He Is Risen…March 31st

Sunday morning, March 31st, is known in some ‘religious circles’ as Easter Sunday. Many god-fearing people select this Sunday as a time to commemorate our Lord’s resurrection…

However, at Waterview church of Christ, every Sunday we remember (memorialize) our Lord’s death, burial and resurrection. Together, we share in the Lord’s Supper. This week, March 31^st, will be no different. When you read Matthew 28: 1-7, you’ll read of the miracle surrounding Christ’s resurrection, and in that we find the title of our lesson. The following ‘order of worship’ is designed to focus on minds on our Savior’s resurrection; today and every Sunday!

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

Hallelujah! Praise Jehovah – 3

This hymn of praise (which could also be considered a psalm since it parallels Psalm 148) admonishes the singer to recognize and glorify our Father. You’ll notice the word ‘praise’ is mentioned 10 times in this hymn…5 times in verse 1 alone.

You Are the Song that I Sing – 238

“You are the words and the music, You are the song that I sing…” Without a notation of authorship or composer this ‘contemporary’ hymn is an excellent example of a song sung to our God. When you sing this song ask yourself if you will truly do as this song states in its closing line? “…so now I give back to You the song that You gave to me…”

Thomas’ Song – 269

One of my favorite ‘communion’ songs, Thomas’ Song, is a possible (yet not recorded) narrative from the apostle Thomas as he considers the resurrection of Christ. John 20:25 reads, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails where, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it.” While the chorus sings, “If I could only hold Your hand, and touch the scars where nails were driven; I would need to feel Your side where holy flesh by spear was riven. Then I’d believe…” But listen to Thomas’ closing statement as he stands before Christ and proclaims, “You are my Lord and my God!”

Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed – 324

An interesting song that was written in two time periods. The verses were written by Isaac Watts in 1707, while the refrain (by Ralph E. Hudson) came almost 180 years later. On a personal note, I prefer the verse separate from the upbeat tempo of the chorus. But more importantly let me direct you to the closing line from the first verse, “…would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?” Over the years this verse was edited to read, “…would He devote that sacred head for such a ONE as I?” Ask yourself, which version do you prefer…and why?

Low in the Grave He Lay – 344

When we sing this song following the Lord’s Supper Sunday morning, we’ll sing all three verses before we sing the chorus. My personal preference since the verses are designed to be melancholy and thoughtful, while the chorus changes tempo to excitement and jubilation. And certainly it should be as we proclaim; “Hallelujah! Christ arose.”

Surround Us, Lord – no book

Taken from Psalm 125:2, this ‘psalm’ serves as a great ‘spiritual song’, encouraging the singer and the listener to understand that, “…we need to be in Your (God’s) presence.” Listen to the YouTube link below if you are interested in learning it, or just want to sing it again!

He Lives! – 346

“…You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart.” These words serve as the conclusion to a wonderful song of joy and adoration. This song, before our lesson, resounds with the declaration, the title:
“HE LIVES!”

Have You Been to Jesus – 904

These next two songs, our invitation and closing song, call for us to be ‘washed in the blood of the Lamb’ and to find our assurance in Him. But before we close the invitation we’ll repeat the chorus with one more call to respond. But then we’ll close with the following:

Blessed Assurance – 480

As we close this time of worship would that all Christians sing the chorus of this song with a stronger conviction and a clearer understanding. “This is my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long…” Let that soak in for a minute, praising God all day long? Would you, can you, will you praise God 24-7? You can and you will if you truly believe that…He Is Risen!

1, February 5, 20131, January 27, 2013

We’re Marching and Singing to Zion…Pt 1

“Come, we that love the Lord, and let our joys be known; Join in a song with sweet accord and thus surround the throne.…” This spiritual song, written by Isaac Watts, is more than 300 years old and yet it still admonishes the Christian to stay faithful as we’re ‘Marching to Zion.’ Singing we strive to praise God and encourage His people, but how do we do that effectively and in a pleasing manner?

