Christian Music and Radio

[00:00:00] This audio sermon is provided by AnabaptistSermons.com and may be freely copied and distributed. You may not sell or edit this sermon. Our prayer is that you would be blessed by this ministry. 1 Peter talked about being good stewards of the manifold grace of God and the way that the importance of the time, God's time clock, and living in the last times that we have but this moment. [00:00:37] And the most important thing that I can think of, you know, is to be born again, To be washed in the blood of Christ, but it doesn't stop there. As we follow Christ, as we draw close to him, are obedient to his teachings is really how we show that we love him. and I think it's each one of our desire to be a disciple of Christ and that merely means that we believe his teaching, we believe his doctrine [00:01:10] and we rest our soul on the work of Calvary and we have the Holy Spirit abiding but it also shows in our daily life the way we live, it's written in the way that we live As we follow Christ. And as each of you know, we have an opposing enemy that is seeking to destroy. As it says in 1 Peter 5, as we read in our lesson today, the adversary of the devil is walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. [00:01:47] And that seeking just really struck me again today as I thought of the purposefulness of which he tries to trip us up. And he does so in many different ways through deceptions, through influences, temptation. He comes to us as an angel of light, has many devices. And those devices are all adaptable to our current day. [00:02:18] You know, I can't ever remember being tempted to serve Baal. But there are many other gods that I have been tempted to. And that's what I mean by adaptable to all ages. And I think that's why Peter started that verse and he says, be alert, be sober, be vigilant. The Greek word for vigilant there is Gregorio, and that's the exact same word that Jesus and some of the other apostles use as they say, [00:02:52] Watch! Be alert! It means a spiritual awareness to keep awake. We need to be vigilant so that by God's grace we can detect those influence, those deceptions that we encounter from day to day. Those wolves in sheep clothing. I've had to ask already, how often do I analyze the things that I do? How often do I question myself? [00:03:23] Is this good for me? My job, the books I read, you name it. The time I spend in different hobbies or different things, is this what is good for me spiritually? In 1 Thessalonians 6, the first part of the chapter, we see how Paul warns of the suddenness, the quickness that Christ can return and to be ready. However, in the last part of the chapter, he mentions a lot or a summary of duties, and it seems to be kind of a practical outworking of with the intent of the goal found in verse 23 to be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord. [00:04:12] And in verse 21, it says, prove all things, hold fast to that which is good. And I guess that's what I've been thinking this morning. And that is, how can I prove these things? Do I take time? John wrote in John 4.1, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they be of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. [00:04:44] You know, we need to be concerned about the influences that face us, the temptations, but not only that we be concerned about those things, We also need to hold fast to that which is good. We need to prove these things, but then also to hold fast what we know is good. I'd like to read Luke chapter 12, verse 39. Jesus' words, and again, in the context of his return. Luke, the 12th chapter, verse 39. [00:05:20] And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. To me this seems to be saying that we not only need to be aware of the evil that could possibly happen, but one who does something, who takes preventative action. he takes a stand as it says in Isaiah 62 [00:05:53] he lifts up a standard not willing to take a back seat and see how it plays out but willingness to do something about so I guess as I look at these three different principles I think I would call them of actively proving the things that we are involved with or the things from day to day As we analyze, as we try the spirits, and then we hold fast to that which is good, to be stable, to strengthen those things, and then the third one is to take preventative action, really crudely said, is just plain having the guts to define a principle into everyday language. [00:06:43] You know, sometimes our words are empty as we leave them without specific direction. And it's in the light of these three principles that I'd like to come to the subject matter. And that is, where do I stand on the use of the radio? Does God's word give us anything that applies? I don't read of anything where it refers to the radio. But I think that there are principles that we can apply. [00:07:17] Now I recognize on the onset here, I am not very acquainted a lot with the radio. You know, our constituency I think has taken a stand against the radio from the very beginning. And I recognize that most of us have not been raised in homes where we've been exposed to that quite a bit. and probably