I don't have to use that yet.
It's coming. It's coming. Yours is too, Eric. It's coming. Well, I'd like to thank Joe and
Bonnie and you all for for having me. It's quite a blessing to
come and preach the gospel anywhere. And I've been up here a number
of times and I've always enjoyed the fellowship the friendship
and the kind words. And so thank you all for having
me. And I do have to say, Nathan
says, hi. So I need to make sure I get
that in as well. If you would turn with me to
First Chronicles chapter nine, First Chronicles chapter nine. First Chronicles in the ninth
chapter. Gonna look at a few verses, verses one through three,
and then specifically verses 33 and 34. Verses one through
three just give you a little history of what's going on. And
may the Lord add blessing to his word this evening. First
Chronicles chapter nine, verse one, so all Israel were reckoned
by genealogies and behold, They were written in the book of the
kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried away to Babylon
for their transgression. Now, the first inhabitants that
dwelt in their possessions, in their cities, were the Levites,
the priests, Levites, I'm sorry, were the Israelites, the priests,
Levites, and Nehemiah. And in Jerusalem dwelt of the
children of Judah, and the children of Benjamin, and the children
of Ephraim, and of Manasseh. Now, what's going on here is
the Israelites were taken captive and now they're starting to slowly
come back. They're starting to slowly come back. And what we
see in this chapter is the various assignments that were given to
each tribe and their subsequent responsibilities upon arrival
home. Pertaining to the house of God
and the things of God. Let me illustrate this and look
with me at verse 17 and the porters Were these men and their brethren? verse 19 and Salaam the son of
Cory the son of these this person and I'm not going to try to name
all these names We're over the work of the service keepers of
the gates of the tabernacle And their fathers, being over the
host of the Lord, were keepers of the entry, keepers of the
entry. In verse 22, all these which
were chosen to be porters in the gates were 212. These were
reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and
Samuel the seer did obtain, ordain in their set office. And then
lastly, verse 28, and certain of them had charge of the ministering
vessels that they should bring them in and out by tail. So what we've got going on is
they're taking away captive. Now they're starting to come
back to return to Jerusalem. And you've got each tribal responsibility. Some of them were keepers of
the gates. Some of them were porters. Some of them were dealing
with the vessels in the house of God. But what I want to look
for us tonight is in verse 33 and 34. First Chronicles chapter
nine, verse 33 and 34. And these are the singers, chief
of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers
were free, for they were employed in that work day and night. These chief fathers of the Levites
were chief throughout their generations. These dwelt at Jerusalem. What I'd like for us to, by the
Holy Spirit enabling for us tonight, I desire for us to view and to
imitate these singers who were to do so in the house of God
day and night, day and night. Day and night, they, or we as
well, are to sing of the glories of our God's sovereign, majestic
grace. We're to sing of his pardon,
his forgiveness of sins, and in their case, the coming of
Christ, or in our case, the return of the Son of God. David says
himself in Psalms 33, verse one, David says, praise is comely. Praise is comely. And I know
you knew of and have known Henry Mahan, Henry Thomas Mahan. He told me one time, he said,
if I was not called to preach the gospel, I would lead the
singing. He noted how important that was. So our text states in verse 33,
these are the singers. This was a specific task that
they were given. in the church of our God. And
it says, they were the chief of the fathers of the Levites,
who remaining in the chambers were free, for they were employed
in that work day and night. Now, it seems like all they were
doing is singing. Well, they were instructing others
in the family, writing hymns, composing different things, teaching
or teachers of music. But the thought that I had is
that, should we not as believers, whether it's daytime or nighttime,
sing the praises of our God? In the daytime, we have a hymn,
and I know we use the same hymn book. I sing, says the hymn writer,
for I cannot be silent. His love is the theme of my song,
redeemed. redeemed by the blood of the
Lamb. When all seems right in the daytime, with the believer,
with the church, with our family, our life, surely we can be grateful
and sing His glorious name. When we can see His face in electing
love, mercy full and free, His sovereign purpose for us, oh
truly, we can and should and do sing. of his praises. Our text also says, in the nighttime,
in the nighttime, there's times that we are tried and troubled. The sun of righteousness seems
to be behind the cloud. Trial, hardships are coming,
passing our way frequently. When we like David in Psalms
120, he says, I'm for peace, but they are my enemies are for
war. We have fightings without. Fears within. Struggles seem
to linger and doubts assault us. Old child of the Most High
God, sing, sing at this time. In the nighttime, sing of his
past mercies that he's shown you. And seeing a future grace,
which is surely to come your way if you're one of his. You
honor your father much in such times. Sing of his matchless
eternal grace in times of woe, in times of loss, times of weakness,
because they were appointed. They were employed in that work
day and night, and certainly the love of Christ constrains
us to do so. Behold your Savior in his agonies,
