Wise Men Came to Worship Christ

 

Wise Men Came to Worship Christ

Matthew 2:1-2 states, “Now when Jesus was born on Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

       We do not know when the kings came to Jerusalem, or when they appeared at Joseph and Mary’s home.  It is generally believed that it was about a year after Christ’s birth.  There is much conjecture about just who these Eastern Magi were.  Many believe that they were astrologers and or philosophers.  There is some possibility that they were Jews of mixed descent who lived in distant lands and were knowledgeable of the Messianic prophesies in the Jewish Scrolls.  If so, then they would have believed that the time of Christ’s coming was at hand. 

       Since they followed Christ’s star, there possible were astrologers among them –and thus the statement “We have followed his star”.  However, the thing that really mattered was that they traveled all those miles to worship Christ.  They believed that he was the “king” so they diligently sought after Him.  They believed that they would indeed find the Christ child.  Even more importantly it sees that they believed that He was the Messiah and that He was worthy of their worship.

       Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Wise men and women still seek Him.  In their seeking it is still necessary for them to believe, like the wise men who sought after Christ; and they must believe, not only that he is, but that he will reward those who seek him with salvation."

ible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  Wise men and women still seek Him.  In their seeking it is still necessary for them to believe, like the wise men who sought after Christ; and they must believe, not only that he is, but that he will reward those who seek him with salvation.

 

 

Amen, and Amen

 

Amen, and Amen                                           

Re 1:5-6, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”  Take some time to think about what “Amen” means.  The word amen used in this verse in the NT is a Hebrew loan word that means ‘of verity’ or ‘so be it’.   When I think about Jesus Christ is a faithful witness that loved me so much that He loved me in spite of my sin, I say halleluiah amen!  Think of it, the prince of the kings of the earth loved me enough to die for my sin.  When I ponder on the wonder of His love I am amazed that He suffered and died for a small sinful boy who grew up on an eighty-acre farm in eastern Kansas. 

Wow! I’m about to get blessed and make some noise.  I’m not sure that I am capable of sitting here much longer without praising my Lord and Savior loudly.  I’m about ready to make a joyful noise to express my happiness.  Those around me will not understand what is going on in my inner most soul right now.  They may take me away and restrain me with a straight jacket, but that’s ok because my wonderful Lord will understand.  If I tell them that I am thinking about my Savior who is the first begotten of the dead and my soon coming king, they will consider me to be just another religious fanatic but that’s ok because my Lord and Savior will know that I am perfectly sane.

My Savior knows how many sins His precious blood washed away in an instant.  He knows how he transformed me into a king and priest unto His glory.  Christian musician look up with joy.  Take heart because he has done the same for you.  Let your mouth be filled with many Amens and Hallelujahs unto the victorious Lamb of God.  Remember that you are on the winning side because you serve a God who will have dominion and glory forever, Amen.

No Room for Jesus

 

No Room for Jesus

St. Luke2:7 states, And she brought forth her first born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”

       Can you imagine that there was actually no room for the Son of God in the inn in Bethlehem?  Many times we as musicians have a hard time understanding why bad things happen to good people.  Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus were certainly good people.  Why did God the Father let Jesus, His only begotten son, be born in a cattle shelter which was perhaps a cave?  From our very finite understanding it would seem that there could have been at least a tiny room that no one was using.  However God the Father let His only son be born in obscurity and humility.  On this blessed day of days, we should remember that, regardless of our circumstances, most of us were not born in a place of humility like Jesus. 

       Jesus didn’t let his surroundings and his humble birth ever affect His ministry.  Likewise, His earthly parents did not let the humility of the circumstances of Christ’s birth affect their vision of who Jesus was and their role in the accomplishment of the will of God.  Thank God for Mary and Joseph who did not let their situation deter them from obeying God that wonderful night long ago in Bethlehem.     .

The Long Journey to Bethlehem

 

The Long Journey to Bethlehem

            Luke 2:4-5 states, “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David :) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.”       The long trek from Nazareth to Bethlehem by Joseph and Mary was a journey of faith.  Caesar Augustus had decreed that all the people should be registered or “taxed”.  Joseph’s journey with Mary was not merely an act of obedience to Caesar Augustus, but also to God.  As we discussed yesterday, the angel had assured Joseph that he should not be afraid to accept Mary as his espoused wife.

