Liturgy Lesson: November 22, 2020
Morning Worship (9 and 11)
Call to Worship: Matthew 11:28-29; Ps. 124:8
Prayer of Invocation
Responsive Psalm: Psalm 46 and “Mighty Fortress” (instrumental)
Call to Confession: Lamentations 3:25-26, 31-33, 40-41
Assurance of Pardon: Psalm 116:1-2, 5-9
Hymn of Comfort (solo): I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
Catechism and Prayers
Reading of the Word
Doxology
Sermon: Rev. Eric Irwin
Meditation
Supper: My Shepherd Will Supply My Need; Ps. 16:5-11
Benediction
This past Sunday morning, just as we were beginning our first hymn in our 11 a.m. worship service, Governor Inslee instituted a ban on congregational singing. The updated state regulations were all but unchanged, except for this one rather shocking and draconian mandate. In handing down this injunction against singing, the state makes the allowance for the body to continue to gather, but then it cuts out the heart. I don’t think this surgical move is a display of religious hostility or anti-Christian sentiment. It’s just a heedless blanket attempt to mitigate spread. Apparently masks weren’t enough so now they are now trying muzzles.
Just last night the CPC Session narrowly decided to comply with the Governor’s orders and not sing in worship through Dec. 14. This was a very difficult decision. This morning our pastor sent out a follow-up note to the congregation. “We imagine the division in the session last night is reflective of the congregation and, accordingly, some of you are encouraged while others are discouraged. In the past, scriptural exhortations to unity might have seemed to us unnecessary, but now Paul’s words are important: “[we] urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph 4:1ff).”
It would be easy in a moment like this for me to write some sort of polemic or manifesto in knee-jerk response. But I think you know where I stand. I chose instead to use this crucible to codify and clarify my own beliefs on this issue. I wanted to work toward a theology of singing. It is not intended to be subversive. It is celebratory. Singing is a beautiful gift that is part of God’s character, His creation, and His church. I hope this blesses your heart and awakens an even deeper longing to praise.
I am sorry that congregational singing has become yet another Covid casualty. It is a big loss, albeit a temporary one. I echo our Pastor’s words and urge us to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” and “bear with one another in love.” In this very difficult, song-stifling moment, please stay with us, and please be wise in your response. Our singing may be temporarily dumb, but let’s not be stupid. We will get through this together, and after the extended pause, there will be a crescendo. Be assured, I will have my hand on the volume knob waiting for that day…
Essential, Unquenchable Song of the Saints
~ Toward a theology of singing—in hymn format ~
Verse 1: The Trinity Sings
Our Triune God exists as a glorious and harmonious triad, forever sounding forth through creation (Ps. 19:1-4, Rom. 1:20, Jn. 1:1-3). They are the eternal three-note resonance of Love that begets all of life.
God the Father sings over us (Zeph. 3:17). His revealed word includes an extensive book of Psalms (the largest book in the Bible), and his story ends with the whole cosmos participating in an unceasing chorus of eternal praise (Rev. 5:8-13). When His Word became incarnate, it elicited outbursts of song. Mary sang the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55), Zechariah the Benedictus (Lk. 1:68-79), and the angel chorus heralded the birth (Lk. 2:14).
The Holy Spirit is the breath that animates the song (Ps. 40:3, 2 Sam 23:2, 1 Cor. 14:15). His indwelling presence draws forth songs of praise (Eph. 5:18-19).
Jesus Christ, while on earth, sang a hymn of praise with his disciples at the Passover meal (Mk. 14:26, Matt. 26:30). While upon the cross a verse from Psalm 22 was on his lips (Matt. 27:46). The Apostle Paul tells us that it is Jesus’s voice that declares, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise” (Heb. 2:12). When we are gathered for worship and united in song, “the body of Christ, along with the Head, is Christ offering praise to His Father. The Greater David gives praise by our hand” (Peter Leithart, from Silence to Song).
The Lord is our song. Our Father is the maker, the Spirit is the messenger, and Christ is the mediator. We worship a triune God in whose image we are created. From Him, through Him, and to Him is the unending song of praise.
