“The Music in Me” By Bob Heirtzler October 21st,
2012 I
posted a question on Facebook, "What
does music do for you?" and these are some of the answers I got: Jean—“Bob,
music is wonderful motivation
for everything : )” Kayla—“Music
expresses how I’m feeling
when I’ve ran out of words to say.” Marita—“Awesome! Music helps me feel
motivated when I have to
do house work lifts me up when am down.” Rebecca
(a cousin in Virginia)—“I like
it to enhance relaxation. The nature sounds music with birds and water
sounds
really puts me in a mellow place.” Vincent—“Spiritual
music helps me get my
thoughts going the right way when my head is stuck too far in the
world.” Bill—“Music
is the language of emotion.
It operates primarily on a subconscious level; it can bless or curse,
motivate
or depress. Music
combined with lyrics
that are consciously understood can therefore build up or tear down,
and is
useful for promoting a message or spreading information.” Jesse—“When
I need encouragement I cling
to spiritual songs that stir the soul. When I need to remind myself of
my
commitment to my wife I play our wedding song "Grow old along with
me" Mary Carpenter version. When I need to relax and not think about
lyrics, the classicals. I like Christmas songs that bring the seasons
cheer.
Sometimes I just turn off the music and make a sweet melody from
within, the
kind that gives me special time with my God where peace flows like a
river.”
Music is the number one language of
the world! It has
been used throughout
the history of mankind, anything from celebrations for victories, to
bowing
down to strange gods, to calm the soul, to build up suspense and it
goes on and
on! Music is part
of our lives every
day! Here
are a few examples….. 1.
Music was use to bring forth a victory over the enemy.
–
when the walls of Jericho came down from trumpets and a great shout
from God’s
people – Joshua
6:1-5 …
a
long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the
trumpet…
What do you suppose the people of
Jericho thought of all that marching around the city that the
Israelites did? On
the third day, they probably said, “They’re
going around again.” On
the sixth day, they
probably said, “They’re going around again.”
On the seventh day, they probably said, “They’re
going around again.” But
they marched around the city seven times
on the seventh day, and then the trumpets sounded—that’s music—and then
the
people shouted and praised God, and the walls laid down flat. They took the enemy. When we seek God in the
quiet times, prayer
times – God rewards openly. When
there
are wall around us – praising God will take the walls down. 2.
Music was used for worship strange
gods Daniel
3:8-18 …every man
that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,
sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall
down and
worship the golden image… This
tells me that some music is
ungodly. We need to
be careful to what
we listen to and worship to, and also be ready to take a stand against
it. This also
teaches us that people are using
their God given talents to worship the wrong gods. 3.
Music was used to calm the soul 1
Samuel
16:17-23
… when
the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that
David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed… Parrish
talked last week
about the evil spirits that come to us, and tell us we’re too old, or
we’re too
young, or we’re too something. God
used
David, and his song, to drive the evil spirit away.
People know who to turn to in the time of
need. When Satan is
all around us…..
singing the praises of God will chase Satan away 4.
Music was used to Bring
Great News!! Shepherds
in the field Luke
2:8-20
…And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude
of the
heavenly host praising God… Being
a shepherd was an
undesirable job, most would say. What
would you think if you saw a sky full of angels?
We might think we are doing undesirable jobs
BUT we are important to God. We
are all
called to serve Him!! Even
today ---- Music is
still used a lot and to tells Stories These
are some I grew up listening to: Indians
played music when they were at peace!! I’m
part American Indian, and one of the
things that I was taught growing up was that when you could hear the
drums,
that meant there was peace, but if the drumming stopped, that meant
that the
drummer was out looking for someone… The
Star Spangled Banner—written in 1814, inspired by the Battle
of Fort McHenry in the war of 1812.
The
battle lasted most of the night, but when the sun came up the next
morning, the
American Flag was still flying over the fort, signifying that the
British had
not won the battle. “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot - November 10, 1975 the bulk freighter Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior with all hands; 29 men. They still have services for those men. “Hurricane”
by Bob Dylan - Rubin
"Hurricane" Carter fought professionally as a middleweight boxer from
1961 to 1966. In 1966, he was arrested for a triple homicide in the
Lafayette
Bar and Grill in Paterson, New Jersey. Bob Dylan went and met him in
the
prison, and wrote a song about it.
Hurricane carter got another trial, and was found
guilty again. He
was released in 1985; they finally figured
out he didn’t do it. Music
is used in movies, to build up suspense; Monday Night Football opens
with Faith
Hill. The US Calvary uses trumpets to convey a message to other soldiers; they would play different sounds to send messages. Even in the confusion of battle, the soldiers can hear what to do. They play trumpets for Reveille & Taps – Raising & lowering of US Flag – at Great Lakes Navy Base – all those who are serving in the Military, outside and hear the sound of the trumpet will stand and salute the US Flag.
Telephone
Rings – You can use different ringtones to know who is
calling. I was with
somebody awhile
back, and their phone started playing the theme for the Wicked Witch of
the West
from the Wizard of Oz; she didn’t answer it, she said, “I don’t want to
talk to
her; she’s evil.” Bottom
line on Bottom
Musical note is that Music Tells US a Message!! This
is my favorite gospel song; when I
first got saved, it ministered to me.
It
cams me down when I’m upset; it calms me when I’m down; it cams me down
when I’ve
got walls around me. It
calms me down
when God has a plan for me, and all of the sudden, things start
happening, and
God starts answering prayers. “Amazing
Grace” was written by a minister named John Newton, who had formally
been a
slave ship captain. This
song was
written over two hundred years ago, and it still has a powerful message
today. Parrish
talked last week about
the spirit of being too old to do things.
I’m not like an old radio that doesn’t work anymore;
I can still
broadcast, I can still share. I
can still
live for God. You
can become like a car
that doesn’t run anymore and it’s been left out in the field, and now
there are
trees growing through it. I’m
not going to
be that car. I know
we have a family
here, and we have a mission to do.
We
really do. I know
we’ve been hearing
this over and over and over, but, God’s got something for us. I
know there are other churches, but
they don’t have what we’ve got. If
Parrish’s not here, I’ll call him.
If
Sonia’s not here, I’ll text her. If
Kayla’s not here, I’ll say, “Where are you at?”
We look out for each other.
The
music has a powerful message from our lives to the people around us. We have to be careful what
we hear, what we
listen to. We also
have to be careful
what we broadcast to people around us.
Amen.
God bless you. Sermon notes by Pete Shepherd |
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