Unusual Instruments…
Adolphe Sax is best known as the inventor of the saxophone. Among his creations are the saxhorn (1845), the saxtromba (also 1845), the saxtuba closely followed, and in 1852 a prototype trombone. This was a trombone with six independent valves. Each valve was depressed one at a time rather than in slide fashion.
In 1874, Richard Wagner completed the four-opera, 15 hour epic opera “Ring Cycle.” For it, and to create a unique Nordic sound, Wagner invented the Wagner tuba. The devices arrived as rehearsals were underway, they were used as intended but then never used again.
Then there’s this cumbersome looking mechanism, the Fluba, an offspring of a flugelhorn and a tuba. But I’ve barely scratched the surface of wind instrument oddities.
Yet all of these very diverse instruments have something in common. When wind passes through them they each make a unique and beautiful sound. When they harmonize and all play together, an amazing symphony is possible.
Scripture teaches us each believer is s sort of “wind instrument” of God. We are “instruments of righteousness” to God (Rom. 6:13). Hear what Paul says to the discordant Christians in Corinth…
“…When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. …For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.”
Paul is saying each believer has something special to bring to our times of worship together… all sorts of different things: maybe a song, some instruction, a truth that God has made clear to them, a special spiritual gift in an unknown language perhaps, or the gift to explain what such utterances mean. We bring these gifts and use them in an orderly way and to build up our brothers and sisters, God’s Church.
When God looks down and sees His people all serving harmoniously it does not matter to Him what odd or unusual instruments we may be, but that we allow the “wind” of the Holy Spirit to move freely through us creating a beautiful song of praise to God.
Press on…
To hear Pastor Andrew’s Sunday message, go to the Facebook page of Lincoln Baptist Church, or link to the livestream from the church website.
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