Musing – How is being a Christian like playing in a Band?

 Hebraic Musing – How is being a Christian like playing in a Band?

Johanna’s parable about “Playing in a Band” is fascinating.*   Here’s her introduction:

I used to play the flute in a city band during the summers.  We played weekly concerts at the bandshell in the local park, thrilling our audiences with stirring marches, pop tunes and occasionally some really challenging pieces.  Each member of the band has a musical "score" to follow.  We are obliged to follow what the music tells us; what volume to play, what notes to play, when not to play, how fast to play and what rhythm to play.  If a band member plays a wrong note or plays when the music indicates a rest, or does anything contrary to the score or the director, they will be chastised by both the other band members and the director.  If a person repeatedly goes against what is written in the music they would, no doubt be asked to leave the band.

Does this have a parallel in the ideal behavior of Church members?  As Christians, we have been given a "score" and it is called the Bible.  The Word who became Flesh is our director and our fellow band members are the body of believers. 

But Society, and even those who claim to be fellow believers, repeatedly tell us not to follow the score, the Bible.  They tell us to stop being legalistic and do as we please.  They tell us to stop doing what the director, our creator, wants us to do.  Imagine the cacophony in Yehovah's ears as He listens to His children’s "loud, confusing, disagreeable sounds of noise and dissonance" while they are pretending to be Spiritual!!!

The problem – Everyone wants the band members to play their instrument according to what is written in the pages of the musical score; but not all church members are living their lives according to what is written in the pages of the Bible.

Each member picks out the parts where we play a beautiful melody, like John 3:16 “for God so loved the world…”, but then have trouble obeying commands like loving your enemies, turning our cheek, denying yourself, rejoicing when persecuted, etc.   Do those “bad notes” clash with the beautiful melody we are trying to play in His band?  

Meanwhile, here’s how Jesus, our Loving Band director, wants us to be – “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 NKJV   How well do we obey these words of our conductor?

If we are a band member, we cannot pick out which measures of music we will play.  We are bound to the musical score directed by the Director; as believers we need to be bound by the entire Bible.

Are today's denominations like sections of the band, each one saying our music is better than yours?  Who has written the music you are playing?  Did you write a solo for yourself to be seen, heard and admired?  Or worse yet, is your music one long rest after another as you sit back and do nothing, never even opening the Bible?

So, if you want to be in the “Kingdom’s band” you need to read the score, the Bible, and just like the band member holds their instrument properly, using their mouth to connect with the instrument and with the proper fingerings so their music blends in with others to accomplish the goal, and great is their reward!

Here is how Johanna summarized our goal:
If we are looking at a reward we must live according to the Bible, with all those seemingly complicated rhythms of the Torah and Prophets, in addition to the melodic Psalms.  We have had enough cacophony, now it is time to abandon man-made theology and focus on the timeless musical score of Yehovah.

Points to Ponder
What do non-believers hear about denominations and divisions in the “Church”?

How much dis-unity, cacophony and discord do we encounter within the Body of Christ?

What makes us think our own score might sometimes be better than HIS?

♫ We Are One in the Spirit, and One in the Lord, and We Pray that All Unity May One Day Be Restored. ♫

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                           October 21, 2025            
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

*  Inspired by and excerpted from Johanna Hocker’s “Playing in a Band, parable”

Playing in a Band, parable, by Johanna Hocker

I used to play the flute in a city band during the summers.  We played weekly concerts at the bandshell in the local park, thrilling our audiences with stirring marches, pop tunes and occasionally some really challenging pieces.  Each member of the band has a musical "score" to follow.  We are obliged to follow what the music tells us; what volume to play, what notes to play, when not to play, how fast to play and what rhythm to play.  If a band member plays a wrong note or plays when the music indicates a rest, or does anything contrary to the score or the director, they will be chastised by both the other band members and the director.  If a person repeatedly goes against what is written in the music they would, no doubt be asked to leave the band. 

We have been given a "score" and it is called the Bible.  It has been called, Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.  Yehovah is our director and our fellow band members are the body of believers.  Society and even those who claim to be fellow believers repeatedly tell us not to follow the score (the Bible).  They tell us to stop being legalistic and do as we please.  They tell us to stop doing what the director, our creator, wants us to do.  Imagine the cacophony in Yehovah's ears with our spiritual "loud confusing disagreeable sounds of noise and dissonance". 

Everyone wants the band members to play their instrument according to what is written in the pages of  the music, but few want to live their lives according to what is written in the pages of the Bible. 

Oh we might pick out the parts where we play a beautiful melody, like John 3:16, but then ignore the parts like Leviticus where it tells us to worship Yehovah with total surrender, like an animal burnt to a crisp in a BBQ.  A band member can not pick out which measures of music they will play, they are bound to the music, just like believers need to be bound by the entire Bible. 

Today's denominations are like sections of the band, each one saying our music is better than yours.  Who has written the music you are playing?  Did you write a solo for yourself to be seen, heard and admired, or is your music one long rest after another as you sit back and do nothing, never even opening the Bible. 

If you want to be in the band, the Kingdom of Yehovah you need to read the score, the Bible, then just like the band member holding their instrument properly, using their mouth to connect with the instrument (typically), with the proper fingerings their music blends in with others to accomplish the goal, and great is their reward!

If we are looking at a reward we must live according to the Bible, with all those seemingly complicated rhythms of the Torah and Prophets, in addition to the melodic Psalms.  We have had enough cacophony, now it is time to abandon man made theology and focus on the timeless musical score of Yehovah. 

As you go on your way, may Yehovah go with you.

May He go before you to show you the way,

May He go behind you to encourage you;

Beside you to befriend you;

Above you to watch over you;

And within to give you peace.

In the mighty name of Yeshua, Amen

 

Johanna Shager Hocker, M.S.