From Pastor
Courtney Lewis
June 2012,
Camp
Music
Lesson
Title:
“Changing Your Music”
·
Prayer
Introduction:
·
Music fills the courts of heaven as the angels
praise our Lord and Creator.
·
Job
38:7 (When God created the world, the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy)
·
God created man in His own image, to be
instrument of praise to Him
·
He gave man the ability to sing and to make
music with music instruments and voice
·
Music was an important part of the worship
service at the temple
·
Certain groups of the Levitical tribes were designated
as temple musicians and singers, offering their praises to God
·
David had a real gift of music, providing
soothing harp music to King Saul when the king was depressed
·
He also wrote most of the songs in Psalms, the
longest book in the Bible.
·
Psalms
30:4, 33:1-3, 95:1, 96:1
· So God is for music
IL:
Before I got saved, I loved music. That did not change because I got saved. Nor
did it need to change. However, what needed to change was the type of music I
listened to and enjoyed.
·
I knew I could not be the type of Christian that
I should be with the music I was listening to
·
Wrong music will not bring you closer to Jesus
Christ
·
If He were sitting right next to you in the
flesh you wouldn’t play that wrong type of music
·
And it wouldn’t be on your cell phone or any
other electronic device either –MP3
·
There is a segment of Christianity that ways “be
a Christian but don’t change anything”
·
That is ignoring the Bible!
IL:
Pastor with Michael Jackson on desk; they say they promote “liberty in
worship”; that’s just another way of saying “we are compromisers; we like
worldly entertainment”
·
Worldly entertainment is detrimental to your
walk with the Lord
PSALM
42:8 “Yet the LORD will command his loving-kindness in the daytime,
and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God
of my life.”
·
That verse clearly tells me that there is a type
of song that is God’s type of song
·
That’s the type of song that you should want
with you as you drive, walk, ride the bus, bike
·
But unfortunately there is another type of song
out there.
TEXT: DANIEL 3: 1-18
·
Nebuchadnezzar, wanting to build a world empire
felt he needed get all the different races of people to unite in the same
worship
·
So he had built in the Plain of Dura a giant
image of gold
·
50 cubits high (90 or 100 feet tall) and six
cubits wide (9 or 10 feet)
·
A lot of gold ladies!
·
Nebuchadnezzar gave his orders and multitudes of
people came to assemble before this image
·
Nebuchadnezzar was going to test the loyalty of
his kingdom
·
Now this was command: when the music started
everybody was to bow down before that image v. 4-6
·
Gathered around were the princes, the governors,
the captains, judges, sheriffs, treasurers, rulers, with all the other regular
people
·
The music sounded and the people fell on their faces
·
Then somebody reported to the king: “The three
Hebrew young men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, have not bowed down to the
image.
·
Folks, these three men were taken captive from
Israel and were worshipers of the God of Heaven.
·
They knew the law that said in Ex. 20: 4-5 “Thou
shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is
in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under
the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor
serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of
the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that
hate me;”
·
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew that and
said “we are not going to bow to the Devil’s image at the sound of that music”
·
King Nebuchadnezzar was enraged at them for
taking this stand and offered them a second opportunity to bow down at the
sound of the music v.
13-15
·
Notice the arrogance at the end of verse 15 “and who
is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”
·
That made God stand by these men and prove His
power
·
When faced with a second chance to bow, the
three Hebrew men didn’t even have to think about it v. 16-18
·
They were cast into the furnace and God did
deliver them v.
19-25
·
What are the lessons from this passage
pertaining to music?
I.
GOD
HAS HIS MUSIC, AND THE DEVIL HAS HIS!!!
ÿ
Nebuchadnezzar decided to use music as a tool to
get people to sin v.
5
ÿ
And the same is true today
·
IL:
Club and the wicked dancing.
ÿ
Nebuchadnezzar understood that music is powerful
and it certainly is
ÿ
You need to learn to identify which type of
music is Godly and which is not
ÿ
Most of the music out there is not Godly and
edifying to the soul
·
IL: Timothy Leary, the ‘6os
LSD guru rock music, testified: “Don’t listen to the words, it’s the music that
had its own message. … I’ve
been STONED ON THE MUSIC many times.”
Leary was right, of course, about the hypnotic, addictive, sensual power
of rock and roll. And notice that he IS NOT TALING ABOUT THE WORDS, but of the
music itself, of the rhythm, the backbeat, the heavy relentless syncopation.
·
IL: “Rock and roll is fun,
it’s full of energy … It’s naughty”
(Tina Turner, cited in Rock Facts, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and
Museum, p 12).
ÿ
The Devil’s music is rap, R&B, soul, rock,
jazz, blues, house, pop, reggae, County, funk, and most Christian music that’s
out their: Christian rock, Christian rap, contemporary Christian, you name it
ÿ
Why? Because it is worldly and sensual
ÿ
It has worldly lyrics, sex, drugs, rebellion
ÿ
It has a worldly beat, worldly back beat
ÿ
And if its worldly, its wrong
ÿ
1 John 2: 15-17
ÿ
Verses: “Love not the
world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the
love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Gather, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth
away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”
ÿ
When music appeals to the flesh watch out!
