaches the people a song about God. 00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:22.940 And God uses a song to help his people remember who he is and to remember how to live for him. 00:20:22.940 --> 00:20:26.580 And one of my favorite Bible verses is actually part of this song. 00:20:27.080 --> 00:20:29.320 Deuteronomy 32, 39. 00:20:30.120 --> 00:20:32.100 It says, God's voice is saying, 00:20:32.500 --> 00:20:38.660 See now that I, even I am he, and there is no God beside me. 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:41.100 You see what he's doing there, guys? 00:20:41.099 --> 00:20:46.500 God is saying so clearly, unequivocally, that I am God. 00:20:46.740 --> 00:20:48.439 I am my own reference point. 00:20:48.539 --> 00:20:50.619 There is nothing worth comparing. 00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:54.339 There is nothing that you should worship other than me. 00:20:55.779 --> 00:20:56.719 Remember that. 00:20:57.139 --> 00:20:58.019 Remember that. 00:20:58.019 --> 00:21:05.539 And honestly, if the Israelites had remembered that, I think the rest of the Old Testament would have turned out very, very differently. 00:21:05.539 --> 00:21:16.539 Now, we could look at academic studies about how song and poetry help people memorize things better than prose or narrative. 00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:19.740 But I think it's easier to just look at your own experience. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:30.740 How many of you could recite to me right now the entire sermon that you've heard before or an article that you've read? 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:31.759 Anyone? 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:31.879 Anyone? 00:21:33.980 --> 00:21:34.460 Good. 00:21:34.720 --> 00:21:36.079 My illustration works then. 00:21:36.779 --> 00:21:43.720 But how many of you can actually remember the song lyrics of a song that you've sung? 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:44.500 Any. 00:21:44.839 --> 00:21:45.640 Christian or otherwise. 00:21:45.779 --> 00:21:46.519 Okay, Millen can. 00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:47.200 At least one. 00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:47.819 Come on. 00:21:47.879 --> 00:21:48.579 More of you can. 00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:50.779 Some whatever. 00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:52.160 Oldies, you know. 00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:54.599 I can't live if living is without you. 00:21:54.879 --> 00:21:55.839 Anything like that. 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:56.859 But why is it? 00:21:57.059 --> 00:22:01.519 There's something about it that has captured and sunk into your memory. 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:08.079 And I guarantee you that before you go to bed tonight, you'll have probably forgotten most of the words of this sermon. 00:22:09.259 --> 00:22:12.740 Some of you have probably forgotten most of the words of this sermon already. 00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:14.879 And that's okay. 00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:19.119 I'm not offended because I think there is a reason for that. 00:22:19.859 --> 00:22:21.819 And you've got to deal with that between you and God. 00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:25.659 But really, this is how our brains work. 00:22:26.159 --> 00:22:29.539 Narrative and prose just doesn't sink in as well. 00:22:29.659 --> 00:22:37.019 But I would bet good money, if I were a betting man, that tonight you'll at least remember parts of the songs that you sang. 00:22:38.379 --> 00:22:41.200 And they might even just be kind of like swirling around in your head. 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:44.600 And so Colossians 3.16 says this. 00:22:45.100 --> 00:22:48.779 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. 00:22:48.980 --> 00:22:50.819 And Paul connects that to singing. 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:56.039 But it's not just that the knowledge and love of Jesus leads us to sing. 00:22:56.460 --> 00:23:01.539 But also that singing helps us to get the word of Christ to dwell in us. 00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:06.659 So it's like a reciprocal kind of back and forth relationship and dynamic. 00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:11.819 And guys, we kind of talked about this last week. 00:23:11.899 --> 00:23:18.920 But this week you're going to go out into your jobs and your homes and into difficult situations and into your social context. 00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:22.359 And you're going to be challenged as you try and follow Jesus. 00:23:23.220 --> 00:23:27.119 And as a Christian, you have this new identity as God's son or daughter. 