       Now Mary and Joseph are on their journey toward Bethlehem the day before the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Joseph is not ashamed of Mary because he trusts he trusts God.  He is willing to sign the tax register and publicly accept Mary as his espoused wife—going on record for all eternity that he trusts and believes God. 

       Are you among the Christian musicians that trust God?  Are you willing to trust God with your life, your career, your future, and your music ministry?  Trust comes with implicit faith in god that He will guide you and protect you for the rest of your life.  Joseph’s implicit faith that the angel of God had told him the truth enabled him to take the long journey of faith to Bethlehem that day.  It will be by faith alone that you will enter the New Year knowing in your heart that God is saying to you “be not afraid”.

 

Mary Was Truly Blessed

 

Mary Was Truly Blessed

St Luke 1:28 states, “And the angel came unto her, and said, hail, thou art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.”

       Today we are going to consider the Virgin Mary who was not afraid to obey the angel of God who came to give her the assurance that the Lord was going to be with her and had chosen her to help prepare the way of Christ to bring salvation to sinful men and women in this sin cursed world.  What would have happened if she had been afraid to obey God?  God had planned that she should be blessed above all women.  However, she had to be obedient to the will of God in order to help fulfill the promise of god to all people.  The fulfillment of the gift of God through Christ Jesus was contingent on her obedience to God’s mysterious and wonderful plan.

       Chief musician you have been chosen to once again tell the wonderful story of Christ’s coming to earth to save sinful men and women.  Only eternity will reveal how important your obedience is to God’s strategic plan for bringing hope and salvation to post-modern and post post-modern men  and women who hear you and those who music with you during  this season.

 

 

Joseph Was Truly Blessed

 

Joseph Was Truly Blessed

St Matthew 1:20 states, “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.”

       Joseph was in terrible mental anguish.  If he put Mary away publicly, the Jews would probably stone her to death.  So, he was contemplating putting her away privately.  He certainly needed to hear from God.  So, God sent his angel to assure Joseph that God was going to take care of Mary and himself.

       Did you ever think of what would have happened if Joseph had failed God at this crucial time in the history of mankind?  What would have happened to Mary?   What would have happened to the baby Jesus who was not yet born of the Virgin Mary?  It is easy for us to postulate that God would not have let anything happen to the Baby Jesus, but it took the obedience of both Mary and Joseph for God to complete His perfect will.  If Joseph had not had a choice, I do not believe that his choice would have been recorded in the Holy Writ.

       Compared to Joseph’s choice, many of our choices in life seem somewhat insignificant.  At this time of Christmas, it behooves all Christian musicians to remember that our choices, no matter how small they seem, do matter.  If God could trust Joseph to make the right choice, surely He will help us to make right choices during this Christmas season.  Joseph was truly blessed because God could trust him to make the right decision. 

       I know from experience that it is about this time in December that musicians go into depression.  We wish that our Christmas presentations would have been performed more accurately.  We can think of a thousand and one things that we could have done more efficiently.  However the Presentations are over and we are left with the “Christmas program blues”.  Look up! I believe God’s angel is saying to you “do not be afraid.  God has accepted your musical offering.”  It isn’t the grandness of our musical offerings that matter but it is the fact that we have given Him the best offering that we were capable of giving and that we offered it as an offering “in righteousness”.

 

Handel’s Messiah Revisited

 

Handel’s Messiah Revisited

        During the Christmas season church choirs perform the most loved and most performed Oratorio ever composed by any composer anywhere in the world in all the combined history of Western Music. It is not merely a series of scenes from the life of Jesus Christ, but rather it is an account of the plan of redemption fulfilled through our Savior Jesus Christ the Messiah i.e. “the anointed one,” “the chosen one”, or “Redeemer”.

        From the scholarly information that we have, Handel did not put the texts together.  Rather it was put together by an Englishman whose name was Charles Jennens.  I Messiah was composed in1741 in 24 days and was first performed on 13 April of that year in Dublin’s Musick Hall .  Contrary to popular myth, it was not composed as church music and was not performed first by Handel in a church but rather in a theatre for charitable purposes.  It was first performed in Dublin Ireland and Handel was the director.

        One of the times that my wife and I visited Dublin, we visited one of the two cathedrals whose choir was involved in the early performances at the theatre in Dublin.  While we were there, I saw an old pipe organ console--there was a sign on it which read, “Handel played this organ”.

