Sermon Tone Analysis

Turn to and read 1 Timothy 4:1-2.

Pray.

In preparation for this morning’s message, I came across a news article entitled...

Why Christian Artists Don’t Want to Be “Christian Artists”

In that article, the writer gave the following example:

In 2006, the alt-rock band Mutemath sued Warner Bros. for breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation after they released their album on [Warner Bros.] Christian label, Word, instead of as a mainstream release.

What intrigues about this is that, according to 1 Timothy 4:1...

I would also like to remind you of what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John chapter 4:

A couple of weeks ago, I made the following statement:

Your spiritual enemy uses devices of the physical world to carry his messages into your spiritual being.

An appropriate way of stating that is simply - Satan wants you to listen to a lie.

And, as we have been reminded many times over recent weeks, Satan desires to corrupt our hearts.

He wants you to listen to those seducing spirits.

He wants you to listen to the spirit of error.

He wants you to listen to those voices; those subtle and seductive voices which, if heeded, will pull you away from the faith.

How is the devil communicating to our world today?

Rock music?

Yes.

Country music?

Yes.

Pop, R&B, Jazz, Hip Hop, Alternative, Rap, New Age, Christian Rock, Christian Pop? Yes to all the above.

What about TV, movies, talk radio, video games, newsstands, social media?

Yes to all of that as well.

Now before start defending your personal favorite music or entertainment form, allow me to ask: “If your heart is already resisting what I’m saying this morning, stop for a moment and ask yourself whose voice is speaking to your heart and and whose voice are you listening to?”

While there are many voices that the devil is using today, I want to focus on what I believe to be the loudest and most powerful voice that he is using:

Music

I’m not saying, this morning, that music is evil.

What I am saying is that music is a tool of communication that is very successfully used by our enemy to deliver his message to our hearts where it very quickly does its destructive work.

Music is important.

This is just a small sampling of verses from the Psalms that show the importance of music.

Allow me to say this: While you may not realize the importance of music, our enemy certainly does!

All music is spiritually significant in the heart.

All of the verses that I shared show the spiritual significance of music.

And, just as music can have positive impact upon the heart, the devil has taken music and twisted and shaped it in a multitude of ways that can have a negative impact upon the heart.

All music has moral or immoral implications.

When I say, “All music,” I’m not referring to secular music versus spiritual music.

In fact

Kimberly Smith, in her book entitled, Music and Morals, states, “…There is no such thing as ‘Christian’ music.

There are only two choices for music: moral and immoral.

Adding lyrics that contain Christian theology to music is how we define, or label music as Christian; however, lyrics don’t change the meaning of any musical vehicle…Here’s the key.

Immorality in either the music or the lyrics will corrupt and negatively affect the overall musical piece.

Morality matters.”

I realize that I’m in the Christian minority to say this - and some of you may have never heard this - but I believe that music in itself - without words - is spiritual in nature and therefore has either good or evil effects upon the spiritual life.

Musical styles are not amoral (neither good nor bad).

Did you realize that Christians are the only ones who argue that musical styles can be amoral?

The world knows better than that!

Frank Zappa, an influential rock musician from the 20th century and “philosopher” asked this rhetorical question: “If the right kind of beat makes you tap your foot, what kind of beat makes you curl your fist and strike?”

Not only that but...

The secular world understands the power of music.

Mood Media is a company that is based out of Fort Mill, SC.

The history of Mood Media goes all the way back to 1910.

The company was formally known as, “Muzak.”

Muzak was the inventor of what we know of as “elevator music.”

Early in the company’s history, they provided background music for hotels and restaurants.

I an article entitled, “The Science of Muzak,” the writer states:

There’s no secret or surprise that music has been used to enhance moods ever since the first cavemen hit rocks with sticks.

The drums of war can intensify aggression; a devotional chant soothes and induces reverence.

We listen to music to relax, we listen to music to step up our workout.

This has been well accepted since before recorded history, and there was never any specific invention needed to teach us that music can change our mood or influence our actions.

In other words, music is powerful.

Turn to and read 1 Samuel 16:14-23.

Music (alone, with no words) has the power to shape emotions, thoughts, and desires!

In other words, to shape the heart!

Music affects behavior radically, because it is at its very core it is a spiritual form of communication.

Dr. Frank Garlock (Majesty Music) calls it “the language of music.”

Our enemy wants us to believe that music and other forms of media are merely entertainment.

And, while this is not a message on the philosophy of Biblical music, I would urge you to at least recognize the power of music and the influence that it has upon your heart.

The spirits of the world run from godly music.

Did you ever consider this: There is a type of music that the devil does not like?

Notice again 1 Samuel 16:23

Consider that from a different perspective.

Turn to and read Mark 1:21-27.

When Jesus preached in the synagogue, there happened to be an unclean spirit there (inhabiting a human man).

Now, while the passage is not clear on this point, there doesn’t seem to be any indication that Jesus directly addressed or confronted the unclean spirit.

It doesn’t appear that Jesus was seeking to “pick a fight” with this unclean spirit.

And yet, in vs. 24, we see...

“Leave us alone.

We don’t want to have anything to do with You, the Holy One of God.”

The Spirit of Error, as represented by this unclean spirit, wanted nothing to do with the Spirit of Truth, Jesus Christ!

I believe that is why, in our country, there is a push to silence those who speak the truth.

The spirits of error want nothing to do with the truth.

They do not want to hear the truth.

They want to get as far away from the truth as they possibly can.

That’s why it is important for each us to purposefully speak the truth in love as often as we have the opportunity.

Music in culture is everywhere, constantly speaking.

In other words, music is pervasive; it is everywhere.

This isn’t necessarily a “Biblical principle” but it is important for us to understand, nonetheless.

We live in a media-crazed culture.

TV, entertainment, music is always on - always speaking - always being heard by the world.

Billboards, videos while waiting to ride a roller coaster at Carowinds, magazine covers while waiting to check out, video screens at gas pumps.

We are bombarded by the voices of this world everywhere we go.

Consider this, you can sit down and play a video game for thirty minutes - and the whole time be afflicted by spiritually harmful music, without even realizing it!

You can watch a wonderful story line in a family film, yet hear rock music in the background during most of the story!

Music is the “500-pound gorilla” of all the world’s voices simply because it is so pervasive.

And, in recent years, it has become even more pervasive than ever because it is portable.

You can carry music wherever you want.

This past summer, Titus and I spent a couple of days in New York City.

It was interesting to me, as I rode the subway, that it seemed just about everyone on the subway had some form of headphones or earbuds in their ears.

Because of this, we must ask ourselves, what spirits are we listening to?

The spirits of truth or the spirits of error?