DAD’S RAMBLINGS – SHOUT FOR JOY

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – SHOUT FOR JOY

"And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, 'Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.' But He answered and said to them, 'I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.' " (Luke 19:39-40)

The Pharisees were prim and proper in their worship. They thought that solemnity was a sign of piety. One can almost imagine them being stiff and formal in their synagogue services. Don't get too loud. You might appear to be too radical.

When the crowd welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem, Luke records that "the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen" (vs. 37). This was too much for the Pharisees. They wanted Jesus to make the people tone it down. But Jesus was not swayed by them. He was not about to keep people from their exuberant expressions of praise.

The Pharisees should have known better. They knew the Psalms, like, "Enter into his courts with praise," (Psalm. 100:4); or Psalm 47:1 – "O clap your hands, all you people, shout unto God with the voice of triumph!", or Psalm 5:11: "Let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; let them ever shout for joy...", or, Psalm 32:11 – "Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!", or Psalm 132:9b: "Let Your saints shout for joy." Do I need to go on?

When the foundation of the restored temple was laid under Ezra's leadership, "All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid….for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off" (Ezra 3:11b, 13b).

I know that the Scriptures say that we are to do everything decently and in order (I Corinthians 14:40). There is a place for decorum and respect when we worship our Lord God. But I wonder sometimes why it is okay to get excited and shout when our football team scores a touchdown, but it's not okay to get excited about the Lord Jesus.

God has done great and marvelous things! Let us rejoice and be glad. Excuse me, just a moment --- HALLELUJAH!

Love, Dad