WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.620 I'm going to ask you to turn with me to two places in the scripture this morning. 00:00:03.620 --> 00:00:09.100 So you can mark the one Ephesians chapter five, beginning in verse 18. 00:00:10.600 --> 00:00:14.620 And then the second Colossians three and verse 16. 00:00:15.500 --> 00:00:18.620 So Ephesians five and Colossians three. 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:29.960 While you're doing that, we've been concluding our kind of Old Testament flyover that we've been doing this last part of this year. 00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:39.560 As we've been picking selected texts throughout the Old Testament and showing you the large redemptive narrative that exists in the Old Testament. 00:00:40.939 --> 00:00:52.719 Clearly, I'm letting last week be the conclusion of that time together as we look to next Sunday and Advent season and the Advent themes being picked up and preached upon. 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:58.359 I'm doing so because it just seemed as we spent the last two Sundays in Isaiah. 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:02.019 As Clay preached and then Zach came and preached. 00:01:02.560 --> 00:01:09.799 Those texts so, so very helpfully set our hopes to long for the rule of King Jesus. 00:01:10.539 --> 00:01:17.519 It kind of leaves off well the Old Testament narrative of a people longing for the Messiah, the promised one, right? 00:01:17.579 --> 00:01:18.359 The Christ. 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:21.200 And that's the season that we're entering into, right? 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:30.060 We're going to get into the Advent season as we begin to think about the second coming of Christ as a people who are longing for that glorious day. 00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:35.500 And so we find ourselves now kind of between two times. 00:01:35.500 --> 00:01:42.280 And so I was thinking a bit this week about what are we meant to be doing between these two times. 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:52.319 And as I've been thinking about our gathering together, I wanted to pick up something that we should do together when we gather together. 00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:56.180 So this morning we're going to talk about musical worship. 00:01:56.180 --> 00:02:06.400 Take a bit of time to see what the Bible has to say about why and how and what we should sing when we come together. 00:02:07.300 --> 00:02:12.040 Singing is an activity of a people who are waiting. 00:02:13.040 --> 00:02:15.939 So our church has a high turnover rate. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:18.800 Lots of young people come through the life of our church. 00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:23.260 And so I think it's good that you be reminded of this if you've been here for a while or maybe here for the very first time. 00:02:23.340 --> 00:02:27.920 Why is it that we do music the way that we do music? 00:02:28.280 --> 00:02:34.140 I don't mean for this to be a defense of the way we do music, but rather a time of equipping for you. 00:02:34.139 --> 00:02:46.839 And we find ourselves in a day we've got to think even more about music and singing and the importance of it as we've had restrictions on our gatherings together. 00:02:46.839 --> 00:02:53.599 And we may have some further and we're anticipating tighter restrictions in the coming months. 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:58.339 So we want to think clearly about the gathering of the church and what the church does. 00:02:58.439 --> 00:03:01.159 I'm not trying to draw conclusions for you about that. 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:13.280 I don't have conclusions, but we should have a good theological foundation for singing together if we're going to think well about what we need to be doing in the coming months and year. 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:14.680 I hesitate to say. 00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:21.280 So we're going to talk a bit this morning about music together, specifically music together. 00:03:21.939 --> 00:03:26.259 When we gather together as a church, why do we engage in musical worship? 00:03:26.259 --> 00:03:31.479 And why do we engage in musical worship the way that we engage in musical worship? 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:37.500 I want to begin with an aside concerning our language concerning music. 00:03:37.959 --> 00:03:49.199 For far too long, the music sung in church has been referred to as worship and the individual leading the music as the worship leader. 00:03:49.199 --> 00:04:01.679 Music rightly sung in our church gatherings or otherwise certainly is worship, but it is not the totality of worship. 00:04:01.979 --> 00:04:10.899 And the individual's leading music is certainly leading us in worship, but not in the totality of worship. 00:04:10.900 --> 00:04:24.620 To call our singing together worship and the individual leading the music, the worship leader suggests that our worship of God is reduced to a bit of time during a service on Sunday morning. 00:04:24.620 --> 00:04:32.860 And it excludes our prayers, taking the Lord's Supper, scripture reading and preaching. 00:04:32.860 --> 00:04:36.400 Paul stated in Romans chapter 12 and verse 1, 00:04:36.460 --> 00:04:47.660 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 00:04:48.600 --> 00:04:55.960 Understand that that word bodies, body is talking about our very being, who we are. 00:04:56.600 --> 00:05:01.139 God means for all of our lives to be committed to his praise. 00:05:01.139 --> 00:05:31.120 God means for all of our lives to be committed to his life. 00:05:31.139 --> 00:05:33.000 God means for all of us to say such a thing. 00:05:33.399 --> 00:05:41.659 And so that's why we'll speak in terms of musical worship and why we'll call whoever's leading our music, our music leader. 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:43.240 We want to be clear about this. 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:50.500 This is a part of our worship of God, an important part, as we'll see. 00:05:51.419 --> 00:05:56.579 The subject of musical worship in churches have been a highly contested one in my lifetime. 00:05:56.579 --> 00:06:06.779 The past decades have been full of what often people call the worship wars, which contain much heat with little to no light. 00:06:07.560 --> 00:06:13.459 The current solution has seems to be for small churches to work to serve a particular demographic. 00:06:14.019 --> 00:06:18.779 We're going to figure out who we're going to try to gather and we're going to design music for that group. 00:06:18.779 --> 00:06:24.079 And for larger churches to cater to every demographic with multiple services. 00:06:24.199 --> 00:06:28.500 We're going to divide everybody up into their preferred style of music. 00:06:29.159 --> 00:06:35.559 And none of this is good for your faith or for the community of faith. 