When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more,
When the morning breaks eternal, bright and fair,
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there
When we were young, my brother and I played this at many family gatherings! We learned to harmonize and I guess our parents wanted to get something in return for the investment they made in our band instruments. I remember getting our the Sears catalog when I was going into the fifth grade to look at the different instruments. And then playing at family reunions and other gatherings as well as in church.
Sometime after college, I put my trumpet away and got it back out around 10 years later. You know with the lip buzzing you do to sound a tone on a brass instrument... well, if you don’t play every day, you lose your chops! At the beginning of 1999, as part of my new year’s resolutions, I started practicing again with the goal of playing on Easter Sunday. The church we served at the time had clear windows along one side and was situated next to a pasture where cows grazed. That Easter Sunday when I played “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” with the piano and congregation singing, even the cows ran the other way. Bright lights, white banners and robes, resurrection music... and some hearty laughter!
In a way, I guess I was tooting my own horn. I meant well. I meant it like a fanfare that the Risen Christ our King is coming. Like the ceremonial herald trumpets at a regal event. Many heard that and understood my intentions. But to some, it might have seemed that I was drawing attention to myself. And the chuckles about the cows just made it worse.
In Matthew 6, which is part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, verses 2 and 16, say “When you give alms, do not sound a trumpet, when you fast, do not put it on display”. Matthew’s trumpet, blown for the wrong reasons, seems to be a call to give attention to ourselves! “Look at me, I’m fasting so I can be more holy!”
In contrast, Joel’s trumpet is a call to honor God. In Joel chapter 2, the prophet says “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly!” Joel’s trumpet call prepares the way and brings attention to God in holy fasting, gathering the congregation to ask for mercy and grace.
I would rather play Joel’s trumpet than Matthew’s trumpet. The purpose is to call attention to God in Christ! To announce his arrival, his resurrection! This is a call to action--to give attention to God! Daily! Moment by moment.
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth where everything erodes and needs polishing or gets old and dies. Rather lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven by calling attention to God. For where your real treasure is, there will your heart follow.
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