Music Sunday

My dear friends in Christ,

Welcome to Music Sunday—1000 B.C. Everyone was really excited, and no one more than King David. The ark of the covenant was finally coming home to Jerusalem! During the days of the prophet Samuel, the Philistines had defeated the Israelite army and captured the ark of the covenant. They took it back to their capital city and placed it in the temple of Dagon, their God. The LORD didn’t allow the ark to remain in their hands. He allowed terrible physical plagues to decimate the Philistines. They abandoned the ark, and the men of Israel recovered it. They took it to the house of one of Aaron's descendants, a man named Abinadab. He consecrated his son to serve as priest and caretaker of the ark. It remained in Abinadab's house for over 20 years.

When David became king, he didn't want this beautiful symbol of the LORD's presence to remain in someone's house. He prepared the tabernacle in Jerusalem, just as the LORD had commanded. He accompanied the Levites to the house of Abinadab. The Levites carefully lifted the ark with two poles, just as the LORD had commanded Moses so many years earlier. David led the procession back to Jerusalem. As they approached the city gates, his heart almost burst with joy. He was so thankful that he, and everyone with him, shouted to the LORD, played musical instruments, sang, and even danced. The ark of the covenant—the physical reminder of God’s presence with Israel—was finally home!

Let’s take a closer look at the first few verses of David’s song and see why we are celebrating Music Sunday today.

Look again at Psalm 96:1-6.

1. In one word, what do the first three verses tell us to do? They tell us to sing!

2. Why should we sing to the LORD? We are supposed to sing to the LORD for many different reasons: he is great and most worthy of praise (v.4); all other gods are only idols, but the LORD is real—he created everything (v.4-5); he has all splendor, majesty, strength and glory (v.6).

3. What kind of song are we supposed to sing? A new song.

It’s not 1000 B.C. any longer. The Levites aren’t carrying the ark to Jerusalem. David isn’t singing and dancing. They are all dead and gone. The ark has disappeared. Our reasons to sing and praise the LORD haven’t disappeared.

What procession are you leading today? What reasons do you have to sing to the LORD? [Answers]

We have plenty of reasons to sing. David hints at the greatest reason with that phrase, “Sing to the LORD a new song.” David had lots of reasons to sing an old song. He could look back at the history of God’s people and sing about all the ways the LORD had taken care of them. This new song looks to the future, to God’s greatest saving act of all time. In Revelation 5:9 we hear the lyrics to that new song: "And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." (Revelation 5:9).

1. Who are “they”? Every creature in heaven—the angels, believers—and all of God’s creation!

2. Who is “you”? Jesus.

3. What did he do? He died on the cross. His blood paid for the sins of the world!

4. Why did he have to do that? Because we were slaves to sin—something that we still see in our lives today.

5. Why do we sing a “new song”? We sing this new song because Jesus died for us. Our sins are forgiven!

There’s a lot of debate among Christians today about music and worship. Everyone has different tastes and opinions about what is appropriate in worship and what is not. That debate will continue because God has given us the freedom to choose whatever forms of worship we want. He doesn’t command us to use an organ, piano, or band in worship. He doesn’t demand that the readings be read by a pastor or acted out as a drama. We are free to choose because our Savior has set us free from slavery to rules and regulations. We are free to worship him in any way we choose.

There's one thing that must be part of our worship. We need to sing the "new song" that God shared with us in Revelation. Everything we do during our services is part of that new song because it focuses our attention on the life and work of our Savior, Jesus. That’s why the Christian church has followed a form of liturgy for centuries—it walks us through Jesus' life and ministry. The music we use during worship directs us back to that "new song" we need to sing. One of our hymns, written in the mid-1600’s, says it like this: Jesus, Jesus, only Jesus Can my heartfelt longing still…. Another song from the 20^th century says: My Jesus, my Savior, Lord there is none like you…. We use some of these old songs, along with new songs today because they focus on Jesus. The new song that focuses our attention on Jesus' saving work is our musical heritage.

Today we’re also taking time to thank God for the musical heritage we have at Salem. Thanks, Lord, for organists, choirs, instrumentalists and solists who have made beautiful music to honor your name over the past 125 years. Thanks, Lord, for those who have raised their hearts and voices to praise you for 125 years. Thanks, Lord, for the hymns of believers who have shared their faith over the centuries. Thanks, Lord, for those who write new songs in wonderful styles and sounds so that we can sing our new song of praise to the Lamb again and again. Thank you Lord, for your gift of music! Amen.