Rock Choir?

But some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, 

“Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”  

He answered, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the very stones will cry out!”

Luke 19:39-40

I don't know about you, but I like genuine enthusiasm.  You see it in toddlers when they take off....well, toddling.....down the hallway.  They are so excited at this new adventure and they squeal and giggle all the way, at least my daughter did.  When we get older, why do we seem to lose that enthusiasm?

I hate to say it, but I have been in church services where everyone sat there like rocks only to tell the pastor "Wonderful Service Today" as they were leaving.  I wondered what sort of life these people led outside the church.  Now, I'm not a fan of services where there's so much going on that it seems as if chaos is the rule.  But I admire those who can attend services and are enthusiastic about learning, enthusiastic about worship, and are genuinely glad to be there.  Far too many attend church merely out of habit instead of sincere desire.

When did we lose our enthusiasm?  When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, the people cheered Him and gave Him a rousing welcome.  This apparently annoyed the Pharisees because they told Jesus to get His disciples to stop and be quiet.   And Jesus, as was His habit, annoyed them further by telling them that “I tell you, if they keep silent, the very stones will cry out!” Can you imagine the stones crying out God's praises because we stopped?  That is a rock choir that would break my heart!!

We should never be afraid to tell God that we love Him, are glad He loves us, and thank Him for all He does and gives us.  Unless you are waiting for the stones to do it for you.

Rock Band!

As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

“Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
    Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”
~Luke 19:36-40

I have to admit it...I am no a fan of the Rolling Stones.  Never have been.  Do hate on me, there's just something about their music that grates on my nerves.  That being said, I will admit they have talent.  A group cannot be around as long as the Rolling Stones and have as many fans as they without having some talent.  It's just they aren't for me.

Jesus seems to have had the same relationship with the "church folk" of His day.  They grated on Him but they must have had something going for them to have been around as long as they were.  But that didn't make them any less annoying.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, the people were cheering for Him.  This irritated the "church folk" because, after all, no one cheered for them.  So they told Jesus to tell the cheering crowd to be quiet (and show some sort of civility because, after all, the 'church folk' are around and it's just not dignified to be so expressive).

Take a close look at Jesus' reply..."If THEY kept quiet, the stone along the road would burst into cheers!"  I don't know about you, but the idea that the stones along the road cheering Jesus would be a bit unsettling....at first.  But perhaps that would be the wake up call we needed to remember that Jesus IS, after all, the King Above ALL Kings!

Want to be part of that Rock Band?