No Rock Can Take Your Role.

 by Chris Jones

Isn’t it strange that Jesus said that the rocks would cry out? The conversation takes place after Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Luke 19:37-40 tells us that the religious leaders told Jesus to rebuke his followers for proclaiming him as King, and equating him with God. Jesus’ reply suggests that, if those people kept their praise to themselves, “the stones along the road would burst into cheers.” (NLT)

When you really think about it, natural objects declaring the majesty of God isn’t a stretch of the imagination. How many times have you heard someone with no faith in Jesus Christ, talk about experiencing God through nature, that the great outdoors is their church? These are fairly common sentiments. Psalm 19:1-4 even says, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.”

It’s important to notice that there’s no inference that the rocks would share the gospel message. There’s no suggestion that the trees would relay a personal testimony of the difference Jesus has made in their lives. The wind and the waves aren’t going to be the body of Christ, ministering love to the people around them. As believers, these are our jobs. These are the roles we play in the Kingdom of God. Among all of his creation, God uniquely designed each of us to testify to his Glory, specifically as it has been revealed through his Son, Jesus Christ, the only way to the Father.

The bad news is that we’re living in a generation in which “the rocks” just might be doing a better job than us, of declaring the splendor of our King. That doesn’t necessarily advance the Kingdom though. It’s our job to point the world to Jesus Christ. All creation resounds in praise, but no rock can take your role.

Getting The Message

 by Chris Jones

The telephone game always cracked me up. You remember it, right? It’s the one where someone whispers a phrase to someone else. That person, then proceeds to pass the phrase along, each participant whispering what they think they heard, to the next. After the message has been passed through several people, it morphs into something completely unintended. A phrase that started as “my great granny likes to giggle with mates at work” becomes “my giant fanny looks jiggly when I make it twerk”.

It’s so important to get the message from the source.

What does this mean for us, as Christians, if we neglect to read the Bible and engage in an active prayer life? If all we ever hear of God comes from second-hand sources, how can we ever know that we’re hearing the whole story? How do we know that the parts we are hearing are accurate?

John 8:31-32 says “…You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” If this is true, we better know that we’re hearing the whole truth. There’s no better way of knowing, than getting it straight from the source.

His Hands Extended

 by Chris Jones

How many times have you heard someone say, “we need to be Jesus’ hands extended.” Admittedly, It’s the sort of expression that has effectively become the background noise in the lives of many Christians. This past week, the Holy Spirit breathed new life into that concept for me.Consider the miracles recorded in the Bible. Changing water to wine is commonly considered to be the first miracle Jesus performed. Was it? Look at John 2 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%202&version=NLT)

Certainly, the credit for anything good we might accomplish belongs to God. Absolutely, it’s the first time Jesus’ glory was revealed. However, in simple terms of “Performance”, who “performed” this miracle? After Jesus clearly explains that it is not His time (for miracles), the disciples spring into action. At His command, they filled the jars with water. They drew from the pots, and took it to the Master of Ceremonies. The miracle at the wedding of Cana, though accomplished through the power of God, took place at the hands of His disciples.

What reason do we have to believe He can’t do that same today, through those who follow Him? Is there a stronger witness we could carry into the world than miraculous signs of His power? It’s all about obedience. As His hands extended, we need to move when He commands, giving God complete credit and glory for everything we do, no matter how miraculous or ordinary it might seem.