PRAISE THE LORD

PROCLAMATION

“When He came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: ‘Blessed is The King who comes in the name of The Lord!’  ‘Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’  Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’  ‘I tell you,’ He replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’ ”  Luke 19:37-40 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, which were spoken by Christ according to Luke, the physician.  After He had finished teaching His disciples, Jesus left that area and headed towards Jericho.  As He approached Jericho, a blind beggar heard that He was passing by and called out to Him.  Jesus healed him, and he immediately received his sight and then he began to follow Jesus. (Luke 18:35-42)  As He entered Jericho, He stayed at the home of Zacchaeus, the tax collector. (Luke 19:1-10)  While there He told them The Parable of The Ten Minas. (Luke 19:11-26)  As He left there and entered Jerusalem, the crowd of disciples with Him began to shout praises to The Lord.  Some of the Pharisees in the crowd asked Jesus to tell His disciple to be quiet.  Jesus replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:37-40)

 

APPLICATION

In multiple locations throughout The Bible, believers are told to praise The Lord.  Here, Jesus, The Christ, makes it perfectly clear that if His believers do not shout out praises, then the stones will praise Him.  Some Bible scholars believe that the stones refer to non-Jewish people while others believe that the reference is literally to the rocks.  The Lord God has the power to bring forth unexpected people or even the inanimate objects to declare His praise.  I do not want a rock to take my place, so I will praise The Lord.  No rock will have to speak for me.  Believers should not have to be told to praise The Lord.  His praise should continually be coming out of their mouths. (Psalm 34:1 and 71:6)  Praise The Lord, saints!  For He is worthy to be praised.

 

LIKE FIRE SHUT UP IN MY BONES

PROCLAMATION

“But if I say, ‘I will not mention His word or speak anymore in His name,’ His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones.  I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”  Jeremiah 20:9 (NIV)

EXPLANATION

These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and proclaimed to the people of Judah.  In chapter nineteen of The Bible Book of Jeremiah The Lord God told him to go and buy a jar of clay from the potter and to take some of the elders along with him. (Jeremiah 19:1-2)  There he again told them that The Lord was going to destroy them because they had forsaken Him and turned to idol worship. (Jeremiah 19:3-9)  Then The Lord God told Jeremiah to break the jar while the elders were watching and tell them that He will smash their nation as the potter’s jar was smashed. (Jeremiah 19:10-12)  When the high priest Pashhur heard of Jeremiah’s prophecy, he had him publicly beaten and put in the stocks. (Jeremiah 20:1-2)  When he was released the following day, he told Pashhur that he would witness the slaughter of his people at the hands of their enemies.  He said that the king of Babylon would take him into captivity, along with those who survive the massacre, because of his lies and false prophecies. (Jeremiah 20:3-6)  Afterwards, Jeremiah privately complained to The Lord God because of the treatment which he had received from the people after delivering His messages. (Jeremiah 20:7-8)  He even threatened to keep quiet and not speak in His name, but he recognized that he couldn’t do that because God’s words within him were like fire shut up in his bones.  Jeremiah was so conflicted that he even cursed the day that he was born. (Jeremiah 20:14-18)

APPLICATION

Standing up and speaking up for The Lord God is not easy.  All too often the people do not want to hear “what thus saith The Lord.”  Verbal attacks occur quite frequently, and in some places even physical attacks occur.  Sometimes our old friends will stand by and not come to our aid or defense.  There is also the personal internal struggle with our human nature in the face of temptation, with our moral nature in the face of injustice to our fellow man, and with our spiritual nature as we watch the wicked prosper and obtain positions in high places.  We speak up because there is something inside of us that says speak.  This could be The Holy Spirit of God within us.  Jeremiah described it as “a fire shut up in my bones.” (Jeremiah 20:9)  So, let us tell others about Christ, and salvation.  Let us obey the great commission and share The Word of God with everybody. (Matthew 28:19-20)  Let us also publicly praise Him.  For if we keep quiet, then the rocks will cry out in our place. (Luke 19:40)

DO NOT LET THE ROCKS SPEAK FOR YOU

Proclamation:

"Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!'  'I tell you,' He replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'" Luke 19:39-40 (NIV)

Explanation:

In the gospel according to Luke, the physician and frequent traveling companion of the Apostle Paul, these words were recorded which Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in the crowd of His disciples.  As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, (Luke 19:28), riding on the young colt, (Luke 19:33-35), the crowd began to shout praises unto Him. (Luke 19:37-38)  Some of the Pharisees in the crowd told Jesus to rebuke them, and tell them to be quiet. (Luke 19:39)  Jesus responded to them by saying "If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." 

Application:

As believers, we should praise The Lord God loudly and often. (Psalm 100:1)  In fact, we are encouraged to praise Him continually. (Psalm 34:1)  For He is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise.  He does not need us to give Him praise, but He will be praised.  If we do not praise Him, then the rocks will praise Him. (Luke 19:40)  So, let us praise Him.  Let us praise often and frequently.  Let us praise Him so that the rocks will not have to speak for us.  The Lord God is truly worthy to be praised.