When Stones Speak

 As we come to a most solemn time of year, the time of year when Jesus would carry the largest burden anyone has ever carried, I was reading in Luke 19:40, where Jesus had entered Jerusalem, in what we call Palm Sunday. For some reason, I had never connected the dots as to the literality of Jesus' words.

Jesus had entered the city with the crowds waving palms, welcoming Him as King as he rode on a donkey. The Pharisees rebuked Jesus and told him to rebuke his disciples for their adoration and praise of him. Jesus made a curious statement saying, "I tell you, that if they remain silent, these very stones would cry out". While Jesus was talking about the events of that specific day, I believe he was talking about the future as well. There was coming  another time later that week, where there would be silence from his disciples, and the crowds that had praised him, would also be silent. What began with praise would soon turn into condemnation. The next few days Jesus was where we have all been at one time, between great joy and on the way to great sorrow.

Behind him was his sermons, in front of him his suffering.

Behind him his parables, in front of him his passion.

Behind him his suppers of fellowship in front of him his supper of betrayal.

Behind him the delights of galilee, in front of him dark gethsemane.

Behind him raising of  palms, in front of him the ridicule of a purple robe.

Prophecy would now become practice.

But what about those stones Jesus spoke about? In Matthews Gospel in chapter 27, he tell us that when Christ died, the earth shook, the rocks split open, and the tombs of many saints were opened. Keep in mind that tombs were made of stone. So had Jesus actually predicted the earthquake that occurred when he died? I believe so! His disciples were silent and hidden. The cheering crowds had disappeared. The greatest miracle that had ever come to this planet had just happened, the miracle of God's overwhelming love, and undeserved grace  had just been shown to the world. The world rejected it, so the very stones had cried out! Some stones cried out in mourning as rocks were split, while other stones cried out in victory as tombs were split open, giving resurrection life to saints that had died. Three days later, another stone would cry out amid darkness and silence, the very stone that had sealed Jesus in the tomb, for it was rolled away like lightning, as the Roman guards fell down like dead men!

So do stones speak? I believe they do. The sad thing about that, is that when they speak, it's because we are silent. When they speak, it's because we have become hard in our heart. I am reminded of something Charles Spurgeon once said. When speaking of Christ's death he said "Yet they were rent at the sight of Christ's death. Men's hearts did not respond to the agonizing cries of the dying Redeemer, but the rocks responded. He did not die for rocks. Yet rocks were more tender than the hearts of men, for whom he shed His blood."

When that stone cried out in praise, as it was rolled away from the tomb, there were no disciples there to hear it. The only ones who heard, were the ones who were there to keep the stone in place, the Roman guards. What a shame that the only ones to hear that stone cry out and roll away, were there to keep it from crying out. This tells me, that I don't ever want to hear any stones crying out! For when they do, it means I have been silent!