a lot of us weren't involved in creating that original church's position. But I still think that all of us need to develop a place where we stand. [00:07:54] We need to know if someone asks you, why are you opposed? If you are opposed to the radio, why are you opposed? What are our answers? Do our children know where I stand? I think they and others deserve clear answers and it's my aim this morning to objectively look at the radio and how should a Christian respond? Well, I dug out the encyclopedia and I think it helps me to have a little history on it. [00:08:27] You know, the radio began in the early 1900s when it was invented and I think 1910 was the first broadcast given. But I think it was nine years later Woodrow Wilson became the first president to address the nation by radio And by 1925 the radio was more in general use It was cheap and could be afforded by many and I think 1925 to 1950s is what they call the golden years of the radio is when many families used to gather in their living rooms evenings and listen to comedies and newscasts and drama and music and other types of entertainment that would come over the radio waves. [00:09:20] During this time frame, Franklin D. Roosevelt had his fireside chats, and he learned that he could effectively use the radio to gain support for his government policies. I think he began to understand the influence that it could have. Well, after the 1950s, the reason that that kind of came to an end is that television became into general use, and a lot of things kind of switched to that in 1961. The first presidential debate on television. And this thing keeps growing. As we know, mass media today, we have the internet, we have newspapers, we have all kinds of magazines and radio, and an enormous amount of money is spent on advertisements, presidential debates, and campaigning. [00:10:14] Why do they do it? Is it not because somebody understands the power of influence or the powerful influence that it does have? And I realize that the radio is only one of these, but I like to zero in on that because time does not allow to do much more. I hope to get through this morning. As we analyze the radio and its influence, or what comes to us, should we not stop and ask, what is the radio? What comes over it? [00:10:54] Well, predominantly, the number one thing on the radio has changed to music, since most of the drama and other things are on the television side. In order to gain its audiences, it's mostly music. Well, what type of music is coming? Well, I think you would not have to listen long until you would say that most of the music, most of the stations are secular. There's rock, there's rap, there's hip-hop, there's all types of music with all types of names and some of the most ungodly lyrics you can think of. [00:11:32] It's just mind-boggling. I think here just this last week, John was telling me in the place we were working, where he could actually understand some of the words that were being said. And here they were promoting the use of drugs and of how good it is for one and the relief and whatnot all it had. I forget, ask John. Do you want to hear that? Do you want your children to hear that? That, to me, is unbelievable. [00:12:03] But as we think of the ungodly lyrics, there's immorality, there's indulgences, violence. And if you look in ads and you see secular music, sometimes they have on the bottom it says parental advisory or X-rated. And you know that even from a secular viewpoint, this is not stuff you want for your children. How do we want to be a part or what type of influence do we want? You know what? Blatantly sinful things we do not want to influence our mind with. [00:12:40] Abhor that which is evil. And I don't think we need to spend a lot of time on that. I think we're very clear on not taking part or allowing that type of music to come into our minds. Another large portion of the radio is country music. Now, as I would define country music, I would say that it probably makes an attempt to take us back. Good memories, hard work, cowboys, that type of good old days. [00:13:17] But you know, if you look close, and you look at some of the lyrics, you will find that there is adultery, there is sensuality, there is remarriage, many patriotic songs And I ask the question, what does God say? Does God's word say anything in relation to things coming at us in that way? Well, Hebrews 13.4, very clear, the adulterers God will judge according to 1 Corinthians 6, 9, and 10 [00:13:50] they will not inherit the kingdom of heaven sensuality, uncleanness, fornication, lasciviousness all according to Galatians 5, 19 will not inherit the kingdom of God we do not want to listen to those things once I was, I forget, a few years ago I was working at a place and they had the radio blaring and it seemed evidently was a new song because it kept coming across a couple times a day and the one time I just stopped and listened to what the lyrics were saying and here this this man this singer was was wrote the song as he was remembering back to the days when he was just beginning his his well I guess his occupation of creating music and his wife left him didn't [00:14:43] I didn't think he