        It is an honor to be involved in the performance of this great oratorio.  Handel painted the pictures of the Redeemer accurately.  If you are involved in a performance of this oratorio, make sure that you take time to take note of these beautiful musical pictures.  Do not get so involved in notes and rhythms and harmonies that you miss the message of our Redeemer who came to this earth and took on the form of a servant, suffered, died, and rose again victorious over death, hell, and the grave.

God’s Clock Does Keep Perfect Time

 

God’s Clock Does Keep Perfect Time

       For centuries the world had needed a Savior.  Surely the people were in darkness and sin.  In these dark times God the father sent His only son to come to earth that were under the law.  God knew that the wages of sin is eternal death, but God also knew that only the giving of His son Jesus could bring eternal life to this sin cursed world.  All those who loved and served Jehovah that lived during Old Testament times looked forward to the coming of the Messiah.  They must have wondered why they were left without the promised Emanuel.  I cannot imagine what it would have been like to have been born during those dark times.  It is amazing to me that many of the Jewish church leaders, who knew the prophesies about the coming of Christ, were not looking for a Savior who would be born in obscurity, humility, and poverty in a stable in the little town of Bethlehem.

       But when God’s clock said that it was the right time, He sent His son to this earth so that we would be able to receive remission of sins and be adopted into the family of God.  Although we do not understand why the time was right for our Savior to be born, we know that he did come and that He came to save us from sin.  Praise God that His clock does keep perfect time.  Because it does, we are the benefactors of this great salvation.

Thoughts on Redemption through Christ from Scripture

 

Thoughts on Redemption through Christ from Scripture

Mt 1:18-21 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Lu 2:1-7, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed… And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)  To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

Joh 1:4-5  “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.  Joh 1:10-13, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

2Co 4:6-7, “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”  Ro 5:1-2, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

The Good News This Christmas

 

The Good News This Christmas

Isaiah 40:9 states, “O Zion that bringest good tidings, get the up into a high mountain; O Jerusalem that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God.”

       What were those good tidings/  the good news was that Jesus the Christ was coming to dwell among men and women on this earth.  What is the good news of this Christmas season?  It is that Christ came two thousand years ago to save sinners and he is still saving the lost in the twenty-first century.  Christ is still freeing people from the awful bondage and slavery of sin.

       What should we do during this Christmas season?  The people of God should turn up the sound system so that people may hear the good news of the Gospel.  That is what the prophet Isaiah proclaimed.  Get thee up into a high mountain so that people will be able to hear the good news. Tell the congregation of people and the choir and the orchestra and the pianist and the organist to “lift up thy voice with strength” that Jesus Christ still saves sinners. Do not be afraid to lift up your voice to saints and sinners alike that there is good news this Christmas season.  Tell them, ”BEHOLD YOUR GOD”.

Real Creation Took Place When God Created part 2

 

Real Creation Took Place When God Created part 2 

          We know from Genesis 1:27 that mankind was created in the image of God—“So God created man in his own image…”  The Hebrew word tselem (6754) which has been rendered image in the AV connotes an illusion, resemblance or a representative figure.  So, Christian musicians were created by our heavenly Father as representative figures or little “shadows” of an infinite God.  We are made in His image, but we are not gods or are we actually like God. I like to use the illustration of a person holding their hand directly below a bright light.  The image of a hand that is seen on the floor is not a hand, but it is the image of the real hand that is above it. 

It is important to point out that God created; he made us in his image so we are called on to be “Creative” but we are in no way creators.  Only God can take nothing and make something out of it. When a Christian musician exercises his God given “Creativeness” he takes the building blocks of music, which were created by God, and arranges them into what is hopefully a “creative” musical composition.

When Christian musicians use terms like creation, creative, creating, creative effort, creative genius, creative ability, and creative talent when they are referring to the work of a musician, they are using the terms loosely.  God has given many musicians unusual musical ability to perform, arrange, compose, and orchestrate music, but God has never given a musician the ability and power to start with nothing and form something out of that nothingness.   

 

 

 

 

Real Creation Took Place When God Created part 1

 

Real Creation Took Place When God Created part 1

          At the outset of this discussion it should be understood that real creation is not synonymous with a musician being creative or his or her propensity toward creativeness.  Man did not create music and furthermore, it did not evolve into existence.  The process of music’s beginning and development over many centuries is a much different phenomenon when one compares the notion of some kind of musical “big bang” with no one knowing how it started since many do not believe that music’s beginning was a part of the creation as recorded in the first chapter of Genesis.  Since evolutionists, both atheistic and theistic, refer to evolution in different terms than a creationist, it is unwise for those of us who believe in a real creation to refer to music’s “evolution”. The term development is a much better word to explain what has happened over the many centuries.