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:37.159 And that's why Colossians 3.5, Paul is calling us to put to death what is earthly and evil within us. 00:23:37.419 --> 00:23:39.359 He says put to death all those things. 00:23:40.219 --> 00:23:40.859 Idolatry. 00:23:41.919 --> 00:23:42.699 But you know what? 00:23:42.739 --> 00:23:43.699 That's going to be hard. 00:23:44.439 --> 00:23:46.079 Because I'm a forgetful person. 00:23:46.899 --> 00:23:47.959 I need reminders. 00:23:48.719 --> 00:23:56.959 I need to be reminded that money and sex and power and all these things that are going to pass away on this earth 00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:58.840 they're actually not ultimate. 00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:02.480 And when I'm faced in those situations 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:04.380 will I remember 00:24:04.380 --> 00:24:07.660 Christ, you're the center of the universe. 00:24:08.500 --> 00:24:09.920 Everything was made in you. 00:24:10.700 --> 00:24:14.160 When your boss is giving you unreasonable demands this week 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:18.000 are you going to get angry and want to like rebel against him? 00:24:19.819 --> 00:24:23.700 Or will you remember that, oh Christ, be the center of my life. 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:26.420 Be the place I fix my eyes. 00:24:27.779 --> 00:24:30.259 You know, when you're running into family problems 00:24:30.259 --> 00:24:32.420 or your kids not obeying you 00:24:32.420 --> 00:24:35.740 will they be the center of your life? 00:24:35.920 --> 00:24:38.380 Or will you say, oh Christ, you're the center. 00:24:38.900 --> 00:24:40.319 You hold everything together. 00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:42.460 When you read the news this week 00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:44.400 about the protests and the brokenness 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:45.559 will you remember 00:24:45.559 --> 00:24:48.240 God, you hold everything together. 00:24:48.819 --> 00:24:50.039 I don't understand. 00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:50.720 I'm not you. 00:24:50.819 --> 00:24:51.940 But I know you hold 00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:54.200 everything together. 00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:59.680 So singing helps us to remember God 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:01.220 and his truth. 00:25:01.340 --> 00:25:02.900 And if we stopped there though 00:25:02.900 --> 00:25:04.799 you would think that singing is really just 00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:07.500 a glorified lecture or teaching plan. 00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:11.440 But scripture makes a really clear connection too 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:13.600 that there is emotions 00:25:13.600 --> 00:25:15.940 that must be connected to singing. 00:25:15.940 --> 00:25:18.860 James 5.13 says, 00:25:19.240 --> 00:25:20.160 Is anyone cheerful? 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:22.539 Let him sing praise. 00:25:23.160 --> 00:25:24.799 If you're cheerful, sing praise. 00:25:25.320 --> 00:25:28.600 So God's truth is meant to be emotional. 00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:33.519 It's meant to elicit emotional responses from us. 00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:36.039 And you know, life is full of emotions 00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:38.559 whether you recognize it or not. 00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:42.279 Those of you guys have watched Inside Out, 00:25:42.379 --> 00:25:43.279 you know what I mean. 00:25:43.500 --> 00:25:44.740 It's so clear. 00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:46.659 You know, a loving relationship 00:25:46.659 --> 00:25:47.919 between two people 00:25:47.919 --> 00:25:50.679 should have emotions, right? 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:52.399 If I told you, 00:25:53.159 --> 00:25:54.419 hey, tell me about your best friend 00:25:54.419 --> 00:25:55.119 or your spouse. 00:25:55.799 --> 00:25:57.139 And you're like, cool. 00:25:57.639 --> 00:25:59.799 Johnny is six foot tall. 00:26:00.539 --> 00:26:02.859 He's 170 pounds. 00:26:03.539 --> 00:26:04.440 He's a nice guy. 00:26:04.519 --> 00:26:05.220 He loves Jesus. 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:07.419 He's a good guy. 00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:07.919 He's a good friend. 00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:08.700 He's funny too. 00:26:09.460 --> 00:26:10.160 I'd be like, okay, 00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:11.960 you know some facts about Johnny. 00:26:13.019 --> 00:26:14.160 But if you were like, 00:26:14.279 --> 00:26:15.940 man, Johnny is cool. 00:26:16.700 --> 00:26:18.460 He's on fire for the Lord, man. 