As a child of God you know the importance of singing songs of praise and edification. Many who are reading this article identify with the song above and truly believe its message. Every Sunday morning world-wide, we come together and strive to fulfill Ephesians 5 & Colossians 3. But in a culture where singers are evaluated as ‘Idols,’ and singing is ‘best left to the professionals,’ we tend to listen and judge rather than praise and sing. We consider one voice better than another and place more value on the ‘talent’ of an individual while burying our own God-given talents. To be honest… that’s a mistake. It fails to follow the pattern set forth in Bible. Singing songs of praise and admonishing one another is the expectation we have in the Lord’s church.

In hopes of teaching valuable lessons of God’s love and stirring the hearts of those who hear, we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. This commentary is written to help us look at the blessings we find in singing. Since the Lord commands us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), we must ask ourselves this basic question: “As I’m marching to Zion, how do I sing and truly worship God in spirit and in truth?”

To learn the truth about Christian worship in song, we go to the New Testament. Consider for a moment I Corinthians 14:15 & 26: “I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also…What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” Have you thought about your singing when it comes to your mind? Do you think about what you’re singing? Singing by rote (repetition) is singing by memory. We learn to drive, write, walk, and talk by rote. It is the same with singing. We memorize songs by singing them over and over and over again. But in so doing we often sing without thinking what we’re saying. Check yourself to see if you know what you’re singing by asking yourself these questions:

*How is God’s goodness ‘like a fetter’? (Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing)
*Is there Biblical support for referring to Jesus as a “rose of Sharon”? (Jesus, Rose of Sharon)
*Do you know how to arm yourself with “the panoply of God”? (Soldiers of Christ, Arise)
*And what is the ‘standard’ that He, Jesus, has raised? (The Battle Belongs to the Lord)

Brothers and sisters…I truly believe we need to investigate the meaning of our songs, ask ourselves what we’re singing, and teach our young people the meaning behind the songs we sing. “How shall the young secure their hearts and guard their lives from sin?” If we are to ‘sing with the mind also’ we must know what we’re singing. Too many times we just toss those old songs out, or sing the new ones without thinking, because we don’t truly know what they mean. Brethren, we can’t afford to make that kind of mistake, because there are dangers when we just ‘go through the motions’ in worship.

1, January 21, 20131, February 27, 2013

That’s All I Want…Jan 20th

A friend of mine shared a GREAT idea about posting the order of worship for members of the congregation and prospective worship leaders. This simple use of the world wide web will allow those interested to get a glimpse of what’s coming up for Sunday morning. Nice idea, and one I think will benefit those who what to learn about the songs we’ll be singing on Sunday. This post will reflect this past Sunday morning (January 20th). Be looking for the next few weeks as we’ll be posting the order of worship by Friday or Saturday before Sunday…

Sunday morning, January 20, 2013

Robert Oglesby has been the pulpit preacher at Waterview church of Christ since February, 1963. Yes, in a few short days he and his family will be celebrating 50 years as the preacher for this solid congregation in the Kingdom of God. Our sermon topic on Sunday was titled, “That’s All I Want”. Our scripture basis was the 23rd Psalm, so our hymn selection was almost a given. The following is an account of our order of worship and all song numbers are from the hymnal, Songs of Faith & Praise.

“We Will Glorify” – 578

A great song that praises our God and King; beautiful way to set our minds on worship.

“The Lord’s My Shepherd” – 134

The music for this popular arrangement dates back to 1854. All six verse of the 23rd Psalm can be sung in this song. This is a perfect example of Ephesians 5:19 “…speaking to one another in PSALMS and hymns and spiritual songs”

“Hear Me When I Call” – no book

This has become perhaps my favorite of all Tillit S. Teddlie songs. Certainly one that asks for our God to hear our call and ‘attend unto my prayer.’ What better way to describe my weakness than to request that our Lord, ‘…hold my trembling hand, lest helpless I should fall.”

