The Rocks Were Ready!

Today, Palm Sunday, is the Lord's Day that we especially remember Christ is King! Tonight I spoke on this passage from the Gospels:

And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. ~Luke 19:35-40

Our King was rejected, though. He suffered and died on the Cross to redeem His enemies --slaves of the Dark Country. Christ died that they might live --that we might live-- and make us citizens of His Kingdom. This remarkable work was confirmed by His resurrection and its message is the message of the Gospel, which when received by others they too become subjects of the Great King. Christ's Kingdom crosses every ocean and continent, and every barrier --political, geographic, ethnic, economic --you name it! He is gathering servants from every "kindred and tongue, and people, and nation"! But we must never forget the price of our precious citizenship --Christ's death on the Cross. The following is an old hymn with powerful imagery of Calvary Love.

There was no crown for Him of silver or of gold
There was no diadem for Him to hold
But blood adorned His brow and proud its stain He bore
And sinners gave to Him the crown He wore.

He did not reign upon a throne of ivory
But died upon the cross at Calvary
For sinners there He counted all He owned but loss
And He surveyed His kingdom from a cross.

A rugged cross became His throne
His kingdom lives in hearts alone
He wrote His love in crimson red
And wore the thorns upon His head

No purple robe He wore His bleeding wounds to hide
But stripes upon His back, nail pierced and riven side
And from the wounds there flowed a crimson, cleansing stream
That was the cover for the soul unclean.

As the passage in Luke reminds us, even the rocks were ready to give praise to their Creator-King --how much more then should we for His great Love?