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:19.960 And he just told me a story the other day. 00:26:20.000 --> 00:26:20.600 Let me tell you. 00:26:20.940 --> 00:26:21.779 Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:26:21.840 --> 00:26:24.680 And he was just able to connect that to Jesus. 00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:26.980 Man, I just love the passion in him. 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:29.000 You see the difference there? 00:26:29.380 --> 00:26:30.759 It's not just information. 00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:33.380 I could even see it in your smile, 00:26:33.660 --> 00:26:34.940 in the way you communicated, 00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:37.800 that there is emotion in your relationship 00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:38.399 with Johnny, 00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:39.799 in your friendship. 00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:46.319 Yip Harburg was the writer 00:26:46.319 --> 00:26:48.079 of a song called 00:26:48.079 --> 00:26:49.180 Somewhere Over the Rainbow. 00:26:49.659 --> 00:26:50.480 Does anyone know that song? 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:52.259 Wizard of Oz. 00:26:52.519 --> 00:26:53.339 I'm not going to sing it. 00:26:54.139 --> 00:26:55.940 Only Ed sings in his sermon, 00:26:56.180 --> 00:26:58.579 so maybe later, Ed. 00:26:59.139 --> 00:26:59.599 But you know, 00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:00.759 Somewhere Over the Rainbow. 00:27:00.759 --> 00:27:05.220 But he said this extremely insightful quote. 00:27:05.720 --> 00:27:05.980 He said, 00:27:06.420 --> 00:27:07.619 Words make you think a thought. 00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:11.700 Music makes you feel a feeling. 00:27:12.700 --> 00:27:15.500 But a song makes you feel a thought. 00:27:17.579 --> 00:27:19.980 And it's just not something he just made up. 00:27:19.980 --> 00:27:24.779 There's actually a physiological truth behind that. 00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:27.240 And neurological studies have shown 00:27:27.240 --> 00:27:31.759 that singing engages your brain in a way 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:34.400 that speaking alone just doesn't. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:36.440 There's actually studies on that. 00:27:36.579 --> 00:27:38.120 So he was on to something. 00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:39.700 Because you can just say, 00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:41.980 God, you hold everything together. 00:27:41.980 --> 00:27:45.200 You can even say it with passion. 00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:46.940 God, you hold everything together. 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:48.980 But when you sing, 00:27:49.460 --> 00:27:52.299 You hold everything together. 00:27:53.500 --> 00:27:54.420 Even that's, 00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:56.420 you see that soaring? 00:27:56.539 --> 00:27:58.980 You hold everything together. 00:27:59.759 --> 00:28:01.160 And you're just rising to that. 00:28:01.620 --> 00:28:02.140 Everything. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:06.279 Everything is being held together by God. 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:09.240 And that does something in your brain. 00:28:09.240 --> 00:28:12.480 That communicates something to you. 00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:14.720 So imagine that. 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:16.819 God was on to something 00:28:16.819 --> 00:28:19.519 when he calls us to sing. 00:28:20.039 --> 00:28:21.920 And when he decided to use singing. 00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:24.019 He created our brains 00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:26.180 with the emotional capacity 00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:27.980 to process these things. 00:28:29.319 --> 00:28:29.880 And finally, 00:28:30.059 --> 00:28:32.299 singing doesn't just help us to feel emotions. 00:28:32.440 --> 00:28:34.859 It helps us to express emotions. 00:28:35.660 --> 00:28:37.700 And this comes quite naturally for some of you. 00:28:37.900 --> 00:28:38.960 You'll burst out to song, 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:39.900 happy or sad. 00:28:40.779 --> 00:28:41.940 But even for those of you 00:28:41.940 --> 00:28:43.460 who are less interested in singing, 00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:45.779 see if you can remember an occasion 00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:47.460 where singing really helps you 00:28:47.460 --> 00:28:48.660 to express your emotions. 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:51.120 Because I think this. 00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:52.480 I think the truth is that 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:54.860 we're all actually quite willing to sing 00:28:54.860 --> 00:28:58.299 when we really actually care about something. 