Luke 19:37-40 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.”
Psalm 98:4-9 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn — shout for joy before the LORD, the King. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the LORD.
Job 38:6-7 On what were its (the earth's foundation) footings set, or who laid its cornerstone — while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy.
Since the day of my salvation, I have sung songs of worship and praise to the Lord. I believe the celestial bodies are singing, even earth itself sings honor and glory to the Creator of all things. Luke records Jesus saying if people will not use their voices to praise God, the stones themselves will audibly praise him. We humans do not hear the song of praise the universe emits, but the Bible says they are there. If the universe praises God, then let all who have voice praise the Lord; let all who are in the light of God's grace and mercy praise him; let all of us who have strength praise the Lord. Sadly, when our voices are stilled by the shadow of death, we will lose our volition to sing of God's glory; therefore, while we still have breath, let us praise the Lord with words and songs.
How sad to see a congregation unwilling to praise the Lord wholeheartedly. If the stones will cry out, if the sea will resound, if the rivers will clap their hands, if the mountains will sing, how much more important it is for us, God's children who are made in his image, to sing and rejoice in his presence. Why would we keep silent and not rejoice with our whole being? Are we tempting the stones to cry out? Are we tempting God himself to set us aside because we don't realize what He has done for us? A true awareness of our great redemption should cause us to dance, sing, and shout praises. How can we be silent when we behold such a great redemption? No casino winnings, athletic feats, achievement gains, or anything else the world offers are more worthy of our exultation than Jesus Christ and his redemption story. How can we keep quiet! Jesus allowed his disciples to express their joy because the universe had been waiting for the redemption of man. If the disciples did not praise him, the universe, all that is, would. All of heaven rejoices when sinners come home to God. The father greets all who turn from their sins and toward home. Jesus paid for that redemption; He paid for the fatted calf; He paid for the father's forgiveness and generous welcome. Jesus paid it all, and all to him we owe.
How great a salvation, how great the redemption! Who would not shout for joy! I love the new songs, for God is still in the creating business. He fills his children with new songs, new praises. Yes, the old songs are good, the songs of past centuries were good, but God is also contemporary, in the now. Beautiful new songs created by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers are sung everywhere today. I am sure the stars and the heavenly bodies also rejoice in these new songs of the Spirit. Consequently, let us rejoice with the new songs as well as the old. Let us hear what the Spirit is saying today as well as in the past. Let us praise God with all our heart, soul, mind, and spirit. Let us praise him with our whole being just as the whole universe praises God with all of its essence. We are made to worship, we are made to sing, we are made to rejoice. Let us worship the Lamb who is worthy of all praise. If they (we) keep quiet, the stones will cry out. Do not rebuke the passionate voice of others, but enter into the songs the Spirit sings today.
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