07/07/2026
Most Christian worship services don’t have just one sermon. They have three, four, five, or six. One is spoken; the others are sung.
Of course, there is the sermon preached by the pastor, based upon the Word of God.
But there are also the hymns and songs sung by the congregation. Each of these is a miniature musical sermon. In them, we proclaim the word of God to one another.
That’s why the hymns and songs we sing matter. They are not filler between the important parts of the service. They are not to be chosen flippantly. They are one of the most vital parts of the service. Through them, the word of God is confessed, taught, and proclaimed in song.
This began early in Israel’s life and continued in the Psalms. We see it in today’s Bible in One Year reading from Deuteronomy 31. The Lord commanded Moses, “Now therefore write this song and teach it to the people of Israel. Put it in their mouths…” (Deut. 31:19).
The Song of Moses was not entertainment. It was instruction. It was theology set to music. God gave it to his people so that it would be a witness among them (Deut. 31:19-22). As they sang it, they were proclaiming God’s word to one another.
The same practice continues in the church. Paul exhorts believers to teach and admonish one another “with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Col. 3:16). Likewise, he tells the Ephesians to address one another “in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Eph. 5:19).
Notice that we sing not only to God but also to one another. As the congregation joins its voices together, Christians are teaching, encouraging, comforting, and admonishing their neighbors with the truths of God’s word.
So the next time you gather with the body of Christ, remember that when you sing, you are doing more than making music. You are proclaiming the word of God to the people around you. The person beside you is preaching to you in song, and you are preaching to them.
P.S. Turn down the organ and/or lower the volume of the band, so we can actually hear one another singing the words. Please!
