WHY DO CHRISTIANS SING IN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC WORSHIP?

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2. Christian community
A Working- Faith community
A singing community
Worships a Personal God who is involved
in the life of a believer in Christ
Emphasizes individual and corporate
worship
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3. Evolution of Christian
Liturgical Worship
Praise and worship Eph.5: 18-20
 Early Christian Worship Acts.16:25
Traditional Church Hymnal Rev. 5: 10
Septuagint [Gk. Psalmoi] Psalms
 Poem sung to musical instruments
Jewish Hymns & Chants Mashkil
 Temple
 Individuals & Families
 Festivals
 Battle fields
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4. PSALMS OR PSALTER
Post exilic and pre exilic
Kings DAVID, Hezekiah, Joshiah,
Jehoshaphat
Developed choir and worship leaders –
Asaph, Korahites etc.
Wide use of musical instruments
Songs composed out of their experience
Used by individuals / community
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5. Book of Psalms
Longest book in the Bible 150 psalms
Contains the longest chapter Ps.119
with176 verses
5 sections similar to the 5 books of Moses
 Each one has a doxology at the end
 Genesis book Ps.1- 41 Concerns humans
 Exodus book 42 – 72 ,, Israel
 Leviticus book 73 – 89 ,, sanctuary
 Numbers book 90 – 106 ,, Jews and
gentiles
 Deuteronomy book 107 – 150 ,, God and His word
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6. What & why of psalms
Express
 praise to God for who He is and what He does
 Need of God in times of difficulties and trials
 Confidence in God’s help and comfort to His people
 Range of emotions – joy to despair and anguish
We can identify with all the emotions found
Any of the psalms will fit in with our situations
Useful for Christian doctrine of sin, grace,
comfort, faith, love and hope
Community praise and worship
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7. To cite only a few ……..
You cannot sleep Ps.3,4
 are ill 31
 need assurance 23 , 91
 traveling 121
 are downcast 42, 43, 73
 feel old 102
 want to thank 103
 find problems bigger than God 139
……
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8. Here and Now
Adds another deeper dimension to the
academic life
Equips the spirit to push the other faculties
forward and upward
Strengthens the real self
Helps keep the community together
Leads the worship and makes the presence
of God felt in the church services
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9. Press on…….. Ps.40: 2,3
Only our spirit can worship God
Our breath is the weakest of our being but
it can only offer the highest praise to God
Sing out loud with meaning and in the
spirit
Compose new songs of praise and
worship and leave for posterity
All living things can praise God
 Ps.148, 149, 150
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10. Core of all our music…….
Christ is the centre of praise and worship
 Rev.5:12, 7:9, 12
‘Praise brings the presence of God down and
Worship takes the believer into that presence’
Enables people to experience the liberating
presence of Christ
He is the Balm of Gilead to every sick soul
Let this centre be the instrument of the healing
power of God in the community
PRAISE BRINGS VICTORY in any situation
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