To sing-to sing with other people-in public.
When I think of people singing together in public two places come
to mind
--one is a sporting event
Probably the most common place to sing with other people in these
United States
Is standing and singing our National Anthem
-Only judging by the sounds I have heard (or not heard) at the
start of football
or baseball games
I would say we are increasingly a people unable to sing together
-the sound is more like a mass mumble
-the only exception is perhaps a 7th inning stretch at Wrigley
Field
to the rousing strains of "Take me out to the ball game"
(but everything about Wrigley Field is a bit unreal to the rest
of the world.)
The other place where people are invited to sing together is the
church
Perhaps an equally unreal environment
-clearly removed from the ordinary routines of the world
To sing-to be in harmony with others-in song.
I remember growing up in a world where every child sang
-children's songs are foundational to much of what we know about
the world
-not just music and rhyme
-but a feeling of harmony, balance and wholeness.
We were taught that there are songs that reflect
and in some cases define a generation or period of history.
From protest songs to songs of conflict-from music of romance
to hymns of faith
-the music of a people echoes through history
some of the most remembered sung in the midst of great conflict
--Civil War songs hoping for Johnny to come marching home
-World War One songs that kept the caissons rolling along
-and the Second World War waited for the lights to come on again
all over the world.
Each generation has had music that would be argued to be their
music
while also allowing later generations to feel something from a
different period of time
--entering into a shared music experience.
The traditional folk and gospel tunes of this country used to
be as basic a part
of the school curriculum as the multiplication tables and the
rules of grammar. There are classic songs of our country
-from the "Erie Canal" and "Yellow Rose of Texas"
to "This Land is Your Land" and "The Battle Hymn
of the Republic".
We used to learn the spirituals--"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"
--and the folk-"Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore"
which were joined with campfire songs of every youth retreat
that at some point or another invited God to "kumbaya".
But increasingly we are becoming a people who
do not sing in public.
When was the last time you were invited to sing with someone at
work
-or even at play.
We have become an entertainment oriented people
-waiting for the professional to step up and sing for us
-that's how most of us experience the Star Spangled Banner these
days
-sung by a professional.
Many churches have also found that choirs are no longer possible
--generations of children growing up with records and radios,
tapes and CD's
no longer know how or desire to sing together
--they still want their music but more often then not they want
it performed for them
--the church is one of the few places where we encourage people
to participate
--where you are still welcome to sing out
--if God gave you that voice then God must think its all right
who cares what your neighbor thinks-at least for the hymns
The songs we sing are apart of who we are--
The words of the old songs song by our mothers and grandmothers
are no longer the foundation of our collective unconscious
-the tunes we hum now are more likely to be
a product of Madison Avenue advertising
than that expressing some truly human need or desire.
It is most fitting that on this Church Music Sunday
That our Gospel text for today has Jesus striving to help his
disciples
recognize that they are not to just be another segment of the
world population
-while they are in the world they are not to be of
the world.
The music of our lives is not to be a only product of worldly
wants or even needs
but something more--
The worldly tunes are catchy and easily sweep us up in their rhythms
and sound
-everything from looking for the union label
to the assurance that you deserve a break today
have been lessons in song and the world.
But Jesus said that his disciples were to be in but not
of the world.
--We can sing the songs of the world-but we also know greater
harmonies
I pulled up to the red light at Riverwoods
and 22 the other day
-that means I had plenty of time to look around
-in the car next to me I watched a young lady clearly singing
along with her radio
-she was bouncing to the tune and throwing her whole self into
the music
-she was having a great time until she happened to look over at
me
and noticed me staring
-she stopped literally in mid syllable-her mouth wide open
-her head partially tipped back
-she had been in harmony with her world until by chance my look
had entered in
-and suddenly she wasn't sure if she should keep on singing.
I wanted to roll down my window and ask her what song she was
listening too
--it looked too good to miss out on-but the light changed and
she pulled away.
Jesus knew what it was to be in harmony with
the world
-to be singing along with the world when suddenly something brings
you up short
-Why are you so happy? What have you got to sing about?
Don't you know the truth about the world?
-about the sickness and poverty and want and need there is in
the world?
Children sing happy little songs-Mary had
a little lamb-Row, row, row your boat
-The wheels on the bus go round and round
-but new songs replace old-some traditional some new
--there is no best song only the music that speaks to the moment
We go looking for new words and new melodies
-we seek out the harmonies that feel true and right for us
-and in the process enter into the world in ways we never would
have expected.
The music-the sound-the emotion-it draws us in.
This morning is Church Music Sunday
-while we intentionally set this Sunday up as a musical event
-we also encounter a strange contrast.
The first service this morning is basically devoid of music
-the spoken liturgy stands by itself
-the power of the word is offered.
We are struck in this service by the absence of music
and yet within those who worship there is still harmony and wholeness
--God provides the music-the rhythm and the flow
That is exactly what Jesus declares to be his
gift to his disciples-to each of us
-"I have given them your word" Jesus says
But there is more to the word then a few spoken syllables
-there is the wholeness of that word
-where it touches or speaks to our lives
--how it reaches out to others around us.
When you hear a new song it is almost impossible
not to react to it in some way.
Sometimes we like it sometimes not.
Some of you may remember the old American Bandstand
-and the rating of the new songs
-teens from the Bandstand audience were selected to rate two new
songs
--sooner or later you heard those too familiar words
-"It has a good beat and you can dance to it."
A song with a good beat and danceable
-in church? Maybe not this church-we are a people of different
harmonies
But the story of our faith allows for the variety of music
-Old king David danced before the Lord
-even on the night of the Last Supper
Jesus and his disciples concluded the meal together by singing
a hymn
-their last act together before Jesus was arrested.
To sing and to dance
--these are not exclusive property of the world
--they are, in fact, the world's attempts to co-opt the faith
--music is a witness of people who are in but not of the world
Singing in the face of disaster
--as the ship sinks there are those who hold hands and sing to
their God
--why?
--there is something about this gift of song-together-that unites
and strengthens
Jesus said to be in but not of the world.
The world has little time for a shared musical experience
-for people to join in singing together.
That is why we set an hour or so aside each week
to do what the rest of the world yearns to do
--to gather around the harmonies of faith
There is something about music that transcends-moves us deeper-lifts
us up
-brings us closer to God-keeps us in but not of.
At synod assembly this past Friday and Saturday
we experienced the variety of musical moments
-some delegates were excited
-and some clearly were of the mind that the music lacked traditional
beat
-there was gospel and jazz, Latin and northern European
To explain the worship experience is impossible-music is lived
not described
--so also is the faith-maybe that is why the two fit so well
together
Such is the call to discipleship Jesus offered
in the prayer in our lesson for today
--each musician here today knows a powerful truth about discipleship
--we are called by Christ to practice our faith in the world
--musicians know that practice is a basic part of their experience
--practice is important because practice makes what?-perfect?
--practice makes perfect?
--every musician knows that just isn't true
--no musicians practices to perfection
--practice makes for performance
--the goal is not perfection but performance
--faith is never perfected-certainly never perfect
--but faith does perform many amazing deeds in our world today
The music presented today is a reminder of the miracle of God's
gifts
--many and varied sounds-by a variety of individuals
--finding unity and wholeness in this place of worship
None of the music was perfect-although some comes close
So with our faith-never perfect but best when practiced.
We give thanks for the gift of music-for the
gift of choirs
-for the opportunity to sing together
--Jesus knew-the music keeps us in the world
--maybe at times it is only whistling in the dark
--but the music keeps us in the world
--while the harmonies of grace turn our hearts and minds to God
So we sing together-in but not of the world.