          Although the performer, composer arranger, or music director is “creative” he or she is not capable of creating anything.  We know from the Genesis chapter one, verse one that “in the beginning God created…”  The lexical form of the Hebrew phrase “in the beginning God created” is “reshiyth elohiym bara eth (7225, 430, 1254, 853).  This statement is, as lexicographers tell us, rather unprecedented in the English language.  At the first (reshiyth) (of time?) the plurality of the supreme exceeding God (elohiym) through the formative process by entity and “self” created (bara eth).  In other words elohiym the supreme God by himself and through His own power took nothing and made something.  In the truest sense of the word, that is actual creation.  God took nothing and made music.  No one but God has ever made something from nothing from that person’s “entity”.

 

Christian Musicians Have an Enemy-part 2

 

Christian Musicians Have an Enemy-part 2

          Now, for just a moment, let’s take a look at how thesis thought slowly evolved into synthesis thinking.  Under classical philosophy, philosophers thought in terms of the truth which was thesis and the opposite of truth which was antithesis.  For instance, they believed that God created and that Satan perverted.  God was completely good and Satan was completely evil because he was the complete antithesis of God.  This type of philosophy always produced a unified field of knowledge.  However, sometime during the 20^th century some philosophers began to doubt that a person in this rationally absurd world could come to a knowledge of right and wrong. 

So, Christian philosophy in the 20^th century was divided between those who still believed in right and wrong in church music and others who believed that church music answers could only be found somewhere in between right and wrong, since they did not believe that terms like “wrong”, “unsuitable”, or “inappropriate” were appropriate when applied to music in public worship.  They accepted Hegelian philosophy that taught that the unified whole was always found in reconciling the opposites (thesis and antithesis) in what he called synthesis.  During the late 20^th century, Christian church musicians flocked to this concept of synthesis.  Historically the church had always believed in right and wrong.  The church had always prescribed what was appropriate and inappropriate in church music.  (See Chapter 7 on A Prescriptive Approach to Music Ministry in Church Music Matters.)  As church musicians developed a philosophy based on synthesis thinking the church no longer had the right to say that a style of music was or was not appropriate for public worship. 

 

Christian Musicians Have an Enemy-part 1

 Christian Musicians Have an Enemy-part 1

Although it is not popular to mention Satan in many Christian circles, there is a real devil!  Ephesians 6:12 tells Christians to “put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  Why do church musicians believe that there are no stratagems or wiles of the devil concerning church music?  Why do pastors and music ministers believe that Satan has left church music alone and that when it comes to music the devil has no bright ideas?   Satan is the prince of the evil in this world (see St. John 14:30) in which we live and that includes music.  We were all once caught in the “wheel” of this world system, however, Ephesians 2:2 explains that Christians are no longer a part of this world system when it says, “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience”. 

 So, those who are walking according to the course of this world are truly programmed and are caught in the “wheel”.  Since they are a part of this world system, church musicians who are of this world are synthesis thinkers who believe that the only way to authenticate themselves in this rationally absurd universe is to validate THEMSELVES with THEIR MUSIC.  Somehow these synthesis thinkers believe that although they should not take a stand against the music of this world system, they can authenticate THEIR music ministry by using the music of this world to win the lost to Christ.

A philosophy of Music Aesthetics part 2

 

A philosophy of Music Aesthetics part 2 

Although the Scripture lesson speaks primarily to the sexual sins it also speaks of worshiping created things which includes art and art objects rather than the Creator.  Therefore worshiping aesthetics or any created art forms is nothing less than idolatry!  The Scripture lesson above warns those who worship created things rather than the Creator start by suppressing the truth that Christians must not worship any created thing.  Therefore the result of an aesthetic approach to religion is worshiping art for art’s sake.  I believe that worshiping art for art’s sake in music worship is the outcome of a faulty praxial view of the place of the arts in worship.  Worship music must derive its significance outside of itself.  If it does not, it is autonomous.  Therefore, a Christocentric Christian aesthetic must derive its significance outside of itself.  A Christian aesthetic view will consequently not derive the same musical import as a secular aesthetic view does. 

