If Stones could Talk
Luke 19; Matthew 4; John 7; Matthew 28 Revelation 2
Song: GLORY TO THE LORD OUR GOD
Welcome
Meditation #1: Stones of Praise Luke 19:40
The order of service will be a little different today, but don’t let the change throw you off. Instead, focus your attention on Jesus. We’re going to talk about --- and sing about --- the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
About 5 days before his death, an event occurred that we call the Triumphal Entry. Jesus was about to enter Jerusalem for the Passover. He asked his disciples to bring him a donkey to ride. Luke 19 says that they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt, and put Jesus on it. Then, they put down their cloaks and palm leaves as a sort of a “red carpet” on the road. Then they all started shouting things like: “Hosanna!” and “Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord!”
It’s not exactly surprising that the Pharisees refused to join in on the praise session. Instead, they called out, “Hey, Jesus! Tell those disciples of yours to keep quiet!”
Listen to how Jesus replied: “I tell you the truth. If they keep quiet, the stones themselves will cry out.” Luke 19:40
This statement got me to thinking: What if stones really COULD talk. We’ve all heard the saying “If Walls could talk” but STONES have been around a lot longer than walls. Some STONES that are still lying around were here when Jesus walked the earth. What could those STONES tell us?
Now, you may think I’m kind of weird for thinking about that. And you might be right. But I’m not the ONLY weird person. Evidently Johnny Hart (frame 1) (the creator of the BC comic strip) thinks the same way I do. Just last Sunday I clipped this out of the Sunday funnies. (Read the comic strip from the screen.)
When you think about it, there were a lot of stones mentioned in the Bible. In fact, STONES are mentioned about 218 times in the Bible. Here are just a few:
• Jacob slept with a stone for a pillow and dreamed about the ladder that went from heaven to earth.
• The 10 Commandments given to Moses were carved in stone
• Moses struck a rock with his rod and water ran out of that stone.
• After the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, God told them to make a mound of 12 stones that served as a memorial to the miracles God had performed.
• And last but not least, David collected 5 stones for his sling before he went out to face Goliath. That’s where our Youth Program got its name of “5-Stone.”
I got so inspired by that name that I decided to have a Sermon about 5 stones. We’re going to look at 5 stones that played a part in the life of Jesus. The first are the STONES that Jesus said would shout out in PRAISE if the people kept silent.
The Bible says that, as members of the Church, we are “living stones.” We have been built together as a temple of God. As “living stones,” we can lift our voices in praise. Let’s follow the invitation given in Psalm 95:1: “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.”
Songs:
SHOUT TO THE LORD
JESUS, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NAME
WONDERFUL CROSS
Meditation #2 and #3:
Meditation #2: A Stone of Temptation Matthew 4:1-4
From the beginning Jesus knew that his life would end on a cross. That’s why he started his 3-year ministry by going into the desert to pray. We read in Matthew 4 that “After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry.” (That is quite an understatement. After 40 days, anyone would be on the verge of starvation.) Satan waited until Jesus was physically at his weakest to hit Him with the strongest temptations in his arsenal.
Listen to the first temptation Satan threw at him: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Matthew 4:3 Jesus was facing a long hike before he could get some food. Evidently there wasn’t much around that desert except rocks, rocks, and more rocks.
I bet the very stone that Satan offered Jesus is still lying around somewhere in that remote desert. If that stone could talk, it could tell us that Jesus answered Satan this way: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4
Jesus certainly had the power to transform that stone into bread. But Jesus refused to use his power for selfish purposes. Jesus refused to transform the STONE into BREAD for his own benefit.
But later on, he DID transform stones --- in an amazing way --- and he did it for another person’s benefit. In one of the most dramatic events of his ministry, Jesus transformed STONES of CONDEMNATION into STONES of FORGIVENESS.
Meditation #3: Stones of Forgiveness John 8:1-11
The account is found in John chapter 8. Jesus was teaching in the Temple when a group of religious leaders burst in and rudely interrupted His lesson. They threw a woman down at His feet and declared, “This woman was caught in the act of adultery. The Law of Moses commands us to stone such a woman. What do you say?”
