Psalm 100 and Psalm 150
Props: Special Musical Instruments employed for use on this celebrative Sunday (trumpets, trombones and handbells, in our church's case)
Explanation: Wicomico Presbyterian Church in Salisbury, Maryland, celebrated Choir Sunday today, complete with a handbell choir introit, and anthems and hymns accompanied by a brass quartet along with the standard pipe organ. Before the service, I explained the children's sermon to the brass musicians and secured their assistance, as described below.
Good morning, girls and boys! Today we are celebrating Choir Sunday in our church!
Music has always been an important way for the people of God to offer praise to God. The Bible includes a hymnbook, did you know that? It is called the Book of Psalms. There are no notes in this hymnbook, but all of these words are lyrics to ancient songs. Two of my favorites are Psalm 100 and Psalm 150. In Psalm 100, we read:
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth...
....Come into God's presence with singing!
Psalm 150 says:
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in the sanctuary!...
...Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
We don't have any loud, clashing cymbals this morning, but we do have some special instruments to help us praise the Lord on this special day. We have trumpets. Let's listen to what the trumpet sounds like. (Trumpeter plays, maybe a little jazz riff.) And now let's hear what the trombone sounds like. (Trombone plays.) I wonder how they sound when they all play together. (Horns.) Those instruments sure do sound like they are praising God, don't they!
We all have an instrument that we can use to praise God. We carry it with us all the time. We can sound it any time we want--day or night, inside or outside, loud or soft. This instrument is your voice! Sometime we use our voices to sing, and sometimes we praise God with our plain speech. Let's use our voices to praise God together now. I'm going to say "God is good," and you answer with "All the time." Are you ready?
God is good!
All the time!
God is good!
All the time!
God is good!
All the time!