          I want to make it very clear that I believe that aesthetic beauty in the arts used in worship is not wrong but, on the contrary, beauty in the arts is one of the proofs that an art form follows biblical principles.  Beauty is a concomitant of God’s orderly creation.  I believe that when God created music as a part of his personal orderly creation that it was very good or beautiful (Genesis 1:31).  Although misguided musicologists and some Christian musicians have purported that the music of the Bible was harsh and ugly, there is not a shred of biblical or extra biblical proof of such an exotic hypothesis.  On the contrary the te’amim (the musical melodies of all Old Testament scripture) have proven the music of the Bible was very beautiful.  (See chapter Eight of Music in the Bible in Christian Perspective).

 

A philosophy of Music Aesthetics part 1

 

A philosophy of Music Aesthetics part 1

How does a Christian musician develop a philosophy of music aesthetics?  Some Christian musicians believe that art derives most of its significance outside of itself.  This is especially true when we consider sacred music.  Worship music normally exists as a means to an end.  Music is a vehicle upon which the Word of God rides into the mind of the worshiper.  However, an increasing number of Christian musicians believe that music is a closed system and that its system of “knowing” and its significance comes within itself.  This philosophical belief allows a Christian musician to function independently of the Lordship of Christ.  Since they believe that music’s significance is in no way referential it only refers to itself and may not “say” anything at all.  This belief system allows a total artistic approach to religious music. 

          Art is not the doorway to the kingdom of God.  Therefore a Christian must develop a religious approach to arts rather than an artistic approach to religion.  Christians are warned in Romans 1:18:

 

vs. 18   The wrath of God is being revealed against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness

vs. 19   Since what may be known about God is plain to them.

vs. 25   They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – who is forever praised.  Amen.

vs. 28   Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.  (NIV)

 

Borrowing Terms from Landscapers

 

Borrowing Terms from Landscapers

In my writings I have borrowed terms that landscapers use and understand universally and have applied them to sacred and secular music and musicing.  These terms include:

        Unity- the unity of the music part of music with its purpose.

Balance- a good marriage of words with the use of the building blocks of music as well as a balance of the use of the elements of music.

Contrast- contrast between secular and sacred music and musicing.

Harmony- chords and chord progressions.

        Color- tone color (timbre).

Transition- key modulation and changes from section to    section.

Line-melodic line

Proportion-the appropriate use of the elements of music

Repetition-of text, rhythm, melody, and harmony

I also refer to musical  landscape  as the general atmosphere which  surrounds musicing that either enhances or distracts from the effectiveness of corporate Christian worship.  I define Parlance as a particular way of speaking or using words in scholarly writing that is common and understood by those who have an interest in music and musicing.  Now I have combined parlance and landscape to indicate a common use of terms to explain more clearly how music forms an atmosphere i.e., landscape that surrounds and either supports or distracts from corporate Christian worship.

 

Communicating Effectively

 

Communicating Effectively

In order to communicate effectively Christian musicians must:

1.   State and define terms in modern English parlance.

2.   Base cardinal music theological beliefs, for the most part, on what the Bible actually states about music and musicing.  Non-believers may not consider that what the Bible states about music and musicing is authorative, but at least when they look up the scriptures in the Bible that we use as proof of a musical belief, they will be able to authenticate that the scriptures used actually mention music and/or musicing.

3.   Be honest enough to distinguish between music preferences (which are in many situations negotiable) and Bible based principles of music and muscing (which are not negotiable). 

4.   Distinguish between the Christian’s “will” concerning how he or she wishes to music unto God and to each other, and God’s “will”, about how a Christian should music unto God and unto or among each other, which is always attested by what  His WORD actually states about music and musicing.

5.   Be honest enough to admit that there is a difference in a philosophical music belief and a Bible based music theological principle of music and musicing, which is always supported by His WORD.

6.   Be honest enough to admit to non-believers that  personal philosophical beliefs about music and musicing are not always incontrovertibly true.

 

Music is always performed in community

 

Music is always performed in community

Sacred or secular music is never performed in an enclosed bubble that is insulated from real life situations or real life emotional states of mind.  Music is always performed in community i.e.; it always has meaning that is understood at least partially in relationship of the culture in which it is performed.  Those who attend corporate worship filter the music part of the music that they hear through their previous experiences with the style of music that is being used in the context of Christian worship.  For example, if worship leaders use a sacred text with styles taken from sensual music used in general secular culture, those who have  experienced the music part of the music arranged in a way that aroused passion in a dance club, will likely receive confusing signals from the music being performed. 

