“I tell you,” Jesus said, “if my disciples keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” – Luke 19:40
Joy to the earth, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy!
This Scripture passage from Luke is part of what we traditionally call “Palm Sunday” when Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem. In the midst of the procession, the disciples “joyfully began to praise God in loud voices” (v.37). The Pharisees, who were known as distractors to Jesus’ message, asked Jesus to rebuke the disciples (v.39). Jesus’ response is a powerful statement: even the rocks will cry out in praise to God!
Have you ever tried to keep a secret at Christmas? When you have good news, an exciting gift to share, or a surprise that just can’t wait, it’s incredibly tempting to “cry out” in the sense of bursting with joy and enthusiasm. Sometimes we just cannot keep the secret any longer! We want our family or friends or coworkers to know the good news so we can celebrate with them.
One of our responsibilities as people of faith is to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. Christmas is a great time to do this as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. We have news that changed the world and continues to change our lives. Our joy and enthusiasm for our relationships with God overflows our hearts and causes us to want to “cry out” in order for others to know God’s love. We want to share this message with others, just like we want to share gifts during the Christmas season.
The next time you walk by a rock, take a moment to pause, remember the good news of Jesus Christ, and tell yourself, “It’s my job to share God’s love with the people I encounter today!”
Rev. Phil Greenwald, Executive Pastor of Administration