ÿ
That’s why we don’t let our music in our
services resemble the world
ÿ
And we never will as long as I’m in charge
ÿ
And that may be why our congregational singing
is not what it should be. Too many may be listening to the Devil’s music during
the week and you come to church with no taste for the songs of God
ÿ
God has His music and the Devil had his
II.
A
CHRISTIAN DOESN’T HAVE TO BOW DOWN TO THE DEVIL’S MUSIC
ÿ
Shadrach, MESHACH, AND Abednego were not going
to compromise v. 12
ÿ
They did not blame their environment; they stood
for truth
ÿ
IL:
All that time I was making radical changes in my music my brother
still had his cruddy music;
·
I was in
the projects and the wicked music was blasting everywhere
·
But I
wanted to do right so I got head phones and listened to Godly music
·
And not a
mixture between Godly and ungodly either; get off the fence Christian
ÿ
Babylon was a wicked place and they easily could
have said, “hey, when in Rome do as the Romans”
ÿ
Don’t tell me that because of your environment
you have to bow down because you don’t
ÿ
The Hip hop culture is turning our kids into
druggies!!!!!!!!
ÿ
IL:
While songs early in rap history that mentioned drugs were generally cautionary
tales about the dangers of crack or powdered cocaine (“White
Lines”),
ÿ
Mentions of marijuana and ‘blunts”
(marijuana-stuffed cigars) doubled between 1979 and 1997, with many songs
portraying the drugs as glamorous rewards of th hip-hop lifestyle (“The
Chronic”).
ÿ
“Rap music is like CNN for black teens,” said
Herd. “But much of what is discussed in rap is in code. The kids understand but
parents don’t.”
ÿ
They are after our kids; you don’t have to bow!!
ÿ
The golden image had to be impressive
ÿ
All that gold represented the power, might, and
wealth of the Babylonian kingdom
ÿ
The image had worldly appeal to it
ÿ
The music images today have worldly appeal
ÿ
They are in the form of real people with money,
looks, popularity
ÿ
IL: Michael Jackson had
all that fame; hooked on drugs; if that’s of image you want to bow down to I
feel sorry for you
ÿ
Their music is not welcome in my home and in my
car; you don’t have to bow down
ÿ
A Christian does not have to bow down
III.
THE
DEVIL WILL GIVE YOU MORE CHANCES TO FALL
ÿ
You see you were one of his children at one time
and he doesn’t want to give up without a fight
ÿ
If you are saved he can’t take you to hell, but
he can influence you to backslide
ÿ
Satan will temp you to revert back to the wrong
type of music v.15
ÿ
That’s when its time to be even more strong in
your stand
ÿ
That’s when its time to be bold in your stand
for God
ÿ
That’s when you need to have courage to not
compromise your decisions
ÿ
IL:
David Cloud: “Giving up rock music was not a simple matter. It was a real
struggle, because I absolutely loved it and had listened to it practically
every waking moment for many years. I began to study the Bible zealously. Each day
I would find a private place away from distraction, and read and meditate upon
the blessed Word of God. I had been deceived and in bondage to Satan for many
years; and now that I had received the truth, I never wanted to be deceived
again. I also desired that God would purify and use my life, and one of the
first things he dealt with me about was my music. God’s Word tells us that we
cannot serve two masters. I cannot say I love the Lord if I love those things
which the Lord’s hates. “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the
friendship of the world is enmity with God?
Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (James 4:4).
ÿ
One day as I was driving in my car with the
radio tuned to a rock station (as usual), I suddenly realized that I was
pouring garbage into my mind as fast as I was pouring in truth. Rock and roll
was contamination the truth and hindering the healing ministry of the Holy
Spirit. I turned off the radio that day and rejoiced in what God had shown me.
That was not the end of the battle, though. Often I was tempted to turn that
knob and be immersed for a few moments in the beat, yet I always knew that it
did not please the Lord and that it was not edifying to my Christian life.
Giving up rock and roll was one of the most difficult battles I have
faced as a Christian. Giving up rock was
easily as difficult as giving up cigarettes. And, as with smoking, the battle against rock
music had to be fought and re-fought long after the initial victory. Why was
this so if rock is harmless and unintoxicating as some claim? I realize that
giving up rock in itself did not secure the many blessings I enjoy in my
Christian life, but I am convinced that it was an important step in the right
direction.
ÿ
You will stay a baby Christian until you die if
you play with the wrong type of music and that’s sad
ÿ
The Devil tells you that you can’t be happy
without that music and you believe his lie!
ÿ
God wants you to be different
ÿ
Once you know what the Bible has to say about it
you won’t be happy WITH that type of
music
ÿ
You’ll be irritated at messages like this
ÿ
The Devil will be sure to give you opportunities
to fall. Beware and run to God
IV.
