Rejoicing Through Spirit-filled Singing
Good Morning Friends,
Growing up in Southern Illinois we always went to church and sat on the front row pew left. When the time came I sang in a boys’ choir. It was not a large church and there were only four of us boys. We were called Little Angels. We were not angels and I actually have never hear angels sing but there was something heavenly about the experience. Voices raised to the glory of God can be angelic for sure. Now that I think about it that may have been my first awareness of Rejoicing Through Spirit-filled Singing.
Scripture: What should I do then? I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will sing praise with the mind also.
1 Corinthians 14:15 (NRSV)
I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs. Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.
Psalm 69:30-32 (NRSV)
By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-25 (NRSV)
Message: This Sunday the Men’s Choir sing an anthem called Sing When the Spirit Says Sing. We will be accompanied by two piano players with four hands. The song we will sing is not specifically a Christmas song but as our choir director puts it, more of a Male Magnificat, a way to a more profound love in Christ. Like Mary’s song, the singing is designed to magnify Christ through our very souls. There is something especially joyous about the singing during this time of the year. Maybe the power of it comes alive because so many of the great people in the Bible sang and even now rejoice in our singing. The reality is that the way of joy that so many of the great people in the Bible experienced was because they had souls that proclaimed the greatness of the Lord with a humble spirit that rejoices in God.
Pray when we sing we do so in obedience to God. Pray when we sing we dig deep into the roots of God’s Word. Pray when we sing we build up others. Pray when we sing we fight off the power of sin in our lives. Pray when we sing we are spiritually strengthened. Pray when we sing we walk in the way of joy. Pray that in singing this Christmas we have an historical encounter, a decisive encounter, a great encounter between God and man that is a witness to our faith and joy. Pray when we sing we glorify God.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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