04-21-2019 – Keith Cozort – Worship: Singing Part 3 (AM Sermon)
If you’re visiting with us, we certainly want you to know that we are honored by your presence. And we do have several visitors with us this morning, family members that are visiting. And for that, we are truly grateful. Hope that you’ll come back at every opportunity that you have. We’re studying a series of sermons concerning worship. What is worship?
What is involved in worship? According to the scriptures, a lot of people have the idea that they can do whatever they want to. And God’s going to accept it as being worship and yet going all the way back to the garden, or shortly after the garden of Eden with Cain and Abel, we find out that’s not true. God did not accept Cain’s sacrifice,
but he did accept Abel’s sacrifice. And so we’re studying concerning singing. What does the word of God teach concerning scene? The scripture that we’re using as the foundation for this lesson, these lessons of course, is John chapter four, verse 24, where Jesus himself says, God is a spirit. And they, that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
And we’ve noted almost every time. I think, concerning the statement that Jesus makes that those who are going to worship God, acceptably are those who Jesus says must worship him in spirit. And in truth to worship in spirit is to worship in the right frame of mind, to worship God in truth is to worship him according to the word of God and what it teaches.
You can worship God with or attempt to worship God with the right frame of mind and yet do what is against the will of God, the word of God. And it will not be worshiped. That is acceptable. You can attempt to worship God in doing what God says, do, and yet not have the right frame of mind in offering that worship.
And Jesus says, that’s not going to be acceptable. God is a spirit. And they, that worship him must worship him in spirit. And in truth thus far, we have already studied concerning the fact that singing is a part, a major part of our worship. We’ve studied concerning the fact that there are certain kinds of songs that the scriptures teach that we are to seeing Psalms hymns and spiritual songs we’ve studied concerning the purpose of worship.
That worship is to be in praise to God. And that it is to be, as James says that if you’re married, you let him sing Psalms. And so it is an expression of praise. It is an expression of joy and we are to make melody in our hearts to the Lord. Paul says, we’ve also studied as of last week that we are allowed to make requests of Jesus in our scene.
And we went through all different kinds of arguments concerning that. But this morning, I want us to spend our time dealing with that. We are authorized to seeing only in the scriptures authorized to sing only there are, but nine passages of scripture telling us How That we are to worship God as far as music is concerned. And I want us to spend some time going through these passages of scripture,
just to make sure that we’re all on the same page here. When you open your Bibles to Matthew chapter 26 and in verse 30, Jesus made, or Kevin rather made mention concerning what Jesus did as far as instituting the Lord’s supper there in that upper room in Matthew chapter 26 and in verse 30 there, Matthew says, and when they had sung in him,
they went out into the Mount of olives. And so we read here where they saying him as they were there in that upper room. When you turn over to Mark chapter 14, this is Mark’s account concerning what takes place as far as the institution of the Lord’s supper. And Mark says in chapter 14 and in verse 26, and when they had sung in him,
they went out into the Mount of olives. The exact same thing Mark tells us that Matthew tells us as far as what Jesus and the apostles did there in that upper room. When you turn over to Romans or excuse me, acts chapter 16 and in verse 25, there we have Paul and Silas in prison there in Philippi. And in verse 25, it tells us concerning what Paul and Silas were doing there in prison.
When Luke says, and at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed and saying praises unto God and the prisoners heard them. And so again, they sang praises unto God. And those that were around them, those prisoners that were there, heard what they were singing. When you turn to Romans chapter 15 there, and in verse nine, the apostle Paul in writing to the brethren in the church at Rome says,
and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy as it is written for this. Cause I will confess to the, among the Gentiles and seeing unto thy name, seeing unto thy name. Paul says, when you turn to first Corinthians chapter 14, we’ve used this passage a couple different times, first Corinthians 14. And in verse 15, again, remembering this as in the context of the miraculous gifts in first grade,
he had chapter 12, Paul lists to us, the miraculous gifts in chapter 13. He shows us that love is more important than any of the miraculous gifts or spiritual gifts. And in chapter 14, he’s going to regulate the use of those miraculous gifts or those spiritual gifts. And he says in chapter 14 and in verse 15, what is it? Then I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding.