“We Have an Anchor” – 467

The question is asked by those who sing, “Will your anchor hold in the storms of life?” In other words, how are you doing in your relationship with God? We echo in response…”We HAVE AN ANCHOR!”

“I Need Thee Every Hour” – 837

This song of prayer serves as our invitation on Sunday morning. Would that we all come to understand and truly say, “I need Thee, O I need Thee…”

“I’d Rather Have Jesus” – 581

Singing the first verse this song you are stating that you prefer (would rather have) Jesus over the riches of this world. More than houses or lands…do you really? Would your wallet agree? Take a look at your bank statement if you want to see if you really believe this song.

“I Love the Lord” – 359

Penned in my life time (1970), this song by Tommy Wheeler makes the statement that proclaims our love for God. We sing “I love the Lord”, but why? You know and you sing, “…on Calvary His dear life He freely gave…that I might live some day with Him on high.”

“The Lord My Shepherd Is” -126

Like song #134, the music for this arrangement was in the mid 1800’s, but when Isaac Watt’s penned this psalm, he followed the poetry in the message from the shepherd/king David. An affirmation of who my Shepherd is…the Lord. And knowing that…what else could I want?

At Waterview church of Christ we use a screen to project all our songs. This allows faces to be up (out of the book) and voices to be projected forward. All songs on the screen are accompanied with the sheet music for those who will sing 4-part harmony. In a world that seems to be getting faster and faster, and schedules that we tend to pack to over flow, let me admonish you to be careful and not push Jesus out of your life. You and I both know that with Him in our life and when Christ is first, we can honestly say…That’s all I need!

1, June 27, 20121, June 29, 2012

Securing the Hearts of Our Youth…Part 3

As we conclude this series on ‘Securing the Hearts of Our Youth’, let’s example the third component of mentoring and preparing faithful families. Let’s turn again to examine the three previously mentioned, elements of securing their hearts. I truly believe that each of these will help us in drawing our youth closer to God.

Part 1, focused on the importance of a faithful example. Remember your consistency and faithfulness as you talk with your children, walk through your life and choice your path. Your example, in some cases, will impact people more than you words. Our second component (Part 2) addressed the idea of providing opportunities for involvement in the work of the church. We can include our young people when we give them a chance to work. Remember, if they’re ‘thirsty’ they’ll ‘drink.’

We have talked about the value of a good example and the importance of training and teaching our young people. And though these two methods of preparation are vital and needed to direct our youth, we must never forgot the ‘WHY’ behind it all. For the past 10 years I have taught the college class at our congregation. There has been Sunday mornings when only three (3) students came to class. And then again, there have been Wednesday nights when more than thirty (30) young men and women filled the room. During each class I ask them; “Why? Why are you here? No one is making you come; you are here because you chose to be. Why?” When we can come to understand the reason we attend a Bible study with God’s people is more than just habit, then they will grow closer to seeing the importance of doing more than just going through the motions. As a congregation and as individual families we strive to set the proper example. We focus on training and teaching our young people to serve (men to lead) in the Lord’s church, but our children must come to know why we do what we do.

During the early 1700’s, Isaac Watts at the age of 45, wrote a poem entitled “How Shall the Young Secure Their Hearts?” The poem, a song many have sung for years, asks the question we set as the pinnacle in exploring our objective; Mentoring Faithful Adults into a Life of Service. How can we safe guard the hearts of our young people for Godly service? Isaac Watt’s doesn’t miss a beat. His answer comes from the second part of Psalm 119:9 “…by keeping it (a young man’s ways) according to Your word.” The song states; “Thy Word the choicest rules imparts to keep the conscience clean.” How else can we, should we, mentor faithful adults if not through the Word of God. The Psalmist continues as he writes in the 119^th Psalm, “With all my heart I have sought You…Your word I have treasured in my heart…with my lips I have told of all the ordinances of your mouth…I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statues; I shall not forget Your word.” Notice the example of seeking God and treasuring His word in our hearts; of mediating on His instruction and delighting (making a priority) of his statutes (the Law of Christ). As we mentor our young people and train them, we’ll teach them how to tell others about the ordinances (the word) of God.

