Sorry that I have not posted in a little over a week. My wife and I have been giving a lot of thought to starting to host a yearly Seder meal to celebrate Easter. We have found that much of Christiandom has forgotten its Jewish roots. So as we read through the New Testament a lot of the little things are lost. We found by experiencing the culture we understand it more and pick up on more of the little things. We kind of decided to start this a bit last minute so much of my time was spent trying to put all of this together.
Apologies aside let's get on with our thought for today. In the book of Luke the 19th chapter as Christ is riding into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey the Bible tells us that "the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."[Luke 19:37-40] This passage has always stuck with me, showing the importance of singing the praise of God if the disciples had kept quiet the rocks themselves would have cried out. Yet how often do we keep silent in our world today. Where is the voice of the true disciples of the Lord? We hear time and time again from the crazies out there who preach hatred against everything. We hear from the loons that teach acceptance of every sin, but where are the true disciples of God declaring with a loud voice "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest?"
We seem to be hidden in our own little pocket of the world. We find ourselves watching our Christian movies, listening to our Christian music, and talking with our Christian friends. It seems as so many are trying to hide themselves from the world. Jesus said in Matthew that we "are the light of the world. A city that is on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven."[Matthew 5:14-16] We should not be hiding from the world. When we do, how do we expect them to see the light that we are to shine?
We need to find more ways to get ourselves in the world, but not be of the world. We are called to be ambassadors. We can not herald the news that God has given us to proclaim to the world if we never leave our churches. If we never go out into this world, if we never proclaim the news, how are the lost of the world to come to Christ? "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent?" [Romans 10:13-15] As believers we were sent to do exactly that. Christ said "go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." [Mark 16:15] We are called to be ambassadors. How are we to remain silent? Jeremiah tried to "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." [Jeremiah 20:9]
I do not know about you, but as for me, I feel the same as Jeremiah: I can not stay. I can not remain quiet. The true believers can not remain quiet or we shall see the very rocks cry out.
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