Day 2221 – Making it All Better – When Stones Cry Out – Daily Wisdom

Published: Oct. 19, 2023, 7 a.m.

Welcome to Day 2221 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Making It All Better – When Stones Cry Out – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 04/02/2023 When Stones Cry Out – Palm Sunday Last week, we began our Ressurection messages with “Making It All Better – The Story of Lazarus” from John 11. This story set the final stage for Christ to enter Jerusalem to fulfill His purpose as: The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 As we approach the Easter season, we are reminded of the miraculous events that occurred in the life of Jesus leading up to His crucifixion and resurrection. One of the most remarkable events is the raising of Lazarus from the dead.   Today’s reading from the Gospel of Luke, chapter 19:35-42, tells the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This event is commonly known as Palm Sunday and marks the beginning of Holy Week, leading to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.   In this passage, we see Jesus riding on a colt while the people of Jerusalem greet him with shouts of “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” They spread their cloaks on the road, and wave palm branches as a sign of victory and honor for the coming king, much like we would wave the American flag during an Independence Day parade. However, as Jesus approaches the city, we see a  weeping king, a weeping savior once again. He recognizes the tragedy and destruction that will come upon Jerusalem because of their unbelief and refusal to accept Him as the Messiah. (Bulletin Insert bottom graphic) This passage reminds us of the joy and celebration of Palm Sunday and the seriousness and sacrifice of the Holy Week. It also challenges us to reflect on our response to Jesus, as we welcome him into our lives and communities. Do we honor him as king or reject him and turn away?   Today, we could talk about the Mount of Olives or the significance of Jesus entering Jerusalem from the east. We could talk about Jesus driving out the money changers and cleansing the temple the next day.   But today, I want to focus on something we don’t often consider on Palm Sunday. I want us to focus on the rocks or stones that lined the road going into Jerusalem. That’s right, the stones. Now, you might wonder, what in the world do a bunch of stones have to do with Palm Sunday? Let’s read Luke 19:35-42 on page 1632 of the Pew Bible to find out. 35 They brought it (the colt) to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”[a] “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 Some of...