And Chenaniah, Chief of the Levites, Was For
The sermon emphasizes the importance of song in worship and the transformative power of conforming our lives to God's will.
F.B. Meyer emphasizes the joy of worship and the importance of song in the life of believers, drawing parallels between the carrying of the Ark and the expression of joy in our hearts. He highlights that while some may not be musicians, they can still experience the joy of the Lord and express it through song. Meyer encourages worshiping the will of God, suggesting that as we align our lives with His will, our sighs can turn into songs and our mourning into praise. He calls for believers to embrace the presence of God within them, believing that true paradise lies in conformity to His will. Ultimately, the Ark of God inspires a life filled with song and joy as we practice His statutes.
Text
And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for
song. 1 Chron. xv. 22.
THE carrying of the Ark to its right place was associated with every expression of gladness on the part of king and people; but there were some who were specially set apart as the exponents of the general joy. In the old time such were David, Heman, Asaph, Chenaniah; in our time, Watts and Doddridge, Wesley and Toplady, Keble, Havergal, and Bonar.
It is good to be for song. Many a heart that cannot rank as a musician or poet, may yet be susceptible to the joy of the Lord, which is ever passing through creation, catching it up so as to express it. As the Ark of the Lord comes to its place within you, sing.
Song is harmony with the life of God. The will of God sometimes enters life as a sigh, as David's first attempt to move the Ark; but afterwards it becomes a song, as in the second attempt. Enshrine the Ark of God with its tables of stone, its mercy‑seat of fellowship, its worshipping Cherubim in the Holy of Holies within; and you will find sighs turned to songs, tears to thanks, mourning to the garment of praise.
Worship the will of God. Conform your life with it. Draw on the ground a circle to represent God's will, and step into it, resolving never to step out of its blessed precincts again. Dare to believe and confess that Paradise lies within, though it may be veiled to sight and sense. According to your faith it shall be unto you. If you believe that heaven is there, you will find heaven. The Ark of God is ever a provocative of song. His statutes seem awful in the distance; but so soon as we begin to practise them, they turn to songs
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Song in Worship
- The Power of Song in Expressing Joy
- Worshiping the Will of God
- The Ark as a Provocative of Song
- God's statutes can be daunting, but become songs through practice
- Believing and confessing that paradise lies within
Key Quotes
“Song is harmony with the life of God.” — F.B. Meyer
“As the Ark of the Lord comes to its place within you, sing.” — F.B. Meyer
“Draw on the ground a circle to represent God's will, and step into it, resolving never to step out of its blessed precincts again.” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- Make singing a natural response to the joy of the Lord in your life.
- Practice God's statutes and watch them turn into songs of joy.
- Believe and confess that paradise lies within you, and according to your faith, it shall be unto you.