WHY, WHAT, AND HOW THE SAINTS SING: Ephesians 5:19-20

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WHY, WHAT, AND HOW THE SAINTS SING: Ephesians 5:19-20

Ephesians 1:19-25

March 28, 2022 • Brett Baggett • Ephesians 5:19–20

BIG IDEA: Why the saints are to sing; what the saints are to sing; and how the saints are to sing.

I. WHY MUST THE SAINTS SING? (v. 19)

I) The saints sing because the great example laid out to us in the Scriptures is that the Lord’s people are singing people (Exodus 15—Revelation 15). II) The saints sing because God commands it and therefore it glorifies Him (Ephesians 5:19-20). III) The saints sing because Christ has redeemed them (Revelation 5:9).

Day and night the angels never cease to sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD God almighty.” In heaven the perfected saints sing, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” Join the song!

II. WHAT MUST THE SAINTS SING? (v. 19)

I) The saints are commanded to sing Psalms (v. 19b). II) The saints are commanded to sing Hymns (v. 19b). III) The saints are commanded to sing Spiritual Songs (v. 19b).

Joel Beeke, in his pamphlet titled Why Should We Sing Psalms, gives nine further reasons we should sing from the songbook of the Bible. I commend these also to you: 1. God Gave the Psalms for Israel and All Nations to Sing. 2. The Psalms Reveal Christ in His Sufferings and Glory. 3. Christ and the New Testament Church Sang the Psalms. 4. Singing the Psalms Causes the Word of Christ to Dwell in Us Richly. 5. Singing the Psalms Helps Us to Be Filled with God’s Spirit. 6. Singing the Psalms Enables Us to Worship God in Every Experience. 7. The Psalms Unite Us with Believers of All Times. 8. The Psalms Lift Up Our Eyes to the Hope of Glory. 9. The Psalms Keep God Supreme in Our Worship.

III. HOW MUST THE SAINTS SING? (v. 19-20)

I) The saints must sing, addressing one another and so admonish and encourage one another (v. 19a). II) The saints must sing, making melody to the LORD each with our individual hearts (v. 19c). III) The saints must sing to the Lord Jesus Christ as the chief audience (v. 19c). IV) The saints must sing, giving thanks always for everything (v. 20a).

(I) Think of the Pardon Christ gives you at His bloody expense as your priest! (II) Think on the Promises Jesus has given you in His word as your prophet! (III) Oh think of the Provision, Protection, and Perfection that the Lord Jesus Christ has guaranteed to all who belong to Him as their king!

V) We must sing, giving thanks to God the Father through Jesus our High Priest (v. 20b).

All your praise both from the heart and through the lips must be tendered up through faith in Jesus Christ or else it is vain and even despicable to God. But if your songs be truly a sacrifice of praise from a heart that rests in Christ alone and makes no peace with sin, then your lips reach the ears of heaven, and you can be sure a smile is given in response!

More from Shepherd School Season Three (CHURCH/MAN)

THE LORD WILL BE SANCTIFIED: Leviticus 10:1-3

January 24, 2022 • Brett Baggett • Leviticus 10:1–3

DOCTRINE: If the LORD’s people will not sanctify and glorify Him when they draw near, He will sanctify and glorify Himself upon them. I. WORSHIP OF THE LORD MUST BE OFFERED UP TO HIM ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD (v. 1) II. THE GLORY OF THE LORD IS MORE PRECIOUS TO HIM THAN THE LIVES OF MEN (v. 2) Consider Korah’s rebellion in Numbers 16, Uzzah who touched the Ark in 2 Samuel 7, Annanias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5, and Herod who did not give glory to God in Acts 13. I) The glory of the Lord must be more precious to you than the opinions of men (Galatians 1:10). II) The glory of the Lord must be more precious to you than your own glory (Jeremiah 45:5). III. THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD MUST SANCTIFY HIS NAME IN WORSHIP, OR HE WILL SANCTIFY HIS NAME UPON THEM (v. 3) I) The LORD’s people must draw near to Him by faith in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7:25, 11:6). II) Drawing near to God through faith in Christ, the church then must preach, sing, pray, baptize, feast, give, fellowship, practice discipline, and equip all according to the Word. (I) The Church must preach (and hear) the Word (2 Timothy 4:2, Acts 20:27, James 1:21). (II) The Church must must sing the Word (Ephesians 5:19-20). (III) The Church must pray the Word (Matthew 6:9-13, Psalms, examples of prayers by faithful saints recorded in scripture). (IV) The Church must baptize according to the Word (Acts 8:12). (V) The Church must feast according to the Word (1 Corinthians 11:26). (VI) The Church must give according to the Word (Philippians 4:18, 1 Corinthians 16:2). (VII) The Church must fellowship around the Word (Acts 2:42). (VIII) The Church must practice church discipline according to the Word (Matthew 18:15-18). (IX) The Church must equip the saints with the Word (Ephesians 4:11-12).

