04-07-2019 – Keith Cozort – Worship: Singing Part 1 (AM Sermon)

Certainly grateful for your attendance this morning. Appreciate you being here. If you are visiting with us, we want you to know that we’re honored by your visit, ask you to fill out one of the visitors cards that you should find on the back of the Pew in front of you. And you can leave that on the Pew on the seat when you leave.

And we’ll collect those when our services are over so that we can ever record of your visit. Some of you have not had the opportunity to ask brother buddy concerning sister Annette. She had surgery this last week on her back. And he said after having her surgery, her blood pressure was had dropped and it had dropped significantly to where the doctors could not give her any pain medication except for Tylenol.

And so she’s had a very rough time. The last couple of days last night, though, they were able to get her blood pressure up to where they could give her some pain medicine. And certainly we’re grateful for that, but we certainly want to continue to remember her in our prayers, continue to remember brother Ivy Powell and your prayers as well. He said to make sure that the congregation knew how much he was appreciating the fact that we were praying for him before he ever went in for surgery.

But certainly now that he’s had his surgery, which was last week as well, we want to continue to remember him. I sent him a text this morning to find out how he was doing and had to leave before I got any kind of an answer. So I don’t know how he’s doing, but certainly we want to remember him in our prayers. It’s morning.

I want us to continue our series of lessons, where we’re studying concerning worship. And this morning, I want us to study concerning worship as it relates towards singing, the diverse that we’re using to as the foundation, if you will, for these particular lessons is John chapter four, verse 24, where Jesus says that God is a spirit and they, that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

And we’ve discussed at various times that this, this verse is saying that our worship to God, if it is going to be acceptable, must be in spirit, which means having the right attitude, the right disposition, and then in truth, doing the right things. If it’s not in spirit, then it’s not going to be acceptable. If it’s not in truth,

it’s not going to be acceptable. And so I want us to study concerning singing as being a part of our worship. And it is in fact, a part of our worth worship. And, Oh, hold on just a minute. That’s next week’s lesson. Let’s try. Today’s all. Alright. And so it is that there are many Christians who did not even realize the importance of singing.

And I state that because there are some that don’t see. And therefore, I know that they don’t know the importance concerning scene as it’s spoken of in scripture. And then there are others who do not realize the importance of worshiping in singing and doing it without change and doing it without addition to what the new new Testament scriptures teach. And so it is important for us to consider the subject of singing as being a part of our worship.

And singing is a part of the worship, a major part in our worship in so many different times in so many different areas. When you turn to the book of Hebrews chapter two and in verse 12, here’s the Hebrews writer says saying, I will declare thy name under my brethren in the midst of the church. While I sing praise under the, in the midst of the church,

he says, I will say praise under the, and so singing is a part of our worship. We have various scriptures that bring this point out. If Asians chapter five, verse 19, where the apostle Paul says, speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. And so again, Paul emphasizes concerning the fact that we are to see Colossians chapter three.

And in verse 16 here again, the apostle 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. And so Paul speaks several times concerning scene and the Hebrews writer does the exact same thing. And it is such that he emphasizes concerning what we are supposed to sing,

how we are supposed to sing and our purpose for singing again. When you go to the book of Hebrews chapter 13, the last chapter of the book of Hebrews there, and in verse 15, the Hebrews writer says by him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God. Continually is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Now somebody says, well, it didn’t say see you in there. No, but it includes singing. We offer the sacrifice of our lips or the fruit of our lips when we are singing, giving praise unto God, when we’re praying, giving praise unto God. And so either one of those can be included as being that, which is spoken of here in this particular Passage,

singing is worship. Singing is what Or worship rather is what we do when we are singing Psalms hymns and spiritual songs. When we are prayed to the heavenly father, when we are preaching and teaching, as we’ve been studying for the last few weeks as when we partake of the Lord’s supper, as we have already done, when we take up the collection,

all of that is worship, but it is not such as we brought out last week. It is not such that we have to do all five of those things in order to worship God. Each of those is a method of worship in and of itself. And that is what is important for us to recognize and understand when you go back to the old Testament and the book of Psalms,

the Solomon says in the 66 chapter or in the 66 Psalm and in verse four, all the earth shall worship thee and shall sing under thee. They shall sing under divine name. The Salma says. And so it is that the Psalmist, it will have a few other notations from the book of Psalms as well. But Paul says we’re to sing songs,