We have a massive obligation to mentor our young people. We need to begin early and continue mentoring often. Our responsibility should never be take lightly. If you still have children at home, focus your attention on bringing them to God…literally. Don’t let culture dictate where they will go and what they will do. Be certain, if you don’t show them that God is first in your life, the world will show they what it holds to be important. And remember mentoring our young adults must start with you, the parent. If you have grown children who are no longer faithful and no longer under your guidance; be sure you have your priorities right and pray for an opportunity to correct any errors from your past. You may still be able to sway them if they a change in your life. If you have no children but want to impact and influence ‘the next generation’, search your heart and be sure you’re focused on Godliness. Seek ways to teach, train and encourage the young adults in your congregation. It’s never too late to secure their hearts and guard their lives from sin. Use God’s word as the light that will guide them through the dangers of the night. Rest assured, God’s Word is everlasting truth and every page of His word is pure! Using the Bible as our foundation in life will guide our young people and, as Isaac Watts wrote, will well support our age.

1, June 25, 20121, June 23, 2012

Securing the Hearts of Our Youth…Part 1

“How shall the young secure their hearts, and guard their lives from sin?” Though penned almost three hundred years ago, this question continues to echo through the ages. Finding its roots in Psalm 119:9, “How can a young man keep his ways pure?” this passage and song express the concern of God-fearing parents and congregations of Lord’s church across the world. We who are genuinely concerned about the spiritual well-being of our children seek to know what can be done to take on the wiles of the devil. Many congregations actively study and prepare their teens for baptism; an admirable and Biblical objective but one that falls short if we fail to teach our youth the character of discipleship. As we prepare our young people for a life of faithful service, we must example the elements necessary to answer the question, “How shall the young secure their hearts?”

As we investigate the answer to this question, let’s look at three basic methods that will help us draw closer to understanding how we can mentor our youth toward a life of faithful service in Christ. If we take the approach that we must begin preparing our young adults (the college student or the recent high school graduate) for a life in Christ, we are (quite frankly) about 20 years late. The ‘mentoring’ of our youth must begin during the formative years of childhood; a principle that is fundamental in history as well as Biblical text. But where does it begin? Who bears the burden of responsibility for their foundation of faith? Can I wait until my son reaches grade school to begin to impart ‘words of wisdom’? As our young people begin life on their own, whether as a college student or a young professional, they take with them the building blocks from an early childhood. Fathers and mothers alike must model an example of Biblical consistency and Spiritual faithfulness. In a word, make God your priority and be certain your children know it.

That includes making worship on Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings and Wednesday nights (or your mid-week Bible study) more important than the baseball tournament on Sunday morning. When your congregation hosts a Gospel Meeting on the same Monday night your son is playing in a soccer tournament; you’ll need to ask yourself, “To which of these events will I take my child?” If your child’s coach calls for practice on Wednesday night, parents, you will model an example of Biblical consistency and Spiritual faithfulness when you inform your child’s coach that, “We won’t be there. Our family has already made plans to meet for Bible study tonight.” But you must understand this one basic principle: you can never make that statement if you as the parent fail to put God and Godly living first. What will your children see when they learn that your boss has given you tickets to the NBA playoffs, on Sunday night. Depending on where you go will be teaching your children about priorities. But this is all about making right choices when my family is young. What do I do if they are older, perhaps on their own and making their own decisions? How can I mentor young adults into a life of faithful service?

Let’s continue next time as we consider the importance of securing the hearts and lives of our young people. Remember the first step is to model an example of Biblical consistency and Spiritual faithfulness.