Talks, Sermons and Reflections

A significant part of the inspiration for this talk comes from Bob Kauflin’s reflections, Why do we Sing?  (Sovereign Grace Ministries). There are over 500 favourable references in the bible to singing. The longest book of the bible is a book of poems which were set to music. After Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, Moses doesn’t preach a sermon but he sings a song (Exodus 15) In Numbers 21:14, the people sing to make a spring give water In Deuteronomy 31, Moses is commanded to give the people a song to remind them of how God has saved them. After the defeat of the Canaanites by Deborah, the people sing a song (Judges 5) When David is delivered from Saul, he sings a song (2 Samuel 22) The people assigned Levite musicians to sing God’s praises day and night at the Temple as part of Temple worship (1 Chr 9:33; 15:19-22) In the NT there are more than 20 references to music: Jesus and his disciples sing a hymn after the last supper Paul and Silas sing when t...

Psalm 98 listen to ‘Sing for joy’ on Audioboo Psalm 98 commands us to ‘shout for joy’ to the Lord (v4,6) But that is odd. How can you command anyone to do anything with joy. It is one of the great unobeyable commands of the bible - like the command to love or to be at peace. You may think that you have a chance of willing obedience, or of willing service, but you cannot will yourself to love, or be at peace or to have joy. Joy is something that is bigger than us. We can induce temporary happiness: We can do that chemically. What is it that they say: ‘reality is an illusion created by lack of alcohol’?   We can do things that we enjoy. But we cannot create joy. Joy is a gift. We glimpse it in human events. -       Great sporting moments (yes, Murray winning Wimbledon) -       The birth of a child -       Announcement of a long awaited engagement, or a gr...