You could be replaced by a rock!

A Sermon by Dr. Neil Chadwick


Charles Stanley, in his 1985 book, "Confronting Casual Christianity," opens with a story about the formation of a new club on one of America's college campuses - it was named "The Apathy Club." However whenever the leaders of the club sent out a notice of the upcoming meeting, no one showed up - you guessed it, they were too apathetic to attend!

Pastor Stanly was concerned about this problem 20 years ago - today, this Pastor is still concerned about apathy in the church.

The Bible story for today, associated with what we call "Palm Sunday" carries with it the message, "You could be replaced by a rock!" Jesus said it, if these people who were loudly and publicly praising God - if they stopped, the very rocks would cry out in praise.

Now please understand, we don't want to insult the rocks.

    Even in the Bible, the rock is given a prominent role, as for instance, in the story of the Israelites wandering in the wilderness. It was the rock that provided water for a thirsty nation, and later Paul uses this story to say that Christ is like a rock out of which flows living water. (I Corinthians 10:4)

    Indeed, God is called a rock. At least four times David is quoted as saying, "The LORD is my rock." (II Samuel 22:2; Psalms 18:2; 31:3; 71:3)

    The rock is considered to be the very symbol of stability. Jesus applauded the man who built his house on a rock. He said, "The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Matthew 7:25)

    Rocks have become some of civilizations lasting monuments - memorial stones, tomb stones, inscriptions on marble buildings.

    We're told that early in our history, not only were rocks used to create shelters, they were also used as tools as well as for weapons.

    Today we even say that a rock is a "girl's best friend" - of course it is a polished rock called a diamond, but still, it's a rock.

    So we might say that it is good to be like a rock - be strong, be stable, be enduring, and a few of us may even be polished!

But don't be silent with your praise or you will not only be like a rock, you could be replaced by a rock!

It's amazing to me how very vocal we can be in many other settings, and yet be so silent when it comes to praising God. There's loud shouting at sports events, ear-splitting screaming at music concerts, amplified chanting at political rallies and protest marches. But when we come to church we fall silent.

This week we learned that Bob Barker, the emcee of the most successful game show ever, is retiring. I happened to see a few clips of people on his show "The Price Is Right." What do the winners do? They shout, they jump, they openly cry, they hug and kiss the host. Why? Because they won a few prizes. But notice, not only do the winners on stage openly exude; look at the audience - they too are shouting, screaming, clapping and laughing.

And yet we who have been given the greatest prize ever, sit looking dumb as a rock, ready to be replaced by a rock!

When the singers sing, what are we doing? Sitting with hands folded on the lap, quietly taking in the beauty of the moment. So many people who attend church week after week seem to be saying, "My lips are sealed." What is the matter? Cat got your tongue? Snake got your tongue?

While others sing and praise the Lord, you just sit there, half asleep, and stare off into space like someone drugged up in the psych ward. No wonder Andre Crouch moaned that in some churches he visited it seemed like he was in the "First Church of the Frigidaire!"

Oh, I know there are excuses. In fact, here's a list of Top Ten excuses for not openly praising God:

    10. Boisterous people annoy me, and I don't want to become like them.

    9. I don't want anyone to think I'm putting on a show.

    8. People who do that are way too emotional for me; I'm just not that kind of person - I'm quiet and reserved.

    7. It's not how I act in church, but what's in my heart that counts.

    6. I'm not a morning person and I haven't had my first cup of coffee.

    5. I don't want to draw attention to myself.

    4. All this loud praising is not very sophisticated.

    3. If my kids see me singing and praying out loud they will be convinced that their fears are justified - I've gone off my medication again.

    2. I've had a terrible week and don't feel like it.

    And the number one reason I don't pray and praise openly is,

    1. I can't praise God out loud because I have a banana in my throat.

And to all these excuses, Jesus says, "You could be replaced by a rock."

Much is said in Scripture about our praising God openly, using mouths and lips, singing, shouting, jumping, and clapping.

Let's hear the Word of the Lord:

    With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: "He is good; his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away. (Ezra 3:11-13)

    The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. (Job 38:7)

    Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice you righteous: and shout for joy, all you that are upright in heart. (Psalms 32:11)

    I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. (Psalms 34:1)

    Let them shout for joy and be glad that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. (Psalms 35:27)

    He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear and shall trust in the LORD. (Psalms 40:3)

    Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of your righteousness. (Psalms 51:14)

    O Lord, open my lips; and my mouth shall show forth your praise. (Psalms 51:15)

    Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray and cry aloud and he shall hear my voice. (Psalms 55:17)

    I will sing of your power; yea, I will sing aloud of your mercy in the morning: for you have been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble. (Psalms 59:16)

    Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. Psalms 63:3-5

    Let my mouth be filled with your praise and with your honor all the day. (Psalms 71:8)

    Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. (Psalms 81:1)

    I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude. (Psalms 109:30)

    My lips shall utter praise, when you have taught me your statutes. (Psalms 119:171)

    I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. (Psalms 132:16)

    My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. (Psalms 145:21)

    Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. (Psalms 149:5)

    They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea. (Isaiah 24:14)

    Sing O ye heavens; for the LORD has done it: shout ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel. (Isaiah 44:23)

    This is what the LORD says: "Sing with joy for Jacob; shout for the foremost of the nations. Make your praises heard, and say, `O LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel." (Jeremiah 31:7)

    "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD. (Isaiah 54:1)

Perhaps you've noticed that all these scriptures that have been read are found in the Old Testament. However, when the lame beggar of Acts 3 was healed, "He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God."

Then listen to what the writer says in Hebrews 13:15: "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

Certainly, as New Testament believers, we should be even more eager to praise God. This same writer of the book of Hebrews, after giving a long list of Old Testament Heroes of the Faith, writes, "These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us. (Hebrews 11:39, 40)

Do you get that? If those who lived before the coming of Christ actively entered into praise and worship, we who have received the fullness of the revelation should equal or surpass them.

It is in anticipation of this that the pilgrims on the way to Jerusalem "began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!' Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples!' 'I tell you,' he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'" (Luke 19:37-40)

I don't know about you, but I long to see the day when we are willing to lay aside our laziness, our apathy, our inhibitions and yes, even our stubborn disobedience, and join the throngs of the ages who openly, loudly, and excitedly lift our voices in praise to God.

Perhaps you don't care, but as for me, I don't want to be replaced by a rock.

Discussion Questions
"You could be replaced by a rock!"

1. Are you a member of the Apathy Club?

2. What Exodus story includes the involvement of a rock, and how did Paul relate this to Christ?

3. What are some examples of rocks being seen in a positive light?

4. What is the parable Jesus told which likened a rock to His word?

5. What are some of the places in our culture where emotionally charged responses are seen as legitimate?

6. What is the concern about emotional expression in matters of religion and spirituality?

7. What are some of the excuses some people might use while trying to justify lack of openly praising God?

8. Many Old Testament Scriptures indicate that praise involves mouths and lips, and includes activities such as shouting, crying and even jumping and dancing. Why do we not believe that such involvements should be restricted to Old Testament worship?

9. When the lame beggar was healed at the temple gate, what was his response?

10. Who were the people who wanted the Jerusalem worshippers to be silenced, and what was Jesus' response to them?

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