Also I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding also. And so again, Paul speaks concerning that of singing. When you turn to Ephesians chapter five and in verse 19 passage, that we’ve used several times already in this series of lessons, but the apostle Paul says in writing to the brethren in the city of Ephesus, he says,
speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. And so singing, making melody in your heart to the Lord, he says, Colossians chapter three, the parallel passage verse 16, Paul says, 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, singing with grace, he says in your hearts to the Lord and Hebrews chapter two, verse 12, we noted concerning this passage as far as what is spoken of that Jesus would do coming from the book of Psalms. But verse 12, saying I will declare thy name under my brethren in the midst of the church.
Will I sing praise under the, what Jesus would do with his brethren? He would sing praise unto God, James chapter five. And in verse 13 passage that we’ve noted several different times. James says, is any among you afflicted, let him pray. Is any Merry, let him sing Psalms over and over again. And yet relatively small number of passages,
but over and over again, it is stated in the new Testament that they sang. They sung, they were to see, we do exactly what the new Testament says that the church in the first century did, Then We will seeing and seeing only seeing and sing only. We will not add to that scene of instrumental music or anything such as that. It’s interesting when you study concerning this,
that if you read, for example, those historians back in the second, third and fourth century that they in speaking concerning the worship of the church in the first century were ones that they did not use instrumental music. And that is significant because it is so different from the worship of the old Testament. We read over and over again in the old Testament where they used various kinds of instruments,
symbols, trumpets, horns, Seoul, trees, harps as being a part of worship, either calling the people to worship or used in the assembly. And David has spoken of as having been the one who instituted that. But when you get to the new Testament, you don’t read concerning instruments of music being used in worship to God in the new Testament you read concerning them,
seen you read concerning them, speaking in singing and things such as that, it is important for us to remember. And we are trying to emphasize as far as our worship is concerned That we are to do To that, which is authorized according to the scriptures. And so I lost it, The complete slide in there. So we’ll get to that in a moment,
but turn to Colossians chapter three, we just read verse 16. Notice what the very next verse verse 17 says. In fact, we’ll read them together again, Colossians chapter three, verses 16 and 17. Paul says, let the word of Christ dwell in you, richly, you know, wisdom, teaching and admonishing, one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord and whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord. Jesus giving, thanks to God and the father by him here. The apostle Paul speaks concerning the fact that yes, we are to sing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord.
And the next verse he says, whatsoever, you do in word or indeed do all in the name or by the authority of Jesus Christ. And by such Paul is saying, we must have authority for the things which we do for the things which we say for the things that we teach. And we understand that in virtually every aspect of life and yet so many misunderstandings when it comes to worship,
perfect example, many of you, not all of you, I understand, but many of you shop using your computer or your cell phone, your smartphone, and you get down to Amazon for example, and you go through all the things that are listed there on Amazon that are for sale. And you find that what you’re looking for, maybe it’s a cell phone.
Maybe it’s a cell phone like mine that I don’t have with me. But anyway, maybe it’s a cell phone, light, mine and LG four. And you decide, that’s what I want to buy. And so you go ahead and you place your order for that. You make your payment for that. LG five from Amazon and in about five or six days,
lo and behold up pulls the semi and they begin, begin unloading item after item, after item, until that entire semi is completely unloaded. And you go running out to the front yard and you say, wait a minute, wait a minute. What are you doing? Well, we’re bringing your order. No, all I ordered was a cell phone.
I ordered an LG TRIBE. Well, you didn’t Tell us not to bring all this other stuff, by the way, here’s your bill for what you didn’t pay. How many are going to accept that? Why now? Not at all. In fact, it wouldn’t take very long before everybody in the country because of Facebook and other social media would quit buying from Amazon.
They’d lose all their business. When you order an LG five cell phone smartphone, you expect for them to deliver an LG five and nothing else. Why? Because that’s all you authorized. That’s all that you agreed to pay for. Well, the same idea holds true as far as what is authorized in the new Testament. When God specifies something is to be done in a certain way that eliminates every other option.
And every other possibility as being acceptable, every single time we have record concerning them singing, not singing in plain singing. And we know that the scriptures teach us more than once concerning the fact that we are not to add, to nor take from the word of God, Deuteronomy chapter four. And in verse two, closing chapter of the book of revelation and revelation,
or next to the last chapter revelation chapter 21 verses 18 and 19. And there we are told that we are not to add to nor take from God’s word. Well, Some will come along and they have come along and they have said, well, it didn’t say we couldn’t use instrumental music In worship. Well, you know, they’re right. It doesn’t say thou shalt not use instrumental music.
