1 Chronicles is not one of the most enjoyable
books of the Bible to read. Like Glenn Wilson said Wednesday night,
some books of the Bible, like Leviticus, are great books to read if
you have problems going to sleep at night. I mean over half of 1 Chronicles
is nothing but a list of names that none of us can pronounce. So by
the time you get to chapter 25, your brain is numb. I'm not being disrespectful
towards God's Word. Neither do I think he minds me being so honest,
for he knows that as a faithful student of his Word, that I have read
1 Chronicles many, many, many times. If for no other reason then to
be able to stand up here and say that I've read that book too.
Now if any of you share my feelings about books like 1 Chronicles, please
stand up. The reason I wanted you to do that is if God is going to send
any lightening bolts for what I have just said, I want to spread the
blessing around.
But seriously, I recommend that you carefully read through every book
in the Bible. For even in the most boring ones, you will find precious
pearls of wisdom. For instance, the prayer of Jabez, that Bruce Wilkerson
made so popular recently, is found in 1 Chron. And here in this chapter
we find another gem of truth that is so often overlooked because it
is in the middle of a bunch of names that no one can pronounce.
Let me give you some background information of what was going on at
this time in the history of the nation of Israel. David is the king
of Israel, and although the Temple has not yet been built, he has established
a level of worship that was far greater than the nation of Israel had
been involved in. David understood that by adding instruments & singing
songs of praise, that his people could experience the power that comes
from worship. So here in this chapter, he gathers some people together
to instruct them in the song of the Lord.
What I find so amazing about all of this is during the time that the
nation of Israel worshiped the most, her boundaries were the greatest.
Under David's leadership, he not only captured Jerusalem from the Philistines,
but he also established it as both the political & religious capital
of Israel. After David captured Jerusalem he then set out to lay claim
to the rest of the region that was promised to Abraham. He quickly defeated
the Philistines, the Moabites, the Edomites, and finally the Ammonites.
With all of Israel's enemies defeated, the nation of Israel controlled
more of the Promised Land than at any other time in her history. As
God moved in David's heart, David led God's people into a new realm
of worship that placed music & singing into a dimension it had never
previously been. And as the people entered into this realm of worship,
the kingdom of God spread like it never had before.
I don't think that it is a coincidence that the growth of worship and
the growth of the kingdom of God occurred at the same time. I think
it is safe to say that the growth that today's church is experiencing
is because of the fact that God has once again taken men & women and
instructed them in the song of the Lord. And through this instruction,
they, like King David, understand the importance of music & singing
as a part of worship. The dimension of worship that is being introduced
into the church is leading people to a deeper level of intimacy with
the Lord than the church has experienced for many, many centuries.
God has instructed these people in the song of the Lord so that they
understand that singing is not to be for entertaining the people, but
to exalt God's name. They also understand that singing 1 or 2 songs,
here & there during a worship service, is not going to bring the people
into the presence of the glory of the Lord. God has revealed to his
church in these days, that as we spend time basking in his glory, through
the singing of songs that exalt him, we will experience a new level
of victory that the church hasn't experienced in many generations.
The Christians of the first church had so much power that they literally
turned the world upside down. They had this power not only because they
faithfully studied the teachings of the apostles, and not only because
they prayed for each other, and not only because they had such sweet
fellowship that they sold their possessions to make sure everyone's
needs were met. But every time they got together, they were "praising
God, and the result was that the Lord was adding to their number day
by day those who were being saved."
Throughout the history of the church, there have been pockets of great
revivals, great awakenings, and even the great reformation. And if you
pull back the covers on each of these movements you will see that part
of the reason why those movements were so successful is because of the
great spirit-filled songs that were introduced & sung unto the Lord.
Most of us here this morning know that the singing of songs is something
that is supposed to part of a worship service. No matter how much church
background you have, you know that when you go to church, you are going
to sing a song or two before the preacher starts to preach. And while
most of us enjoy singing, we really don't have a complete understanding
of all of the dimensions that the Lord has designed in singing songs
of praise to him. In other words, we know we are supposed to sing, but
we don't really know why.
This morning we are going back to school to be instructed by the Holy
Spirit on the dynamics that are found in singing songs to the Lord.
I believe that the Lord wants us to move beyond merely enjoying singing,
to discovering the power that is found in singing songs of praise to
him.
I don't care what circumstance you are going through, if you will enter
into worship, by the time you are finished, you will have a renewed
sense that God is going to turn this around for your good. Probably
the greatest affect that singing has produced today is that through
singing we are being brought into the presence of God. And anytime someone
comes into the presence of God, that person is transformed.
