God’s Instrument

If you were to walk up to any musician and ask what their favorite instrument to play is, chances are that they will give you something common and well known. Every once in while you come across something strange like a digeridoo or kazoo, but for the most part it is something along the lines of piano, guitar, or some woodwind instrument.

For me, this question falls to the low brass instruments, specifically either the trombone, or baritone. Leaning heavily on the side of the baritone. If you are unfamiliar with what this is, think baby tuba. It has been my instrument of choice since I was in middle school.

You see the baritone comes in basically two parts, the mouthpiece, and the rest of it. Years ago an illustration came to me to use my love of the baritone and 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

1 Timothy 3:16-17

Breath

It is something we all do and it is essential to our existence. I can blow a stream of air and influence how large a balloon gets or how long a candle remains lit.

In this illustration this represents God. While He is powerful enough to be visible in the world, to the unbeliever He is just wind and holds no real authority.

Mouthpiece

Now this is the most important piece of the baritone. Without this, no enjoyable sound comes from the instrument. The mouthpiece is Scripture. Again by itself to an unbeliever it is just a book.

When you combine breath and the mouthpiece, you can still get sound, but it sounds like a kazoo with only a few notes. God can still work through his scripture, but to someone who does not know what they are doing or is looking to justify their actions by taking scripture out of context. The results can still come out wrong, even with the best intentions.

The Horn

Finally, is the instrument, the horn itself. Now this part can make sounds by pushing buttons and such, but at this point it is only a percussion instrument, not a baritone.

This part of the instrument represents us. We can make sound by ourselves. We can have our buttons pushed. Yet, without the other parts we are only what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13 as a clanging symbol or an overzealous gong.

One can add the mouthpiece to the instrument, but again it makes no noise. Likewise Scripture is just a really long book without God.

Only when we pick up the instrument and put it to our lips can the instrument take on its intended purpose. To play music.

It is the same way when we allow God to speak through Scripture into our lives. It is the only way for us to reach our full potential in Christ. When we allow God to correct, teach, and guide us through his word that we can be complete and equipped for His purpose.