00:06:35.560 --> 00:06:43.759 It is not proper for a church to serve preference over purpose in the way that we gather. 00:06:44.280 --> 00:06:53.379 It is not healthy to meet felt needs at the expense of real needs to promulgate consumerism in the worship of our God. 00:06:53.379 --> 00:07:02.300 So, Wes, who was one of our founding elders and our music leader for the first nine years of our church's history, 00:07:02.980 --> 00:07:10.399 and myself in the very early days of Christ Family Church, were a musician becoming a pastor. 00:07:10.719 --> 00:07:15.079 This was the work that Wes was doing as he had some skill that he brought to the task. 00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:24.719 And I was a teacher becoming a pastor, some skill in explaining things, but learning what it meant to lead a church. 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:29.519 So both of us, with great trembling, opened up our Bibles. 00:07:29.699 --> 00:07:31.219 We believed in the sufficiency of Scripture. 00:07:31.339 --> 00:07:37.019 We believed that the text had what it needed in it to help us, to instruct us on how in the world are we supposed to do this? 00:07:37.019 --> 00:07:42.620 Because we were looking at the world out there and seeing all the varied opinion and all the varied things going on. 00:07:42.620 --> 00:07:45.420 And it felt icky, right? 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:50.519 It didn't feel right and proper to be catering to the felt needs of people all the time. 00:07:50.579 --> 00:07:56.019 So we said, what does the Bible say about musical worship? 00:07:56.660 --> 00:07:59.120 So we're going to do that briefly together this morning. 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:06.220 Let's begin our study looking at Colossians 3.16 and then Ephesians 5.18 and 19. 00:08:06.920 --> 00:08:10.639 Before I read these two texts, beloved, let me remind you that this is God's word to us, 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:13.180 written for his glory and our good. 00:08:13.479 --> 00:08:18.759 So we would all do well to listen to it in order to believe its promises and obey its commands. 00:08:19.099 --> 00:08:20.979 Colossians 3.16. 00:08:22.599 --> 00:08:29.199 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, 00:08:30.060 --> 00:08:35.860 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 00:08:35.860 --> 00:08:39.019 And now Ephesians 5.18 and following. 00:08:40.820 --> 00:08:46.200 And do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit, 00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:50.700 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, 00:08:50.820 --> 00:08:54.899 singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. 00:08:54.899 --> 00:08:59.980 So why do we sing together when we gather? 00:09:00.779 --> 00:09:03.179 Because the Bible commands it. 00:09:03.659 --> 00:09:07.319 And the Bible commands it for God's glory and for our good. 00:09:07.579 --> 00:09:13.360 See that just in these two texts, the one in Colossians, parallel text found in Ephesians. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:17.259 Elsewhere in the Bible also, Psalm 33 and verse 3, 00:09:17.259 --> 00:09:23.179 Sing to him a new song, play skillfully on the strings with loud shouts. 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:25.279 We need to be obedient to that. 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:34.019 Psalm 47 and verse 6, sing praises to God, sing praises, sing praises to our king, sing praises. 00:09:34.179 --> 00:09:34.319 Right? 00:09:34.500 --> 00:09:37.740 Four times in that single verse, sing praises. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:45.439 The Bible contains over 400 references to singing and 50 direct commands to sing. 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:50.120 The longest book of the Bible by verse count is the Psalms, right? 00:09:50.180 --> 00:09:54.440 Which is a book of songs for God's people to sing. 00:09:55.560 --> 00:09:59.900 It is always so wonderful when we don't plan things and they work out. 00:10:00.040 --> 00:10:05.480 I'm so thankful for God's providence and us pulling together gatherings of our church 00:10:05.480 --> 00:10:07.900 that Clay decided this morning to read Psalm 46. 00:10:08.020 --> 00:10:10.820 He had no idea the band was going to sing Psalm 46. 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:15.160 I'm speaking about singing the Psalms for a moment here. 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:19.199 And we sang a Psalm even before I got up to preach. 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:20.839 It's a wonderful thing. 00:10:21.719 --> 00:10:25.559 We have the example of Jesus in Matthew chapter 26 and verse 30. 00:10:26.100 --> 00:10:28.279 When they had sung a hymn. 00:10:28.379 --> 00:10:31.240 This is at the conclusion of the Lord's Supper. 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:33.039 They went out to the Mount of Olives. 00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:36.659 We have the example of heaven in the book of Revelation. 00:10:36.819 --> 00:10:42.399 The book of Revelation, by the way, has more songs in it besides the Psalms of any other book of the Bible. 00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:43.659 We ought to pay attention. 00:10:43.779 --> 00:10:49.220 We ought to peer into what heavenly worship looks like if we're to properly sing. 00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:51.620 Revelation chapter 15, beginning in verse 2. 00:10:51.779 --> 00:10:54.740 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire. 00:10:54.840 --> 00:10:59.019 And also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:03.240 standing behind the side of the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:09.200 And they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, 00:11:09.560 --> 00:11:13.340 Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty. 00:11:13.659 --> 00:11:17.440 Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations. 00:11:18.659 --> 00:11:23.480 We have the example of Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail. 00:11:24.180 --> 00:11:25.500 Imprisoned for the preaching of the gospel. 00:11:25.500 --> 00:11:27.279 Acts 16 and verse 25. 00:11:27.720 --> 00:11:33.580 About midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God. 00:11:33.620 --> 00:11:36.980 And we know that the prison doors were opened for them. 00:11:37.940 --> 00:11:41.080 James says in James chapter 5 and verse 13. 00:11:41.659 --> 00:11:42.480 Is anyone cheerful? 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:46.059 Let him sing praise. 00:11:47.740 --> 00:11:49.200 John Calvin once said, 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:54.399 Wherever faith is lively, holy rejoicing will follow. 00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:57.439 This should be true of us. 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:00.559 So we should sing when we are gathered. 00:12:00.699 --> 00:12:06.720 We should sing, the text tells us, psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:13.559 Psalms are those things coming from, arising from the Psalter, from the book of Psalms. 