Refuge, by Sara Teasdale
From my spirit's gray defeat,
From my pulse's flagging beat,
From my hopes that turned to sand
Sifting through my close-clenched
hand,
From my own fault's slavery,
If I can sing, I still am free.
For with my singing I can make
A refuge for my spirit's sake,
A house of shining words, to be
My fragile immortality.
Acts 16: 25-34
March 31, 2019
First Presbyterian Church, Sterling IL
Christina Berry
This fourth Sunday in Lent in our series on Wholehearted Worship, we’ve come to the practice of singing. We’ve talked about the call to worship and the prayer of confession, and how you can begin each day with a call to worship, and end each day with the prayer of examen. Last week we discussed the importance of prayer, and those three all-important prayers we all can make: “Help! Thanks! and Wow!”
Today we hear a story from the book of the Acts of the Apostles, recounting one of the adventures that the Apostle Paul and Silas had on their missionary journey to the town of Philippi. Interestingly, our Wednesday night Bible study is on Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Paul loved this community, a town in the area of Macedonia. It was the first place that he evangelized in what is now Europe. Earlier in the 16th chapter of Acts,
Paul has a vision of a man from Macedonia asking him to come. So, led by the Holy Spirit, he goes to Macedonia. Paul goes to a place outside the city, at the edge of town where people gather to pray. This is where he and Silas meet Lydia, who sells purple cloth. She welcomes them to her home and she and her entire household are baptized. Then, out in the market place in town, Paul encounters a slave girl, who annoys him greatly. Her owners are making money from her fortune-telling. And she yells at him a lot, so he heals her, ruining her profitability for her owners. Paul and Silas are taken before the magistrates, and thrown in jail. That night, something amazing happens.
Let’s listen for God’s word to us today in Acts 16: 25-34:
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped.
But Paul shouted in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.”
The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
They answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
If I were ever to spend the night in jail, of all the things that I can imagine doing, singing praise to God at midnight is not on the list. Actually, if I were ever thrown in jail, I’m not sure singing OR praising God would be on my list.
Most of us sing when we are feeling good.
We may sing in the car or in the shower.
We may dance around the kitchen and sing along with the radio.
Some of us like to sing karaoke,
and fortunately for our church, quite a few of us sing in the choir.
But I’d be willing to bet that few of us would sing all night in prison.
Paul and Silas had been stripped and beaten and put in stocks. No doubt their backs were bloodied, and no doubt they were in pain. Not a situation to inspire most of us to break out the hymnal. Life is not a musical, after all.
People do not just suddenly burst into song at midnight in real life. But Paul and Silas did, and the effect of their singing was powerful! The scriptures tell us the prisoners heard them. Then there was an earthquake, and everyone was set free. But nobody left.
The jailer was so dismayed that he was ready to die by suicide.
But Paul and Silas reassured him that everyone was still there.
He was so overwhelmed with their witness of faith
that he was ready to commit his life to Jesus right then and there.
We can only imagine the effect that their singing had on the other prisoners.
The other prisoners had to be wondering what sort of religion Paul and Silas had,
that they would sing praise to their God in such a terrible circumstance.
The music we hear and the words we sing have an influence on us!
Think of the first songs you heard sung by the people who loved you.
Maybe you had a parent or grandparent or family friend who sang.
Maybe, like me, you were part of a family
for whom singing came as naturally as breathing.
Hearing music can change our moods:
we lift our voices in song, and our singing lifts our hearts.
John Calvin, whose writings form the foundation of Presbyterian thought,
said that music “has a secret and almost incredible power
to arouse hearts in one way or another.”
To Calvin’s way of thinking music’s power could be used for good or ill. If the music sways us wrongly, it cranks up our hearts toward idolatry. If the music’s power is used for good, “song has great force and vigor to arouse and inflame people’s hearts to invoke and praise God with a more vehement and ardent zeal.”
Music in worship has been around pretty much since Christianity began.
The songs of the church can inspire our hearts to deeper worship.
They make us better Christians, if they are good songs,
and the words to the hymns we sing shape and form our theology.
That’s why we are selective about the songs we sing in worship.
That’s why we’re careful about the songs we teach our children.