00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:00.500 Chris Thornton was telling me 00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:01.420 about a story of 00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:03.799 one time in a church gathering, 00:29:03.940 --> 00:29:05.420 he saw a guy who was, 00:29:05.620 --> 00:29:06.460 a guy who was there. 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:07.579 It was during singing time. 00:29:07.579 --> 00:29:09.379 And he was just kind of mouthing the words, 00:29:09.799 --> 00:29:11.619 kind of stoic and plain faced. 00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:14.679 And basically just going through the motions. 00:29:14.779 --> 00:29:15.619 And he noticed that. 00:29:16.720 --> 00:29:18.379 And then later in that day, 00:29:19.139 --> 00:29:21.139 Chris was at a rugby match, 00:29:22.019 --> 00:29:22.399 rugby sevens. 00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:25.060 And lo and behold, 00:29:25.380 --> 00:29:27.060 he saw the same guy there. 00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:29.019 And what do you think he was doing? 00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:31.460 This guy was on fire. 00:29:32.040 --> 00:29:34.320 He was singing at the top of his lungs 00:29:34.320 --> 00:29:35.660 for his team, 00:29:35.860 --> 00:29:36.840 for his country. 00:29:37.840 --> 00:29:39.300 And you could tell what, 00:29:39.700 --> 00:29:42.620 maybe what was gripping this man's heart more. 00:29:42.619 --> 00:29:45.639 He wanted to sing for his team. 00:29:46.179 --> 00:29:47.719 Maybe some of you can relate to that. 00:29:47.959 --> 00:29:49.379 Maybe that national pride 00:29:49.379 --> 00:29:49.959 when you have, 00:29:50.159 --> 00:29:51.759 when you're singing your anthem, 00:29:51.879 --> 00:29:53.399 your home anthem at a big event. 00:29:53.959 --> 00:29:55.339 Or when you're at a concert 00:29:55.339 --> 00:29:56.979 for your favorite band, 00:29:57.399 --> 00:29:58.559 and you're singing along 00:29:58.559 --> 00:30:00.339 with just throngs of fans. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:04.339 Yes, whatever that was. 00:30:04.379 --> 00:30:05.659 It just comes out of your heart. 00:30:06.659 --> 00:30:08.699 Maybe in sadness or heartbreak. 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:10.839 Those heartbreak songs, 00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:12.980 you just love it because it helps you. 00:30:13.699 --> 00:30:16.980 And your love life has gripped your heart, 00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:18.839 so you just want to sing out in joy 00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:20.199 or in pain or in suffering. 00:30:22.419 --> 00:30:23.839 So the question, I think, is 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:26.419 what moves you so much 00:30:26.419 --> 00:30:27.619 that you actually want to sing? 00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:30.339 In Exodus 15, 00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:33.159 we find the first explicit song in the Bible. 00:30:33.919 --> 00:30:35.919 Explicit in the sense that it's clearly sung. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:37.359 It's not like got bad words. 00:30:38.159 --> 00:30:38.799 And God has, 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:40.559 so this is what happens, Exodus. 00:30:40.839 --> 00:30:43.619 God has brought people through the Red Sea. 00:30:44.079 --> 00:30:45.379 He's delivered them. 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:49.379 And then now they've crossed the Red Sea. 00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:51.299 They've been freed from the Egyptians. 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:53.259 And guess what's the first thing they do? 00:30:53.740 --> 00:30:54.679 They sing a song. 00:30:55.779 --> 00:30:58.259 And the first few lines are really interesting. 00:30:58.599 --> 00:30:59.959 Exodus 15, 2. 00:31:00.699 --> 00:31:01.859 The people sing, 00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:04.500 the Lord is my strength and my song. 00:31:04.500 --> 00:31:05.640 God is my song. 00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:07.740 God is my song. 00:31:09.180 --> 00:31:11.339 It's that amazing, beautiful phrase 00:31:11.339 --> 00:31:14.480 that captures the fact that God means everything to you. 00:31:15.420 --> 00:31:18.440 It's not just that you sing about God 00:31:18.440 --> 00:31:21.000 or you sing because of God 00:31:21.000 --> 00:31:23.019 or you sing for God 00:31:23.019 --> 00:31:24.559 or you sing to God, 00:31:24.619 --> 00:31:26.420 but that God himself 00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:28.960 is your song. 00:31:28.960 --> 00:31:32.319 The emotion and love that you have for him 00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:35.259 just overflows into song. 00:31:35.960 --> 00:31:37.779 And it's not just positive emotions 00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:38.940 that the Bible talks about. 