was going to amount to anything. But now he's a popular man and he was singing, how do you like me now? Now that I'm successful or whatever. What do you feel? What was that man saying? Is that not pride? Look at me now. What does God say about pride? Proverbs 18, 13 is very clear. Pride, arrogancy, do I hate, says the Lord. [00:15:17] And the Bible is full of scriptures of where it speaks of the detestfulness of pride. I recognize there's probably a few country songs that have good morals in the lyrics. But I tell you what. Why wallow in the mire for a few good songs? What we feed grows. The more we hear it, the more we're going to adjust to it. The shock wears off. Where do I stand? [00:15:50] And again, I refer back. As the good man of the house, of my heart, What kind of preventative action do I take to prevent the destroyer from getting a foothold? Well, there's also Christian stations. And just the name of it would give us indication that that's something for us. Christian radio, I think, has various goals. It has goals of ministry of encouragement. [00:16:22] It attempts to spread the gospel through preaching, through music, advice, stories for the children. And I think of a positive thing about the Christian radio is that I've heard that even some broadcasts can be heard in countries that are not open to any type of the Christian religion. And so, yeah, I could see a positive thing about that, being able to hear the gospel in ways that a missionary can't get to. [00:16:54] But let's take a closer look. Preaching. What is being said across the airwaves? Now, even back in Bible times, when Paul and Silas came to the Bereans, I think it was on their second missionary journey. So I'm sure Paul's name was known. But do you know what the Bereans did? They searched the scripture daily to see if these things were so. And I think regardless of the popularity, regardless of the thousands that are in this individual's church, [00:17:31] We need to try and see what they're saying to see if it lines up with scripture. Paul adds admonishment to Timothy's, but speak thou the things which become sound doctrine. I like to read 2 Timothy chapter 4, 3 and 4. 2 Timothy chapter 4, verses 3 and 4. Actually, let's back up to verse 2. Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, rebuke, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine [00:18:07] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables Unfortunately, it seems like that may be in our society today Across the airwaves you will, or the radio waves, you will find and hear eternal security The hope, the false hope, that when you become born again, there is no thing, no sin that you can commit that will affect your destiny [00:18:47] Well, if that's really true, why does Satan continue to tempt? Why does Satan continue to try and defeat us? If he would have no chance, he would stop. He's no dummy. If he would have no chance to change your destiny, he would give up. And for more on that, you could read Hebrews 10, verses 26 through 39. You could read Hebrews 12.15, 1 Timothy 5.15, Revelations 2.4, all talking about falling back, apostasy, backsliding, and the consequences of it. [00:19:31] There's teaching on divorce and remarriage. What does the Bible say? Is that sound? The Bible says according to Matthew 5.32, whosoever shall marry her that is divorced, committeth adultery. You can find it in Mark 10.11, Luke 6.18 says it the same way. You will find that there is teaching on independence, that we only live by the Spirit, and not necessarily in the context of the brotherhood. [00:20:06] But I question that. How do we flesh out all the scriptures that deal with the one we just read? Reprove, rebuke, exhort, encourage. How do we do that other than within the brotherhood, in the context of the brotherhood? I do not want to downplay the idea of we must live by the Spirit, but it is in the context of the church. And you are not here, and I'm over here, and we leave each other alone, but we need each other. [00:20:43] And I will admit to you, this is my own assumption, and I would be open to correction, but I don't think that a pastor who doesn't have much oratory talent and eloquence probably wouldn't make it over the radio. Is that a good measuring stick by which one is successful or not? Well, it's not all preaching. There is a lot of Christian music. [00:21:15] What determines what is godly music? Well, can we take the rhythms, the beats, the sounds that the secular world has it, attach some godly lyrics, and we have Christian music? Can the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world walk hand in hand? Never. And it never will. I will acknowledge that sometimes it's difficult to know, to understand, or to see clearly what are good songs and what are not. [00:21:52] But I would like to promote, I think it's the book Music and Biblical Perspective by John Koblentz. He has a simple way to put a test to music that I have found clarifying for myself. And I'll just share it with you. I know I shared it with you some years ago, but I think it does us good to to look at it again. We are made up of three different things, spirit, soul and body. [00:22:26] The spirit