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:18.279 We should sing from God's song book. 00:12:18.620 --> 00:12:21.319 It's a helpful and important thing for us to do. 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:25.580 It helps us to rightly orient the way in which we should sing. 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:35.160 For example, did you know that a third of the book of Psalms are psalms of lament, crying out in anguish to our God? 00:12:35.560 --> 00:12:39.379 Our gathering together and singing shouldn't all be raw, raw anthony. 00:12:39.379 --> 00:12:44.039 Because people who are hurting have no place in a gathering like that. 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:50.019 We should sing songs that say, yes, this world is broken and yes, we struggle within it. 00:12:50.019 --> 00:12:51.799 But our God. 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:59.639 We should sing hymns, which are songs to or about God and what he has done. 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:04.740 Some examples of that could be how great thou art and holy, holy, holy. 00:13:05.639 --> 00:13:13.879 And we should sing spiritual songs, songs to or about us in relation to God and what he has done. 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:15.860 Amazing grace. 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:20.639 And it is well, two wonderful examples of that. 00:13:21.620 --> 00:13:26.220 Humans are wired to give and receive through song. 00:13:26.220 --> 00:13:32.279 Musicians have been wildly popular for good and bad throughout history. 00:13:32.740 --> 00:13:38.139 We think back to your high school years and think about some band or some individual that you were really into 00:13:38.139 --> 00:13:42.160 and how foolish it seems that you ever thought that that was a person that you should emulate and follow. 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:45.240 Why do we do such things? 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:52.120 There are some crazy musicians out there and we think they're so cool and we want to be just like them, right? 00:13:52.120 --> 00:13:56.980 We're wired to be led along by music. 00:13:57.620 --> 00:14:04.560 Every movement, every uprising, every cultural expression has its music. 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:06.879 We are musical beings. 00:14:07.799 --> 00:14:13.299 Everyone will tap their foot or bob their head to something, right? 00:14:13.299 --> 00:14:21.379 There's some kind of music that will get a person to move a little bit, even awkwardly at times, right? 00:14:21.379 --> 00:14:32.399 So when we sing, when we are gathered, is our hope that our feelings catch up to the truth that we believe. 00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:37.299 Like it is proper for us to feel the truth together. 00:14:38.220 --> 00:14:41.460 Jonathan Edwards in his work Religious Affections wrote, 00:14:41.460 --> 00:14:50.740 The duty of singing praises to God seems to be appointed wholly to excite and express religious affections. 00:14:51.560 --> 00:14:58.560 No other reason can be assigned why we should express ourselves to God in verse rather than in prose and do it with music, 00:14:58.560 --> 00:15:02.220 but only that such is our nature and frame. 00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:07.900 That these things have a tendency to move our affections. 00:15:07.899 --> 00:15:19.600 We don't sing for the sake of emotion simply, but to get our emotions, to get our affections to be bent toward and set upon the truth of God. 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:21.879 So music is important. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:25.899 It's important in the gathering of the church. 00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:32.980 So we sing, but what and how we sing also matters. 00:15:34.139 --> 00:15:47.939 Colossians 3.16 and Ephesians 5.18 and 19 show us that our singing together is the result of the word of Christ dwelling richly in us. 00:15:48.539 --> 00:15:52.759 There's a striking parallel between much of Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5. 00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:55.319 This is why we're using these two texts this morning. 00:15:55.980 --> 00:16:01.840 They both have Paul as their author, which allows for this incredible connection to be drawn from them. 00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:03.399 So look back. 00:16:03.460 --> 00:16:05.559 You'll have to flip at these two texts together again. 00:16:06.679 --> 00:16:07.720 First Colossians 3.16. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:10.799 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. 00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:20.379 Then following that, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 00:16:20.379 --> 00:16:22.460 In Ephesians 5. 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:35.740 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. 00:16:36.539 --> 00:16:43.419 He seems to interchange this idea of being filled with the Spirit and letting the word of Christ dwell richly in us. 00:16:43.419 --> 00:16:46.679 They seem to be interchangeable in Paul's thinking. 00:16:46.779 --> 00:16:51.039 This is the argument that I'm making to you, that they are in fact, right? 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:59.199 That if you are filled with the Spirit, then you will be having the word of Christ dwell in you richly. 00:16:59.740 --> 00:17:04.200 To dwell means to take up residence, to inhabit. 00:17:05.139 --> 00:17:08.500 And for it to dwell richly means it is dwelling in abundance. 00:17:08.500 --> 00:17:13.240 The word of Christ should be filling us. 00:17:14.140 --> 00:17:19.079 And this is the primary work of the Spirit of Christ. 00:17:19.460 --> 00:17:24.480 Work the word of Christ into us so that it comes out of us. 00:17:25.099 --> 00:17:29.539 Now, if that connection between the two is too vague for you, I can understand that you're like, wait, that's a jump in logic. 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:30.819 I'm not sure. 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:34.099 Let me just make the case further to you from the scripture. 00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:35.920 Romans 8.5. 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:41.700 Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh. 00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:47.900 But those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:50.480 So we've got this mindfulness that's going on, right? 00:17:50.539 --> 00:17:52.259 We're meant to be mindful. 00:17:52.380 --> 00:17:55.400 If we're going to walk by the Spirit, we're going to have to be mindful. 00:17:55.660 --> 00:17:57.620 That's what Paul there is arguing. 00:17:58.300 --> 00:17:59.500 Galatians 5.16. 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:05.560 He says, walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:15.779 So our mindfulness is not going to be set on the desires of the flesh, but then adversely on the things of the Spirit. 