hymns and spiritual songs. Well, there’s a book in the old Testament by the name of solves Andy. It was basically the Jewish song book, those songs that are written there could be read as we normally do, but they could also be sung. And we have some of those songs that have been arranged to music that we sing as well. And so it is that the,

the Somas, and there were several different ones who wrote the book of Psalms. They, they emphasize that whole idea concerning singing, singing, Psalms, and the purpose Angles. Well, what kind Of songs are we to see in worship while again, the apostle Paul and others have shown to us what those things are. And, and we’ve already brought those out in,

in the passages that we Looked at. But when you look at Ephesians chapter five, verse 19 and Colossians chapter three, verse 16 as the apostle Paul is writing to brethren, when he speaks concerning those things, he speaks concerning the fact that we are to sing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs, but sometimes brethren come up and they say, okay,

songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. But what do those words mean? And that’s a good question. What do those words mean? Well, brother, David Lipscomb Was one who wrote part of the gospel advocate series of commentaries on the new Testament several years ago. And here’s what brother Lipscomb says. Songs are songs devoted to the praise of God, extolling his name,

power character, and works. He goes on and says, by the way that the songs that David wrote back in the book of Psalms, those are ones who, which many times state express concerning the character and Of, of God and, and the emphasis to be spoken of, or, or sung to God. When you Think concerning hymns brother lips can brings out hymns are songs of praise,

Thanksgiving, and supplication teaching our dependence on God and his willingness to hear and bless. And so hymns they’re slightly different from Psalms. These are not all equal terms that are being used. They are intended to have a different emphasis. And yet the emphasis is that all of these are those that are acceptable for us to see, as far as God is concerned,

Spiritual songs, brother Lipscomb says spiritual songs are those intended to inspire and cultivate feelings of spiritual devotion and to bring the spirit of man into harmony with, and under the control of the spirit of God. And So there are different types of songs that are to be sung that Paul authorizes by inspiration of the Holy spirit for us to see because they have different purposes in mind in those particular songs,

Psalms hymns and spiritual songs. But what is the purpose of singing? What is the purpose of singing? Again, there are several different passages which helped to bring this out to us in that emphasizing what it is that we are to be doing when we are singing these songs, go back to Hebrews chapter two again, and we’re going to notice how that we are to sing in order to praise God,

Hebrews chapter two. And in verse 12, that we are quoted just a few moments Ago as The Hebrews writer is writing. He there in verse 12, saying, I will declare the name under my brethren in the midst of the church. Will I sing praise under the, and so singing praise unto God. But the question also comes out when we’re studying this and I want to go ahead and just bring it out or begin to develop it now,

but to whom are we deceiving to whom are we to seeing these Psalms hymns and spiritual songs? And that’s a good question as well. And we, we started out with John chapter four, verse 24, God is a spirit. And they, that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. And so the general answer generally is well we’re to worship God and we’re to sing to God.

Okay, well, that’s, that’s good. That’s fine. But God is generally used In the new Testament when it’s just by itself to speak concerning deity. And so it could be God, the father or God, the son or God, the Holy spirit. And therefore it is important for us to understand that not every time when we read the word God in the new Testament,

is it speaking concerning God, the father? All right. So to whom are we deceiving? Well, it’s interesting when you look at the context of Hebrews chapter two, which means you look at the verses before and the verses after the verse that you’re looking at, and what we’re going to find out is that sometimes I’m afraid that maybe we’ve become guilty of the very thing we accused the denominations Of being guilty of.

And that Is taking a verse out of its context and not examining the context in order to truly understand that verse. Well, in Hebrews chapter two, if you back up to verse four, notice what the Hebrews writer says. God also bearing them, witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy ghost, according to his own will for under the angels,

have he not put in subjection the world to come? Where have we speak? But one in a certain place testified saying, what is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visited him? Thou made us to him a little lower than the angels. Thou crown does him with glory and honor. And did his set him over the works of his hands that has put all things in subjection under his feet for him,

that he put all in subjection under him. He left nothing that is not put under him, but now we see not yet all things put under him, but we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that he, by the grace of God should taste death for every man for it became him for whom are all things.

