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Acts 16:22-30 – Singing Transports Us To Telling Others
Singing not merely about God, but to Him is deeply moving; we can also teach others about God through our singing. We can teach about God, but also about ourselves. God ordained joy to be spread through our vocalizing the Christian life in song. I once knew a Christian that did not think you could sing songs to unbelievers, because all the verses on singing only talk about singing to believers and God. What her and her family did not understand was that singing is a form of teaching. After singing Will You Not Tell It Today?, one of my sisters – when she was a child – asked my mother, “Why won’t we tell it today?”
Teaching through song is true of not only what we sing, but how we sing. We should consider the music accompanying the words as the dressing, the clothes. Before people hear me preach, and I mean hear and understand the words, they see me. That is why I dress up. Contrary to the reason many people dress nicely, I don’t dress up for God, I dress up for the hearers, for the effect, to adorn the word of God (Titus 2:10).
Luke 16: 8 – “And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.”
Matthew 10:16 – “be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”
While our goal is not to impress visitors with our singing, there is no denying our singing leaves an impression on people (Acts 16:25ff). And yet, I wonder, should we try to impress people with our singing…and even our lives? Yes—if our intent is to have them glorify God!
Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
What do you consider the most amazing part of the following story: The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:22-30)
What strikes you? What amazes, maybe even shocks you?
Is it being beaten without cause?
Singing and praising God after being beaten without cause?
God intervening with an earthquake?
The jailor’s quick change from desiring suicide to wanting salvation?
All those are amazing, but what makes me read the story and wonder in awe is the response of the prisoners after they’d been freed. What did the guilty ones being justly punished do? They stayed with Paul. Did the unjustly punished innocent run? No, they stayed with Paul. They knew through the singing and praying—the lives of these men—that these men were different. The earthquake confirmed that. Just think what powerful and awesome examples we can be. Now that is an awesome thought. And it happened through singing.
Some never want to sing new songs on Sunday morning because of the impression left on visitors. There is truth in that, that is, that our singing does leave an impression on visitors. But all songs are new at some time, so the goal is to make the new songs, songs we know. Why? Because we want to become “all things to all men” and some of the new songs will have a greater effect on today’s culture. So let’s learn the new songs at other times and then sing them on Sunday morning. But do not let those who disdain singing the new songs miss the times when the songs are learned.
Is there an intellectual effect through singing? Yes. That is the part of teaching. Is there an emotional effect through singing? Yes. And it is scriptural.
Eph.5:19 – singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.
Col.3:16 – Let the word of God richly dwell within you…singing with thankfulness in your heart to God.
From the Heart – Singing with thankfulness in your hearts [In Your Hearts/kardia (2588)]. The style of music dictated by the words themselves show us that the words which teach emote feelings. True, scriptural, singing must have both.
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