00:31:39.480 --> 00:31:40.920 You know, the majority of the psalms 00:31:40.920 --> 00:31:42.299 are actually laments. 00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.600 They're songs that are about 00:31:44.600 --> 00:31:46.180 bringing your frustration 00:31:46.180 --> 00:31:47.160 and your grief 00:31:47.160 --> 00:31:49.039 and your heartbreak to God. 00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:51.759 God's your loving father. 00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:53.960 He doesn't just want to hear your praise. 00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:55.859 He wants to hear 00:31:55.859 --> 00:31:59.359 your heartfelt cry out to him. 00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:01.299 He wants to hear 00:32:01.299 --> 00:32:04.339 your heartfelt passion for him. 00:32:07.539 --> 00:32:10.200 Church, if you're feeling disengaged 00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:11.700 from singing today, 00:32:12.440 --> 00:32:14.079 I think the question 00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:17.059 that the Holy Spirit is prompting you and I 00:32:17.059 --> 00:32:20.139 is who is your song? 00:32:21.619 --> 00:32:22.659 What is your song? 00:32:23.839 --> 00:32:24.679 In other words, 00:32:24.879 --> 00:32:27.299 what's really gripping your heart 00:32:27.299 --> 00:32:29.019 that those emotions 00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:30.899 are just triggered and challenged? 00:32:31.059 --> 00:32:31.919 You know, I've been a Christian 00:32:31.919 --> 00:32:33.559 for a lot of years now 00:32:33.559 --> 00:32:35.539 and I've just recognized 00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:36.059 looking back 00:32:36.059 --> 00:32:37.339 that one of the constant struggles 00:32:37.339 --> 00:32:39.919 is forgetting and taking for granted 00:32:39.919 --> 00:32:41.319 that the God of the universe, 00:32:42.079 --> 00:32:43.619 the God who created everything, 00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:45.819 who's in sovereign control, 00:32:45.819 --> 00:32:48.599 He's also my heavenly Father. 00:32:49.919 --> 00:32:51.119 He's my dad. 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:53.339 He's my God who loves me. 00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:55.619 He's the one who's singing 00:32:55.619 --> 00:32:57.119 in delight over me. 00:32:57.859 --> 00:32:59.779 He has a purpose for me. 00:33:00.679 --> 00:33:02.200 And I just forget that. 00:33:03.740 --> 00:33:06.099 And part of God's purpose for us 00:33:06.099 --> 00:33:08.839 is to live your faith out, 00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:10.939 not just between you and God, 00:33:11.359 --> 00:33:12.179 but in community. 00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:14.019 God doesn't just want you 00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:15.400 to sing to Him. 00:33:16.119 --> 00:33:17.599 But as we learned last week, 00:33:17.799 --> 00:33:18.839 He's here that He wants us 00:33:18.839 --> 00:33:20.940 to gather and to serve 00:33:20.940 --> 00:33:23.079 and watch each other in the gospel. 00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:25.240 The two greatest commands 00:33:25.240 --> 00:33:26.859 are to love God and love others. 00:33:27.000 --> 00:33:28.359 So when it comes to singing, 00:33:28.940 --> 00:33:30.379 God is crystal clear 00:33:30.379 --> 00:33:33.460 that it is a communal thing as well. 00:33:33.500 --> 00:33:34.559 And this is our third point. 00:33:35.079 --> 00:33:36.160 Singing helps the church 00:33:36.160 --> 00:33:37.059 to love God 00:33:37.059 --> 00:33:38.660 and to love one another. 00:33:38.660 --> 00:33:42.660 Colossians 3, 00:33:42.800 --> 00:33:44.660 going back to our main passage, 00:33:44.820 --> 00:33:46.460 it has this really beautiful passage 00:33:46.460 --> 00:33:48.220 about our calling as Christians. 00:33:48.759 --> 00:33:50.019 So I'm just going to read it for us. 00:33:50.700 --> 00:33:50.920 It says, 00:33:50.920 --> 00:33:51.900 Put on then, 00:33:51.900 --> 00:33:53.900 as God's chosen ones, 00:33:54.140 --> 00:33:55.500 holy and beloved, 00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:57.560 compassionate hearts, 00:33:58.480 --> 00:34:00.259 kindness, humility, 00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:02.100 meekness, and patience, 00:34:02.840 --> 00:34:04.200 bearing with one another, 00:34:04.600 --> 00:34:06.560 and if anyone has a complaint 00:34:06.560 --> 00:34:07.620 against another, 00:34:08.440 --> 00:34:09.680 forgiving each other 00:34:09.680 --> 00:34:12.300 as the Lord has forgiven you. 00:34:13.700 --> 00:34:16.039 So you also must forgive. 