CORRUPTED WORSHIP: Exodus 32:1-6

January 31, 2022 • Brett Baggett • Exodus 32:1–6

DOCTRINE: Idolatrous people and weak men will result in corrupt worship. I. THE ISRAELITES WERE QUICK TO FORGET THE LORD AND HIS SALVATION (v. 1) II. AARON WAS WILLING TO GIVE THE PEOPLE THEIR DESIRED IDOLS IN ORDER TO KEEP THEM HAPPY (vv. 2-4a) III. THE PEOPLE LIED ABOUT THEIR IDOL AND ATTRIBUTED TO IT THE WORKS OF THE LORD (v. 4b) IV. AARON BUILT UPON THEIR LIE AND SOUGHT TO SYNC UP WORSHIP OF THIS IDOL WITH WORSHIP OF THE LORD (vv. 5-6a) V. THE GROSSLY IDOLATROUS PEOPLE AND PRIEST CONTINUED ON UNAWARE OF THEIR IMPENDING DOOM (v. 6b) APPLICATION 1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” I) Because the Lord’s people are quick to forget their God and His salvation, you must stir them up by way of reminder (2 Peter 1:13). 2 Peter 1:13 “I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder…” II) You must never sacrifice even an ounce of truth on the altar of peace (Galatians 1:10). Galatians 1:10 “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” III) If you are not careful, the ways of the world will slide into the worship of the Church (2 Corinthians 6:14). 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 “14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?” IV) God has put safeguards for purity of worship in His Scriptures and you must adhere to them (Exodus 20:4). Exodus 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” V) It does not matter who you say you are worshiping, if you are offering will-worship it is a substitution for God’s pure worship (Psalm 106:20). Psalm 106:20 “They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass.” VI) If the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s chosen, does not stand in the breach for you, God’s wrath will not be turned away (1 John 2:1-2). 1 John 2:1-2 “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation for our sins…” VII) Though you have a Mediator in Christ Jesus, that does not mean you will be spared from discipline if you do not repent (Proverbs 3:11-12). Proverbs 3:11-12 “11 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof, 12 for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” VIII) Will-worshippers are likely continuing on unaware of their impending doom or discipline—therefore you should pray and labor, within your sphere of influence, to speak the truth of God to those offering false-worship (Hebrews 12:28-29). Hebrews 12:28-29 “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”

OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE: Hebrews 12:28-29

February 14, 2022 • Brett Baggett • Hebrews 12:28–29

DOCTRINE: God’s saints, having in Christ received a kingdom that cannot be shaken, are given the privilege of worshipping Him; and they must do so acceptably, reverently, and awfully, free from idolatry, because God is our jealous God (Hebrews 12:28-29). I. WE WHO ARE IN CHRIST HAVE GREAT REASONS TO BE GRATEFUL TO GOD (Hebrews 12:28a) I) The Kingdom of Christ shall not be shaken because the King cannot be moved (Psalm 2:6-8; Psalm 21:7). II) The Subjects of the Kingdom shall not be shaken because their King cannot be moved (Psalm 46:4-7). II. BECAUSE OF CHRIST, BELIEVERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE OF OFFERING ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP TO GOD (Hebrews 12:28b) Consider the privilege you have been given in Christ, being chosen by God to worship Him (Deuteronomy 7:6-8; 1 Peter 2:9). Think of the privilege of private worship, family worship, and public worship; even that all of life can be lived as worship. I) You and I must worship God acceptably (Hebrews 12:28b) II) You and I must worship God reverently (Hebrews 12:28c) III) You and I must worship God awefully (Hebrews 12:28d) III. WE IN CHRIST MUST OFFER UP THIS ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP TO GOD, FREE FROM IDOLATRY, BECAUSE HE IS OUR JEALOUS GOD (v. 29) CONCLUSION Are you grateful for receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken? Are you humbled and overjoyed by being given the privilege, by Christ’s blood, of worshipping God acceptably? Do you aim to worship Him acceptably in private, in your home, in the assembly of the saints? Do you worship the Lord with shamefacedness? Do you worship the Lord in awe? Do you treasure the fact the He is YOUR GOD, and tremble when considering offering Him acceptable worship?