But again, when God specifies as to what he wants to be, what he will accept as being worship, then that eliminates everything else as being acceptable unto him. Because the authority is that which tells us what it is God wants us to do. Authority is that which gives permission to do that, which is specified. And it excludes those things that are not specified as being things that are acceptable unto him.
When you turn back to the book of Genesis, all right, there’s Genesis chapter six, verse 40. When you turn back to the book of Genesis and there you read in chapter six, where God instructed Noah concerning the building of the art. And in verse 14, there, God tells Noah that he is to build it with gopher wood. Now,
you’ve heard me say at other times, those of you who attend here regularly, that we may come upon A vessel somewhere that meets the measurements that Noah was told to use in building the art. We May find this vessel to be one that has only one door that only has one window that has three stories within it that is pitched within and without with pitch.
And yet we still will not know whether that’s Noah’s arc or not. That is because God specified that Noah was to use gopher wood in building the art. We don’t know what gopher wood is. We know concerning Oak and spruce and you know, Elm and maple and all those other kinds of trees and wood. But we don’t know what gopher wood is.
No one knows what gopher wood is today. God’s specified to Noah that he was to make the art of gopher wood, this authorized Noah to use gopher wood, but he’d also excluded him from being able to use all those other kinds of trees. Those other kinds of wa would no exceptions and Noah, we are told, did what God commanded him to do.
He did that, which was authorized by God. If Noah had decided he was going to use those other kinds of wood, maybe he would still use some gopher wood, but not entirely go for wood. Then I can tell you beyond any shadow of a doubt in my mind that Ark would never have floated. And it would still be sitting on the bottom,
or it would have been sitting on the bottom of those waters that covered the mountains. Noah did exactly as God had instructed him to do. When you turn to Leviticus, chapter 10, verses one and two reread concerning Nadab and abide you two of the sons of Aaron and how that they were one ones who were offering under God using strange fire, strange fire.
That means they got their fire from someplace. Other than when God, where God specified that they were supposed to get their fire. Somebody says, well, fire is fire. No, it’s not, not when God specifies where your to get your fire in order to be used in offering sacrifices or whatever it is. As far as that worship is concerned.
And we know that to be the case because when they use strange fire, God sent down fire from heaven and consumed them, burned them alive because of their rebellious Snus and because of their disobedience. And then God also tells Aaron that he’s not even to shed a tear for the loss of those two boys, because of the fact that they disobeyed God Strange fire.
God has told us what we’re to do. Now, if God had said to make music under the Lord, Then that opens up all kinds of possibilities. We could see that’s music. We could play that’s music. We could see in play that’s music, but that’s not what God did he specified scene specified singing that eliminates everything else as being what is acceptable.
Well, sometimes you will hear people say, well, you know, in the book of revelation, it talks about instruments in heaven. And so if it’s okay to be in heaven, then it’s okay to be in our worship. Now all really That’s right. A few passages from the book of revelation concerning this turn to revelation, chapter 14, this is one of those passages revelation,
chapter 14, beginning with verse one. And I looked in low, a lamb stood on the, on the Mount Scion and with him and hundred 40 and 4,000, having his father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven is the voice of many waters and is the voice of a great trumpet. And I heard the voice of Harper’s heartbeat with their hearts.
We’ll see right there, you’ve got Harper’s heartbeat and heart. So that means they have instruments of music in heaven. Did you pay attention to what it said? Most people don’t notice what John the apostle says. And I heard a voice from heaven as the voice of many waters and as the voice of a great thunder. And I heard the voice of Harper’s heartbeat with their hearts.
No, he didn’t hear instruments of music. He heard a voice. He says over and over again, I heard a voice. He didn’t hear the instruments. There weren’t any instruments there. He’s trying to illustrate concerning the instruments as far as the, the force and the melody and all those kinds of things. But he didn’t hear instruments. That’s not what he says.
He heard a voice and then tries to describe that voice is the kind of voice that it was. Well, turn back with me to chapter one. Remember the book of revelation is written in highly symbolic language. John even tells us that as he’s opening up the book, but in John chapter one, and in verse 10, notice I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day and heard behind me a great voice.