00:34:16.619 --> 00:34:17.460 And above all, 00:34:17.460 --> 00:34:18.679 put on love, 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:21.300 which binds everything together 00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:22.800 in perfect harmony, 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:25.380 and let the peace of Christ 00:34:25.380 --> 00:34:26.780 rule in your hearts, 00:34:27.380 --> 00:34:29.320 to which indeed you were called 00:34:29.320 --> 00:34:31.119 in one body. 00:34:33.420 --> 00:34:35.159 Isn't that an amazing passage 00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:37.400 of our calling as a family? 00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:40.619 The church is about loving one another. 00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:42.679 And it's interesting then 00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:44.500 that that's where Paul transitions 00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:46.260 to our key verse today, 16. 00:34:46.260 --> 00:34:49.040 We're to teach and admonish 00:34:49.040 --> 00:34:52.620 one another in all wisdom, 00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:54.780 singing psalms and hymns 00:34:54.780 --> 00:34:55.800 and spiritual songs. 00:34:56.320 --> 00:34:58.260 So everything you just heard 00:34:58.260 --> 00:34:59.200 in point two, 00:34:59.360 --> 00:35:00.480 it's not just for yourself. 00:35:01.200 --> 00:35:02.760 It's for your family. 00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:03.580 It's for the church. 00:35:04.400 --> 00:35:06.020 It's not just that you want 00:35:06.020 --> 00:35:07.200 to remember truth, 00:35:07.680 --> 00:35:08.680 but you want to help 00:35:08.680 --> 00:35:09.920 the person next to you 00:35:09.920 --> 00:35:11.020 and behind you 00:35:11.020 --> 00:35:12.000 and in front of you 00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:12.940 remember truth. 00:35:13.320 --> 00:35:14.640 It's not that you want 00:35:14.639 --> 00:35:16.500 to just engage your own emotions, 00:35:16.920 --> 00:35:18.379 but you want to fire up 00:35:18.379 --> 00:35:19.559 the person next to you 00:35:19.559 --> 00:35:21.480 to engage their emotions 00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:22.799 for God. 00:35:24.420 --> 00:35:24.980 You know, 00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:26.019 when you sing loudly 00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:26.839 with passion, 00:35:27.379 --> 00:35:29.119 you are actually teaching 00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:30.619 the people around you. 00:35:31.019 --> 00:35:32.199 You're telling them, 00:35:33.159 --> 00:35:33.420 Kevin, 00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:35.679 God holds everything together. 00:35:36.819 --> 00:35:38.079 You're admonishing, 00:35:38.259 --> 00:35:39.579 you're encouraging them. 00:35:39.579 --> 00:35:42.779 Be the center of our lives. 00:35:43.079 --> 00:35:44.159 Not just my life, 00:35:45.119 --> 00:35:45.500 but God, 00:35:45.579 --> 00:35:46.679 would you be the center 00:35:46.679 --> 00:35:49.079 of Michael and Joyce's lives? 00:35:49.679 --> 00:35:50.940 Would you be the place 00:35:50.940 --> 00:35:52.059 they fix their eyes? 00:35:53.400 --> 00:35:55.019 And it's not just the lyrics, 00:35:55.139 --> 00:35:56.239 as great as they are. 00:35:56.719 --> 00:35:56.900 You know, 00:35:56.940 --> 00:35:58.139 when someone sees you 00:35:58.139 --> 00:35:59.599 singing and engaged 00:35:59.599 --> 00:36:00.340 and passionate, 00:36:00.900 --> 00:36:02.000 I think that kind of 00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:03.159 encourages them too. 00:36:03.779 --> 00:36:04.759 It encourages me 00:36:04.759 --> 00:36:05.460 when I see that. 00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:06.159 When I'm just feeling 00:36:06.159 --> 00:36:07.699 and I see someone 00:36:07.699 --> 00:36:08.359 just engaged, 00:36:09.339 --> 00:36:10.519 part of me is just like 00:36:10.519 --> 00:36:11.799 inspired a little bit 00:36:11.799 --> 00:36:12.239 by that. 00:36:12.599 --> 00:36:13.879 And you start to realize 00:36:13.879 --> 00:36:15.359 it's not just my song, 00:36:15.460 --> 00:36:16.960 it's our song. 00:36:17.960 --> 00:36:18.440 Have you ever been 00:36:18.440 --> 00:36:19.139 to a concert 00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:20.399 where everyone 00:36:20.399 --> 00:36:21.159 is just singing 00:36:21.819 --> 00:36:22.619 in unity 00:36:22.619 --> 00:36:23.379 and solidarity 00:36:23.379 --> 00:36:25.239 and just how beautiful 00:36:25.239 --> 00:36:26.819 that sounds 00:36:26.819 --> 00:36:28.179 and how much 00:36:28.179 --> 00:36:28.960 the oneness 00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:29.799 you feel with them? 00:36:31.059 --> 00:36:32.379 And those are just strangers 00:36:32.379 --> 00:36:33.199 that you're singing 00:36:33.199 --> 00:36:34.679 around a pop song to. 00:36:34.679 --> 00:36:36.339 How much more 00:36:36.339 --> 00:36:38.559 should we be united 00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:39.500 in singing 00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:41.019 for our Heavenly Father? 