Sixth Grade Lessons, Block 5—How to Contact the Lord
Week 27
Singing the Word
Reading Reference: Life-study of Philippians, msgs. 40, 46; Speaking Poems in the Church Meetings for the Organic Building Up of the Church as the Body of Christ (Outlines), Outline 4; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 14:15b; Psa. 95:1; 100:1; Rev. 2:6
Memory Verse: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to God. (Col. 3:16)
Suggested Songs:
Scripture Reading: Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 14:15b; Psa. 95:1; 100:1; Rev. 2:6
Points to Emphasize:
Singing the Word
We need to take the Bible as a book of life. The whole Bible is the word of life. As the word of life, the Bible is food to us. Would it not be foolish only to study food and not eat it? If we would study our food and refuse to eat it, we would eventually die. Likewise, if we do not eat the Word, we shall die spiritually. It is crucial that we eat the Word by pray-reading it and by singing it. (Life-study of Philippians, msg. 46, p. 405)
The New Testament tells us that we should sing (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 14:15b). Both Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3 say that when we are filled within, we will be full of grace to sing with our hearts, to speak to one another, and to praise the Lord. According to 1 Corinthians 14, we should sing out our feeling in the spirit. Our singing should be full of the Lord, full of the spirit, and full of life.
The Psalms in the Old Testament tell us to make a joyful noise to the Lord (Psa. 95:1; 100:1). We may not be an accomplished singer, yet we should still enjoy singing to the Lord. The Lord enjoys the singing of all the saints. The Lord does not care for the proper melody, but He likes to hear a joyful noise full of praises to Him. When we sing in the spirit and with the spirit and with Christ as the content, this is pleasing to God even though we cannot carry a tune; this kind of singing is sweet to the Triune God.
Whenever we have some free time at home, we should sing the hymns. We should sing the hymns until we know them well. In this way it will be easy for us to sing hymns in the meetings. Singing is an outstanding trait of a Christian. (Speaking Poems in the Church Meetings for the Organic Building Up of the Church as the Body of Christ (Outlines), Outline 4)
Sing-read the Word of God
Now we must go on to sing-read the Word of God. We need to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom by singing. This is not my teaching; it is the charge given by the apostle Paul in Colossians 3:16.
We should sing the Word not only in the meetings, but especially in our daily life. In particular, we should sing the Word at home. When you are alone in your room or with others at the dining table, sing the Word of God. Singing the Word is an excellent way to exercise the spirit. To pray is to exercise the spirit, but to sing is an especially good way to exercise the spirit.
The longest book of the Bible is the book of Psalms, containing one hundred fifty psalms. This book was composed not merely for reading; it was written for singing, even for psalming. Psalming is more elevated than singing. In Colossians 3:16 Paul mentions psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Spiritual songs are usually short; hymns, of medium length; and psalms are usually longer compositions. We need to sing and psalm the Word of God. Psalming is higher, deeper, and more profound than singing.
Saturated With the Word by Singing
To sing the Word is better than reading it, and to psalm the Word is even better than singing it. Psalming the Word includes musing upon it and enjoying it. As we psalm the Word, we dwell upon it, muse on it, and enjoy it, thereby giving more opportunity for the Word to saturate us…The best way to receive the word of life and to be saturated with the element of Christ is to sing the Word. (Life-study of Philippians, msg. 40, pp. 355-357)