THERE
MY BE A FIERY FURNACE OF PERSECUTION WHEN YOU STAND AGAINST THE DEVIL’S MUSIC
ÿ
The threat of the fiery furnace was real scary
to say that least V.
19-22
ÿ
“Heat that furnace up seven time hotter than
before”
ÿ
He commanded the strongest soldiers to seize the
3 men
ÿ
The raging fire was so hot that it burned the
men who seized them
ÿ
IL:
My brother and me listening to Darcel McCoy; may be in the form of ridicule
ÿ
Some that you know will not understand and may
poke at you
ÿ
Christians are called upon to face the furnace
of affliction
ÿ
You can have victory and God is not pleased if
you are dabbling with the Devil’s music
ÿ
Be willing to take some ridicule for the Son of
God
V.
JESUS
WILL BE WITH YOU THROUGH IT ALL
ÿ
The Hebrew children did not go through the fire
alone because Jesus showed up V.24,25
ÿ
All the fire did was burn off the ropes that
bound theses three noble young men
ÿ
They offered to die, if need be, to be faithful
ÿ
They believed that God would deliver them, but
if He did not, they still would not worship the image
ÿ
The startled king looked into the fiery furnace
and saw four instead of three
ÿ
And the fourth was “like the son of God”
ÿ
They were all walking unharmed in the fire
ÿ
God may not keep you from the fire, but He can
be with you in the fire if you’ll take a stand for Him
ÿ
And the stand started with the right response to
Nebuchadnezzar’s music. You are trying
to be right with God
ÿ
They will one day need God and He may not be
there for them
ÿ
Jesus will be with you
VI.
YOU WILL
HAVE A GLOWING
TESTIMONY
ÿ
Because these men stood for right,
Nebuchadnezzar would not have respected their God
ÿ
Again, Nebuchadnezzar was impressed with their
God because they took a stand
ÿ
Take a stand for the sake of your Christian
testimony
ÿ
The lost are watching you
ÿ
If they see you bouncing to the Devil’s music,
then they will think, “I don’t need their God; they’re just like me”
ÿ
But if you stand against the Devil’s music,
those same people who mock you and persecute you for trying to take a stand
will be the very people who end up turning to you in time of distress and you
can point them to your God
ÿ
Remember your Christian testimony
CONCLUSION:
·
Get
rid of music that doesn’t honor God
·
Get
music that does honor God
IL: “I was following the Lord
wholeheartedly until we switched churches and I was invited to the new youth
group. I had a conviction against rock music, but as I was surrounded by it, my
beliefs were corrupted. This music eventually led to rebellion and moral
failures. The Lord has gained victory in my life now, but the music still
brings on rebellion if I listen to it. Please
get rid of this music and play melodious, harmonious music!”
A Fifteen-Year-Old Student From
Pennsylvania
“’Christian
rock’ had made me a shallow, rebellious young Christian. It made it easy for me
to get into regular rock music. When I finally submitted to God and got the
rock music out of my life, I was able to
see the double standard that is lived out by ‘Christian rock’ musicians.
“ ‘Christian rock’ does not praise
God and it is worse than regular rock because I think it is hypocritical. Rock is wrong and addictive and has
contributed to my moral failure. I praise God for His help in releasing me from
it.”
An Eighteen-Year-Old Student From
Indiana
“About four
years ago, a local Christian radio station began broadcasting ‘rock’ of the ‘Christian
variety.’ At first, I accepted only the light stuff. Within months, I found
myself listening to heavier and heavier stuff. I thank God that my parents and I
came to an agreement on the music I will listen to. I can see how it has
affected the lives of some who at one time were my closest friends. I still
enjoy easy classical music, but they are into heavy worldly rock and the
lifestyle that goes with it. Just a few weeks ago, God convicted me of what I once
considered super-soft, contemporary music. I threw the tape away and thank God
for the conviction that brought me to do it.”
A Twenty-Year-Old Student from Kansas
“I began to
listen to ‘Christian rock’ without the blessing of my father. He told me that
if I listened to ‘Christian rock’ it would open the door for Satan. I just laughed,
and listened anyway. It totally deadened
my Christian growth and led to terrible immorality, rebellion, and
rejection of God. It then developed into secular, hard rock. Now all I can do
is go back and pick up the pieces. But I
still have a scar in my life that will never be removed.”
A Sixteen-Year-Old Student From
Oklahoma
·
When
I got ‘Christian’ and secular rock, I went out from under my father’s
protection. I lost sleep, was rebellious, had a rotten attitude, and made life
miserable for my parents. I also had major impure thoughts. I no longer listen
to that music, and life is so much more enjoyable and I have much more
spiritual victory. Whenever I hear this music, I get uptight and am
tempted to get
back into it.
Thank God I am not in it anymore.”
A Seventeen-Year-Old Student From Texas
·
There is an abundance of good, godly
Christian music and we can help if you are serious