As of a trumpet question, did he hear a trumpet? No. He heard a voice, a voice described as a trumpet, but he heard a voice look down at verse 12. And I turned to see the voice that speak to me and being turned. I saw seven golden candlesticks. What did he hear? He heard a voice verse, 15 same context and his feet speaking concerning the Lord here and his like undefined brass as if they burned in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters.
Did John hear many waters? Oh, he heard a voice. This is used about the book of revelation. It is using symbolic language in order to make the point in descriptive of the kind of things that are happening. As far as the force of that voice, that he hears turn over to chapter four, verse one, chapter four, verse one,
John says after this, I looked and behold a door was opened in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me, we’d said, come up here, there. And I will show the things which must be here after what did he hear? Did he hear a trumpet? No. He heard a voice.
He heard a voice as a, of a trumpet. He says, you turn over to chapter 19. Let’s go to the end of the book, chapter 19, there an inverse six, John says, and I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters. And as the voice of mighty, thunderings saying Aliya for the Lord,
God omnipotent reign it. What did John hear? He heard a voice. You don’t have instrumental music in the book of revelation. You have voices. And John is trying to describe what that voice was like. So the very argument itself crumbles completely. You don’t have authority for instruments of music, even in heaven. Imagine how is it that you have physical instruments,
like a trumpet and harps and other things such as that in a spiritual place like heaven, where we have to be in a spiritual body in order to reside there. And yet you’ve got physical instruments that are going to be used. No, that’s not what he’s talking about. It all. He heard a voice and he says that over and over and over again,
he didn’t hear an instrument. He will this TRIBE, that voice that he heard as being like that instrument, but he didn’t hear an instrument. He heard a voice. Well, some people say, and I’ve already referred to this. Well, the instruments were used in the old Testament and God accepted them. Therefore they’re okay in the new Testament. And they’re okay today that doesn’t follow.
There are many things that are spoken of that were acceptable under the old Testament law of Moses that are not acceptable today because we have no authority for those today. And when you look at various passages of scripture, the apostles, the writers of the new Testament will go to great lengths in order to try to show us that the law of Christ is different from the law of Moses.
Turn with me. If you will, to Colossians chapter three or second Corinthians chapter three, I’m sorry. Second Corinthians chapter three, Paul here in writing to the Corinthians. We’ll starting with verse seven, go down through verse 14. He says, but if the administration of death written and engraved in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance,
which glory was to be done away. How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious for if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more. Does the administration of righteousness exceed in glory? Notice he’s talking about the old Testament, the ministration of death, compared to the new Testament, the law of Christ has been the ministration of righteousness, the ministration of glory.
And so verse 12, seeing then that we have such hope. We use great plainness of speech and not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that, which is abolished, but their minds were blinded for until this day remained at the same veil, untaken away in the reading of the old Testament,
which veil is done away in Christ, contrast old Testament, new Testament. Here’s the way it was under the old Testament. Here’s the way it is under the law of Christ. The new Testament, you turn over to Colossians chapter two, as Paul is writing to the brethren, they’re in Colossi. And he says there in chapter two, verses 14 through 16 speaking,
concerning that old law blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us and took it out of the way, nailing it to this cross and having spoiled principalities and powers. He made a show of them openly triumphing over them in it. Let no man, therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of and Holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath days.
Paul here is speaking concerning those things. Under the old Testament, under the law of Moses, he says the handwriting of ordinances speaking concerning the law of Moses was taken out of the way. It was nailed to The cross. The old Testament is not binding on any human being And today not one, it’s not even binding upon the Jews. It’s authority ended at the cross of Christ.
Now we are under the law of Christ, the, the, the new Testament, the new law that he is established, not under that old law. And that’s why Paul will say there let no man, therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of Holy days. Remember under the law of Moses, you could eat certain meats that were specified that you could eat,
but other meats, you could not. Some of you like to smoke and grill pork. If the law of Moses is still binding, you can’t do that. It’s not allowed it wasn’t allowed to the Jews, But it’s no Longer binding. Why? Because we’re not under the law of Moses, not in any respect or in any detail we are to learn from those things.