Without saying a word, Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. We don’t know what he was writing. Some think he wrote specific sins that the accusers had all committed. Perhaps he wrote Laws they had secretly broken --- Laws like “You shall not covet.” Or “Honor your father and mother.” Or “Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”
Whatever it was that Jesus wrote, He took his time --- He gave the accusers plenty of time to squirm. Then --- finally -- He straightened up and said, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7
After that, he bent down and went back to writing on the ground. One by one the accusers dropped their STONES and walked away. If those stones could talk, they would tell the story of complete forgiveness. With just a few words, Jesus had transformed Stones of Condemnation into Stones of Forgiveness.
By doing that, Jesus filled the woman’s greatest need. And if we’re honest, it’s the greatest need of every person. Listen to these words by an unknown writer:
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator;
If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist;
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist;
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior. (Unknown.)
Listen to what the Savior said to the woman. He looked up and asked,
"Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." John 8:10-11
Jesus offered complete forgiveness to this sinful woman. And he extends that same offer to you and to me.
At this time I’m going to ask the men to gather at the back and prepare for Communion.
While they are preparing to serve communion, we’re going to watch a short (2 or 3 minute) clip from the Mel Gibson film: The Passion of the Christ. (DVD clip #18)
As soon as the clip ends, the Ushers will come forward and begin serving Communion.
This clip starts with two women wiping the floor. Jesus has been arrested, tried, and brutally beaten. It is His blood that they are wiping off the floor.
One of these women is the same one we just read about in John chapter 8, --- She pauses … remembering what Jesus did for her that day.
• Bring down lights.
• Play DVD clip #18.
• Bring down music quickly and pause the DVD when it returns to the woman wiping the floor (be careful because it goes to a brutal scene suddenly)
Communion
Phil: Offering Prayer
Offering
Phil: Comments and Responsive Reading
song:IN CHRIST ALONE
Phil: Responsive Reading
Songs:
ALLELUIA! ALLELUIA!
UP FROM THE GRAVE HE AROSE
CHRIST AROSE
Phil: Introduction of song
Song: ARISE (Don Moen)
Meditation #4: The Stone of Resurrection Matthew 28:1-6
The picture on the screen is of The Garden Tomb. Some people believe this is the very tomb where Jesus was buried. Whether this is the place or not, it does fit the description of burial tombs of that day. The large, circular STONE is probably the type of stone that was rolled away when Christ arose.
This sealing stone has a diameter of 13 feet. It sits in a trough that allows it to be rolled into place. Once the stone covers the opening, it is permanently sealed in place with a large iron pin. (At least, they thought it was permanently sealed.) If this stone could talk, listen to the story it would tell:
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women who had come to the tomb, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matthew 28:2-6
After this, Jesus appeared to the women, and later to his Apostles. Over a period of 40 days, Jesus appeared to over 500 of his followers. He walked with them; he talked with them; in one case, he even cooked them breakfast and ate with them. They had seen him die. But he left them with no reason to doubt that he was alive and well.
A missionary named Dr. Seamands tells about a Muslim who became a Christian in Africa. Some of his Muslim friends asked this new convert, “Why have you become a Christian?”
This was his answer: “Well, it’s like this. Suppose you are walking down a road and suddenly the road forks in two directions. You do not know which way to go, but you see that two men are there at the fork in the road. One man is dead and one man is alive. Which one would YOU ask to show you the way?" Warren Webster, April, 1980, HIS, p. 13.
We don’t get our directions from a dead man. Jesus is our Living Lord. He lives so that you, too, can live. Will you let Jesus be your life? (Prayer)
Invitation Song: JESUS YOU ARE MY LIFE
Meditation #5: A Promised Stone Revelation 2:17
So far today we talked about 4 out of the 5 stones:
1. Jesus said that the STONES would PRAISE him if the people were silent.
2. He rejected the STONE of TEMPTATION by refusing to turn the stone to bread
3. He transformed STONES of Condemnation into STONES of FORGIVENESS.
4. And when Jesus rose from the dead, the grave-STONE was rolled away.
The 5th stone is PROMISED in Revelation 2:17: To him who overcomes … I will give a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
This white stone is a gift that Jesus has promised to every Believer. The name Jesus writes on that stone will evidently be a secret between the two of you. I think this shows that his connection with you is personal. When you stand before the Throne of God, you will not be just a face in the crowd to Jesus. I don’t pretend to understand it. But it’s one STONE that I look forward to receiving!
At Easter, we look back on the Resurrection of Jesus, but even more than that, we look forward to His Coming.
We’re going to end the service with a song that celebrates the day when every eye will see Him and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is the Living Lord.
Lion of Judah
