Profiles of a True Church
BIBLICAL APPROACH TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP
Intro:
WHY DOES THE CHURCH SING?
God commands it.
Psalm 96:1 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Psalm 96:2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Psalm 96:3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.
Psalm 96:4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods.
Francis Foulkes – Singing has always had a great place in the church’s life and worship. Every new movement of the Spirit has brought a fresh outburst of song.
Eph 5:15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
Eph 5:16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Eph 5:17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Eph 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
Eph 5:19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
Eph 5:20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Eph 5:21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.
What are the differences between “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs?”
PSALMS – songs of praise, extolling God accompanied by instruments (harps! strings)
See the superscripts of Psalms 4, 5, 6, & 9
HYMNS – In Greek culture defined as epic ballad exalting a god/hero with festive lyrics
Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
Phil 2:6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
Phil 2:7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
Phil 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Phil 2:9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
Phil 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
Phil 2:11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Col 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
Col 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
Eph 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
1 Tim 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Rev 4:10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
Rev 4:11 “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
Rev 5:13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
SPIRITUAL SONGS – modern songs of praise inspired by the Spirit that manifest the life of the Spirit
Believers who are filled with the Spirit delight to sing the praise of Christ.
This kind of praise comes not just from the lips but from the individual’s innermost being, from the heart, where the Spirit Himself resides.
Eph 3:16-17 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith
To sing is the natural reaction to saving grace.
Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me, and heard my cry.
Psalm 40:2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps.
Psalm 40:3 He has put a new song in my mouth — praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.
James 5:13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
Singing teaches truth.
1 Cor 14:26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
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.
Col 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
Acts 16:30 And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Acts 16:31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Singing shows submission to the One being praised.
Conclusion:
