SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

1 Corinthians 12:12,27—The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ . . . Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

In 1798 the U.S. Marine Band was born. Its primary mission is to provide music for the President of the United States and the Commandant of the Marine Corps. President John Adams gave the band its charter but Thomas Jefferson coined its lasting title, “The President’s Own”. Marine Band musicians appear at the White House more than 200 times annually. Their music thrills the ear and uplifts the heart.

The vision of Encounter Ministries is “To Be A Symphony of Light”! Do you realize that we who place our faith and follow Jesus Christ are “God’s Own”! We are a symphony orchestra under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

For an orchestra to sound beautiful unity is essential. Each member of the body holds an important part. If one person faithfully executes his or her piece everyone celebrates. If one musician insists on playing too loudly, incorrectly or not at all, the song is degraded and the entire band suffers. Likewise, if we as Christians disdain playing the parts God gives us we jeopardize the performance of the entire body. If you disagree, simply think of what happens when a believer publicly falls into sin—those who do not know Christ find occasion to label us (as a whole), as disgusting hypocrites. Our notes fall flat and turn off the ears of potential listeners.

For an orchestra to inspire there must be humility. When the piccoloist disdains her small part and plays on she mars the expression of a song. She, along with each member, must believe the whole is greater than the one. Perfect blending comes when wind, percussion and string sections focus one eye on their music, the other on their director. There is no place for viewing each other. So we must keep one eye in God’s Word and one eye on the leading of the Holy Spirit.

If we are displeased with the parts God has given us to play we do not understand the sound that He is trying to produce. God rewards us for faithfully doing what He asks us not for what position we hold within the orchestra. There is an entire world desperately yearning to hear the salvific notes of God’s redeeming grace! The sound of truth presented in love by transformed musicians is unsurpassable! So play! Play! For God’s glory play!

Inspiration
What a magnificent band this is. I was going to say unsurpassed but I think I should amend that to unsurpassable.—Gramaphone Magazine about the U.S. Marine Band