And by whom all things in bringing many sons under glory to make the captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings for both he, that sanctify us and they who are sanctified are all of one for which, cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren saying, I will declare the name under my brethren in the midst of the church. Will I sing praise under the now the point is,

when you go through that context, Jesus is the one that’s being spoken of in those verses immediately following verse 12, how the God has put all things in subjection to him and how that he is the one who is the savior. He is the one who was made a little lower than the angels. He is the one that Brought All things into existence.

John chapter one, he is the one that sanctifies us. He is the one. And then he says in verse 12, I will declare thy name under my brethren in the midst of the church. While I sing praise unto thee, The content Text here of the Hebrews writer is singing to Christ, singing to the Lord. And that is the very context of what he’s speaking about.

And by the way, there in verse 12, he is actually quoting from the 22nd Psalm verse two When he speaks to those things. And so it is important for us to recognize the context of these things that we are noticing concerning singing. There is frequent much mention of singing. As I made mention a few moments ago of singing to the Lord’s name in the old Testament,

Psalm chapter 66. And in verse 22, sing forth the honor of his name, make his praise glorious Chapter six or over 68 Psalm verse four, sing unto God, sing praises to his name, extol him judges chapter five. And in verse three, I will sing praises to the Lord, God of Israel. And so the, the indication is that songs were sung to,

Oh God, the father, as well as the word that became flesh and dwelt among us. And so we sing such songs as hallelujah, praise Jehovah, we sing praise the Lord. We sing, praise him, praise him. Is it for me? Dear savior. And, and the, the point I want us to understand is it’s not wrong to sing songs that address Jesus.

And in fact, we are authorized to do that when we examine these particular scriptures in James chapter five. And in verse 13, James asked the question is any Merry, let him sing Psalms. And so it is that we are to sing songs, to express our joy. And that’s part of what Paul is bringing out by speaking concerning Psalms hymns and spiritual songs to express our joy.

When you go back to the old Testament, for example, an Exodus chapter 15 beginning in verse one, and going down through verse 21 in particular, we find that after the children of Israel have crossed over the red sea, that Moses is one Who says, Let us sing songs of this song unto the Lord, let us sing this song under the,

our song under the Lord verse 21, singing to the Lord is what Miriam told the ladies again, after they’ve been delivered from the Egyptians across the red sea called upon the ladies to sing ye to the Lord. Now we recognize that there are different terms that are used in the old Testament to mean can to speak concerning God, the father, as well as the word or the Lord they’re in the old Testament.

And the indication certainly is that that both of those as we’ve already noted, were ones that they would sing To in first Samuel chapter 18. And in verse six, we read where the people of Jerusalem are so overjoyed by the fact that David has now brought the Ark of the covenant into the city of Jerusalem in order for it, or chapter 18 is where David has killed Goliath.

Let me correct that he’s killed Goliath. And so it is the people are so joyful by the fact that Goliath has been killed and the Philistines are those who have run away from the children of Israel. Now that it speaks concerning the fact that they express this Joy and they are Rejoicing and dancing and, and those kinds of things that take place In that seemingly Includes the idea of singing.

But we have, we have much to, to sing about. We have Such that we should sing about the love of God and the love of Jesus in his willingness to come and to give himself upon the cross for us, we have reason to sing out of joy concerning the salvation that’s made available to us. We have reason to sing with joy concerning the grace of God that is available to us as well as the mercy of God.

And yes, it is such that all of those things are things by which we can sing with great joy in our heart for doing the very things that are now available to us under the law of Christ. But go with me again to Ephesians After five Fijian, chapter five. Let’s just be honest if Asians chapter five and Colossians three and verse 16 are the two most used scriptures in order to teach concerning singing as being something that God expects us to do.

They’re not the only ones in fact, but it is interesting. There are only about eight scriptures that teach us concerning scene as far as those things that are required of us. But when you go to Ephesians chapter five, again, notice verse 19, speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Well, again, let’s notice the context of that particular verse backup diverse 14 with me. Paul says wherefore. He saith awake, thou that sleepers and arise from the dead and Christ shall give the light. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil, wherefore, biggie, not unwise,

but understanding what the will of the Lord is and be not drunk with wine. Where is it wherein is excess, but be filled with the spirit, speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making great making melody in your heart to the Lord. And so, again, the context here is, is indicating concerning Christ. When you turn over to Colossians chapter three and in verse 16,

