God's Chorus

I went to hear my cousin Phil sing in the Atlanta Sacred Chorale over the holidays. It was very moving. In the past I’ve always been a little suspicious of religious chorus performances. I felt there was too much temptation both for the performers and the audience to focus more on the individual’s talent than on God.

This experience, however, altered my perceptions. I said I went to hear my cousin, but their voices were so beautifully blended it was difficult to hear any individual’s voice. They all seemed to play different roles, but when their voices merged it was one harmonious sound. That was when I realized that it was not only in the words of the songs but in the beauty of their voices that God was praised.

God is the author of beauty. When people come together and create something beautiful they reflect what only he makes possible. It struck me that the ASC is a small sample of what God’s people should be as a whole, not only in the worship of singing, but in the worship of living.

The passage that begins, “offer your bodies as living sacrifices,” goes on to talk about each member using their gift as part of the unified body of Christ (Rom. 12:1-8). Phil told me the ASC is like a second church family for him. They share their lives and pray for each other at each practice. He said there are no egos in the ASC. That is exactly the spirit that is required for a group to be united. “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think ...” (Rom. 12:3), but rather “look ... to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4).

Each individual is given a gift (or gifts) from God, but they are not intended to draw attention to the individual. Rather, they are given to be used for the benefit of others in the community of believers. “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:7). The great chapter on love (1 Cor. 13) is in the middle of the discussion of how various gifts come together for the good of all. “God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be” (1 Cor. 12:18). God is the great Conductor, joining members and their gifts together to produce a great expression of his glory. If a member does not make use of his gift it will detract from God’s design.

Jesus made it no secret that the church as a united body was part of God’s plan to reveal himself to the world, not just as a mouthpiece, but as a reflection of his glory (Jn. 13:34-35; 17:20-23). “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known” (Eph. 3:10).

God designed Christianity to function as a closeknit community. All are expected to be involved, to press their gifts into service for others, to live in a matrix of love for each other. When the church functions as God designed, each person’s strengths and talents complimenting the others’, there is music that reaches right up into the heavens.

Having one’s name on the roll and warming a spot on a pew falls short of fulfilling God’s intention. Individual faith that is not actively integrated in Christ’s body thwarts God’s plan. And selfish insistence on one’s own way, fighting and creating factions is simply handing our souls to the devil for his own use.

Those who surrender their lives at the foot of the cross, however, have no ego to promote. Their commander is Jesus Christ. Their guide is his Word. Their purpose is to blend their lives with those of fellow believers. And as they do a harmony is forged that reveals the face of God. Their music--expressed in their shared lives-- can’t help but draw the attention and appreciation of all who recognize divine beauty.