Tyler and Emily in PNG

As I sat in church, I glared out the top window and noticed huge palm branches stretching out in all direction. I remember as a child we would also wave palm branches or something resembling palm branches on Palm Sunday. We would yell ‘Hosanna in the Highest’ and sing song as we heard the story of Jesus arriving in Jerusalem on a young donkey.

Though this Sunday the message was not about Palm Sunday or Jesus arriving in Jerusalem, I still like to read the account in the gospels of Jesus. I was particularly attracted to Luke’s account in chapter 19 and how Jesus approached the Pharisees.

As Jesus was riding on donkey and approaching the city of Jerusalem and crowd was shouting…

Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory to God. v38

The not so friendly Pharisees who were amidst the crowd asked Jesus, ‘Teacher, make your disciples stop shouting!’ Another words, these followers of yours are making us, Pharisees, uncomfortable with all of this ruckus. Jesus answered them with this cute response, ‘If they keep quiet, these stones will start shouting.’ Could you image a concert of stones or perhaps a rock concert shouting out to God?

Every Sunday there is a given time for testimony during the service. This Sunday a man stood up to testify. He told a story of a man at a previous church that shared a testimony every single Sunday. The man continued to say, this gentleman had a fire inside his heart to share the amazing things of Christ. He had a concern for others and for the sake of Christ.

As I listened to his testimony, I pondered, do I have a fire in my heart to share Christ every day or every moment I have? Do I have a testimony to share every Sunday or any other day? I was challenged by this man as well as the disciples to ‘shout’ Hosanna for the coming of the Lord.