Dear Music Leader,
From time to time, we all need encouragement in our ministry of leading sung worship for God’s people. Perhaps you feel that acutely during this Christmas season with additional services, keen awareness of our limitations and the weighty longing for those we lead to encounter Christ. Here are three reminders from the Scriptures of how God is at work to encourage you:
Jesus leads the worship
Our worship is acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. No act of worship we could ever perform could be pleasing to God apart from Jesus. As we gather, Christ Himself is present by His Spirit to lead us. He says to the Father “I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises” (Heb. 2v12). He is, as Calvin put it, “the chief conductor of our hymns”. Because Christ is our worship leader, our imperfect offerings are presented to the Father as part of His perfect offering, and our Father delights in it.
The Spirit is at work
As we behold the glory of God in the face of Christ, the Spirit is powerfully at work to transform us “into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Cor.3v18). This is a promise to enjoy, not something that is dependent on our ability! The Holy Spirit is bringing about eternally significant change in us all as we hold out Christ to people. Some may even be saved as we sing of Christ (1 Cor.14v24-25).
We join in with heaven
Jesus our worship leader draws us up into the great gathering of worship He is now leading around the throne of heaven (Heb.12 v22-24). See by faith heaven torn open and “thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly” singing praise to the Lamb. We simply add our voices to the anthem.
It can be hard to perceive these realities in the ordinariness of our Sunday gatherings, and with our awareness of our many limitations. But they really are realities. May this reminder help you to fix your eyes on the unseen, spiritual realities as you lead others in sung worship; “what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4v18).
With grace in the Saviour,
Ben
