Four-year-old Jimmy was thrilled when the family got a piano. Immediately he was up on the piano bench pounding on the keys. After a while he climbed down in frustration. "It's no use!" he anguished. "'Jesus Loves Me' just isn't there." Perhaps he was a little young to realize that you get out of a piano what you put into it. Off course, the same could be said about our worship.

During our Sunday morning services we usually sing songs, hymns, or choruses. We may do so accompanied by musical instruments like a piano, organ, guitar, drums, flute, violin, keyboard, etc. Our praise team or choir may lead us and we may have a solo, duet, or ensemble. We may sing old gospel selections or newer songs. Even when the bells are playing themselves some of us may think about singing along.

This morning I want to ask you a question that some of you may have pondered previously and that some of you have never thought about. Regardless, I want to ask the question today. "Why do we sing when we gather together as the family of God?" Do we sing merely because that is what is printed in our worship bulletin? Do we sing because it fills time during our service so you do not have to listen to a longer message from the pastor? Or do you sing because you have always sung at worship services?

Through the years I have observed that some persons choose not to sing or even attempt to make a joyful noise. Would you believe that some people even pay more attention to the Scripture and the message than the singing and wait to get done with the singing? Whether we are good singers or instrumentalists or not, many enjoy some styles of music. Is that sufficient reason to have music in worship?

In recent months I have used the book of Nehemiah as the Scripture text of several messages. A couple of weeks ago I spoke about worship at Watergate. The reading and teaching of Scripture was central to that worship, but singers were also mentioned. The wall had been completed and thousands came together to worship.

The text we read today mentions no date, but Bible scholars have suggested that it may be three months after the completion of the wall. Some even think it could be seventeen years later. Regardless, the occasion is the dedication of the Jerusalem wall.

Nehemiah 12:27 Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites from all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem so that they might celebrate the dedication with gladness, with hymns of thanksgiving and with songs - to the accompaniment of cymbals, harps and lyres.

The priests and Levites purified themselves, the people and the gates and the wall and a fantastic procession began. Nehemiah had the leaders of Judah come on top of the wall with him. He had appointed two great choirs. One processed in a counter-clockwise direction on the top of the wall and the other in a clockwise direction meeting in the house of God. Half of the leaders followed each choir. Instrumentalists joined the singers. What a magnificent dedication service they must have had.

With this in mind allow me to return to the question with which I began, "Why sing?" I suggest three ex's.

I. Expression of Praise and Thanks

The singing here and in other places is not merely putting words to a melody. Verse 46 speaks of songs of praise and thanksgiving to God..

As the reading of the Scriptures resumed and continued at least for a while after the wall had been completed the people had been reminded of the greatness of their God and how worthy He was to be praised. They had also heard numerous reasons to thank God and of course had seen Him empower them to so quickly repair the wall. Certainly many had some personal thank yous to add. Singing was not the only expression of praise and thanks, but it was and continues to be a beautiful expression whether we are singers or those who make a joyful noise to the Lord. Singing is an expression in which many can share together in an orderly fashion their praise and thanksgiving. It is a vital part of true worship. Certainly we see how true this is in the Psalms.

Freanklin Segler wrote:
Since music is the finest of the fine arts and the most universal means for the expression of human attitudes, it should play an important role in public worship. The people of God have given a major place to the use of music in their worship, even from Old Testament times. In the primitive song of Moses (Exodus 15), as well as in the relatively sophisticated music of the Temple, music was sung and frequently accompanied by musical instruments. The music of Israel consisted in songs of praise, thanksgiving, instruction, personal experience, and historical celebration. There were choirs, singers, instrumentalists, teachers, directors and composers. The book of Psalms constituted the early hymnbook of the Jewish people.

II. Expectation of God

God is worthy of our singing, our worship, our praise, our thanks. HE created us, the world , and all life. He deserves our worship and expects us to worship Him. That worship certainly may include signing, playing musical instruments, and even making a joyful noise to the Lord.

Nehemiah 12:43 43and on that day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced because (A)God had given them great joy, even the women and children rejoiced, so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard from afar. Ephesians 5:19 (speaking to one another in)psalms and)hymns and spiritual (ongs,)singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;

Singing as an expectation of God could also be understood in another way, that is, When Christians gather to sing in worship we should expect to meet God in our worship. I have stated that as the third reason of why we sing.

III. Experience of God's Presence

Hopefully this was the experience of many singers for joy at the dedication of the wall. Please notice that this is not a performance for our own ego or our glory, but for God's glory. Singing in church should be an act of worship, for the choir member, for the person on the praise team, for the soloist, for the singer in the pew.

In Psalm 33:3 we are instructed to sing to God a new song, a song of salvation. This should be the song of persons who have experienced God's presence in spiritual rebirth and those who continue to experience God's presence each time they seek God in worship.

Raymond Ortlund wrote: "Worship is the highest and noblest act that any person can do. When men worship God is satisfied! "The Father seeketh such to worship Him." Amazing, isn't it? And when you worship you are fulfilled! Think about this: Why did Jesus Christ come? He came to make worshippers out of rebels. We who were once self-centered have to be completely changed so that we can shift our attention outside of ourselves and become able to worship Him."

P.T.Forsyth declared that unless there is within us that which is above us, we shall soon yield to that which is around us. Psalm 22:3 God imnhabits the praises of His people.

There was once a difficulty in a congregation in the old New England times. The choir had declined to proceed with the music. So the shrewd pastor introduced the service with the hymn, "Come, We Who Love the Lord" and asked them to begin with the second verse, "Let those refuse to sing, who never knew our God."

Years ago John Wesley gave some directions for singing printed in our hymnal. I want to mention only a few of them this morning, but you may read them all in the hymnal.

Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.
Sing them exactly as they are printed here.
Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can.
Sing lustfully and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift your voices with strength.
Sing modestly.
Sing in time.
Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself or any other creature.

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