00:36:41.659 --> 00:36:42.819 Because we are gathered 00:36:42.819 --> 00:36:43.480 around Him. 00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:45.460 Again, 00:36:45.539 --> 00:36:46.079 we're not here 00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:46.940 to be entertained, 00:36:47.339 --> 00:36:48.779 but to wash each other 00:36:48.779 --> 00:36:49.899 in the Gospel. 00:36:51.639 --> 00:36:52.980 So let's just recap 00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:54.059 this really quickly. 00:36:55.819 --> 00:36:56.679 Singing begins 00:36:56.679 --> 00:36:57.339 with God, 00:36:57.559 --> 00:36:59.039 the one who rejoices us, 00:36:59.259 --> 00:37:00.339 over us in singing. 00:37:01.899 --> 00:37:03.219 Singing uniquely 00:37:03.219 --> 00:37:05.699 helps us to remember God 00:37:05.699 --> 00:37:08.199 and to also engage 00:37:08.199 --> 00:37:09.199 our emotions 00:37:09.199 --> 00:37:10.419 for Him. 00:37:11.899 --> 00:37:12.859 And thirdly, 00:37:12.980 --> 00:37:13.859 singing helps 00:37:13.859 --> 00:37:15.019 the church 00:37:15.019 --> 00:37:16.239 to love God 00:37:16.239 --> 00:37:17.679 and to love 00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:18.500 one another. 00:37:21.099 --> 00:37:21.539 So, 00:37:22.259 --> 00:37:25.239 if you're a little 00:37:25.239 --> 00:37:26.279 distracted right now, 00:37:26.319 --> 00:37:26.699 it's okay 00:37:26.699 --> 00:37:27.539 because I have one 00:37:27.539 --> 00:37:28.759 application point 00:37:28.759 --> 00:37:29.219 for you. 00:37:29.799 --> 00:37:30.539 It's the easiest 00:37:30.539 --> 00:37:31.579 application point 00:37:31.579 --> 00:37:32.460 from this text. 00:37:33.239 --> 00:37:33.679 Sing. 00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:36.039 Sing loudly. 00:37:37.239 --> 00:37:38.099 But there's a little 00:37:38.099 --> 00:37:38.940 bit more to it 00:37:38.940 --> 00:37:40.819 because I'm realistic here. 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.960 I have emotions too. 00:37:43.319 --> 00:37:44.179 Some of us, 00:37:44.279 --> 00:37:45.139 we just don't feel 00:37:45.139 --> 00:37:46.159 like singing sometimes. 00:37:46.840 --> 00:37:48.139 We just don't feel it. 00:37:49.079 --> 00:37:49.779 And this morning, 00:37:49.900 --> 00:37:50.860 I'm not asking you, 00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:52.319 God is not asking you 00:37:52.319 --> 00:37:53.480 to fake it. 00:37:54.219 --> 00:37:55.179 He's not asking you 00:37:55.179 --> 00:37:55.719 to pretend 00:37:55.719 --> 00:37:56.559 to be passionate 00:37:56.559 --> 00:37:58.039 and to pretend 00:37:58.039 --> 00:37:58.880 that you're really 00:37:58.880 --> 00:37:59.860 in love with God. 00:38:00.659 --> 00:38:01.659 He doesn't want you 00:38:01.659 --> 00:38:02.219 to pretend. 00:38:03.420 --> 00:38:04.179 And this is why 00:38:04.179 --> 00:38:05.340 the final verse, 00:38:05.400 --> 00:38:06.179 the final verse 00:38:06.179 --> 00:38:07.019 and the final part 00:38:07.019 --> 00:38:07.779 of verse 16 00:38:07.779 --> 00:38:09.779 is really interesting. 00:38:10.579 --> 00:38:11.799 This is what Paul says. 00:38:12.039 --> 00:38:12.480 He says, 00:38:12.599 --> 00:38:13.980 sing psalms and hymns 00:38:13.980 --> 00:38:15.199 and spiritual psalms 00:38:15.199 --> 00:38:17.259 with thankfulness 00:38:17.259 --> 00:38:18.779 in your hearts 00:38:18.779 --> 00:38:19.440 to God. 00:38:19.840 --> 00:38:21.299 With thankfulness. 00:38:21.300 --> 00:38:23.140 And the phrase 00:38:23.140 --> 00:38:24.039 with thankfulness 00:38:24.039 --> 00:38:25.080 literally means 00:38:25.080 --> 00:38:27.080 in His grace. 00:38:27.640 --> 00:38:29.780 In the grace of God. 00:38:31.840 --> 00:38:32.920 God's grace 00:38:32.920 --> 00:38:34.140 is the starting point, 00:38:34.260 --> 00:38:34.940 the middle point, 00:38:35.019 --> 00:38:35.680 the ending point 00:38:35.680 --> 00:38:36.420 of your singing. 00:38:37.440 --> 00:38:39.519 The gift of eternal life 00:38:39.519 --> 00:38:41.200 that He has given to you. 00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:44.140 So you don't necessarily 00:38:44.140 --> 00:38:45.900 need to feel like singing 00:38:45.900 --> 00:38:47.380 to have thankfulness 00:38:47.380 --> 00:38:48.539 for God's amazing grace 00:38:48.539 --> 00:38:49.039 for you, right? 00:38:49.039 --> 00:38:51.920 From that grace 00:38:51.920 --> 00:38:53.099 and thankfulness, 00:38:53.219 --> 00:38:54.440 you can sing. 00:38:55.380 --> 00:38:56.820 So when you don't feel 00:38:56.820 --> 00:38:58.079 like singing this morning, 00:38:58.559 --> 00:38:59.679 start with what you know. 00:39:00.900 --> 00:39:01.860 You know 00:39:01.860 --> 00:39:03.420 that your Heavenly Father 00:39:03.420 --> 00:39:04.719 is rejoicing over you 00:39:04.719 --> 00:39:05.159 in singing. 