it becomes even plainer here. As Paul is writing to the collage in brethren, when he says there in verse 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. Now somebody may come up and they say, now,

wait a minute, brother, Keith, because here in verse 16, Colossians chapter three, the word Lord is not used. The American standard version translates this as God that we are to sing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts too. Oh God. Well, that’s true. It does. And again, The word God can be used concerning God,

the father, God, the son, God, the Holy spirit. It does not always mean just God, the father. And so again, when you examine the context of this particular passage, for example, go back to verse one of chapter three, if ye, then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Let your affection beyond things above, not on things on the earth for ye are dead. And your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life shall then show you also appear with him in glory. And then you drop down to verse 11, where Paul says where there is neither Greek nor Jew circumcision, nor uncircumcision barbarian,

Scythian bond, nor free, but Christ is all in, in all put on. Therefore as the elect of God, Holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness long suffering for bearing one another and forgiving one another. If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave, you so also do ye and above all these things put on charity,

which is the bond of perfectness and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also year called in one body and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching it in monitoring one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Again, the context is that of the Lord.

Now God in here is spoken a couple of different times. And yet the emphasis here is concerning Christ and what Christ has done for mankind. And he tells us to let the word of Christ dwell in us, 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.

So we have to realize the great importance of singing, but also to recognize that that singing is teaching and admonishing one another as according to the word of the Lord, that is to dwell in us richly. And so we understand that singing carries emphasis. It is that which can change people’s minds, whether we’re talking about secular seeing or whether we’re talking about spiritual singing,

both of those is true. Singing has an effect. And somebody may say, now, wait a minute. I don’t think singing really has that much effect upon us. Well then you don’t pay a whole lot of attention. I don’t think any times if we heard a song maybe when we were young or maybe when we were dating or maybe when we just got married or things such as that,

and many, many, many years later, maybe we haven’t heard it in all that time. And we hear that song and automatically it brings back remembrance concerning what was taking place when we heard that song the first time. Yeah, yes. Songs have an emphasis. They, they have an effect on us. Hollywood knows that they seek to make sure that they have the right kind of song to go with the right kind of,

of film or the right kind of music or the right kind of TV program. So as to bring about a certain mindset, bring about a certain attitude, bring about a certain disposition and they are effective in doing such, such as also the case when it comes to worship to God. And so Paul here in Colossians chapter three speaks concerning the fact that when we are singing,

we have to understand that we are teaching and admonishing one another as well as singing to deity as well as singing too Lord. And so each, each Christian is today Teach and to admonish in song, those who don’t sing are those who are rebelling against God, rebelling against his word, as far as what he expects of us. And it’s also interesting how that those who don’t sing or those who don’t like to see Psalms hymns and spiritual songs.

And you’ve probably heard me say this before. It’s it’s, Heaven’s Going to be the worst place that they could ever imagine. If they don’t like to sing here on this earth, Psalms hymns and spiritual songs, they’re not going to like heaven because we’re told concerning heaven how we will be those who will be singing. And that’s emphasized on several different occasions concerning.

That’s what we’ll be doing. At least part of what we’ll be doing In heaven. But if we don’t like to sing now, we’re not going to like to sing then either, right. Heaven is not going to be a joyful place for us. It will rather be a drudgery to us. Instead, each Christian is to teach and to admonish one another,

that’s speaking concerning reciprocal. You’re teaching me, I’m teaching you. You’re admonishing me. I’m in monitoring you through the songs that we sing. And certainly that is what God expects for us to do. Cause we sing such songs as prepare to meet thy God TRIBE, Trying to get people to recognize and even brethren to understand that they must go through and make the proper preparations in order to be able to be in heaven.

We seen Christ arose, emphasizing the fact that we believe truly that Jesus was nailed to that cross. And he died upon that cross. And he was buried in that sepal Kerr. And he arose from the dead the third day, exactly the way the scriptures teach. And so we sing concerning the fact that he arose. We sing concerning the fact Christ receive a sinful men.

