While it wasn't obvious to me at the time, all of the songs we will sing Sunday morning point to God as the King. It seemed cheesy and funny when the idea was first shared, and because of that I missed both the reality of it and how appropriate it really is. I do think that it was smart to not make it too obvious (in case people like me in the congregation quickly become distracted by the irony), but it occurred to me this evening just how much the songs we sing at church really pair with the rest of the service to glorify God.
For discussing a topic such as God's Kingdom, it is pretty obvious that singing songs with comparable lyrics makes sense. But have you considered why? I believe the "worship is more than just music" nail has been hammered in enough for the most part, so I have been focusing on how music and teaching actually contribute to each other. Here are a few simple facts that helped bring things together for me.
1. Worship originates in truth- be it the Gospel story, who God is, etc. Worship starts with facts.
2. Musical worship at the beginning of a service is a good way to communally acknowledge our desire to further seek God.
3. Teaching allows God to reveal his truth to us while we are willing to listen (not that He needs to wait for that, but I have a feeling He appreciates when we actually want to hear Him)
4. Musical response gives us an opportunity to again sing truths, with new inspiration.
Do you see how these tie together? Singing about a specific theme, hearing a sermon on that theme, and then singing about it again allows it to not only be driven into our heads and hearts, but it gives us a better opportunity to realize the truth of that theme. In this case, the theme is God as King over everything. Take a look at the songs we have for Sunday, and if you have time I definitely recommend listening to them as well.
I don't think I have to explain how these are related, and since I realized all this I've been much more anxious to hear Sunday's sermon. You probably don't go to a church that is entering the exact same series, but the concept still applies. Next time you're at church, take a moment to meditate on how God leads us through worship to fully reveal Himself (even if the songs don't all share a single word). It's spectacular how in maximizing the focus on Him, the King draws all glory to Himself.
