Spurgeon Morning and Evening March 23 PM

Biblical Context

The Gospel of Luke was written by Luke, a Gentile physician and companion of Paul. He wrote an orderly account of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, aimed at a Gentile audience, emphasizing Jesus’s compassion and universal salvation. This particular verse, Luke 19:40, comes during Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, just before His crucifixion. As Jesus rode a donkey, crowds of disciples praised God loudly, laying their cloaks on the road. When some Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke His disciples, He gave this astonishing reply, making it clear that God’s praise would not be silenced, even if it meant creation itself would voice it.

Key Word Study

Let’s look at the word “cry out” from Luke 19:40. In Greek, it’s κράζω (krazō). This isn’t just a quiet whisper; it means to ‘shout, scream, call aloud, shriek.’ It describes an intense, often urgent, vocal expression. Think of a public proclamation, a desperate plea, or a loud declaration. When Jesus says the stones would “cry out,” He’s not talking about a subtle murmur. He’s talking about a powerful, undeniable eruption of sound, a clamor impossible to ignore. It makes you see how serious and absolute the need for praise is – it must come out, one way or another.

The Stones Would Immediately Cry Out

Jesus told us, “If these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” It’s a striking picture, isn’t it? Could stones really speak? Yes, they could, if the One who opens the mouth of those who can’t speak decided they should lift their voices. We see this power at work in other places in the Bible. Remember when Balaam’s donkey spoke to him? God can do anything. So, if stones were to speak, they’d have so much to tell us, praising the One who made them just by saying the word. They’d show off the wisdom and power of their Maker, who simply called them into being. We’re made new, though. Out of what seemed like lifeless stones, God has raised up children for Abraham. It makes you ask, if even inert objects could declare His glory, shouldn’t we speak well of Him who changed us?

The Bible tells us in Matthew 3:9, “And do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” And Luke 3:8 echoes this: “Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.” This shows God’s incredible power to transform even the most unlikely things.

The Old Rocks and Creation’s Drama

Think about the old rocks. They could tell stories of chaos and then order, showing God’s hand at work through all the different stages of creation’s grand story. And if they could tell of God’s deeds in ancient times, of all He did for His people long ago, can’t we talk about God’s plans, about His amazing work in the past? We can speak of everything He’s done for His church through history, even in the very old days. Our lives, too, tell a story of how God brought order out of our own confusion.

Our Glorious Breaker

Imagine stones telling us about their ‘breaker,’ the person who took them from the quarry and shaped them to fit perfectly into the temple. It’s hard work, breaking a stone, making it useful. But can’t we, with grateful hearts, tell you about our glorious Breaker? He’s the one who broke our hard hearts, not with a physical hammer, but with the power of His word. He did this so He could build us, us of all people, into His own temple. He didn’t just break us down; He broke us to build us up, to make us part of something holy and amazing.

Our Architect and Builder

If stones could cry out, they would surely magnify their builder. The one who polished them, who fashioned them until they looked like they belonged in a palace. And won’t we talk about our Architect and Builder? He’s the one who has carefully placed us, each one of us, right where we belong in the temple of the living God. You’re not just a random piece; you’re a chosen, shaped, and polished stone, perfectly fitted into His divine structure. He sees your place, and He put you there with purpose.

Stones of Remembrance

Imagine if the stones could cry out, what a long, long story they would tell as a memorial. Many times, people rolled a great stone as a memorial before the Lord. Think of the stone Jacob set up at Bethel. We can also testify of our ‘Ebenezers,’ our stones of help, our pillars of remembrance. These are the moments, the places, the events where God has helped us, where He’s shown up. We remember them, marking them as proof of His faithfulness. They’re our personal monuments to His goodness.

Christ Speaks For Us

Here’s a challenging truth: the broken stones of the law, the Ten Commandments, they cry out against us. They show us where we fall short, where we’ve missed the mark. But don’t let that stop you. Christ Himself, the one who rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre, He speaks for us. He’s our advocate, our defense. He took care of the penalty the law demanded. We see this in Matthew 28:2: “And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.” Also in Mark 16:3-4: “And they said among themselves, ‘Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?’ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large.” And in Luke 24:2: “Then they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.” This act shows His victory over death, and His power to overcome what stands against us.

We Will Not Let Them

Stones might well cry out, but we won’t let them. We’ll quiet their noise with our own voices. We will break forth into sacred song and bless the majesty of the Most High. All our days, we’ll glorify Him who Jacob called the Shepherd and Stone of Israel. Don’t hold back your praise. Your voice is important. Let’s make sure the world hears us singing His praises, not the stones. Remember Genesis 49:24 which says of Joseph, “But his bow remained strong, and his arms were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob, by the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.” This powerful imagery reminds us of God’s strength and protection for His people, a strength we can lean on and praise.