Musical Messy Mass

Psalm 98

O sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvellous things.
His right hand and his holy arm
have gotten him victory.
The Lord has made known his victory;
he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the victory of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming
to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

Key point:

God wants us to sing praise and thanksgiving to Him

Our May Messy Church was a musical extravaganza! I have a deep connection with music, it’s not particularly intellectual or knowledgeable, but it moves me. For me music and prayer go hand in hand. The words express something I can’t always put into words. It is one of the greatest ways we have of praising God. Music connects us, it elicits a reaction, whether you like a particular genre, a particular song, a particular sound, it stirs something in us deep down, in our hearts and souls. And it doesn’t just affect us spiritually, it has a physical effect on us too. It can affect our breathing, our heart rates, it can make us relax or clench our fists. It creates a space in which to feel and experience the Holy Spirit.

God made us beings of music. Music is found in every known culture, past and present, varying widely between times and places. Since all people of the world, including the most isolated tribal groups, have a form of music, it may be concluded that music is likely to have been present in the ancestral population prior to the dispersal of humans around the world. Consequently, music may have been in existence for at least 55,000 years and the first music may have been invented in Africa and then evolved to become a fundamental constituent of human life.

The book of Psalms is the praise book of the Bible, and it gives us hundreds of reasons why praise is important, as well as examples of how to give praise to God. In examining those reasons and examples, one thing becomes clear. “It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High…” (Psalm 92:1). Praise is a good thing. That means it is pleasant, valuable, and morally excellent. Psalm 147:1 tells us that praise is beautiful and agreeable.

When we consider the reasons why we should praise God, we find a list of His attributes. He is full of glory (Psalm 138:5), great (Psalm 145:3), wise and powerful (Daniel 2:20), good (Psalm 107:8), merciful and faithful (Psalm 89:1), and much more. This list of attributes is complemented by a list of His wonderful works. He is the One who saves us (Psalm 18:46), keeps His promises (1 Kings 8:56), pardons sin (Psalm 103:1-3), and gives us our daily food (Psalm 136:25). To try to list all the things God has done is impossible, but it is a wonderful exercise because it turns our hearts back to Him and keeps us mindful of how much we owe to Him.

Psalm 148:1-10 tells us that all of creation is commanded to give praise to God. When Jesus was entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, great crowds gathered and offered Him their praises. The Pharisees wanted Him to rebuke the people, but Jesus answered, “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out” (Luke 19:40). Though there are many people who choose not to praise God right now, there is coming a day in which every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the praises of God (Philippians 2:10-11). Some will joyfully give those praises because of the salvation they have received, while some will give those praises as conquered enemies headed for eternal punishment for their rejection of God.

Praise is a vital part of a life surrendered to God, and it gives credit where credit is due. “O that people would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the humankind!” (Psalm 107:8).

Many people think that praise and worship is only singing songs at church, but it is so much more! It is also a condition of your heart — a willingness to exalt God and yield to his will. Worship is an expression of love and awe to the God who gives us more than we deserve. Whether you express your worship by singing, playing music, dancing or in some other way, remember that you are called to worship God with your every action, every day of your life. God is holy, loving, and worthy of all our worship and devotion.

Activity What it involves Lesson
Singing Mini music workshop with Jim & Julia in the chapel. There are three songs, “When I survey the wondrous cross”, “We want to see Jesus lifted high” and “O Happy Day” (click to hear them) To worship God!
Actions/dance workshop To learn actions to go with We want to see Jesus lifted high (Using pompoms!!!) To learn to use all our bodies in worship
Food Musical notes from various foods etc
Making instruments Making instruments to use in worship

–         Harmonica

–         Maracas

–         Bells

–         Shakers

–         Etc…

Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
with the lyre and the sound of melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
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