Epaggelia

The WHAT? Making Melody, being two words in English is actually only one word in your Greek New Testament, “PSALLO” meaning ‘to pluck or twang’. The following NT verses use this word, Ephesians 5:19, James 5:13, 1st Corinthians 14:15 (twice), Romans 15:9. Everytime the point is to pluck at something, Eph. 5:19 the heart. Jas. 5:13 the happy person. 1Cor. 14:15 the spirit & understanding of people. Rom. 15:9 the foreign person.

The WHY? There is a reason for God teaching and instructing us to PSALLO or pluck at. The context of each passage above makes clear why God wants us to pluck at something. Rom. 15:9 in order to praise God’s name for his mercy. 1Cor. 14:15-16 in order to give clarity and agreement with everyone who hears. In Jas. 5:13 in order to show we are happy. Eph. 5:18-19 in order to be filled with the Spirit. 

The HOW? Singing! The Greek word is ODAY, from where we get our English word for “ODE”. Everyone can sing, not everyone can maintain harmony, some can’t even keep a beat, but we can ALL SING. If you are doubtful, just pray about it and try.  Since God is a Spirit, he is not desiring a good physical experience, he is actually desiring a good spiritual experience. He wants to feel your gratitude, love and praise, from your heart.

If God can feel your pain, then he can certainly feel your joy. Heb. 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” Also, there is a direct implication that our joy and the joy of the Lord can be intertwined, when Jesus says in John 15:11 “These things have I spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” Singing does indeed MOVE people, which is what some people might need in order to begin the actual “plucking or twanging” of our heart/spirit.

The WHO? Christians of all ages, genders, races & social positions. Romans 15:9-11 & Galatians 3:28, Matthew 21:16. For of such, belong the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of God is righteousness, JOY and peace. Romans 14:17. 

The CONTENT? Last week we looked in detail for New Testament Lyrics. Here is a list of New Testament statements that resemble anthems, choruses, odes or poetic refrains. Romans 11:36, Ephesians 3:21, 1st Timothy 1:17, Revelation 5:12-13, 7:12, 15:3-4, 19:6. Some scholars have suggested that the majority of Ist Corinthians 13, the ‘love’ chapter is a song.

The CONCLUSION: Singing is an obvious act of worship, an expression of our love and gratitude for all that God is, all that Jesus has done, and all the Spirit is doing. No matter how happy or sad we are, we should know Christ wants us to gather together on Sunday to sing. Our determination to do this is pinned on the example of the church in Acts 2:42, but the result is in v47.