DOING ALL I CAN DO…

in Singing Praises to God

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Our theme for 2024 has been:  “Doing All I Can Do.”

 

B.   We have addressed numerous topics as we have expanded this theme once each month.

 

C.   In this lesson, we want to think about our theme again.  We have entitled the lesson:  “Doing All I Can Do…in Singing Praises to God.”

 

I.             THE THOUGHTS OF THE MEMBERS

 

A.   Singing in the Lord’s church has fallen on difficult times in some places.

 

B.   The attitudes toward singing are often not very positive.

1.    We need less songs, not more.

2.    When we sing, we do not need to sing every verse.

3.    When it is time to dismiss, only one verse of a song needs to be sung.

4.    When singing nights roll around, I will not be present for them.

5.    When we have an areawide singing, you can count me out.

6.    The old songs are dull and boring.

7.    Members can skip a verse, or just mumble a few words of the song and that is acceptable.

8.    We do not have to pay much attention to what the songs are saying, especially if they are catchy, and we happen to like them.

 

C.   When members think like this, they become part of the problem during the worship services.

 

II.           THE THOUGHTS OF THE MINISTER

 

A.   Something needs to be said.

1.    Paul told the church at Corinth: “Your glorying is not good” (1 Cor. 5:6).

2.    James told his readers:  “My brethren, these things ought not so to be” (Jam. 3:10).

3.    John was told by an angel:  “See thou do it not” (Rev. 19:10).

 

B.   There are times when a preacher must inform the church that certain things ought not so to be.

 

C.   Our thoughts about singing praises to God ought to be extremely positive.

1.    We should be enthusiastic as we lift up our voices.  (NOTE:  The word enthusiasm literally means “God in us).

2.    We should be focused as we sing the words of each song.

3.    We should be thankful as we offer the sacrifice of praise to God.

4.    We should be actively engaged as true worshippers of the Almighty.

5.    We should be honored to be able to cause our heavenly Father to be well-pleased with us.

 

III.         THE THOUGHTS OF THE MASTER

 

A.   The entire New Testament contains the precious words of our Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. 8:6).

 

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

 

B.   As we look at what the New Testament says about our singing, my purpose is to stamp on our hearts gravity, that is, the seriousness, of this topic to the life of the child of God.

 

C.   Areas to consider:

1.    Obedience

a.    The New Testament commands us to sing both in the worship assembly and out.

1)    Ephesians5:19

 

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

 

2)    James 5:13

 

Is any among you afflicted?  let him pray.  Is any merry?  let him sing psalms.

 

b.    Every time a Christian sings spiritual songs, he is obeying Jesus Christ.

1)    His singing is proof of his love for God (John 14:15).

2)    His singing will be partly responsible for his entrance into heaven (Rev. 22:14).

2.    Worship

a.    Directed to God

1)    John 4:23-24

 

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth:  for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  God is a Spirit:  and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

2)    The important words for this study are found in the phrase:  “…for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

3)    When we sing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, we are worshipping God.  He seeks us when we engage in worship.

4)    When fail in this area, we are not drawing God to us.  In fact, our attitude could be pushing Him farther from us.

b.    Spiritual, not worldly

1)    When we sing psalms, we engage in a spiritual activity.  It lifts us out of this world and into the unseen realm.

2)    We assemble ourselves at the foot of God’s throne praising Him for His excellence.

3)    Psalm 100:1-2

 

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.  Serve the Lord with gladness:  come before his presence with singing.

 

c.    Alignment of heart and acts

1)    God wants our hearts and our actions to be in align with one another.

2)    Jesus said our worship was to be in spirit (our heart) and in truth (our actions)

3)    It is possible for our actions to be right and for our spirit to be wrong.

a)    We sing, but we are not focused.

b)    We sing, but we pay no attention to the words we utter.

c)    Matthew 15:8

 

This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

 

4)    It is possible for our hearts to be right and for our actions to be wrong.

a)    We say we love, adore, and honor God.

b)    Then, we refrain from singing, an action that manifests our love, adoration and honor of him.

c)    Malachi 1:6

 

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour?  And if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the Lord of hosts…

 

d.    One avenue of our sacrifices to God

1)    In the Old Testament, sacrifices were physical offering:  animals, grains, or drinks.  The person making the offering realized that something was being given up unto God.

2)    In the New Testament, our sacrifices are spiritual. Often, we can’t see them and touch them.  Perhaps we are not cognizant of the value of our offering.

3)    God understands and appreciates their value. 

4)    Hebrews 13:15

 

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

 

3.    Teaching (Col. 3:16)

 

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

 

a.    Paul informs us that when we sing in our worship, we are teaching and admonishing one another.

b.    There are some members of the church who will never teach a class.

This is concerning when the Hebrew writer tells us that there should come a time when all of us become teachers (Heb.5:12).

c.    Until that time comes, however, we can and should be teachers of one another in song. 

d.    If we choose not to engage in singing or to skip a singing night, we neglect our opportunity to teach our brothers and sisters in Christ.

4.    Judgment

a.    The Bible teaches us that we will give an account of our actions done in the body (2 Cor. 5:10).

 

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

 

b.    Picture a person standing before God, and God asks:  “Did you sing the way I commanded you to sing in my Word?”

1)    Then the person answers:

a)    No Lord, I do not like to sing.

b)    No Lord, I did not like the songs they were singing.

c)    No Lord, I prefer Bible study to singing.

d)    No Lord, I “half-way” sang so it looked like I was involved in the worship service.

2)    How will the Lord respond to these answers?  Does anyone believe that He will speak these words:  “Well done”?

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Paul wrote some very relevant words to the saints in Rome almost 2,000 years ago (Rom. 12:1-2).

 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

 

1.    Present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God.  This includes our lips and our tongues.

2.    Be not conformed to this world. 

a.    Concert singing seems to be more appealing to some instead of reverent praise from the heart.

b.    Some believe that there are better, more worldly things to do than to offer praise to God in song.

c.    We must be transformed by renewing our minds.  Our goal should be to “prove what is that good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

 

B.   The Bible pictures the Lord’s people singing from the time Israel crossed the Red Sea to the time of great rejoicing in Heaven.  Let’s tune our hearts and our lips to sing God’s praise!