Singing to the Lord
A Sermon on Singing from Ephesians 5:19
Scripture
19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Sermon Description
All worship that is truly Christian must have its final focus in the person and work of Christ Jesus the Son of God. In this sermon on singing from Ephesians 5:19 titled “Singing to the Lord,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones states that all who are truly Christians have been united to Christ and are beneficiaries of His death and resurrection by the regenerating and transforming power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in all who believe the gospel. It is only by the Spirit that any can come to a true and saving knowledge of Jesus and partake in the new life that He has provided in His death. Not only this, but Jesus Christ intercedes for all who believe interceding between people and God. Furthermore, Jesus Christ is the great prophet who reveals God and His will for the world. He serves as the final revelation of who God is and what He has done in His Son and through His Holy Spirit. This great person and work of Christ is the center of all Christianity, but this is the very heart of all true Christian worship. For the majesty and glory of Christ should compel and inspire all the children of God to sing and proclaim the praises of God now and forever.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul instructs Christians to speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
- The term “the Lord” refers to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Holy Spirit's work is to glorify the Son.
- Christians should test whether an experience is from the Holy Spirit by whether it leads to glorifying and worshipping Jesus.
- Christians can see Jesus in the Bible, which prompts singing and making melody in the heart.
- Christians should meditate on Jesus' glory, majesty, eternity and everlasting glory.
- Christians should consider the wonder of Jesus' incarnation, leaving heaven to dwell on earth. This should inspire singing.
- Christians should consider Jesus' life, obedience, humility, sympathy, compassion and perfection.
- Christians should consider Jesus as the great prophet, priest and king. This includes his authority, suffering, resurrection and ascension.
- Christians on earth are preparing to join in the song of praise to Jesus in heaven. Christians should start this song now.
- The sermon asks if Christians can say "amen" to praising Jesus as described. If so, they should encourage this by being filled with the Spirit and seeing Jesus in Scripture.
The Book of Ephesians
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.