Those who have the most understanding of the sensual secular style being used will receive more conflicting meaning when they hear it amalgamated with a sacred text.  The fact that they may like the secular style of music being used is not the issue. Using a sacred text with a sensual style of music, or having a Christian  perform this combination does not sanctify this music style fusion for sacred use.

 

Is All of a Christian’s Musicing a Sacred Experience? Part 2

 

Is All of a Christian’s Musicing a Sacred Experience? Part 2

After studying music philosophy and what the Bible actually states about music and musicing for over 50 years, I have learned that Christians have created many of the connotation words and phrases that make communication next to impossible with non-believers who are musicians or music philosophers.  What is intimated by what Christians say and what they write is capable of building a miscommunication barrier so high and fortified and so removed from modern understanding of the terms used, that what Christian’s   say and write about musical beliefs will most often be misunderstood by non-believers.  I fail to understand what is to be gained by using a word or phrase to suggest a different association than its literal meaning which is more universally understood by musicians and music philosophers.

 

Is All of a Christian’s Musicing a Sacred Experience? Part 1

 

Is All of a Christian’s Musicing a Sacred Experience? Part 1

It is of little wonder that Christians often have so much difficulty communicating with musicians and music philosophers who are non-believers. Rather than developing our own “pseudo-religious speak” to define, explain and defend the nature of a Christian’s musicing, we should, whenever possible,  use the same modern English parlance that non-believers use and understand. 

Just think how egotistical it appears to non-believers when Christians intimate that when  non-believers perform a Bach two-part Invention  it is secular musicing, but when Christians perform it, somehow the performance is transformed into a sacred experience because the Christian performs it to honor God.

Music That is Clearly Christian

 Music That is Clearly Christian

Christians should be concerned that all of the sacred music they use in the context of corporate  and private worship is clearly Christian. General culture’s influence on music and musicing is often at loggerheads with music that is suited to the purposes of Christian worship. The music part of music receives its identity from the way that the building  blocks of music i.e., rhythm, melody, harmony, tone color etc. are arranged.  However, not all styles of music that are composed, arranged and performed by non-believers for use in general music culture are inappropriate for use in Christian worship or for a Christian’s secular musicing. Although there is no such thing as a sacred or secular quarter note, how the elements of music are organized and utilized gives a music composition its identity.  So, regardless of which genre or which style within that genre of music a Christian performs, whether it is sacred or secular music, that music should not bring reproach upon the cause of Christ. As will be pointed out in this discussion, all Christian musicians are Christians first, and musicians second.

Understanding Sacred Music

Understanding Sacred Music

The reason the Levite musicians could prophesy “in the words of God” for the service of the LORD is simply that they understood sacred music.  The Bible does not tell us that these musicians were proficient in all the artistic wisdom of Hurrians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Sumerians, or Akkadians, but rather in the sacred songs of the Temple.  Likewise, in the New Testament, in the Ephesian letter, church musicians are admonished to “speak to yourselves in psalms (psalmos 5568) and hymns (humnos 5215) and spiritual songs (pneumatikos 4152 oide 5503).”  The New Testament Christian musician is counseled to be knowledgeable in the songs of the Lord.  Colossians 3:16 also confirms that the Christian musician must be knowledgeable in the songs of the Lord when it states, “teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”.  These church musicians were knowledgeable in the psalms of the Bible, hymns or songs of laudation to God and spiritual or non-carnal songs.

Church Music Matters-part 3

 

Church Music Matters-part 3 

          As church leaders we must continuously encourage, admonish, and instruct our church musicians to “prophesy” with music.  Now in order to prophesy, the man of God had to discern the mind of God.  It should be pointed out that by the term “prophesy”, I only mean our music should be God’s message to the people.  I do not mean that our music ministry should be divinely inspired or that church musicians in this dispensation receive divinely inspired messages from God.   Note that these musicians were not only seers but also tellers. 

