New Songs, Same Humanity | Week 2 of 4

Key Bible Verses

Daniel 3:4-6

Digging Deeper 

As believers, God assures us He has a plan and a purpose for our lives. We know that God loved us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins so that we can have eternal life. God wants us to live our lives knowing we can trust Him with all the details and the ins and outs of our lives as we have good days and days that are struggles. 

When those who do not know God express their feelings that there must be more, we can confidently say that “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19). As we glorify God, live obediently according to His word, and serve others, we demonstrate confidence that while we might not have all the answers, we know that God does. We can have peace, comfort, and the ultimate assurance that “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26) 

What Not To Miss

Two main goals for this Arts & Entertainment series:

• Help you spiritually and biblically process the music you listen to.

• Equip you to missionally engage family, friends, and co-workers who listen to the music.

Music

• Music is the cue for the culture to know when and to whom to bow down.

• Music plays a key role in the life of humanity and is always attached to worship.

• If you want to know what a society and culture worships, study their music.

• This is true even in the Bible and of God’s people with the poetry books, including Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Job.

Term: Ethnomusicology = people + study of music.

Artists and their music express:

• What they believe.

• What questions they have about life.

• What their hurts, habits, and hang-ups are.

• What they value.

• What they love.

• What they worship.

Stop thinking of music (or any other form of art and entertainment) as sacred or secular. Everything we do is sacred. 

• Create culture

• Celebrate culture

• Consume culture

• Critique culture

• Condemn culture

Questions to ask: 

• What is this music saying?

• Why am I listening to this music?

• How am I using this music?

• Can you discern what is right and wrong about the music?

The DECISION to listen will be based upon your DISCERNMENT of the Spirit’s DISCRETION.

This week’s song is “Saturn” by SZA.

There are four major headings in this song.

• Where she is:

  • Hates this place. 

  • Stuck in a paradigm. 

• Why she is where she is:

  • She lost someone she loves.

  • Repeated pain.

  • No ultimate purpose.

  • Confused about life.

• How she has tried to cope with where she is.

  • Paradise/Hell.

  • Nirvana.

  • Karma.

• Who (or what) will save her?

  • Another universe.

  • There’s got to be more.

  • Life is better on Saturn.

The answer to SZA’s first three lines of “Saturn” is the Story of God and the Other World.

• Heaven on Earth. (The Garden of Eden)

• Hell on Earth. (Adam and Eve’s Rebellion and God’s Justice and Judgment)

• God’s Love for the World and Plan to Redeem, Restore, and Renew the World.

Here are objections that SZA and others might have with what I have outlined here.

• Belief- Do you really expect me to believe in Jesus as Savior and King?

• Control- Why wouldn’t God write a different story with different outcomes?

• Tension- You’ll have to adjust to living in the tension, living in between the times.

• Patience and Productivity- Need to embrace purpose and patience.

• Apology- Christ’s people, Church people, don’t always get it right.

To wrap it up:

• This world is fallen and broken and, if honest, most people know it.

• We are looking for a different world that is devoid of pain and suffering.

• We need a saving bridge, Something or Someone to get us from here to there.

• According to the Bible, Jesus is the saving bridge that fully saves and satisfies, and transfers us from the kingdom of this world into the kingdom of God.

• Therefore, Jesus is the Saturn that SZA dreams of.
   

Life Application

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10). Read the following passages and list how you see God has answered the question of how life for the believer has meaning. (If you can think of other passages, feel free to use these as you compile your list.)

• Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

• For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

• Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

• Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)

• Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. (John 14:1)

Small Group Discussion Questions

• If you could pick any place to live, where would it be?

• Why do you think God has placed you where you are and in your circumstances? 

• How would you address people's questions about living in a broken world from a Christian perspective?

• Explain how Jesus transfers us from the kingdom of this world into the kingdom of God. 

• How would you share our hope as Christians with those who are frustrated and want more from life? 

Daily Devotional Bible Passages 

• Day 1: Peace- Philippians 4:6-7; John 14:27; Isaiah 26:3

• Day 2: Purpose- Jeremiah 29:11; Job 42:2; Psalm 33:11

• Day 3: Principles- Jeremiah 32:19; Psalms 1:1-3; Proverbs 16:3

• Day 4: Perspective- Ecclesiastes 3:1; Proverbs 19:21; Romans 12:2

• Day 5: Promises- Romans 8:28; Jeremiah 17:7; Philippians 4:13

Prayer

Lord, I am thankful that You love me and desire to answer life's difficult questions that I have. You give me hope and peace when I struggle to understand my world and circumstances. I can rely on You in all things, good and bad. Ultimately, I know Jesus is the answer, and He said in John 14:6 that He is the way, the truth, and the life. As a believer, I have eternal, heavenly hope since Jesus saves, satisfies, and has prepared a place for me with Him in heaven. 

Additional Resources 

-"Saturn" by SZA

-LIFE² Groups

-Become a member at Northland or subscribe to our weekly newsletter.