As a young boy, I remember mother giving me the monthly haircut.  With tears in my eyes she would take the old Oster hair clippers, a pair of scissors and set out to ‘lower my ears.’  Today, things are different.  A trip to get a hair cut might leave me short $15-20.  The ladies, however, are going to spend a bit more.  As a matter of fact, one nation-wide report claims the annual cost for a woman to ‘have her hair done’ could cost between $1,000 – $4,000 dollars.  Personally, that’s enough to make me want to cry…

But what does the cost of hair styling have to do with a Sunday morning sermon?  Can application be made for living a godly life in comparison with the beautification process? Perhaps we need to consider how much time and money we give to preparing ourselves for godly service as opposed to physical beauty.  OR maybe we should look inward rather than outward as we consider how beautiful someone is.

“…I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” I Corinthians 14:15

Sunday morning, September 8, 2013

The following songs are found in the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“O Worship the King” 303
“Jesus is All the World to Me” 590

A short medley that is focused on worshiping the King and acknowledging how valuable Jesus is in my life.  Have you ever looked at the last phrase of this song?  Each verse ends with the statement, ‘He’s my Friend.’  We worship the King because we know He is my life, my joy and my all.  As a matter of fact, the Christian understands there is no better friend than Jesus.  He gives me strength in a difficult world, and in Christ  we live a beautiful life that has no end.

“How Beautiful” – 365

This contemporary song serves to prepare our minds for the Lord’s supper.  We think of the beautiful hands of Christ as He served men during His life on earth.  We remember those ‘beautiful feet’ that walked the dusty road to the cross.  We remember that He laid down His life and we sing, “How beautiful is the body of Christ…”

“O Lord, You’re Beautiful” – 275

This hymn we’ll sing between the bread and the fruit of the vine; “O Lord, You’re beautiful, Your face is all I seek, and when Your eyes are on this child, Your grace abounds to me.”  His beauty, more than anything in this world, is want we seek in our life…or is it?  What do you seek?

“In His Time” – 839

Another contemporary song, but this one never seemed to ‘take hold’ with the masses; but what a message!  Do we have the patience to wait for God to act ‘in His time’ or are we too accustomed to a culture that ‘want’s it now?’  Read the words from this song; “Lord, please show me every day as You’re teaching me Your way, that You do just want You say in Your time.”

“Let the Beauty of Jesus Be Seen in Me” – 722

The message of this song fits perfectly with our lesson and the accompanying scripture; I Peter 3:3, 4 “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.  Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”  As we sing this song, take note of the third verse; “From the dawn of the morning to close of day, in example, in deeds and in all you say; lay your gifts at His feet, ever strive to keep sweet, let the beauty of Jesus be seen in you.”  Do you try to keep sweet throughout the day?  Am I laying my gifts at His feet (giving Him the credit for all I have) from the morning to the evening?  Can the world see the beauty of Jesus in me?

“Victory in Jesus” – 470

An upbeat song as we encourage each other toward Victory!  I’ve heard lots of stories and many are worthy hearing again and again.  We may even find some are valuable enough we’ll repeat them to others.  But what about the story of Jesus?  We sing that we’ve heard an old, old story; we’ve heard about His healing and we’ve heard about a mansion…but unless we repent and obey, we’ll never win or gain that victory in Jesus!

“Just As I Am” – 924

An ‘invitation song’ that has been around since the mid-1800’s, Charlotte Elliott touched the hearts of millions as they have responded to the invitation call.  Notice one of those ‘forgotten’ verses as we’ll be singing it on Sunday morning.  “Just as I am though tossed about, with many a conflict, many a doubt.  With fears within and foes without, O Lamb of God I come!  I come!”  Have our hearts grown so cold that we don’t fear being separated from God?  When will begin to understand the urgency of ‘waiting not’ to get rid of the dark blot that separates us from God?  Our cleansing comes only by the blood of the spotless Lamb of God.  Will you come?

“Let Me Live Close to Thee” – 831

As we consider our inward beauty we need to realize the closer we get to God and a godly life the more we’ll reflect Jesus.  Fitting that we sing a song of encouragement to work in the field and never ‘shirk’ our responsibilities for God.  Would that we remember the crown (hair styles?) and the renown (public recognition) matter little when it comes to letting Christ live in our life.