The nations sing

But Matt Boswell is using the voice. The human instrument that he's given us to praise him. So you'll notice that at times the music drops. And we can just hear each other singing. Brothers and sisters. That's a glorious thing. So let's do that now. Let's stand together. And join our voices in praise of our glorious God.

The emcee on hearing the congregation singing.

Nothing would make God the Father happier than to hear the praises of His beloved Son in every tongue, from every tribe, from every nation. And so may that warm our hearts to the great mission of the church. Let's pray.

Michael Morales: nothing would please the Father more than his Son praised in every tongue.

Worship is the fuel and goal of missions. Absolutely it is. Which means that sending our best is an act of worship, beloved. When we send our best, we are saying our triune God is worthy. Consider whom God sent.

Worship is the fuel and goal of mission.

This is the story of what we are about. Psalm 96 says this. Oh, sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord. Bless his name. Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations. His marvelous works among all peoples. We go out to the ends of the earth, to the languages where there are poorly reached languages, where there are no churches.

Psalm 96: sing to the Lord a new song among the nations.

"Worthy are you to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slain and by your blood you have ransomed people from every tribe, language, people, and nation." They know the song. It starts with, they don't know this one to sing to. The glory of this one. We have to go and teach them. As has been reiterated in two of the addresses today, we go because the glory of our God is at stake.

Revelation 5: the song begins where they don't know it yet.

The problem is not expressing your feeling. The problem is if in our singing we never get around to saying anything about this God. The song of the Lamb teaches us something. And as you, any of you who are responsible for the singing in your church, that is a part of your teaching ministry. That's a part of your discipleship ministry. You ought to think: what would our people know about the great doctrines of faith over 20 years just from the songs that we sing in this church. Would they know biblical psalms? Would they know the psalms that Jesus sang? How much good theology? Set the bar higher than, "Well, no heresy there. You can do better than heresy-free songs.

What would your people know from 20 years of your songs?

When we sing, we are engaging in holy, joyous warfare. When you hear God's people singing every Lord's Day, celebrating the resurrection, the victory of our lamb, our captain, our savior, Jesus Christ, great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God Almighty, because we have something to sing about, which brings us full circle to John 17. Listen to the end of the high priestly prayer, verse 24, back in John 17. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me may be with me where I am to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Oh, righteous, righteous, righteous." "Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.

When we sing, we are engaging in holy, joyous warfare.

But when you shake out all the distinctions culturally, you'll see the same elements that are commanded by God's word present. So on the question, how should we worship? The answer is in the Bible. And that's true in our home churches and it's true on the mission field.

The same commanded elements of worship, in every culture.

Let the peoples praise you, oh God. Let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy. Psalm 67. Clap your hands, all peoples. Shout to God with loud songs of joy. Psalm 47. Shout for joy to God, all the earth. Sing the glory of his name. Give to him glorious praise. Psalm 66. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.

Piper: let the nations be glad and sing for joy.