If you grew up in church, how many sermons do you remember from your childhood? Better yet, if you are currently active in church, how many sermons do you remember from the past year? The answers to both of those questions are probably not too many. But how many songs do you remember from growing up? I guarantee that when you hear certain songs from your high school days on the radio, you immediately join right in and sing every word. This proves that songs stick with us. If you hear a message, you may forget it; but most people will remember words put to music.
The debates over what types of songs to sing in church as an expression of worship have gone on for centuries. Battles over whether we should sing older hymns or newer praise songs has led to many “worship wars” over the years. The reality is that is doesn’t really matter if a song is new or not because there have always been new songs written to express praise to God. Amazing Grace and Victory in Jesus were sung for the first time somewhere. And knowing the human propensity to resist change, someone probably didn’t like it too much then. Also, many churches have good music programs, but don’t always understand biblical worship. When you worship God from your heart, you encounter His presence and that changes the entire atmosphere. Worship forms a channel through which God’s manifested glory comes. And when His glory comes into a place, everything about that place changes.
Have you ever wondered what kind of songs were sung in the early days of the New Testament church? Early believers didn’t just sing worship songs that made them feel good. In many ways their songs mirrored the theology in the biblical messages that were being preached at the time. Their songs called for spiritual consecration and commitment to the gospel. Biblical scholars speculate there may be as many as thirty songs (or pieces of songs) recorded in the New Testament.
They form what is called hymnic literature, which refers to any song that was sung in the early church and incorporated into the books of the New Testament. For example, as Paul writes to Timothy, he quotes a song or hymn that the early believers sang when they met to worship (2 Tim. 2:11-13). Also, Colossians 1:15-20 proclaims the lordship of Jesus Christ and His dominion over all the universe in the words of a song. The songwriters of the first century truly understood the power of taking sermons and putting them to music. Just think of the revelation that came into their hearts as they would sing the messages they heard over and over!
So, while many people will forget the words of a sermon, they will remember a message set to music and take it everywhere they go. You can, and should, worship God anywhere and at any moment because you take Him with you everywhere you go. While it is wonderful to go to church and worship with other believers, you don’t have to wait until you are inside the church building to worship. As a believer, you are a walking cathedral, and you can worship God anywhere and at any time. Lord, may our worship come from our heart and may the words we sing be praise from our lips to You, no matter what song we may be singing. And may our lives be lived daily as an expression of worship to You at all times. Have a blessed month!
-- Pastor Kevin