includes our conscience and our capacity to worship. The soul would include more on the intellectual level, our emotions, our mind, our will, kind of the basic area of our personhood And of course our body is the physical that you see in which our five senses are in Now all songs appeal to, or all songs have an appeal It wouldn't be attractive if it wouldn't [00:22:56] So they appeal to one of those or all of those levels there The spirit responds on a devotional level And when we hear these things that appeal to our spiritual level It reflects in praise and worship to God The soul responds to the intellectual, to the artistic, to the emotional side or content And of course the body quite obviously responds to the rhythm and the volume, those things that are tangible. [00:23:34] Now what should be the order of priority? Should it not be the order of priority, the highest appeal of a gospel song? Should it not appeal to the spirit so that we give glory to God? And the lowest appeal of all should be to the body. Well, a high volume, a heavy beat appeals to the body. And you've seen them. There's people bebopping and, you know, you can see how the music is affecting them. [00:24:10] There's music that plays on our emotion, the artistic part. Some of it is so, just so, so beautiful and you don't know what they're singing but it sure sounds awesome and there's so many different parts and lots of talent. country music is one that really relies heavily on emotion it relies on love, hate, lust and revenge [00:24:43] and it whines and groans to develop that emotional pull and it appeals to the soulish part of man That's the type of music we should avoid, what pulls to our body or appeals to our body and the soulish part of us. and but really the the other side is the the spirit appeal is what needs to be given priority [00:25:21] so that one who is devoted to God can hear a song that may even be artistically poor and yet it wells with him a devotion to God well is music influential yes it can well that's not Can music influence, I like to say. Music is very powerful. I read a quote, great sermons have been preached and remembrance of them have long faded before even the preacher died. But the words of John Newton live on in the song, Amazing Grace, that saved a wretch like me. [00:26:01] Is there godly music on the radio? I believe there probably is. But I would have to say, I would probably say it's in the minority. Like I say, I don't have a lot of exposure to it. But I think a lot of contemporary music falls into that soulish part. I challenge you, if you have that type of music sometime, just read the lyrics and sing the songs without the music. See how harmoniously it sounds and how much it brings honor and glory to God. [00:26:39] But there again, yes, there probably is good, godly songs on the radio. But how much other things do I want to take in just so I can have the little bit? You know, when I'm asked about the position of the TV or the radio, I usually include it in this. I give an example of, you know, I am not apt, or I shouldn't even say that. I won't eat a good piece of meat, even if it's found in the middle of a five-gallon pail of slop. [00:27:14] It's just not worth it. And that's the way I view some of this. What type of influences are coming in? In excess of what little is there to grasp that is sound. Is there godly music available other places? Absolutely. There are, and I appreciate those who have taken time to produce godly music. Music that you can listen to and it challenges you in your walk with God to a closer walk with God. [00:27:49] Music that isn't hindered or doesn't hinder your relationship, doesn't distract you. Music that you can understand and appreciate There's sermons that you can listen to too Stillwaters has a whole, Stillwaters ministry has whole lists of them If you want to hear some good sermons, there's other places that you can find them as well Well also, there's advice that you can find on the radio that can be very helpful [00:28:21] However, we must be aware Even though the man is a very popular man and can be heard by millions and has written many a book, he will still tell your child that if he faces a bully in school, to fight him. What does the Bible say? What does Jesus teach? It's in direct opposition to that. Matthew 5.39 talks about turning the other cheek. And right along with that, you can even find military ads on Christian radio. [00:28:57] What we feed grows. What we take in, eventually we will become or there's a potential for that. There's news on the radio. Well, is there anything wrong with knowing what's going on? No. I can't think of a reason why it's wrong to know. But may I ask another question? Is it essential to our Christian life? to know what's happening in the world. I don't think so. Another question that we could ask, is it the truth? [00:29:31] You know, there's a lot of emphasis put on accuracy, but I'll tell you, there's a lot of biased news and very negative news out there. And there are those who understand the influence. Why do presidential candidates run so many ads on TV and radio? It's because they understand the power of influence. [00:30:02] And