00:39:05.820 --> 00:39:07.300 You know that the cross 00:39:07.300 --> 00:39:07.980 represents 00:39:07.980 --> 00:39:09.480 that Jesus Christ 00:39:09.480 --> 00:39:11.460 literally died for you 00:39:11.460 --> 00:39:12.239 in history. 00:39:12.759 --> 00:39:14.059 You know all those things. 00:39:14.719 --> 00:39:16.179 So when you don't feel 00:39:16.179 --> 00:39:16.719 like singing, 00:39:16.719 --> 00:39:17.739 just start singing. 00:39:19.039 --> 00:39:21.599 When you don't feel 00:39:21.599 --> 00:39:22.300 like singing, 00:39:22.840 --> 00:39:23.559 start singing 00:39:23.559 --> 00:39:25.380 because the song itself 00:39:25.380 --> 00:39:27.099 will show you 00:39:27.099 --> 00:39:28.639 those emotions, right? 00:39:29.340 --> 00:39:30.679 When you don't feel 00:39:30.679 --> 00:39:31.360 like singing, 00:39:32.519 --> 00:39:33.420 start singing 00:39:33.420 --> 00:39:35.000 because you're not 00:39:35.000 --> 00:39:36.119 just singing for God 00:39:36.119 --> 00:39:37.500 or for yourself, 00:39:37.759 --> 00:39:39.019 but you're singing 00:39:39.019 --> 00:39:39.759 for everyone 00:39:39.759 --> 00:39:40.599 in this room 00:39:40.599 --> 00:39:42.480 that they would also 00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:43.099 know the beauty 00:39:43.099 --> 00:39:43.619 of Jesus. 00:39:43.619 --> 00:39:46.139 So we're going to move 00:39:46.139 --> 00:39:46.920 into a time 00:39:46.920 --> 00:39:48.019 of communion right now. 00:39:48.019 --> 00:39:49.659 And I just can't 00:39:49.659 --> 00:39:49.960 think of it 00:39:49.960 --> 00:39:51.360 more apt time 00:39:51.360 --> 00:39:52.840 because all communion 00:39:52.840 --> 00:39:54.579 is about remembering 00:39:54.579 --> 00:39:56.880 what God did for you. 00:39:57.519 --> 00:39:58.320 And if you're not 00:39:58.320 --> 00:39:59.739 feeling that this morning, 00:40:00.380 --> 00:40:01.719 this is a chance. 00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:04.139 You hold that bread 00:40:04.139 --> 00:40:05.920 representing God's 00:40:05.920 --> 00:40:07.679 body broken for you. 00:40:08.179 --> 00:40:09.539 You see that cup 00:40:09.539 --> 00:40:11.139 representing God's blood 00:40:11.139 --> 00:40:13.139 shed for you. 00:40:13.139 --> 00:40:16.339 And just remember that. 00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:17.339 Meditate on that. 00:40:18.460 --> 00:40:19.579 If you're not yet 00:40:19.579 --> 00:40:20.299 a Christian here 00:40:20.299 --> 00:40:20.859 this morning, 00:40:21.199 --> 00:40:22.839 I think the question 00:40:22.839 --> 00:40:23.480 for us, 00:40:23.819 --> 00:40:24.460 for you, 00:40:25.379 --> 00:40:25.940 actually is 00:40:25.940 --> 00:40:26.940 what is your song? 00:40:28.420 --> 00:40:29.659 Are you content 00:40:29.659 --> 00:40:30.920 to sing 00:40:30.920 --> 00:40:33.480 for your rugby team 00:40:33.480 --> 00:40:35.000 or to sing 00:40:35.000 --> 00:40:37.379 a pop song? 00:40:37.380 --> 00:40:39.200 Is that all 00:40:39.200 --> 00:40:39.940 that captures 00:40:39.940 --> 00:40:41.260 your heart? 00:40:42.119 --> 00:40:43.260 Or will there be 00:40:43.260 --> 00:40:43.720 more 00:40:43.720 --> 00:40:45.400 to your life? 00:40:45.960 --> 00:40:46.700 Should there be 00:40:46.700 --> 00:40:47.460 more to your life? 00:40:47.519 --> 00:40:48.320 And I'm here to say 00:40:48.320 --> 00:40:49.059 that there is. 00:40:49.700 --> 00:40:50.400 God wants you 00:40:50.400 --> 00:40:50.940 to sing 00:40:50.940 --> 00:40:51.720 a song 00:40:51.720 --> 00:40:52.420 that will echo 00:40:52.420 --> 00:40:53.320 into eternity. 00:40:53.920 --> 00:40:54.400 A song 00:40:54.400 --> 00:40:55.320 that you can sing 00:40:55.320 --> 00:40:56.619 long past 00:40:56.619 --> 00:40:58.039 this physical lifetime 00:40:58.039 --> 00:40:59.079 as you have 00:40:59.079 --> 00:40:59.860 eternal life 00:40:59.860 --> 00:41:01.039 in His family. 00:41:01.660 --> 00:41:02.320 So I encourage you 00:41:02.320 --> 00:41:03.200 to just think about that. 00:41:03.280 --> 00:41:04.260 What is your song? 00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:06.140 Will that last? 00:41:06.139 --> 00:41:06.299 Christ. 00:41:07.099 --> 00:41:08.319 This communion time 00:41:08.319 --> 00:41:09.400 is not for you 00:41:09.400 --> 00:41:10.500 right now 00:41:10.500 --> 00:41:11.379 because this is 00:41:11.379 --> 00:41:11.879 for people 00:41:11.879 --> 00:41:12.539 who have put 00:41:12.539 --> 00:41:13.539 their faith in Christ. 00:41:13.679 --> 00:41:14.799 But really take this time 00:41:14.799 --> 00:41:15.759 to think about that. 00:41:16.099 --> 00:41:16.859 And I would love 00:41:16.859 --> 00:41:17.739 to talk to you 00:41:17.739 --> 00:41:18.519 more about that. 00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:19.819 I'd love to 00:41:19.819 --> 00:41:20.719 share with you 00:41:20.719 --> 00:41:21.559 what is this 00:41:21.559 --> 00:41:22.359 eternal song 00:41:22.359 --> 00:41:23.079 that we can sing 00:41:23.079 --> 00:41:23.699 about God.