Turn to Isaiah 6:1-7.
In this passage of Scripture, the word worship is never used. Yet, this
passage is the one that is used to define what worship is all about.
For in these verses, we see what happens when a person meets God. And
if you think about it, isn't that part of what worship is all about?
From this passage we see that worship is far more than just something
you are supposed to do when you gather together with other believers.
We also see that singing songs in worship is not just the preliminary
event you do to lead up to the main event of the preaching. Neither
is it not just a time for the music ministry to perform or entertain
you. What I want you to see from this passage is that worship is not
only a means to exalt the Lord's name, but that worship is also one
of the means the Holy Spirit uses to bring us under the lordship of
Jesus Christ. Think for a moment about what should happen when a person
comes face-to-face with God's glory. Shouldn't there be some long term
effects from this encounter? The difference between having an encounter
with God, and merely having your emotions stirred, is if whether or
not through the worship you recognized God's authority over your life.
There is a powerful lesson in this concerning worship. Yes we are to
worship passionately when we think about God's greatness & love towards
us. Yes we are to worship joyfully, even when our world is in a turmoil,
like when the king dies, because we know that the Lord is still in control.
But never forget that one of the purposes of worship is to bring you
into an encounter with God Almighty that leaves you with a sense of
wanting to become more & more like him, and less & less like you.
Notice that in the midst of the smoke, and the excitement of the angels'
singing, that the main object of Isaiah's vision is God's throne. And
it was the vision of the Lord sitting on his throne that caused Isaiah
to feel very unworthy before God. This is something that will happen
every time you come into the presence of the Lord. For every time you
enter into the presence of God, you are struck by his holiness, and
your sinfulness.
This is a new dimension of worship that the church is experiencing.
It is important to realize that Isaiah was no spiritual slouch at this
time in his life. He wasn't a man full of sin who just happened to encounter
a holy God. He was a very holy man, who had the divine call of a prophet
upon his life.
I am always leary of worship that makes us feel better about ourselves
if it didn't first make us aware of just how unholy we are compared
to God. It is only natural that the closer we get to the light of God's
blazing holiness, that the more his light will illuminate the stains
and spots on our lives.
The beautiful side of worship is that God doesn't bring us into his
presence, and show us our sinfulness, just so he can destroy us. Instead
he brings us into his presence, and shows us our sinfulness, so he can
deliver us from the evil that it in our lives. That is what has made
today's worship movement such a paradox. We are telling people to come
taste and see that God is good as we enter into his presence with singing.
Yet, through the singing, our initial encounter with God should make
us feel bad about ourselves. How would you feel, if while you were singing,
you saw an angel bringing a burning coal to put on your lips? I would
believe that what God is about to do might just ruin the rest of my
life. But the beautiful surprise about today's worship is that we will
always walk away feeling better about who we are in Jesus Christ. Because,
just at the very point where you begin to see yourself at your worst,
God comes in and starts to restore and heal you. So don't resist entering
into worship just because you feel guilty as your sins are exposed.
Instead, rejoice all the more, because through the singing God is going
to restore you back to your proper place with him.
Over the past several years, many people have remarked that this church
has really become far deeper in its spirituality. At first I thought
it was because of us hooking up with Calvary Chapel. But as I looked
back on the life of this church, I noticed 2 things that I give the
credit to. First of all, our worship team has moved from performance
into worship. God has given us a worship leader who has a heart for
worship.
Through Brent's leadership, he has turned our music ministry around
to where they now sing to God' glory, and not to entertain us. And through
their singing songs to the Lord, they have led us into the presence
of his glory. Which in turn has caused us to give more of our lives
over to his lordship.
Secondly, I have included a new aspect into my sermon preparation that
I hadn't done much of before. On Saturday nights, not only do I spend
time in prayer for Sunday's service, but I have also started to spend
time in singing songs of praise to the Lord. What I have discovered
is that during the time I spend in worship, not only does the Holy Spirit
reveal the attitudes of my heart, and the actions of my flesh that aren't
pleasing to the Father, but he also gives me the fresh fire I need for
Sundays. I have learned that if I want the Holy Spirit to move in our
worship services, not only do I need to spend the appropriate time in
preparation and prayer, but I also need to spend some time in praising
the Lord.
Let me encourage you to keep coming regularly to the throne of God.
For as you come to the throne, God will revive your soul. So in times
of stress, in times when you are slap wore out, come to the throne,
and enter into the worship of the angels. And let God touch you with
the burning coals that will give you the passion to keep on doing those
tasks he has called you to do.
