In a state of sheer, utter and energetic joy, and the passion was radiating as the act of the exercising of the "Art of Praise" was fully engaged. This glorious scene occurred in the gospel of Luke, and was the fulfillment of Zechariah's prophecy (Zechariah 9:9) 500 years prior! That is; the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem mounted upon a donkey, and at the base of the Mount of Olives during the celebration of the Feast of Passover. And these events preceded and marked this historic proclamation of Jesus, as the multitude of disciples erupted in a seemingly unprecedented and unspeakable praise-a-thon, and in a manner of speaking.
But the Word of God unquestionably speaks for itself: "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 19:37-40).
From an earthly perspective, it would have been absolutely ludicrous to think or even believe, that alleged and seemingly motionless, breathless and worthless inanimate objects could or would speak, call on or cry out in praise, or would it? Well, remember that it was the Son of God, Himself, Jesus Christ who said it. And there is certainly something to be said and learned about God's creation in its entirety, and having the sensitivity and awareness of His existence. And when we speak of God incarnate having said it from the heavenly realm, I believe it and that settles it.
I must admit, my beloved, that for all that the incontrovertible truth is, if we exercise our right to do praise, then we do defy the deeds of the devil. Thus, this art of the practice of praise is warranted. And we as Christian-folk must become more readily available and fully committed to the cause of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Consequently, when (and not if) we are called for the cause of suffering, we are then equipped with the confidence of knowing that we will not suffer for an unworthy cause, but rather for the cause of Christ: "But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;" (1 Peter 3:14). It's not necessarily one's ability, but one's availability in terms of sacrificial service to the Lord. including the acts of honor adoration and praise for the Lord. Praise His Holy Name! Spiritual growth, development and empowerment are byproducts of a faithful walk with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Since the Lord Jesus Christ is, and has always been the object of our praise. For such praise and faithfulness is a sure-fire formula for remaining sober and vigilant, in order to thwart that desperado and unrelenting irritant, Satan, and Satan's sidekick, sin! The victory of Christ on the cross and at Calvary paved the way, and His resurrection on the third day delivered us from the wrath of God: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;" (Romans 1:18). We are now commissioned to carry and proclaim His "Good News" to all nations (Matthew 28:19-20).
Thus, a prerequisite to that proclamation is praise. A resounding and passionate praise is comely, completely in order and spiritually reviving. And it will be repeatedly reproduced among those who are pure in heart:
Psalm 33:
[1] Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
[2] Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
[3] Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
[4] For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.
[5] He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. [6] By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
[7] He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
[8] Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
[9] For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
Matthew 5:
[8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
At this juncture, my beloved, I cannot think of anything that is more encouraging, comforting and satisfying than the foregoing truths that solidify the imagery and practical framework of praise! And, finally, what does the word "praise" or even its derivatives really and truly mean? As we have learned today, and in the context of this narrative, it has both an object and a source. And what are the elements and/or characteristics of praise? Well, by definition and according to the contents of the unconventional Dictionary of Biblical Imagery: The English word "praise" originally meant "to set a price on" or "to appraise." From this came the idea that to praise means to commend the worth of someone or something. The psalms of praise celebrate and revere the worthiness of God.
In conclusion, we have a charge to cherish and value those moments whereby our practice of praise is in full force and effect, and even outside of congregational worship. But do not think for one single, solitary moment that such circumstances might suggest that this is a solitary experience at all, and nor is one ever alone. Not so, because God's magnificent creation, even the stones, are testifying and crying out and giving up PRAISES faithfully, boldly and unceasingly to our Creator, Sustainer, Judge and Redeemer.
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