suffering for sin, not his own, freely bleeding and dying in
our room and place as the substitute, the just for the unjust. Thinking
upon him and who he is, truly a note, a stanza of merciful
tunes will he bring to your mind, your heart, and your soul. I love to sing. I can't sing
well, but I do enjoy singing. That's when Eric said, would
you have a favorite? I immediately, immediately went
to that hymn. I don't know if you noticed the
author. That author is Francis Scott Key. Now, if you know anything
about American history, that name should say something. And every time I go to a sporting
event, And we're all standing with our hands on our hearts,
and we're singing the national anthem. My mind is not on that
national anthem. My mind is on that hymn. And
I say, surely, if he believed that, he's my brother. And I just delight, I delight
to sing that hymn. We can sing of his salvation
and our beloved, Without our puny works, our work, we have
nothing to sing of. We have nothing to add. God is
not a benefactor from what we do for him. He's done everything
for us. We are enabled by grace to sing
of his electing purchase, justifying grace and resurrection glory. But also notice in our text,
it says that these singers remaining in the chambers, they were free. They were free. And I will tell
you this, a free man or a free woman who has experienced their
sin, who has been shown their sin, the ugliness, the vileness
and the corruption of our sin against God and against his son. And like in the New Testament,
I think it's in Luke, he says, he's trying to, there's that
parable where he's talking, I believe it's in Luke 7. I'm not, don't
quote me exactly, but I know it's, I believe it's in Luke
where our Lord talks about a parable where there's two men that they
owed a debt. One of them a small debt and
the other a large debt. And the man that they owed this debt
to, he says, he frankly forgave them. That word frankly, that's
free. free. Now, these who are employed in
the chambers were free. They're free. A free man or a
free woman who understands what they are outside of grace has
a free tongue, a loosened tongue. Those are loosened tongues employed,
the hymn says, to sing clearly, loudly, and continually. We're
free to worship God in the country that allows this. But, you know,
Joe, I know Joe didn't call, go down the church list and call
and say, you're going to be here, you're going to be here, you're
going to be here. No, that's law. But you're here because
you want to be here, because you understand something about
the grace of God and the free and full forgiveness in Christ.
And so you're free to worship him. You're free to honor God.
You're free, says the Hebrews, to come boldly to his throne
of grace. And Paul says that we're free born. Christ has made
us free, set us free, and therefore we're free indeed. Free to are
liberated, to serve him, to adore him and glorify him. That word
free, I think it's interesting, it's unoccupied. or not cumbered
with. Now, do you remember the story
of the New Testament? There's two sisters. One of them was cumbered with
much serving. You know, religion will keep
you busy. There's always something to do. There's always grass to
be mowed. There's always something to be
painted, something to be caulked. There's always something to do. But we're Unoccupied we're not cumbered
with much serving. We're at the feet of Christ Listening
and submitting to him in Christ a Worthy subject to sing about
that's what we're talking about. We are free from the law Galatians
We're free from sin and death Romans His truth has set us free
John the gospel John We're married to Christ, and the law has nothing
on us. Again, Romans. We, by free sovereign
grace, are not the children of bondwomen, but the children of
the free. We're liberated. We're free. Are these not reasons enough
to sing night and day? I know we don't want trial, and
I know we don't want tribulation. We don't want difficulty. But
that's in the Lord's hands and everything he does is right.
Completely is right always. So. In our text says. They're employed. They're employed
for this service. To be used or employed by the
grace of God. To do things for him and in his
work to worship him in humility and reverence. And this word
employed in the Old Testament means deputieship, but I believe
in the New Testament it's discipleship. We're employed. Why do we sing? Because that's what believers
do. That's what believers do. Faith, love, charity, that's
what believers do. We're not in the flesh, we're
in the spirit, and we sing. I was reading some old writer
about this, and he said, I can't sing. He says, but I can hum.
He said, I can hum. And it's usually in these difficult
times that the Lord honors himself, like I said, in the nighttime.
We honor him much. I ask you, where did John Bunyan
write his great work? He was in jail. And it's not
a jail like we think. That's where he was. And he found
it. The ups and downs. He found time
to sing night or day. To sing indeed. Think about where
God found us. We were rebels. These are all
biblical terms. Rebels. Unclean. Undone. Blind. Lame. enjoying the pleasures
of sin for a season we were fond of darkness more than light that's
a hymn but that's still scriptural or as old marisa montgomery used
to say we're graveyard dead graveyard dead unable incapable of coming
to christ that we might have life yet He sought. Christ chose. He found. He came. He quickened. He sent
someone with the gospel to cross our paths. Don't ever undervalue
the preaching of God's gospel. And here we are. While we were
yet sinners, the scripture says, Christ died for us. My last point is found in 1 Corinthians
6. Now this gives you something
to sing about if nothing else has so far. 1 Corinthians 6.