A friend of mine, a pastor in Iowa, wrote on her blog a few weeks ago that lately her five-year-old son “has been singing a song from my youth but changing the lyrics, just slightly. ‘I’m a lizard baby,’ he grins mischievously, ‘so why don’t you kill me.’”
Kendra says, “I realize it is kind of disturbing that he likes to sing this song – and I know that I am to blame…..I suggested we change the lyrics again slightly.
Kiss me? No. Love me? Hmm, too far from the original message.
Pray for me? Yes. We landed there.
“I’m a lizard, baby,” we sang together. “So why don’t you pray for me.”[1]
We know singing is good for us.
Singing together in worship services teaches us the gospel.
Someone once said that you can tell a good hymn because you’re a better Christian after you’ve sung it than you were when you started it. Singing in church helps us claim our unity, and connect to God. It helps us express our love to God with our whole selves.
But singing in the dark?
Singing when life has beaten and bloodied us?
Paul and Silas had been stripped and beaten and put in stocks. No doubt their backs were bloodied, and no doubt they were in pain. Not a situation to inspire most of us to break out the hymnal. Life is not a musical, after all.
People do not just suddenly burst into song at midnight in real life. But Paul and Silas did, and the effect of their singing was powerful! The scriptures tell us the prisoners heard them. Then there was an earthquake, and everyone was set free. But nobody left.
The jailer was so dismayed that he was ready to die by suicide.
But Paul and Silas reassured him that everyone was still there.
He was so overwhelmed with their witness of faith
that he was ready to commit his life to Jesus right then and there.
We can only imagine the effect that their singing had on the other prisoners.
The other prisoners had to be wondering what sort of religion Paul and Silas had,
that they would sing praise to their God in such a terrible circumstance.
The music we hear and the words we sing have an influence on us!
Think of the first songs you heard sung by the people who loved you.
Maybe you had a parent or grandparent or family friend who sang.
Maybe, like me, you were part of a family
for whom singing came as naturally as breathing.
Hearing music can change our moods:
we lift our voices in song, and our singing lifts our hearts.
John Calvin, whose writings form the foundation of Presbyterian thought,
said that music “has a secret and almost incredible power
to arouse hearts in one way or another.”
To Calvin’s way of thinking music’s power could be used for good or ill. If the music sways us wrongly, it cranks up our hearts toward idolatry. If the music’s power is used for good, “song has great force and vigor to arouse and inflame people’s hearts to invoke and praise God with a more vehement and ardent zeal.”
Music in worship has been around pretty much since Christianity began.
The songs of the church can inspire our hearts to deeper worship.
They make us better Christians, if they are good songs,
and the words to the hymns we sing shape and form our theology.
That’s why we are selective about the songs we sing in worship.
That’s why we’re careful about the songs we teach our children.
A friend of mine, a pastor in Iowa, wrote on her blog a few weeks ago that lately her five-year-old son “has been singing a song from my youth but changing the lyrics, just slightly. ‘I’m a lizard baby,’ he grins mischievously, ‘so why don’t you kill me.’”
Kendra says, “I realize it is kind of disturbing that he likes to sing this song – and I know that I am to blame…..I suggested we change the lyrics again slightly.
Kiss me? No. Love me? Hmm, too far from the original message.
Pray for me? Yes. We landed there.
“I’m a lizard, baby,” we sang together. “So why don’t you pray for me.”[1]
We know singing is good for us.
Singing together in worship services teaches us the gospel.
Someone once said that you can tell a good hymn because you’re a better Christian after you’ve sung it than you were when you started it. Singing in church helps us claim our unity, and connect to God. It helps us express our love to God with our whole selves.
But singing in the dark?
Singing when life has beaten and bloodied us?
Singing when it is midnight and the injustices of the world
have imprisoned us in a dark cell?
Singing when we are alone, and life is bleak,
and it seems there is no way out?
Who sings then?
Wholehearted Christians, that’s who.
We don’t just sing praise to God when we’re happy.
We become happy when we sing praise to God.
have imprisoned us in a dark cell?
Singing when we are alone, and life is bleak,
and it seems there is no way out?
Who sings then?
Wholehearted Christians, that’s who.
We don’t just sing praise to God when we’re happy.
