A Cappella Music in Worship: Does It Really Matter

Does it Really Matter?

♫ In studying the issue, I‟ve heard many argument in favor of instrumental music.

♫ In studying the issue, I‟ve heard many argument in favor of instrumental music.♪We want to explore several of those arguments.

♫ In studying the issue, I‟ve heard many argument in favor of instrumental music.♪We want to explore several of those arguments.♫ I‟m aware that we all know the biblical truth on this subject.

♫ In studying the issue, I‟ve heard many argument in favor of instrumental music.♪We want to explore several of those arguments.♫ I‟m aware that we all know the biblical truth on this subject.♫However, God‟s people must do more than simply know

biblical truth.


biblical truth.♪ “In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being

prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pt 3:15, ESV).


biblical truth.♪ “In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being

prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pt 3:15, ESV).

♪ Tonight, we wish to begin exploring ARGUMENT AGAINST A CAPPELLA in order to give a defense.

♫ A very prevalent argument is that it doesn‟t really make any difference.

♫ A very prevalent argument is that it doesn‟t really make any difference.♪Since the New Testament is silent on musical

instruments, what‟s the big deal?

♫ A very prevalent argument is that it doesn‟t really make any difference.♪Since the New Testament is silent on musical

instruments, what‟s the big deal?♪ It makes a BIG difference whether or not we use musical

instruments in our worship.

♫ Saying that it doesn‟t matter whether or not we use the instrument really means that man can decide for himself what to do religiously.

♫ Saying that it doesn‟t matter whether or not we use the instrument really means that man can decide for himself what to do religiously.♪ If I could decide for myself what to do religiously, I might

change many things.

♫ Saying that it doesn‟t matter whether or not we use the instrument really means that man can decide for himself what to do religiously.♪ If I could decide for myself what to do religiously, I might

change many things.♪But, if God is sovereign, it‟s not up to me to decide what

to do.

♫ God has sovereignty in this world.

♫ God has sovereignty in this world.♪“You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall

be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will” (Dan 4:25, ESV).

♫ God has sovereignty in this world.♪“You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall

be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will” (Dan 4:25, ESV).

♪ “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns” (Rev 19:6, ESV).

♫ God has sovereignty in this world.♪Dan 4:25. ♪Rev 19:6.

♫ Some might say, “You can‟t use those texts to speak of God‟s sovereignty over me!”


♫ Some might say, “You can‟t use those texts to speak of God‟s sovereignty over me!” ♪They do indeed speak of God‟s sovereignty over the

nations.


♫ Some might say, “You can‟t use those texts to speak of God‟s sovereignty over me!” ♪They do indeed speak of God‟s sovereignty over the

nations.♪But, if God has that much sovereignty over the nations,

think about his sovereignty over people!

♫ God does have such sovereignty.

♫ God does have such sovereignty.♪“The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is

robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved. Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting” (Ps 93:1-2, ESV).

♫ God does have such sovereignty.♪Ps 93:1-2.

♪“The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!” (Ps 99:1-3, ESV).

♫ God also has sovereignty over the church.

♫ God also has sovereignty over the church.♪God “put all things under [Jesus‟] feet and gave him as

head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Eph 1:22-23, ESV).


head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Eph 1:22-23, ESV). How could God give “him as head over all things to the church,” unless he has sovereignty over the church?



♪The church is often called the “kingdom of God” in Scripture.



♪The church is often called the “kingdom of God” in Scripture. How can the church be God‟s kingdom unless God reigns?

♫ It means that God is in control.


♫ God has used his sovereignty to instruct man on how to worship.


♫ God has used his sovereignty to instruct man on how to worship.♪“The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true

worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:23-24, ESV).


♫ God has used his sovereignty to instruct man on how to worship.♪“The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true

worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:23-24, ESV).

♪God, in his sovereignty, has said that man is to worship “in spirit and truth.”

♫ Saying it doesn‟t matter how we worship means that God hasn‟t given man standards on worship.

♫ Man needs standards to know how to worship.

♫ Man needs standards to know how to worship.♪“I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself,

that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O LORD, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing” (Jer 10:23-24, ESV).

♫ Man needs standards to know how to worship.♪“I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself,

that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O LORD, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing” (Jer 10:23-24, ESV).