00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:18.099 What are the things of the Spirit? 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:19.279 How are we to know? 00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:21.659 He wrote a book. 00:18:21.660 --> 00:18:24.820 He inspired a book. 00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:26.420 The Word of God. 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:28.800 The Word of Christ. 00:18:29.960 --> 00:18:36.960 So proper worship of God is spirit-filled worship of God, which is mindful worship of God. 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:42.720 Our singing together must be both head and heart. 00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:44.720 We're teaching. 00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:46.720 We're admonishing in wisdom. 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:53.839 We're addressing one another, Colossians 3.16 says, in our singing. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:19:04.959 John Owen once said, we must not allow ourselves to be satisfied with vague ideas of the love of Christ, which present nothing of his glory to our minds. 00:19:05.859 --> 00:19:13.419 We shouldn't sing songs if you could replace the name Jesus with the name of your girlfriend or boyfriend, and the song would still make sense. 00:19:14.679 --> 00:19:19.379 Owen says, these vague ideas of the love of Christ are going to do us no good, right? 00:19:19.380 --> 00:19:24.060 We need the glory of Christ presented to our minds. 00:19:24.940 --> 00:19:34.740 Paul writes in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 and verse 15, I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:38.560 Both head and heart. 00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:49.160 And Jesus said in John chapter 4 and verse 23, but the hour is coming and is now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit, 00:19:49.380 --> 00:19:50.380 and truth. 00:19:50.860 --> 00:19:54.840 But the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 00:19:55.600 --> 00:19:58.520 So if we're to sing well together, we are to sing. 00:19:58.600 --> 00:20:03.600 If we're to sing well together, we must sing true things. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:12.060 The ministry of singing when we gather together as a church is the same as the ministry of preaching when we gather together in the church. 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:14.960 They're both ministry of the word. 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:20.120 In this case, I or somebody else opens up the text and explains it to you. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:21.980 You sit and listen and receive. 00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:27.559 I hope you're meditating on, you're chewing on it, you're thinking about application for your life, all of those things. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:31.319 When we sing, we minister the word of God to one another. 00:20:31.700 --> 00:20:38.799 We come together to do the very thing commanded of us in Colossians 3 and Ephesians 5. 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:42.440 So as a church, we have some parameters. 00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:48.079 We have some tests that we place on music as we come together and sing. 00:20:48.539 --> 00:20:49.559 And there are three of them. 00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:52.440 Number one, truth. 00:20:53.740 --> 00:20:56.339 Made the case fairly strongly in that direction, right? 00:20:56.779 --> 00:20:57.700 Number one, truth. 00:20:57.859 --> 00:21:00.099 Is the song true? 00:21:01.379 --> 00:21:04.339 Doesn't contain within it any error. 00:21:04.339 --> 00:21:08.199 However, we are discipling one another as we sing to one another. 00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:11.799 So we ought to be leading one another in the truth. 00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:13.939 I'm going to pick on a song this morning. 00:21:14.439 --> 00:21:16.379 Keep hearing me, please, if this is your favorite song. 00:21:16.579 --> 00:21:19.079 So don't shut me off if this is your favorite song. 00:21:19.459 --> 00:21:21.319 It's written by a guy named Corey Asbury. 00:21:22.199 --> 00:21:23.279 It's called Reckless Love. 00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:27.399 So much of that song is great. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:28.859 So much of it. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:31.039 I can really appreciate and enjoy. 00:21:31.139 --> 00:21:33.299 I reread the lyrics this morning to it. 00:21:33.299 --> 00:21:34.819 This is the chorus. 00:21:36.019 --> 00:21:40.159 Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. 00:21:40.639 --> 00:21:44.579 Oh, it chases me down, fights till I'm found, leaves the 99. 00:21:45.159 --> 00:21:47.799 I couldn't earn it and I don't deserve it. 00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:50.539 Still, you give yourself away. 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:54.480 Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. 00:21:54.539 --> 00:21:58.200 And I like that as I copied and pasted the lyrics, it includes, yeah, at the end. 00:21:58.200 --> 00:21:58.460 So. 00:21:58.460 --> 00:22:05.960 Now, I think you all have been around long enough to know my problem with this song, right? 00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:08.000 And it's the word reckless. 00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:11.200 The word reckless has a meaning to it. 00:22:11.799 --> 00:22:15.059 Anything that is reckless is dis-aimed, right? 00:22:15.120 --> 00:22:16.819 It has no intent and purpose. 00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:21.539 It's willy-nilly is the idea of that word reckless. 00:22:21.539 --> 00:22:26.659 Because placed in the context of the chorus, you could say, well, that's not what he's talking about, is he? 00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:32.720 It's talking about love specifically for, chasing me down, fighting till I'm found, right? 00:22:32.740 --> 00:22:34.899 It's aimed at something, right? 00:22:35.579 --> 00:22:39.159 This is why that John Piper wrote a really good defense of this song, saying, 00:22:39.319 --> 00:22:43.740 I'm not sure that that's what Corey Asbury meant by the word reckless. 00:22:43.740 --> 00:22:46.859 And he responded in an interview, yes, it is. 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:49.480 That's exactly what I meant by the word reckless. 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:51.559 God's love is not reckless. 00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:54.299 God's love is purposeful, right? 00:22:54.339 --> 00:22:55.940 It is aimed at. 00:22:56.120 --> 00:23:00.700 It's going to accomplish exactly the purpose that it sets out to accomplish. 