We become happy when we sing praise to God.
We don’t sing because we’re joyful; we’re joyful because we sing.
Singing, alone or in choirs or worship services, has great benefits.
Singing increases your energy and reduces your stress.
It benefits your heart and your immune system.
Singing even improves your memory and boosts your energy.
“Studies show that choral singing improves our mood, with a decrease in stress, depression and anxiety. These effects are often attributed to the deeper breathing associated with singing, that is also used in meditation. Singing in a group offers us a sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves. It helps us feel that we are needed by the larger community….
Music making produces measurable changes in the brain! These changes positively impact our ability to heal after strokes by assisting the formation of alternative pathways around damaged brain tissue.”
Above all, “the experience of making music together provides a sense of awe not just for the observers, but for the participants, as well. If one voice, instrument, or dancer alone is amazing, a group of performers is more so.
Singing, alone or in choirs or worship services, has great benefits.
Singing increases your energy and reduces your stress.
It benefits your heart and your immune system.
Singing even improves your memory and boosts your energy.
“Studies show that choral singing improves our mood, with a decrease in stress, depression and anxiety. These effects are often attributed to the deeper breathing associated with singing, that is also used in meditation. Singing in a group offers us a sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves. It helps us feel that we are needed by the larger community….
Music making produces measurable changes in the brain! These changes positively impact our ability to heal after strokes by assisting the formation of alternative pathways around damaged brain tissue.”
Above all, “the experience of making music together provides a sense of awe not just for the observers, but for the participants, as well. If one voice, instrument, or dancer alone is amazing, a group of performers is more so.
What does that awe lead to?
Research shows that this emotion engenders an enhanced sense of altruism. It seems to shift our focus from our own narrow view to that of our common humanity. Those who report more awe in their lives have been shown to be more generous, more ethical, and more helpful towards others. Perhaps as we join with others to create an experience of great beauty, we diminish any sense of scarcity, while augmenting our connection to all in a way which is paradoxically self-affirming.”[2]
Wholehearted worshipers sing.
They sing in worship services,
even if they don’t think they are any good at singing,
because they are joining their voices in unity
to sing praise and adoration to God.
And wholehearted worshipers sing when they are alone,
during the darkest night, or in the brightest hours of their day.
Research shows that this emotion engenders an enhanced sense of altruism. It seems to shift our focus from our own narrow view to that of our common humanity. Those who report more awe in their lives have been shown to be more generous, more ethical, and more helpful towards others. Perhaps as we join with others to create an experience of great beauty, we diminish any sense of scarcity, while augmenting our connection to all in a way which is paradoxically self-affirming.”[2]
Wholehearted worshipers sing.
They sing in worship services,
even if they don’t think they are any good at singing,
because they are joining their voices in unity
to sing praise and adoration to God.
And wholehearted worshipers sing when they are alone,
during the darkest night, or in the brightest hours of their day.
Calvin said that “singing is like a spur to incite us to pray to and to praise God, to meditate on his works, that we may love, fear, honour, and glorify him.”[3]
If we focus our lives on this, on daily worship,
we can sing along with the beautiful words of our choir anthem today:
What tho' my joys and comforts die? The Lord my Saviour liveth;
What tho' the darkness gather round? Songs in the night he giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
Amen.
[1] Thompson, Kendra https://www.tinyfaith.org/home/2019/3/18/im-a-lizard-baby
https://spinditty.com/learning/What-Singing-Does-To-Your-Brain
[2] https://artistworks.com/blog/surprising-health-benefits-singing-choir
[3] Calvin, John, preface to Commentary on the Psalms
If we focus our lives on this, on daily worship,
we can sing along with the beautiful words of our choir anthem today:
What tho' my joys and comforts die? The Lord my Saviour liveth;
What tho' the darkness gather round? Songs in the night he giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that refuge clinging;
Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?
Amen.
[1] Thompson, Kendra https://www.tinyfaith.org/home/2019/3/18/im-a-lizard-baby
https://spinditty.com/learning/What-Singing-Does-To-Your-Brain
[2] https://artistworks.com/blog/surprising-health-benefits-singing-choir
[3] Calvin, John, preface to Commentary on the Psalms
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