Paul says Romans 15, verse four. We are to learn from those things that were written, But we’re not under those things. We are under the law of Christ Chapter three. And in chapter four, the apostle Paul will rebuke the brethren in glacier because they are following these Judaizing teachers. These men who are of Jewish background, but they’ve obeyed the gospel,
but having obeyed the gospel, they’re trying to hold onto the old Testament. They’re trying to bind upon these Gentiles, what the old Testament taught in many respects, and Paul will condemn them for doing such why? Because we’re not under the old Testament, we’re under the law of Christ. So yes, they did use instruments of music in old Testament times.
In fact, I would question whether or not God accepted it. David is the one who is spoken of as having made those instruments, but there were still some instruments anyway, that they did use the horns and, and things such as that. But there again, that was under that law. We’re not under that law. We’re under the law of Christ.
When you read in the new Testament concerning what the church did in the first century, you don’t read of them using instruments and music, not at all. Why? Because they weren’t authorized complete difference from that of the old Testament law. And it is interesting. If you will take the time to study, there are Those commentators A hundred years ago and beyond from various denominations,
Charles Spurgeon and others who made statements that instrumental music is not accepted In worship, not today. Why? Because it’s not authorized. They understood that A hundred years ago, virtually all the world rejected the idea of instruments of music in worship. It’s not that way today, but it was back then because they understood the scriptures do not authorize. Such. Someone says well,
but Psalms mean singing with instruments were to sing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs well fare in his Greek. English lexicon says that seguing included instruments in old Testament times, but did not include them in new Testament times. Exactly what we’ve been talking about. And by the way, I want you to think about this. And I mean this in all sincerity,
if with what the scriptures teach concerning scene, if it includes instruments of music as the majority of the denominational world teaches today, in order to have authority for using instruments and music, if singing actually means the word that’s used here for singing means singing and playing, then not only is it acceptable to do such, it is required To do such. And it is required of every single one who claims to be a Christian to not only sing,
but also to play People. Don’t accept that part of it. They believe it’s okay to have it, but you don’t have to do it well. In fact, the matter is, if it is that, which is included in what is spoken of there, what is authorized, what is commanded by God, through the apostles, the writers of the new Testament,
then it is not a suggestion. It is a requirement. You must use it. But the fact of the matter is that’s not what it says and very the word Salo that’s used. And this is the word that there’s such great discussion over the word silo, which is translated as singing. It does have a meaning, which includes the plucking or the tweaking of streams.
It includes that idea, but the instrument is not spoken of will Paul, when he uses that word tells us what’s the, what the instrument is. The instrument is the heart. And it’s not that organ that pumps blood throughout our bodies. It’s our mind. That’s the instrument that’s spoken of. That’s the instrument that’s to be plucked. It’s not a physical instrument.
No, not at all. Y’all singing with your hearts to the Lord. You see, as we Noted there from Colossians chapter three and in verse 17, whatever we do in word or deed, we must have authority for what it is. It is without the authority. It is not acceptable. As far as God is Concerned, it will not be that,
which was Right with him. God is a spirit and they, that worship him must worship him in spirit. And in truth, if you’re outside the body of Christ, we please With you to search the scriptures. First of all, to see if these things are so, but also to see what the new Testament teaches again, because we’re not under the Old Testament,
we’re under the new Testament, okay? To see what the new Testament teaches that one must do in order to become a Christian. When you do, you will find That one must hear the word, John six verse 45, before he can believe. And yet he must believe in order to have the hope of eternal life. Mark 16, verse 60,
Then one Must be willing to repent acts two verse 38, Luke chapter 15, verses three And five. Then one Must be willing to confess his faith in Christ before men, Matthew chapter 10, verse 32, and there one must be baptized. He must be immersed in water in order to have your sins washed away in order to be saved from his sins.
Mark chapter 16, verse 16, acts two verse 38 X 22 verse 16 and other passage. Okay, When you do it the way God said, do it. The Lord will add you to the body of Christ acts chapter two, And You will be added to the church, added to the family of God, added to the kingdom of God, added to the Lord’s army by the very same actions.
And you We’ll put your Lord on in baptism. As Paul talks about Galatians chapter three, are you willing to obey the gospel in order to become a Christian? According to him, The new Testament, if you’re already One, who’s a member of the body of Christ, and yet you wandered off and gone back into the world. Will you come back and repentance,
Praying to God for forgiveness? And to begin again, walking in the way of righteousness, If we can help you, will you come as together? We stand and as we see.