even if you weren't thinking in this one way, they can maybe change your way of thinking. And so by repetition and repetition, they can influence these things. Commercials is the thing that works on repetition. The more you think about it, the more often that you hear it, the more likely you are to believe in it. There's many companies that are spending two and a half million to three million dollars tonight for a 30 second slot of advertisement. [00:30:40] Now, do you think that they understand the power of influence? I think so. There's talk shows on radios, and what little I've heard, I've been appalled. Filthiness, ungodliness. Now, I recognize there's probably some talk shows that give helpful information, but there again, How much of this other stuff do we want to take in for a little bit of information that we could find some other place? [00:31:11] At the library, at books in which we can control what we're receiving, whereas you never know what they're going to talk about. One advantage of the radio is that we can keep up, or that you can keep up with your favorite sports team when you're traveling. I'll tell you what, friends, that can become very addictive. I know of a young man who was so addicted to listening to his home sports team that he walked into a service, revival meetings, and he had a walkman in here and he ran a court up and he sat here so he could listen while he was at church. [00:31:55] That's shameful, really. How addicted are we? Or is that even addicted? Or is that pool there? What is causing that pool there to listen to the sports? You know, tonight they estimate a hundred million people bowing down to that God of sports. Are you going to be one of them? Deuteronomy 11.16 Take heed to yourself [00:32:27] I'm sorry, I should back up The Super Bowl is tonight, that's what I'm referring to Deuteronomy 11.16 Take heed to yourself That your heart be not deceived That ye turn aside and serve other gods I know we can't avoid hearing At places of business At the stores Different offices There's we hear it. But one thing that we can do is we can refrain from turning it on. So if we turn it off, we never we don't listen to it. Eliminate the radio that takes care of everything. I don't think so. [00:33:09] I think it's even deeper than that. I think we need to look at or be aware of root issues. Why that those things are attractive to us. Is it not because of the carnal nature that's within us that is bent or that is wants to feed itself. And when we give it leeway instead of mortifying, deadening it. When there's sin in our hearts and we don't repent of it, then neither will we find the true satisfaction that comes in Jesus Christ. [00:33:48] When we have something that's good, we can hold fast to that which is good. And when we find our satisfaction in Jesus Christ, then I think we don't need any of this other. I don't think so. I believe so. I know so. I think it's important for us to also take a long range view of what I allow in my life today. How it's going to affect me in the future. [00:34:21] I would imagine, I know, that you would have some very serious concerns if I would light a cigarette and smoke a cigarette up here. But one cigarette probably will not kill me, but it will set me in a direction in the wrong way. And if I continue, it is going to dramatically increase my risk of cancer. [00:34:52] Listening to the radio once or twice probably won't either. But again, I ask, how will it affect you? After many years of influence, I don't want to leave the impression or to take the position and give judgment to other churches who have not taken a stand against the radio and say that they're out. But I do say that it is a slippery place to be, I feel, when we are taking so much of the other things, of unsound things in, it will have the potential, it will dramatically increase our risks [00:35:37] And I don't either want to leave you with thinking that I never struggled with this Yes, there's been times when I'm tempted and it's something that we continue to try and be faithful in and to take a stand on and I think it's important for us to be sure that we know, you know where you stand and maintaining a conviction on that. You know our teachers from CBS tell us that there's widespread use of the radio. [00:36:12] As a goodman of the house, what am I doing to protect my children? Where am I standing? Do I have a conviction? Do I have a long-range view to where I'm concerned of where I'm going to end up? It's all within the goal of being preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord. I'd like to close reading Proverbs 4. And I know I focused in on just the radio, but this here applies to all issues of life, and that's why I chose to read it. [00:36:49] Proverbs 4, verse 23 through 27. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are all the issues of life. Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. ponder, ponder the path of thy feet and let thy way be established turn not to the right hand nor to the left remove thy foot from evil [00:37:22] I trust that's your desire today is to ponder the path of our feet so that we can be preserved blameless to the coming of the Lord