REFRAIN:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Verse 2: All Creation Sings
God composed the cosmos in a glorious act of self-expression. His creation carries the theme of his song. It reverberates and resonates with his splendor. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Their voice goes out through all the earth” (Ps. 19:1,4). The morning stars sing together” (Job 38:7). “The heavens rejoice, the seas resound, the fields are jubilant, and everything in them. All the trees of the forest sing for joy” (Ps. 96:11-12). “The rivers clap their hands and the mountains sing together for joy” (Ps. 98:8). Oh Lord, our Lord, all the earth worships you (Ps. 66:4). All you have made continuously pours out a symphony of exultant praise.
“Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens! Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created. Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds! Praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.” (Ps. 148)
REFRAIN:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Verse 3: The Church Sings its Worship
The Bible contains over 400 references to singing, and over 50 direct commands to sing. This extends well beyond personal prayer. Repeatedly, the Psalmists see singing as a communal act of worship (Ps. 149:1, 9:11, 18:49, 21:13, 57:9, 95:1-2 and 96:3). The two most famous passages in the New Testament about singing instruct us to do it in the context of “one another” (Eph. 5:19-21 and Col. 3:16). The singing of hymns, spiritual songs, and Psalms has always been a central element in Biblical worship. This was true for the worship of the Old Testament and it was certainly true for the worship of the ancient church. Singing is integral to corporate worship and is itself an act of worship.
Music has been called “the handmaiden of theology,” and as such is an essential aspect of “letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly” (Col. 3:16). Through singing we teach and admonish one another, affirm our faith, encourage thanksgiving, and proclaim spiritual truth.
Singing is not primarily decorative or didactic, but doxological. It is a delightful gift from a Father who desires not only our allegiance but our affections. Musical praise, as a language of the heart, helps the whole person (not just the intellect) respond to the good news of salvation. It moves us from affirmation of the truth toward adoration of Christ who is the Truth. Singing is a powerfully formative act involving mind, body, and heart that uniquely accomplishes the twofold telos that is found in the Westminster shorter catechism, “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Singing is a holistic response to God’s revelation and redemption. As such, it is an irreplaceable part of discipleship and a significant means of edification. The collective voice of the congregation is (pun intended) instrumental to our liturgy.
REFRAIN:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Verse 4: The Church Sings as Witness
The church is the bride of Christ, and her love song is directed to her Lord and Savior. The purpose of her singing is to bless him (Ps. 103:1), extol him (Ps. 145:1), lift him up, and proclaim him to the nations (Jn. 12:32). Thus, singing in worship is one of the church’s most effective means of witness. Her song is a continual sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name (Heb. 13:15).
The songs of the faithful recount the deeds of the Lord (Is. 63:7, Ps. 9:1). Some of the Psalms are litanies that “tell of God’s wondrous works” (Ps. 105 – 107). These songs proclaim and promulgate the specifics of God’s redemptive work in his creation and stewardship over all things. As one generation commends his works to another and declares his mighty acts in song (Ps. 145:4) the people of God faithfully preserve their story of salvation. Throughout most of history these Psalms could have only been heard in public and not read in private. Music aids memory and singing makes things stick. The very form and function of these songs helps embed the gospel narrative in the hearts of the people, so that they may go forth and “declare his glory among the nations” (1 Chron. 16:24, Ps. 96:3).
REFRAIN:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Verse 5: The Church Sings as Warfare
When God delivered Israel out of Egypt, all the people came together and sang a song of triumph to the Lord (Ex. 15:1-18). After Israel was delivered from the Canaanites, they “sang on that day” (Judg. 5:1). In heaven all the redeemed will sing “a new song before the throne” of Christ (Rev. 14:3). The church sings to celebrate victory, but it also sings in the midst of battle. King Jehoshaphat appointed singers to go “before the army,” and when they began to sing and praise, “the Lord set an ambush” against the enemy” (2 Chron. 20:21-22). During the siege of Jericho, on the seventh day, Joshua commanded his people to “shout and make your voice heard.” When they did so, the city and all that was within it was won for the Lord (Josh. 6:10,17). The loud shouts and cries of the church militant are an act of sonic warfare against the prince of the air.
