Praise

 

The Christian’s worship is simply any expression of love to God in Jesus Christ.  When Christians are gathered on the Lord’s Day, we gather in submission to His Lordship and express our love to him publicly in the way the Groom desires.  This is not a form of entertainment for the Bride, but rather a form of submission and love to the Groom, Jesus Christ our God and Saviour. Ephesians 5:23-32. Singing is the expression of love the apostles, prophets and disciples of the New Testament established.  Today, we as Christians are obligated to explore and express our love to Jesus using “psalms, hymns and spiritual songs” Colossians 3:16. We are the only creatures in God’s creation which actually sing.  Birds and other animals are thought to be able to sing, but it is not singing, nor is it an expression of love. When animals ‘sing’, they are merely communicating, which only sounds like beautiful music. Humanity has been given a great and unique gift from our Creator.  Are we cheerful? Sing! James 5:13. Rejoice always and again I say rejoice, Philippians 4:4. Three Purposes of Christian Praise. 1. To praise & bless God with your heart, Ephesians 5:19, James 3:9, Heb. 13:15.  2. To teach & encourage one another, Colossians 3:16, 1st Cor. 14:6. 3. To strengthen the soul in winning battles in trials, Mat. 26:30, Mk.14:26, Acts 16:25, 2nd  Chron. 20:17-22.

Jesus set an example of singing with his disciples. We know by Jewish tradition what he surely sang, (Psalms 113-118, Psalm 136 & 145:10) but we do not know for sure how he sang it. Most likely it was a solemn chant, rather than a boisterous melody.  The reason God is silent on the mode and melody of Jesus singing is this:  God does not want Christians to feel led into practicing Jewish praise, but rather to be led by His Spirit & love to praise Him within their own soul’s identity, background & culture. The same mindset was in the writers of the New Testament, which were mainly Jewish.  They had use and knowledge of instruments in their praise as Jews, but refrained from imitating that in Christian praise. The only mode or melody of music for the apostles, Jesus and his disciples was singing with grace in our hearts. This takes on all types of music in the very generic description of Colossians 3:16. The only other time we know Jesus must have sung, was when he was a boy, at the Feasts in Jerusalem, which we know his parents took him to every year Luke 2:41. Christian parents should teach their children to sing, and take the opportunity to sing seriously. It is not the harmony of voices which God hears, but rather the melody of the heart. Eph. 5:19. It is interesting to note that Jesus did much more praying in his life on earth, than he did, singing.  Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would be a “man of sorrows”, Isa. 53:3-4.  Therefore it is not surprising that the only direct reference we have to the Son of God singing is when he was facing his greatest sorrow. When we face trials, we must look for SOMETHING to rejoice in. God’s word! That is what Jesus sang.  The apostle Paul and Silas did this in Acts 16:25, while imprisoned.

Public praise from the church should be rendered to God from the heart not an instrument, the introduction of instruments in Christian praise did not occur till 600 years after the church was born, if we begin to praise Him by our own wit & will, adding our own devices, we will be ignoring His silence in the New Covenant describing His will for want He wants in praise. While Jesus was on earth, he never acted presumptuously or arrogantly as a priest because of the silence of the Old Covenant, Heb. 7:14. If we are following Jesus, we will follow his example of submission and refrain from acting like a priest, which he wasn’t. Our sacrifice of praise is a priestly duty, and is should be offered as a sweet aroma of holy incense, Heb. 13:15, Rev. 8:3-4.

This week’s pointer in prayer; Do we truly pray, telling God how great He is, and how much we love Him?