What would be your response if you walked by a stone, and you heard it cry out “Praise Ye the Lord”?
Sounds preposterous, doesn’t it?
Like something out of a science fiction movie, right!
Well, that is exactly what the Lord Jesus said would happen if the Pharisees were to silence the people of Jerusalem at the triumphal entry.
In Luke 19:40 we read:
“But He answered and said to them, I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
I heard a pastor teach on the Luke 19 passage, and he mentioned that he imagines it may sound like a rock concert.
The big stones cry out in their baritone and base voices, while the smaller stones cry out in their alto or tenor voices.
And though it did illicit a chuckle from me as I listened, it also caused me to reflect and dig deeper.
It is so true; God will have His praise.
He alone is worthy of all praise, and no one shall rob Him of what is rightfully due Him.
And, He will use whatever means and whatever part of His creation He deems necessary to fulfill His work and receive His due Praise.
There is another place in scripture that we see Jesus using stones to communicate a profound and transformational truth.
In 1 Peter 2:5 we read:
“you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
If God can work through His inanimate creation, then how much more through those created in His image?
As Jesus followers made in His image, we have an opportunity to choose to allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through our lives in a way that brings glory to God!
It is a choice we get to make, and it is a decision we must make continually.
How can this even be possible?
How can we be living stones?
Because Jesus is the chief corner stone! We are co-mingled in Him.
We build on this foundation.
See what Ephesians 2:20 has to say:
“having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone.”
We must realize that all flows from Him and to Him.
It starts with being found alive in Him, by way of a personal intimate relationship with Jesus the Christ.
This really challenged me personally as I disciple and interact with other women.
Some questions that came to mind are:
- Are we building on the right foundation?
- Are we challenging those we disciple to understand their identity as a living stone and how they can live that out?
Healthy, biblically discipled people make healthy, biblical disciples!
I encourage you to go back through Luke 19, 1 Peter 2 and Ephesians 2 slowly and reflectively.
Ask God how He desires to transform you and your approach to discipleship.
THEN LIVE IT OUT!
Blessings!
Crystal Hippo