And verse 31. Now, why were these people set
where they were set? Why were they positioned in such
positions to serve the porters and the keepers of the vessels
of the house? And why were some singing? And
there was even some who trimmed bushes and did all these different
things. Why was that so? Well, 1 Chronicles chapter 6
and verse 31. And these are they whom David
set over the service of the song in the house of the Lord After
that, the ark had rest. So it looks like to me that the
king set these people where they were supposed to be. Why are you here? Why are we
where we are? Why did my road to the gospel
or the grace of God take me through such difficult times when it
seems like this person is in struggle or this or that? We
were set to sing, but specifically in verse 31, to sing because
they were appointed by the King. These singers were appointed. We are appointed by our King,
our Sovereign, the Lord Jesus Christ. Turn with me to Acts
chapter 13. Acts chapter 13, starting in
verse 38. Starting in verse 38 of Acts
chapter 13. Be it known unto you, therefore,
men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you
the forgiveness of sins. And by him all that believe are
justified from all things from which you could not be justified
by the law of Moses. Beware, therefore, lest that
come upon you which is spoken of in the prophets. Behold, you
despisers and wander and perish, for I work a work in your days,
a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare
it unto you. And when the Jews were gone out
of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might
be preached to them the next Sabbath. Now, when the congregation
was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed
Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue
in the grace of God. And the next Sabbath day came
almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. Wouldn't
that be wonderful if that happened in Rock Valley? But when the Jews saw the multitude,
they were filled with envy and spake against those things which
were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and
Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word
of God should first have been spoken to you. But seeing you
put yourselves from it and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting
life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded
us, saying, I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles, that
thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And
when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified
the word of the Lord and as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed. And the word of the Lord was
published throughout all the region, but the Jews stirred up the devout
and honorable women and chief men of the city and raised persecution
against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coast.
But they shook off the dust of their feet against them and came
into Iconium. And the disciples were filled
with joy. Song. He just got kicked out
of the town. Song. Joy. That usually happens
when a person is happy or joyful. You can't sing. You can't hum. I bet you can whistle. And with the Holy Ghost. Now
can we not sing ever so thankfully, knowing that God has chosen us
unto salvation? I asked and I pray that our God
that he would we would ask him to open her eyes, pierce our
hearts and loosen our tongues. Let me close with reading something
Mr Spurgeon said about this particular verse. Well, Was it so ordered
in the temple that the sacred chant never ceased? Forevermore
did the singers praise the Lord, whose mercy endures forever.
As mercy did not cease to rule either by day or night, so neither
did music hush its holy ministry. My heart, there is a lesson sweetly
taught. to thee in this ceaseless song
of Zion's temple. Thou too are a constant debtor,
and see thou to it that thy gratitude, like charity, never faileth.
God's praise is constant in heaven, which is to be thy final dwelling
place. Learn thou to practice the eternal hallelujah around
the earth as the sun scatters his light, his beams awaken grateful
believers to tune their morning hymn. so that by the priesthood
of the saints perpetual praise is kept up at all hours. They
swath our globe in a mantle of thanksgiving and girdle it with
a golden belt of song. The Lord always deserves to be
praised for what he is in himself, for his works of creation and
providence, for his goodness towards his creatures, and especially
for the magnificent act of redemption and all the marvelous blessings
flowing therefrom. It is always beneficial to sing
to the Lord. It cheers the day and brightens
the night. It lightens toil and softens
sorrow. And over earthly gladness it
sheds a sanctifying radiance, which makes it less liable to
blind us with its glare. Have we not something to sing
about at this very moment? Can we not weave a song out of
our present joys, or our past deliverances, or our future hopes? By the love of Jesus, let us
be stirred up to close the day with a song of sanctified gladness. These singers, they were free, and they were
employed in that work day and night. May the Lord bless the
reading, preaching of his word. That was great. In a couple of
minutes, Eric will come and lead us in hymn number 488, I Will
Sing of My Redeemer. I hope you don't mind, but what
you were saying reminded me of this scripture so much, I just
feel compelled to read it in the book of Revelation, chapter
5. And John is sad because no one
was found worthy to take the scroll from the one who sat on
the throne and loose its seals. And the angel told him, don't
wait, the line of the tribe of Judah has prevailed and he's
worthy. And in verse six, John says, then I saw a lamb. The line of the tribe of Judah
is a lamb. Looking as if it had been slain,
that's Christ and him crucified, standing in the center of the
throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders,
he had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits
of God sent out unto all the earth. He came and took the scroll
from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he
had taken it, and not before. And when he had taken it, the
four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the
lamb. Each one had a harp and they
were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are prayers
of the saints, and they sang a new song. You are worthy to
take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain.
And with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe
and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom
and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. Then I looked and heard the voice
of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands and 10,000 times
10,000. They encircled the throne and
the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice, they
sang. Worthy is the lamb that was slain
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor
and glory and praise. Then I heard every creature in
heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and
all that is in them singing to him who sits on the throne and
to the lamb. Be praise and honor and glory
and power for ever and ever." The four living creatures said,
Amen, and the elders fell down and worshiped. We have a reason
to sing, when He had taken it. Our Lord has taken that scroll
of God's sovereign salvation, His entire purpose to save His
people. It's in the Lord's hands. And
oh, what a song we have to sing. Worthy is the Lamb. Eric, if you'll come and lead
us, and I will sing of my Redeemer.