00:23:00.700 --> 00:23:08.940 Now, the song itself, if that was the, this word appeared one time in the song, you know what I would do? 00:23:09.080 --> 00:23:10.620 I'd just change it, right? 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:13.279 I feel the creative freedom to do that. 00:23:13.420 --> 00:23:16.500 Our music leaders, I would say, just put a better word in that place. 00:23:16.600 --> 00:23:18.880 Put abundant in that place. 00:23:18.960 --> 00:23:20.559 That's a good replacement word for it. 00:23:21.160 --> 00:23:27.220 I was at a meeting one time when I sang this song, and I just filled in synonyms for the word every time the word came up. 00:23:27.220 --> 00:23:32.240 And I came up with like 50 words that would have been better than the word reckless. 00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:38.960 But the song is called Reckless Love, and it repeats it, and it repeats it, and it repeats it, and it repeats it. 00:23:39.019 --> 00:23:42.140 And beloved, God's love is not reckless, right? 00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:47.400 If you are his, it is aimed specifically at you for your good and his glory. 00:23:47.620 --> 00:23:51.339 It is aimed at the church, redeemed and called out as a people for his praise. 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:54.299 It is anything but reckless. 00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:57.379 So we don't sing that song on Sunday mornings. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:03.099 Is it as precise as it should be? 00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:04.460 Did you say this changed the song? 00:24:05.259 --> 00:24:05.700 Oh, never mind. 00:24:06.539 --> 00:24:07.379 We should sing it and change it. 00:24:07.480 --> 00:24:07.579 Okay. 00:24:09.740 --> 00:24:10.740 Rewrite the song all together. 00:24:13.659 --> 00:24:15.700 Is the song as precise as it should be? 00:24:15.779 --> 00:24:18.680 So we sing a song here together called How Deep the Father's Love for Us. 00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:19.159 You've been around. 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:20.079 You've heard us sing it. 00:24:20.119 --> 00:24:21.559 We sing it quite often. 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:25.720 We sing part of the chorus. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:26.759 Nope, part of the verse. 00:24:27.259 --> 00:24:30.399 It was his love that held him there. 00:24:30.819 --> 00:24:31.899 It was written. 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:35.339 It was my sin that held him there. 00:24:35.460 --> 00:24:37.299 Now, it's a great song. 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:39.679 I'm going to give a lot of latitude to the writer of the song. 00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:45.980 I think that what the author meant is fine, but we don't know exactly the intention. 00:24:46.580 --> 00:24:55.500 And what that seems to be saying is that we in some way had a power over Christ, like that we actually kept him powerfully. 00:24:55.600 --> 00:24:57.500 Now, I don't think that's what the author meant by it. 00:24:57.500 --> 00:25:00.039 But you can see how that could be misleading to somebody, right? 00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:00.859 They're sitting in here. 00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.960 We're singing this song. 00:25:02.059 --> 00:25:08.019 And they're beginning to think about their sin being the force that kept Jesus on the cross. 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:14.880 Well, Jesus said in John 10 and verse 18, no one takes my life for me, but I lay it down of my own account. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:15.740 A chord, excuse me. 00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:16.099 A chord. 00:25:16.359 --> 00:25:16.460 Right? 00:25:16.460 --> 00:25:18.779 So, we just changed the lyric. 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:21.600 It was his love that held him there. 00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:27.920 I've been to a conference where we've sung this song, and I have no problem singing the lyric as that was originally written, 00:25:28.079 --> 00:25:31.180 because I think I understand what it means. 00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:32.120 But we want to be careful. 00:25:32.120 --> 00:25:37.059 Is the song being precise in the way it communicates truth to you? 00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:41.160 I hope, as you hear us saying that, we don't do this with perfection. 00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:44.380 We are all laboring in the truth together. 00:25:44.380 --> 00:25:47.760 But that it will give you some comfort that we are thinking. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:48.740 We are vetting. 00:25:48.980 --> 00:25:55.060 I want our singing together to shape the way you think and understand the truth. 00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:58.240 Like, you should reflect on the songs that we sing together. 00:25:58.340 --> 00:26:00.280 You'll be helped by that. 00:26:01.340 --> 00:26:07.020 Also, we ask the question, is the song tied to any false teaching movements? 00:26:07.620 --> 00:26:10.080 So, it could be an entirely true song, right? 00:26:10.360 --> 00:26:10.940 Praise God. 00:26:11.420 --> 00:26:13.880 He still works, even in spite of us sometimes. 00:26:14.380 --> 00:26:18.260 But is it tied to false teaching movements, right? 00:26:18.340 --> 00:26:25.280 Beautiful songs express the truth, but are so tied up to particular church or particular teaching, 00:26:25.280 --> 00:26:30.560 because we don't want to give tacit approval of false teaching. 00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:34.560 We don't want anybody here to think, like, oh, I hear this song all the time. 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:36.140 And who is it that sings this song? 00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:38.320 And they get connected off into, right? 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:43.399 So, if you're discerning and you're clear about some of the fans I'm about to mention, 00:26:43.939 --> 00:26:45.659 and you like one of their songs, that's fine. 00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:47.460 Just do it on your own time, right? 00:26:47.559 --> 00:26:50.700 Just let them whoa, whoa, whoa for 11 minutes in your car. 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:52.359 Totally cool, right? 00:26:52.359 --> 00:27:01.059 But we're not going to give this vague approval that might lead somebody off to start believing false teaching, right? 00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:03.599 Start listening to preaching that's not beneficial to them. 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:07.839 So, examples, these aren't all of them, but these are three popular that we don't do. 00:27:08.399 --> 00:27:12.119 Elevation worship, Hillsong United, Bethel music. 