The second truth today's worship movement has taught us is that we can
be set free from oppression through the singing of songs of praise to
God (Isaiah
54:1).
What you may not realize is that what Isaiah is telling this barren
woman to do is probably the cruelest thing in all the world. Nothing
was more depressing for a Jewish woman in those times than to not be
able to have a child.
There is a lot more sympathy given today to a woman who can't conceive.
She won't be mocked by other women. She won't be told in her church
that her barrenness is the result of God not loving her. In Isaiah's
days, people took the truth that children are a blessing from God, and
twisted it around to say that those who couldn't have children weren't
being blessed by God.
Can you imagine the deep shame a barren woman would feel when the religious
teaching of the day said that her barrenness was a sign that not only
did God not like her, but that her barrenness was also a sign that he
had rejected her? Some rabbinical teachings even allowed a husband to
divorce his wife if she couldn't conceive.
So in the midst of her feelings of inadequacy, it almost seems as though
Isaiah is rubbing salt in her wounds by telling her to sing and she
will have a child. Isaiah makes an interesting statement because I am
sure that the woman had tried every known remedy of the day to help
her become fertile. But I doubt if she ever tried singing before her
and her husband had intercourse. Without getting crude, I want you to
try to picture the scene this could case. Now most men aren't very patient
when it comes to the preliminary aspects of lovemaking. So I doubt very
seriously that any man would get very excited about having to sing a
couple of Hallelujah choruses before he made love to his wife. Afterwards,
yes, beforehand, no! But it was the prophet Isaiah's prescription to
this barren woman.
So perhaps there is an important lesson for all of us to learn in how
to deal with the discouragements in life. There is not a one of here
this morning who hasn't experienced some kind of barrenness in life.
Some of you are experiencing barrenness because the person you have
been praying for so long to get saved is still rebelling against the
Lord. Or you're experiencing barrenness because you have been praying
for a loved one to be delivered from drugs/alcohol. And right now it
is tearing you up as you watch those people being tormented by the forces
of hell. And along with this pain, you are beginning to have serious
doubts that God will ever miraculously intervene in their life.
Perhaps some of you are feeling barren because you're not at the place
in your life where you hoped you would be. You haven't achieved your
dreams, or reached the goals you set out to accomplish. I bet it is
safe to say that within this room, there are many people who have aspirations
that have not yet come about. And right now you are feeling a little
empty on the inside. So what are you to do in these kinds of situations?
My advice, my prescription, is to enter into a season where you do nothing
else but sit at the feet of Jesus and sing songs unto him that exalts
his greatness & his goodness. As you talk to him in prayer about your
disappointments, go to the next level by singing songs that deal with
these kinds of situations. I promise you that there is a least one song
that has been written that you can sing that addresses what you are
going through. And as you do begin to sing over these situations, you
will begin to see the hand of Almighty God working his good into each
one of them. You will see those you have prayed for, saved and delivered
from sin. You will see God working miracles in your health, your marriage,
even in your finances.
How can I make claims like these upon something as simplistic as singing?
I base it all upon the examples found in the Bible. And I stand in good
company here, for even Paul believed that singing would bring deliverance.
Remember the story about the time he and Silas were arrested and put
in prison? The Bible tells us that at "about midnight Paul and Silas
were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were
listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that
the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors
were opened, and everyone's chains were unfastened.". Notice that not
only was Paul & Silas' chains unfastened, but so were everyone else's
chains.
So whatever you are facing, start to sing. For in the songs of praise
and worship, you will find the solutions to the problems of life. In
the songs of praise & worship, you will set in motion things that will
bring deliverance to others who are bound by the chains of sin. I believe
that what happened as Paul & Silas were singing, is that as their songs
reached heaven, God began to tap his feat to the beat. And as God tapped
his foot, that part of the earth began to shake.
Seriously, I believe that God is setting his people free as he moves
powerfully through their midst as he inhabits the praises of his people.
Let me close with a true story from my life during a time of depression.
The victory that God gave me as I spent time singing songs of praise,
is the same victory that is available to you today. If you want to discover
the power of God that is available to give you tremendous victories
over the problems of life, spend some time before the father in praise
and adoration of who he is, and the great things he has done.
Since we've been in school this morning, let me give you some homework.
I want each of you to add a time of praise to your daily devotion of
reading the Word, and praying. Let me also challenge you to devote some
time when you do nothing else but honor your King through songs that
worship him.
Spend a day where instead of asking God to bless you, you bless him
through singing songs that declare your love & adoration for him. In
doing so, he will change your life forever.
Let's pray!!
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