Lustily and With Good Courage

Scripture: Colossians 3:14-16

I have been asked today to say a few words about the relationship between music and faith. I fear that this may prove a fool's errand. I am mindful of an observation once offered by that noted theologian, Steve Martin: "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture."

We Methodists take our music seriously. This should be obvious in a church like ours that includes two adult choirs, a youth choir, two children’s choirs, six ensembles of hand bell ringers, a band, an occasional orchestra, a concert series, a seemingly endless supply of gifted voice and instrumental soloists, at least one world-class composer, and a Director of Music Ministries whose talents and energy defy description. Friends, the City of Chelsea only has about five thousand people in it, which, by my calculation, means that only a dozen or so are not participating in our music programs.

But, of course, this preoccupation with music is not just characteristic of our Methodist church. Music is deeply embedded in our denominational DNA.

As many of you know, one of John Wesley’s formative religious experiences involved music. It was 1735, and Wesley was sailing to the newly settled colony of Georgia to minister to its English residents. When a violent storm began tossing the ship around and washing tides of saltwater across the decks, most of the passengers took to moaning and screaming and cursing their bad fortune. But a group of Moravian Christians who were on board calmly continued their evening psalm-singing even amidst the tumult, uninterrupted and undistracted. They set a model of calm and confident faith that astonished John Wesley and that he never forgot.

And, of course, all of you know about the remarkable musical achievements of John Wesley’s brother, Charles. Charles wrote more than six thousands hymns, including many that are still widely sung, such as “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling,” and “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” One of the hymns that Charles Wesley found most personally important was “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” which he wrote to celebrate his conversion and the revival of his faith after a period of doubt and struggle. Since 1780, we have honored Charles Wesley by placing this piece first among the hymns in our Methodist hymnals.

What you may not know, however, is that in a collection of hymns that he assembled in 1761, John Wesley—who I fondly think of as one of God’s most devoted and effective micro-managers—included what he called “Directions for Singing.” These directions appear in most Methodist hymnals to this day. And it is a shame that we no longer pay much attention to them, because they are layered with a patina of good-natured bossiness that makes them engaging, delightful to read, and not just a little funny.

More importantly, though, they reflect Wesley’s deep and ingenious spirituality. After all, these directions do not just tell us how to sing; they tell us how to believe. They help us see how the way we experience and share in the glory of music connects with the way we experience and share in the glory of God. And, in this sense, these directions also tell us something about how to live a life of faith.

So, without further ado, here are a few selections from John Wesley’s directions on how to sing.

His third: “Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.”

From his fourth direction: “Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.”

From his fifth direction: “Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation … but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.”

From his sixth direction: “Sing in time. Do not run before nor stay behind [the tune] … and take care not to sing too slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from us.”

And, finally, from his seventh direction: “Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing [God] more than yourself, or any other creature. [S]ee that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.”

On this side of heaven, we struggle to express our anxieties, our sources of joy, our reasons for hope, our aspirations toward peace and love, our faith. For help, we turn to prayer and meditation and that prayerful form of meditation that we call music. Victor Hugo got it exactly right when he said that “music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. Do not go through this life half dead or half asleep. But go at it lustily and with good courage. Drive laziness out of yourself. Unite your voices with others. And, in the name and for the glory of the one who made you, make some music.

Amen.