Psalm 148, Acts 7:37-53, Hebrews 2:9-13
…[Jesus‘] followers began to shout and sing…”Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” [Jesus] replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!” (Luke 19:37-40, NLT)
All of Creation knew and knows the Creator (Psalm 148). Jesus’ walk upon the earth was even transformational for the non-human aspects of Creation. Creation has its own part to fulfill, and that was to second what humanity was crying out. In the law, a testimony wasn’t true without at least two witnesses. As a whole, Jesus’ followers were witnesses, and Creation wasn’t going to be silent either!
In the story of Israel, piles of stones or a single large stone were physical memorials (i.e., witnesses) of what God had done. When Jesus says the stones would cry out it was reminiscent of the stones of witness.
Stephen (Acts 7:37-53) reminds the Jews of what God had done, sending witnesses (prophets) to remind them of who God is. While they were alive, sometimes the Israelites would listen, but after they died, their hearts were dead stone. In other words, their hearts of stone were unable to proclaim God’s glory, unlike the stones that were on the road that Jesus walked.
Jesus, who for a time was slightly lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9), brought the world to life, so that Creation (that man too often thinks of as mute) wanted to sing out the redemption of the world.
1/KD) What would you do if a stone started singing (or shouting), “Great is the Lord!”?
2) Does thinking that all of Creation celebrates redemption through Christ change how you celebrate?
3) What symbols (e.g., stones) do you use/have that remind you of God’s faithfulness and love?