Cause certainly that’s what he does. And yet through their obedience of the gospel, they turned from being sinful men to be in those who are faithful men, as they strive to live their lives, which is exactly what God wants us to do. We sing concerning God is love. And yes he is. That’s brought out to us several times in the scriptures and by the way,

that’s taught in the Testament as well as in the new Testament that God is love if you take the time to look at it. And so it is that there is teaching, there is admonishing one another in the songs that we sing as well as which means, by the way, we’re singing to one another, as well as the fact, we sing in a perpendicular manner to deity in heaven,

both the father and the son are those that are spoken of as a singing songs to Psalms hymns and spiritual songs. Therefore Paul says first Corinthians chapter 14. And in verse 15, even though this is in the context of the miraculous gifts, yet Paul makes this statement in verse 15, what is it? Then I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the understanding.

Also hear Paul’s point is as speaking concerning miraculous gifts, that he would rather pray in the language that he understands as well as the people would understand. Then he would to pray in a language where even though he’s saying the exact same things through inspiration of the Holy spirit, yet he himself does not really understand the language, same thing concerning singing that he wants to seeing with the,

the understanding, seeing with the knowledge and with the understanding as well and such should be the desire that we have John four verse 24. Again, God is a spirit and they, that worship him must worship him in spirit. And in truth that applies to the songs that we seen just as it applies to the preaching and teaching that we do. Because again,

we are teaching when we are singing, therefore it is important for us to sing those songs that are in accordance with God’s word in accordance with his will not attempting to teach false doctrine, but it is also the case that we must remember that we are to, to sing those songs, hymns and spiritual songs. And so we sing to, as Paul brings out in Colossians three and in verse 16 that let the word of Christ dwell in you richly And in all wisdom,

Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. So we sing songs of admonition as well. We sing the song, angry words to encourage us not to use words and language that would be unnecessarily harmful to others. Recognizing we need to be careful about the words that we use because we’ll be judged by our words. Jesus said, did you think to pray,

encouraging us to be those who are a prayerful people? And, and to emphasize that prayer is to be a major part of our life Lives, give of your best to the master, Give of your best. Are you, are you living your life the way that God wants you to, or are you giving God the leftovers giving God the, the,

The, The parts of your life that you don’t really care about that you don’t really, you’re not really concerned about. We sing about marching on the, the church has spoken up as being an army and an army as Paul would would speak about in, in Thessaloniki. That is to be in step. It is to be in stepped and therefore not be those who are rebellious or are out of step in walking the Christian life.

That’s what God expects of us. And so with all of these things, it is also important for us to teach our children, to teach our children, to sing, to teach our children, to admonish one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. And that God wants them to see God wants them to enjoy seeing God wants them to like singing Psalms hymns and spiritual songs Worship in singing.

You know, if, if these things that we’ve spoken of and that we’ve examined being admonitions, if these things are such that we can ignore them As it relates Toward what God wants us to do in singing, then it is also such that we can ignore virtually anything else that God says as well, we can ignore anything. And unfortunately, there are some who are trying to do that thing,

just ignore it all and do what you want to do. That’s not going to be found effective on the day of judgment. That’s going not going to be found profitable on the day of judgment. And so it is such that we must be willing to examine these scriptures that we looked at, examine their context in order to understand who is being addressed and what the purpose there is in singing,

and therefore apply those things to our lives. In accordance with God’s word, as Colossians three 16 speaks, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly and thereby. We will be able to do that, which God has instructed us to do. Now with this, we recognize that singing is a major part of our worship That we Are told concerning the kinds of songs that we are to sing as far as being worship and the purpose for the scene That God has specified for us singing.

It is so very important. And yet, sometimes maybe we don’t address it as sincerely, As devotedly As God would have us to address It. And when That happens, problems arise. If you’re outside the body of Christ this morning, We plead with you going to the scriptures. We plead with you to obey the gospel, to hear the word so that you can have a chance to be able to believe the word,

John six, verse 45, to be willing to be one who does believe the word of God. Mark 16, verse 16, as well as to be one who believing it is willing to repent acts two verse 38, Luke 13, three, and five. Be willing to confess your faith in Christ, Matthew chapter 10, verse 32, and to be immersed in water,

to be baptized in order to receive the remission of your sins to be saved from your sins. Matthew chapter 28, verses 19 and 20 Mark chapter 16, verse 16. If you’re one, who’s reached an age of accountability, to be able to know the difference between right and wrong. We encourage you to obey the gospel before it is eternally too late.

If you’re already a member of the body of Christ, and yet you’ve gone back into the world, please will you come back and repentance, praying to God for forgiveness and begin again, walking in the way of righteousness. If we can help you, please, will you come as together? We stand. And as we see.