♪“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Prov 14:12, ESV).

♫ Some might say that since God hasn‟t spoken on instruments in New Testament worship, it doesn‟t matter what we do.

♫ Some might say that since God hasn‟t spoken on instruments in New Testament worship, it doesn‟t matter what we do.

♫ But, God has placed instrumental music under his sovereignty & has spelled out what man is to do.

♫ “The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, „Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp . . . . On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the LORD your God‟” (Num 10:1-2, 10, ESV).

♫ Moses was to make two silver trumpets.

♫ Moses was to make two silver trumpets. ♪What if he had made only one? What if he had made

three?


three?

♪What if he had made golden trumpets?


three?


♪What if he had shaped them over a fire & not used a hammer?


three?



♫ God had specified that Moses was to make two silver trumpets of hammered work.


three?



♫ God had specified that Moses was to make two silver trumpets of hammered work.

♫ In fact, no other instrument at any other time was used in the tabernacle.

♫ Hezekiah “stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the commandment of David and of Gad the king‟s seer and of Nathan the prophet, for the commandment was from the LORD through his prophets. The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the LORD began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel” (2 Chr 29:25-27, ESV).

♫ In the temple, God commanded the use of cymbals, harps, & lyres.


♫ No other instruments were ever authorized for temple worship.


♫ No other instruments were ever authorized for temple worship.♫Other instruments were occasionally used in the praise

of God.



of God.

♫“Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!” (Ps 150:3-5, ESV).



of God.

♫Ps 150:3-5.

♫The lute & tambourine were not authorized for temple worship.



of God.

♫Ps 150:3-5.

♫The lute & tambourine were not authorized for temple worship.

♫The Israelites were aware of them & even used them for praise (but, not in the temple!).

♫ What does this have to do with modern worship?

♫ What does this have to do with modern worship?♪God ALWAYS specified what instrument to use—he never

left such a decision up to man.



♪ If God wanted instruments for New Testament worship, doesn‟t it stand to reason that he would have told us what instrument to use?




♫The early church was aware of musical instruments.





♪ “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor 13:1, ESV).





♪ “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor 13:1, ESV).

♪ “If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played?” (1 Cor 14:7, ESV).





♫God‟s standards do not include instrumental music; therefore, we dare not use it.

♫ God has a long history of severe punishment on those who worship inappropriately.

♫ God has a long history of severe punishment on those who worship inappropriately.♪The golden calf (Ex 32).


♫As a result of the people‟s sin, Moses told the Levites to go through the camp & kill their fellow Israelites.



♪ “The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell” (Ex 32:28, ESV).



♪ Ex 32:28.

♪ But, it seems that more than those 3,000 fell.



♪ Ex 32:28.


♫ God says to Moses, “Lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them” (Ex 23:34, ESV).



♪ Ex 32:28.


♫ God says to Moses, “Lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them” (Ex 23:34, ESV).

♫ Moses then records, “Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made” (Ex 32:35, ESV).



♫“These things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, „The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play‟ [Ex 32:6]” (1 Cor 10:6-7, ESV).


♪“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, „Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.‟ So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image” (Rev 16:1-2, ESV).

♫ The golden calf is an example of false worship of the true God.

♫ The golden calf is an example of false worship of the true God.♪“These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out

of the land of Egypt!” (Ex 32:5, ESV).

♫ The golden calf is an example of false worship of the true God.♪“These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out

of the land of Egypt!” (Ex 32:5, ESV).

♪The people were worshiping YHWH in a way he had not commanded.

♫ The golden calf is an example of false worship of the true God.

♫ But, the point is: God said, “Here‟s how you worship, the people disregarded that; therefore, God punished.

♫ Does God still punish those who worship inappropriately?

♫ Does God still punish those who worship inappropriately?♪You betcha!


♪“Let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe” (Heb 12:28, ESV).



♫“Acceptable” means “well-pleasing.”




♫Why should we “offer to God acceptable worship”?




♫Why should we “offer to God acceptable worship”?

♫“For [because] our God is a consuming fire” (Heb 12:29, ESV).

But, we also need to live appropriately.

Spiritual

A Cappella Music in Worship: Does It Really Matter