00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:19.239 We're going to stay clear of those movements, pray for those movements, for sure. 00:27:19.399 --> 00:27:24.139 But until we can say, yes, we can unite with them, we're not going to sing that music. 00:27:24.419 --> 00:27:24.959 So, truth. 00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:26.679 Number two, depth. 00:27:29.439 --> 00:27:36.099 Does a song merely skip a stone off the surface of the truth, or does it sink deep into it? 00:27:36.459 --> 00:27:38.879 This is a practical application, right? 00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:43.140 Does a song teach us something about God and his work? 00:27:43.340 --> 00:27:47.220 Is it content rich, right? 00:27:47.300 --> 00:27:50.200 That's why we tend to sing wordy songs together. 00:27:50.460 --> 00:27:56.020 We tend to do songs that don't repeat a lot, although we do some that do that, you'll note. 00:27:56.360 --> 00:28:01.080 And that's just because we have limited time together in our congregational gathering, right? 00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:05.380 If singing is discipleship, we've got to pack as much in as we can, right? 00:28:05.380 --> 00:28:07.740 To really be a help to God's people. 00:28:07.740 --> 00:28:10.200 We're going to sing together this morning five songs. 00:28:10.839 --> 00:28:11.900 Yep, five songs, right? 00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:14.120 So, let's pack it in, right? 00:28:14.160 --> 00:28:18.240 Let's let it be content rich and have depth to it. 00:28:18.339 --> 00:28:23.960 Again, some great songs out there that you can listen to on your own time that might be wonderful and good and shaping for your heart. 00:28:24.380 --> 00:28:28.180 But together, we think we ought to sing rich songs together. 00:28:28.339 --> 00:28:29.819 And then third, singability. 00:28:29.819 --> 00:28:33.439 Is a song congregational? 00:28:33.439 --> 00:28:37.279 There is a difference between a rock concert, right? 00:28:37.379 --> 00:28:40.839 And Sunday morning, Lord's Day, congregational singing. 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:45.019 At least there ought to be in our gathering together, right? 00:28:45.079 --> 00:28:47.039 Again, this is a discipleship thing. 00:28:47.139 --> 00:28:49.839 We are singing to one another, right? 00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:54.079 We ought to be teaching and admonishing one another. 00:28:54.799 --> 00:29:00.519 Have you ever read that and thought, is Paul really saying that I should walk up to somebody and start singing a song to them? 00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:02.459 You could. 00:29:02.460 --> 00:29:07.620 But I'm going to go, what is happening right now? 00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:13.480 If you sang a five-minute song while I stood there and went, oh, I mean, I love this song, okay. 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:20.259 I'm probably not going to sing with you when you do it because I don't have a good singing voice, right? 00:29:20.360 --> 00:29:21.319 So, what is he talking about? 00:29:21.380 --> 00:29:22.980 He's talking about us, our togetherness, right? 00:29:23.000 --> 00:29:25.400 He's writing two letters to churches, right? 00:29:25.519 --> 00:29:30.860 When you come together, you should be doing this work, which means you should be able to sing it, right? 00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:37.439 So, does a song have a recognizable rhythm and a range designed for an average human? 00:29:37.819 --> 00:29:40.339 Like, can it be sung? 00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:48.139 And there's a lot of people who lead music who really want to show how impressive they are and they leave everybody behind in their dust, right? 00:29:48.259 --> 00:29:50.359 I mean, praise the God for talent, right? 00:29:50.379 --> 00:29:53.559 That's a wonderful thing, but have everybody sit down. 00:29:53.740 --> 00:29:54.879 Say, this isn't for you to sing. 00:29:54.939 --> 00:29:55.439 Just listen. 00:29:55.639 --> 00:29:59.119 Just enjoy because I'm going to hit some notes that nobody should be able to hit. 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:01.819 But I'm going to do it with excellence, right? 00:30:02.139 --> 00:30:02.759 The glory of God. 00:30:02.839 --> 00:30:07.179 But we ought to be able to come together and we ought to be able to sing songs together. 00:30:07.339 --> 00:30:10.099 Like, can a song be played well by our musicians? 00:30:10.239 --> 00:30:17.139 Some of you have suggested songs to us that we love, but as we try to sort it out, it's a bit difficult to do. 00:30:17.619 --> 00:30:20.219 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God is one of my favorite songs. 00:30:20.979 --> 00:30:21.939 We don't have an organ. 00:30:22.839 --> 00:30:24.419 It sounds best to that. 00:30:24.420 --> 00:30:27.440 I've heard some guitar renditions that were painful to me. 00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:29.740 If you know a good one, feel free to send it on. 00:30:29.820 --> 00:30:33.320 I'd love to hear a good arrangement for that song that we could sing well together. 00:30:33.420 --> 00:30:34.519 Like, it matters, right? 00:30:34.560 --> 00:30:40.360 That we can actually play it and do it with joy and giftedness as we come together, right? 00:30:40.620 --> 00:30:42.800 Style is not the question here. 00:30:43.660 --> 00:30:48.420 As older pastors find out that I pastor a church with a lot of young people, they often ask the question, 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:50.200 What style of music do you do? 00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:54.519 How are you getting those young people to come and be part of what you're doing together? 00:30:54.680 --> 00:30:57.019 And I never talk about style. 00:30:57.460 --> 00:30:58.779 That's what they're asking, but I never talk. 00:30:58.880 --> 00:31:00.500 I say, it's content driven. 00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:04.220 They're always like, what are you talking about? 00:31:04.360 --> 00:31:05.680 I go, we just sing true songs. 00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:08.060 And we do it with whatever musicians we have. 00:31:08.620 --> 00:31:10.420 So they come together and they put themselves together. 00:31:10.759 --> 00:31:12.860 And what comes out is what comes out, right? 00:31:12.900 --> 00:31:15.539 We take the gifting that we have in the life of our fellowship. 00:31:15.539 --> 00:31:20.460 If all we had was a little old lady and a piano, guess how we would do music, right? 00:31:20.680 --> 00:31:23.480 That would be what we would do together, right? 00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:28.220 We gather, though, to sing true songs with one another. 00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:31.039 We are discipling one another in the work. 00:31:31.440 --> 00:31:35.460 It's why we have windows and lights, right? 00:31:35.539 --> 00:31:41.119 It's why the volume is not so blaringly loud that you can't even hear yourself sing. 00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:45.079 At the very least, you ought to be able to hear the rackets you're making, right? 