Audio
Video
Outline
HEAR NO EVIL: CAN CHRISTIANS LISTEN TO ANYTHING ON SPOTIFY?
by Pastor Mike Fortune
September 5, 2017
by Pastor Mike Fortune
September 5, 2017
What the Bible Says About Music and Worship
- Music can draw people closer to God (Ephesians 5:15-20; 2 Chronicles 20:20-22; 1 Samuel 16:14-23; Acts 16:25; Psalm 150:1-6)
- Music can pull people away from God (Daniel 3:1-12; Job 38:7; Isaiah 14:11; Ezekiel 28:13 NKJV; Quote; 1 Samuel 19:9-10; Quotes)
- So pay attention to the lyrics, artists, and their message (Philippians 4:8; Matthew 7:16-20; Grammy Pic: Philippians 1:15,17-18; Acts 17:28; Quotes; Psalm 24:1; Quote; Psalm 100:1-5)
Ephesians 5:15-20 (daily)
15 So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. 16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 17 Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Chronicles 20:20-22 (battle)
20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, "Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed." 21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the LORD and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: "Give thanks to the LORD; his faithful love endures forever!" 22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the LORD caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.
1 Samuel 16:14-23 (palace)
14 Now the Spirit of the LORD had left Saul, and the LORD sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear. 15 Some of Saul's servants said to him, "A tormenting spirit from God is troubling you. 16 Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again." 17 "All right," Saul said. "Find me someone who plays well, and bring him here." 18 One of the servants said to Saul, "One of Jesse's sons from Bethlehem is a talented harp player. Not only that—he is a brave warrior, a man of war, and has good judgment. He is also a fine-looking young man, and the LORD is with him." 19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse to say, "Send me your son David, the shepherd." 20 Jesse responded by sending David to Saul, along with a young goat, a donkey loaded with bread, and a wineskin full of wine. 21 So David went to Saul and began serving him. Saul loved David very much, and David became his armor bearer. 22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse asking, "Please let David remain in my service, for I am very pleased with him." 23 And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.
Acts 16:25 (jail)
25 Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.
Psalm 150:1-6 (sanctuary)
1 Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! 2 Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! 3 Praise him with a blast of the ram's horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! 4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! 5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. 6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the LORD!
Daniel 3:1-12
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald shouted out, "People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king's command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." 7 So at the sound of the musical instruments, all the people, whatever their race or nation or language, bowed to the ground and worshiped the gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 8 But some of the astrologers went to the king and informed on the Jews. 9 They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, "Long live the king! 10 You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. 11 That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. 12 But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up."
Job 38:7
The morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.
Isaiah 14:11
11 Your might and power were buried with you. The sound of the harp in your palace has ceased.
Ezekiel 28:13 NKJV
The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created.
Signs of the Times
The hour for joyful happy songs of praise to God and his dear Son had come. Satan had led the heavenly choir. He had raised the first note, then all the angelic host united with him, and glorious strains of music had resounded through Heaven. But now, instead of strains of sweetest music, discord and angry words fall upon the ear of the great rebel leader. - January 16, 1879 par. 6
1 Samuel 19:9-10
9 But one day when Saul was sitting at home, with spear in hand, the tormenting spirit from the LORD suddenly came upon him again. As David played his harp, 10 Saul hurled his spear at David. But David dodged out of the way, and leaving the spear stuck in the wall, he fled and escaped into the night.
Ellen White Wasn't Against Instruments She Was Against Instruments Conducted Poorly
A bedlam of noise shocks the senses and perverts that which if conducted aright might be a blessing - 2 Selected Messages p.37.2
Satan works amid the din and confusion of such music, which, properly conducted, would be a praise and glory to God. 2 Selected Messages p.37.5
Satan will make music a snare by the way in which it is conducted. 2 Selected Messages p.38.1
Steve Miller
John Bunyan's attempt to introduce hymns resulted in the split of his own church. In 1691, after his death, the church finally reached a compromise. Those consciously opposed to the hymn could either sit through the hymn singing in silence or remain in the vestibule until that portion of the service was over. - The Contemporary Christian Music Debate p.120
Philippians 4:8 (Lyrics)
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Matthew 7:15-16 (Artists)
15 Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act.
2015 Grammy Pic
Philippians 1:15,17-18 (Scripture Reading) (Message)
15 It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. 17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. 18 But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.
Acts 17:28
28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
Isaac Watts
"You must keep the church separate from the world," he was told. To which Watts replied, "They will venture to sing a dull hymn or two at church, in tunes of equal dullness; but they still persuade themselves...that the beauties of poetry are vain and dangerous."
Carlstadt
The lascivious notes of the organ awaken thoughts of the world.
Psalm 24:1
1 The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.
We Gather Together #8 was a Dutch Folk Song first (aka bar song)
Opinion is divided about the melody origin of A Mighty Fortress #506. Even if Luther didn't borrow a bar tune, it was contemporary at the time
Alice in Wonderland
"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to" said the Cheshire cat. "I don't much care where," said Alice. "Then it doesn't matter which way you go," said the cat. - Lewis CarrolPsalm 100:1-5
1 Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. 3 Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.