REFRAIN:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Verse 6: We Sing in Unison
The power of song to unite people is universal. It is not something exclusive to Christians. However, when Christians sing together in corporate worship, they are experiencing something beyond cultural or emotional bonds. Singing hymns in worship is much more than chanting at a sports stadium or joining in for the national anthem. Our songs are a momentary realization of our oneness in Christ. Congregational singing is an embodiment of an eternal reality. Corporate singing by the body of Christ is a beautiful manifestation of the unity in the Spirit through the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3). Each Psalm, hymn, or song can be a means of grace, a sort of mini-Pentecost moment as the Holy Spirit kindles our hearts, subdues our own dialects and helps us find the common tongue of praise native to the citizens of heaven. As we are filled with the Spirit, we overflow in song to one another, giving thanks to God the Father. All of this is an act of mutual submission out of reverence for Christ (Eph. 5:18-21). Our songs are an audible expression of an invisible union in Christ. We temporarily lay aside our discord and find harmony as the Holy Spirit tunes our hearts. So many clenched fists now become opened hands in a shared doxology. How good and pleasant this is (Ps. 133:1)!
In Christ we are being joined together and are growing into a holy temple for the Lord (Eph. 2:21). Together we are becoming a dwelling place for God’s Spirit, a sanctuary of His praise. Singing together exhibits this reality and reminds us of our ultimate identity and purpose. “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 15:5-6).
REFRAIN:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
Verse 7: Heaven and Earth Sing Together (with Descant)
Our sanctuary was acoustically built for singing. It was not designed to be a lecture hall, where brains on sticks receive correction and instruction. Such a place has no need for singing. Alternatively, it is not intended to be a concert hall, where an audience gathers for aesthetic pleasure and entertainment. Such a place makes singing a spectator sport. Rather, our sanctuary was built to be a sort of banquet hall, where the covenant people gather to celebrate the weekly feast that prefigures the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-9). That is reason for singing!
“I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters
and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory!”
When we gather for worship, we are not just arriving to a building; we are coming to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, to God, the judge of all, and to the spirit of the saints made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant (Heb. 12:22-24). And so we sing with them.
Some of the roots of our liturgical worship are found in the Old Testament temple practices, where it was the duty of the Levitical singers to “make themselves heard in unison, praise, and thanksgiving to the Lord. When the song was raised, the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God” (2 Chron. 5:13-14). Singing is sometimes the catalyst for God’s miraculous intervention and immanent presence among his people. This is a foretaste of glory.
In almost every biblical account where men have a vision of Heaven, they witness singing. The two most well-known examples are Isaiah 6 and Revelation 4. Both involve angelic beings singing the Trisagion (“Holy, Holy, Holy”). The book of Revelation itself is brimming with singing. It is, quite literally, hymn-laden. Fifteen hymns or hymn fragments are commonly recognized (4:8; 4:9–11; 5:9–10; 5:12; 5:13; 7:10; 7:11–12; 11:15; 11:16–18; 12:10–12; 15:2–4; 16:5–7; 19:1–4; 19:5; 19:6–8). Some of these hymns are being sung in rhapsodic roundelay by numerous beings in the midst of ecstatic jubilation.
Christina Rossetti said that “Heaven is the homeland of music.. Music throughout history has always been tied to transcendence, that which is beyond the material world. Liturgical music in Christian worship steers us toward the greater reality and the promise of heaven. The beauty of our songs beckons us to behold the Beautiful One. All of our music and singing is, in some way, magnetizing the compass toward true north, pointing our hearts back home.
Though we cannot see it, nor hear it, there is a far-off hymn from that distant land that is playing on a loop. It has been echoing from eternity and someday we will hear its full spectrum of symphonic splendor in HD (Heavenly Definition). For now, when we sing our humble songs in church, we prefigure that song, and we join in as through a veil. The angels above the canopy can hear us, and they are singing a descant over us. One day we will join them, and everyone will sing as yet unimagined harmonies in perfect tune.
REFRAIN:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
REPEAT REFRAIN…