00:31:45.079 --> 00:31:48.839 But we want to hear everybody around us singing, right? 00:31:48.980 --> 00:31:51.139 I will tell you, I love to preach the word. 00:31:51.240 --> 00:31:52.799 I love to hear the word of God preached. 00:31:53.099 --> 00:31:54.740 My favorite thing we do is sing together. 00:31:55.439 --> 00:31:57.740 You all encourage me, right? 00:31:57.759 --> 00:32:00.159 As you rejoice in truth together. 00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:01.579 But I need to hear it. 00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:05.919 And the Sundays that I can't be with you, I desperately miss it. 00:32:05.920 --> 00:32:09.039 So real quick, I know we're getting close to noon. 00:32:09.640 --> 00:32:11.600 I want to run through two songs really fast. 00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:15.140 And I just want to show you, these are songs that we sing together. 00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:17.740 And I want to show you the richness of them. 00:32:18.640 --> 00:32:19.920 I can't tell you that they're singable. 00:32:20.200 --> 00:32:21.240 I think we sing them. 00:32:21.480 --> 00:32:23.039 And we sing them well together. 00:32:23.700 --> 00:32:28.080 And I want you to see that there's both depth and there's truth contained in these. 00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:31.139 So, number one, come behold the wondrous mystery. 00:32:32.339 --> 00:32:36.079 Verse one, come behold the wondrous mystery in the dawning of the king. 00:32:36.759 --> 00:32:40.419 He, the theme of heaven's praises, robed in frail humanity. 00:32:40.980 --> 00:32:45.199 In our longing, in our darkness, now the light of life has come. 00:32:45.879 --> 00:32:51.519 Look to Christ who condescended, took on flesh to ransom us. 00:32:51.720 --> 00:32:53.359 There is more in there that we can talk about. 00:32:53.419 --> 00:32:54.619 But let me just point out two things to you. 00:32:54.619 --> 00:32:59.179 First, the incarnation of Christ, John 1, 1 through 5. 00:32:59.539 --> 00:33:02.939 In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. 00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:04.459 He was in the beginning with God. 00:33:04.579 --> 00:33:08.559 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 00:33:08.939 --> 00:33:11.379 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 00:33:11.659 --> 00:33:15.500 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 00:33:15.919 --> 00:33:17.259 That's in that verse. 00:33:18.439 --> 00:33:21.139 The purpose of his incarnation is also mentioned. 00:33:21.399 --> 00:33:22.819 Luke 19 and verse 10. 00:33:22.819 --> 00:33:28.099 Verse 2. 00:33:28.099 --> 00:33:29.719 Come behold the wondrous mystery. 00:33:30.199 --> 00:33:35.500 He, the perfect son of man, in his living, in his suffering, never trace nor stain of sin. 00:33:36.219 --> 00:33:37.699 See the true and better Adam. 00:33:37.980 --> 00:33:40.000 Come to save the hell-bound man. 00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:43.619 Christ, the great and sure fulfillment of the law. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:45.699 In him we stand. 00:33:45.779 --> 00:33:50.199 Talks about both his active and his passive obedience. 00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:51.539 He perfectly obeyed the law. 00:33:51.859 --> 00:33:54.419 He died in our place. 00:33:54.420 --> 00:33:56.019 2 Corinthians 5, 21. 00:33:56.200 --> 00:34:01.840 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:34:02.220 --> 00:34:03.220 Romans 5, 17. 00:34:03.380 --> 00:34:14.000 For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:15.980 Verse 3. 00:34:15.980 --> 00:34:18.659 Come behold the wondrous mystery. 00:34:18.760 --> 00:34:20.260 Christ, the Lord, upon the tree. 00:34:20.840 --> 00:34:23.579 In the stead of ruined sinners hangs the Lamb in victory. 00:34:24.280 --> 00:34:25.599 See the price of our redemption. 00:34:26.119 --> 00:34:28.000 See the Father's plan unfold. 00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:30.059 Bringing many sons to glory. 00:34:30.260 --> 00:34:31.460 Grace unmeasured. 00:34:31.619 --> 00:34:33.179 Love untold. 00:34:33.699 --> 00:34:36.300 We see the substitutionary atonement of Jesus. 00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:38.380 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 3. 00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:46.160 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures. 00:34:47.099 --> 00:34:47.539 Verse 4. 00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:53.440 Come behold the wondrous mystery, slain by death the God of life, but no grave could e'er restrain him. 00:34:53.559 --> 00:34:55.559 Praise the Lord, he is alive. 00:34:56.180 --> 00:34:57.619 What a foretaste of deliverance. 00:34:57.700 --> 00:34:59.280 How unwavering our hope. 00:34:59.760 --> 00:35:03.400 Christ in power resurrected as we will be when he comes. 00:35:03.880 --> 00:35:05.380 What a foretaste of deliverance. 00:35:05.380 --> 00:35:05.900 Deliverance. 00:35:06.280 --> 00:35:07.599 How unwavering our hope. 00:35:08.099 --> 00:35:12.119 Christ in power resurrected as he will be when he comes. 00:35:12.380 --> 00:35:13.640 We see the resurrection of Christ. 00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:15.079 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 4. 00:35:15.420 --> 00:35:19.780 He was buried, he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. 00:35:20.059 --> 00:35:21.320 And the glorification of the saints. 00:35:21.460 --> 00:35:22.640 Colossians 3 and verse 4. 00:35:22.940 --> 00:35:27.960 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 00:35:28.220 --> 00:35:28.360 Right? 00:35:28.360 --> 00:35:29.780 So we sing that song. 00:35:29.860 --> 00:35:32.960 And I'm just going to say it takes somewhere between 3 and 5 minutes. 00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:35.860 And you get instructed in all of that. 00:35:36.820 --> 00:35:39.220 All that those verses have to teach. 00:35:39.300 --> 00:35:40.300 You get these pieces of it. 00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:41.179 You're picking it up. 00:35:41.420 --> 00:35:44.940 It's getting tied together to you in a systematic way. 00:35:45.720 --> 00:35:51.780 This is why when we sing old hymns, we sing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th verses. 00:35:51.780 --> 00:35:57.160 I grew up, loved many of the churches that I grew up in. 00:35:57.500 --> 00:35:58.400 But very Baptist. 00:35:59.100 --> 00:36:03.060 We sang 1st, 3rd, and 5th. 00:36:03.180 --> 00:36:05.180 Or 1st, 4th, and 5th. 00:36:05.200 --> 00:36:06.260 Or 1st, 2nd, and 5th. 00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:08.040 And you know what we missed so often? 00:36:08.180 --> 00:36:10.860 What we left out was all the sanctification verses. 00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:13.500 All the this life now verses. 00:36:13.940 --> 00:36:15.600 We sang a lot about sin. 00:36:15.820 --> 00:36:17.019 We sang a lot about heaven. 