As I reflect during this holy week on the triumphant entry of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, I find a fascinating truth revealed. This truth should reflect the calling of every believer in Jesus Christ.
As Jesus entered the city, a large crowd of disciples were gathered and were laying their garments and palm branches along the path that Jesus traveled. As He entered the city, the people began to cry out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” They were singing out their praises to God.
In opposition to this act of adoration, the religious Pharisees challenged Jesus by stating, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” You see, the Pharisees were blind to who Jesus really was. This was reflected by the title to which they addressed Him, which was simply “teacher.” The fact is that they were actually challenging Jesus on who He claimed to be, “THE MESSIAH!”
Jesus’ answer to these men reflected a truth that while in one sense was symbolic, it also expressed a great truth that reflects the power of a holy God. Jesus said to them, ” I tell you, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out!” If we look back at Matthew, chapter 3, we see John the Baptist challenging the Pharisees and Sadducees when they questioned John on his practice of baptizing men as an act of ” repentance unto salvation.”
John called these men a “Brood of vipers” and challenged THEM to repent and “bear fruit worthy of repentance.” These men set themselves as more important than those who came to John for baptism because they were the “children of father Abraham.” John’s response was this, ” I say unto you that God is able to raise children up to Abraham from these stones!” In Jewish culture, non-Jews or gentiles, were referred to as “stones.”
While John was in one sense rebuking these men for their pride and misuse of authority, he was also pointing out that God could raise up children unto Himself from Jew or gentile alike. Okay, so what is the application of this truth and how does it apply to us.
Well you see, as it was with the disciples who stood singing praises to God as Jesus entered the city that day, we are called to unashamedly sing our praises to God and daily acknowledge Christ as our Messiah. Regardless of what others do, religious or not, our reasonable service to God is to sing out our praises to Him and acknowledge Him for who He IS.
If we do not do this, “The earth itself will glorify Him and indeed it does!” God will NEVER be denied the glory that ONLY He deserves!!!
As we celebrate Passion week, we need to be reminded that as Christians we should be telling the whole world about the love and passion that God has shown us through His son, Jesus Christ! One thing is for sure, if we fail to speak the truth to a hurt and dying world that God so loved us that He gave His very best to redeem us from the curse of sin, “the stones” will cry out the truth about Him. So I say to you,
Lets all get stoned !!!
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