The fathers of the Levite musicians trained these musicians to seek and find the will and word of Jehovah and tell it to the people through the medium of music.  When we look at music ministry from this perspective, we understand that in ancient Israel church music mattered.  It is my belief that in the 21st century, church music matters.  The reason it matters is that church musicians are still commanded to find the will and mind of the Holy Spirit and then deliver (tell) this message to the church through the medium of music.  Unless our church music presents the Logos Christos (Word 3056 of  Christ 5547), it really doesn’t matter very much.  Church music is hollow unless it is a vehicle upon which the Word of Christ rides into the hearts of men and women.

          Verse 5 of I Chronicles 25 states that Heman was the Kings seer in the words (dabar 1697) of God.  The Hebrew word dabar was used in the Old Testament with some latitude.  Its meaning included: words, matters, advise, business, language, promise, and message.  So we may conclude that Heman was a seer of the message of God through music.  We know that a seer was a beholder of visions of God.  Heman, the chief musician, was therefore a spiritual musical messenger.  He came with a distinct message from God for the people.  In II Chronicles 35:15, Jeduthun was mentioned as a seer (chozeh 2734) and in II Chronicles 29:30, Asaph was said to be a seer.  All three of these Chief Musicians who were the teachers of the young Levite musicians understood that they were to present God’s musical message to the congregation.  They were seers or beholders of the vision of God in music.

Church Music Matters-part 2

 

Church Music Matters-part 2  

          How did the Chief Musicians train these musicians correctly?  Verse 5 says that the Chief Musician, Heman, was the Kings seer (chozeh 2374).  Heman taught his sons his vision of the Word of God in song.  Because Heman was saturated with the message of God, he taught these musicians the message of God through the medium of music.

          The temple musicians mentioned in I Chronicles 25 were separated to the service.  They were set apart.  They were called and this calling was to serve Jehovah with music.  They were not merely performers; they were ministering servants.  There was a moral purpose for their music making.  They were making music unto God and for God’s glory.  There was a deep moral force behind their music, for as we will see in verse seven they were not performing their music, but rather GOD’S music.  This was God’s music performed by God’s musicians, presented as an offering to God for God’s glory alone.  It was not mere religious performance, but rather it was prophetic music making.  Verse 2 of Chapter 25 states that these musicians prophesied.  Verse one tells us that they were separated to prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals.  The next verse proclaims that they accomplished their mission when it asserts that these musicians actually prophesied with music.

Church Music Matters-part 1

 

Church Music Matters-part 1

The Twenty-fifth chapter of I Chronicles is a musical discourse on ancient Levite musical training.  This wonderful chapter gives us vivid insights into the philosophical musical practice of the Chief Levite musicians.  Verse one states: “Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals...” Notice that the King and his captains decreed that the sons of the three Chief Levite musicians should be separated (badal 914-to divide or select) to serve YHVH through music making.  They were separated to prophesy or deliver God’s message to the congregation through music performance. 

Now let’s look specifically at what the Chief Levite musician considered important in preparing their sons and brethren for music ministry.  They were separated to serve.  Each was a workman who ministered according to his talent and ability to serve.  Furthermore, they were all under the leadership or hands of their father.  They had a mentor, someone who was carrying out the order of the King who was a spiritual leader.  They were separated (consecrated) to prophesy.  This Hebrew word naba (5012) was translated prophesy in the AV, means to speak or sing by inspiration.  It is the same word used of the major Prophets of the Bible (see Jeremiah 25:30 and Ezekiel 21:24).  These men were prophesying, they were carrying the message of the King.  They were not entertaining, they were prophesying.  They were mentored to prophesy.  However, that was not enough.  They were successful because the sons actually prophesied.  They sang and played under the inspiration of YHVH. 

 

A Unified Field of Knowledge –part 6

 

  A Unified Field of Knowledge –part 6

          Christian musicians who are pluralists constantly remind the thesis thinker that we are in the 21^st century and “this is just how it is”.  Remember that this synthesis thinker is by no means a hypocrite since he believes with all his heart that one of the most important aspects of Christianity is to “fit in”.  This person does not believe in bearing the reproach that comes from taking a stand against the things of the world.  He seems to have forgotten I Peter 4:14, “If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of the glory of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part, he is glorified”.

           Since the world does not agree with a Christian musician for his or her careful conservative stand on music, worldly church musicians fear that these sinners will be alienated musically and will not be able to be reached with the gospel.  So, the postmodern church reacts in a semi-panic, gives in to what they believe will please the worldly church attender, and by default the world prescribes what is best for church music instead of the church.