00:36:17.019 --> 00:36:19.820 And forgot where I'm at right now. 00:36:20.079 --> 00:36:21.719 And where I'm doing right now. 00:36:21.800 --> 00:36:24.139 And the hope that is in the gospel for me today. 00:36:25.159 --> 00:36:28.679 There's so much good in those middle verses. 00:36:29.860 --> 00:36:30.119 Alright. 00:36:30.519 --> 00:36:31.019 Second one. 00:36:31.699 --> 00:36:32.579 Great is thy faithfulness. 00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:34.380 Which we're going to sing here in a moment together. 00:36:35.719 --> 00:36:36.480 Verse 1. 00:36:37.259 --> 00:36:38.500 Great is thy faithfulness. 00:36:38.980 --> 00:36:39.759 Oh God, my Father. 00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:40.920 Is the tune already in your head? 00:36:41.259 --> 00:36:41.960 I hope it is. 00:36:42.380 --> 00:36:43.860 I hope that it's already running through your head. 00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:45.239 By design. 00:36:45.480 --> 00:36:45.639 Right? 00:36:45.639 --> 00:36:46.279 By design. 00:36:46.699 --> 00:36:47.599 Great is thy faithfulness. 00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:48.619 Oh God, my Father. 00:36:49.159 --> 00:36:51.400 There is no shadow of turning with thee. 00:36:52.059 --> 00:36:53.199 Thou changest not. 00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:55.659 Thy compassions, they fail not. 00:36:56.219 --> 00:36:57.539 As thou hast been. 00:36:58.039 --> 00:36:59.960 Thou forever will be. 00:37:00.739 --> 00:37:01.179 Man. 00:37:01.699 --> 00:37:03.859 What a day to sing that verse. 00:37:03.960 --> 00:37:05.440 Just roll that around in your head. 00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:07.279 Again, and again, and again, and again. 00:37:07.359 --> 00:37:08.920 It speaks of the immutability of God. 00:37:09.000 --> 00:37:10.420 The unchanging nature of God. 00:37:10.819 --> 00:37:12.400 Malachi 3, 6. 00:37:12.400 --> 00:37:13.240 God says, 00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:16.559 For I, the Lord, do not change. 00:37:17.240 --> 00:37:20.519 Therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. 00:37:21.240 --> 00:37:23.579 Our God does not change. 00:37:23.639 --> 00:37:26.320 And it speaks of his steadfast love. 00:37:26.420 --> 00:37:28.139 1 Chronicles 16 and verse 34. 00:37:28.300 --> 00:37:30.300 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. 00:37:30.360 --> 00:37:34.000 For his steadfast love endures forever. 00:37:34.700 --> 00:37:35.180 Forever. 00:37:35.340 --> 00:37:38.039 Because he is unchanging. 00:37:38.039 --> 00:37:39.420 And so we sing the chorus. 00:37:39.840 --> 00:37:40.920 Great is thy faithfulness. 00:37:41.440 --> 00:37:42.599 Great is thy faithfulness. 00:37:42.820 --> 00:37:45.079 Morning by morning, new mercies I see. 00:37:45.840 --> 00:37:48.079 All I have needed, thy hand hath provided. 00:37:48.300 --> 00:37:51.360 Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. 00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:56.659 Speaks of God's new morning mercies to us each and every day. 00:37:57.059 --> 00:37:59.360 Lamentations chapter 3, verse 22 and following. 00:37:59.480 --> 00:38:02.000 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. 00:38:02.099 --> 00:38:04.880 His mercies never come to an end. 00:38:04.880 --> 00:38:07.200 They are new every morning. 00:38:07.559 --> 00:38:10.380 Great is your faithfulness. 00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:12.079 And speaks of his provision. 00:38:12.240 --> 00:38:13.360 Philippians 4, 19. 00:38:13.460 --> 00:38:18.740 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 00:38:19.220 --> 00:38:20.579 Great is thy faithfulness. 00:38:20.700 --> 00:38:21.800 Great is thy faithfulness. 00:38:22.380 --> 00:38:24.300 Morning by morning, new mercies I see. 00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:26.860 All I have needed, thy hand hath provided. 00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:30.300 Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me. 00:38:31.300 --> 00:38:31.880 Verse 2. 00:38:31.880 --> 00:38:34.579 Summer and winter and springtime and harvest. 00:38:35.200 --> 00:38:37.260 Sun, moon and stars and their courses above. 00:38:37.420 --> 00:38:44.300 Join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love. 00:38:44.619 --> 00:38:48.160 The witness of creation cries out the glory of God. 00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:49.460 Isaiah 6, 3. 00:38:50.119 --> 00:38:52.119 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. 00:38:52.220 --> 00:38:55.880 The whole earth is full of his glory. 00:38:55.880 --> 00:39:05.320 So, the author is helping us to look around us at the creation and to be reminded of God's steadfastness toward us. 00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:06.920 Verse 3. 00:39:07.140 --> 00:39:08.880 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth. 00:39:10.059 --> 00:39:13.200 Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide. 00:39:13.800 --> 00:39:16.720 Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow. 00:39:17.460 --> 00:39:20.860 Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside. 00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:23.280 We find in this verse of justifications. 00:39:23.280 --> 00:39:24.340 Romans 8, 1. 00:39:24.420 --> 00:39:27.660 There's therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:39:27.820 --> 00:39:30.580 We find in it sanctification is ongoing work. 00:39:30.740 --> 00:39:31.780 Philippians 1, 6. 00:39:32.120 --> 00:39:37.200 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ. 00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:38.280 And we see in it our glorification. 00:39:39.120 --> 00:39:41.019 Ephesians 1, verse 11 and following. 00:39:41.540 --> 00:39:47.240 In him we have obtained an inheritance, have been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:52.260 so that we who are the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 00:39:52.260 --> 00:39:57.880 And again, in three to five minutes, you're being instructed in these ways. 00:39:58.080 --> 00:40:01.800 And you ought to be helping instruct others. 00:40:02.440 --> 00:40:08.460 God has given us music for his glory and for our good. 00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:11.140 It is good that we come together and sing. 00:40:11.400 --> 00:40:18.580 It is good that we come together and sing true, deep, and singable, because we have to be able to sing, songs. 00:40:18.579 --> 00:40:21.799 This is a good activity that we do together. 00:40:21.900 --> 00:40:26.079 And I hope that you will throw your energy into it when we gather. 00:40:26.940 --> 00:40:32.400 Let us be a people who sing to one another and who know why we sing to one another 00:40:32.400 --> 00:40:37.340 and who know what and how we should sing to one another. 00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:41.719 This is a work given to us for the glory of our God and for our good. 00:40:42.039 --> 00:40:42.779 Let's pray together. 00:40:42.780 --> 00:41:12.760 Let's pray together.