Christian Living

The Stones Will Cry Out

by Thomas Kirkpatrick
09/16/21
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“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)

As a blogger, if that is what I am, I face some criticism for the word I write. I don’t consider myself a blogger but a sharer of what the Lord has taught me, so I am a writer that teaches what of have learned. Some of the comments say God is not real or not involved in people’s everyday life. Others make it clear to me that Jesus is not God. And that I am trying to change the hearts of what people believe. All of this is the natural rejection of the truth by many in the world. Only God can change a heart, and I just plant the seeds of His truth. Then there are those of twisted doctrine who claim that I am an interference to their teaching. I do not battle over the doctrines of the Scripture, as they are clearly written, and people should hear as the Holy Spirit directs. I believe they are drawing attention to themself for their benefit.

The teaching I teach is apostolic from the apostles teaching in the Bible, focusing on the Words of Jesus who appointed them. I give the same answer as the Apostle Paul for those who claim my teaching is incorrect and not in line with theirs. “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 11:13)

The original twelve Apostles came by the appointment of Jesus from His disciples. Jesus had many disciples at the time of His ministry, but He chose some as Apostles through prayer. “It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12) The significance of this is that Jesus had a specific need for the Apostles. Disciples are learners of doctrine, such as in the religious context of a school setting. Apostles are sent ones with authority to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus needed Apostles to found His Church.

After Jesus spent the night in prayer with the Father, He came down from the mountain and appointed the original twelve. “And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out the demons.” (Mark 3:14-15)

After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His half-brother and the disciples, who are now called Apostles. “He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:7-9) At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gave them the Great Commission.

 In Acts chapter one, we see Jesus empower them with the Holy Spirit to be sent as Apostles. “Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5) Jesus then ascended to the Kingdom of God.

Judas Iscariot was not with them, as he betrayed Jesus and hung himself. There were only eleven, and they felt the need for a replacement and chose Matthias by casting lots. This appointment was not what the Lord had planned. There was a well-educated Pharisee know as Saul from Tarsus who had been persecuting the followers of Jesus. He was there when the first martyr, Stephen, was stoned to death for the sake of the gospel. Saul was on his way to Damascus to further his cause of persecuting the followers of the way when confronted by a glorified Jesus. (Acts 9:1-31) Saul knew he was in the presence of a God and asked who He was. Jesus answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” Saul was an appointed Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ and later changed his name to Paul from that time on.

Paul became a great missionary and Church planted. Paul wrote many letters to the Churches, and some of them are recorded in the New Testament Scriptures. Paul was known as the Apostle to the Gentiles and wrote this to the saints in Ephesus. I sometimes read these verses as a welcome to the Gentiles. “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone.” (Ephesians 2:19-20)

The Apostle Paul had words of encouragement to followers of Jesus Christ and members of His body, the Church. A Christian follower of Jesus is more than a statement of belief. It is an act of faith. Jesus said that if we love Him, then we will keep His commandments. (John 14:15) Faith is actively living in His truth and sharing that truth by our word and deed. The importance of this is the eternal outcome of letting Jesus live through us. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined.” (Romans 8:28)

Jesus is always calling. He calls by His creation. Look about you and see the work of the Lord and know it was created for your enjoyment. He calls by your conscience that in your heart, you know you have fallen short of righteousness and need redemption. He calls you by His Word that in times of anxiety, you can find His peace. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) He has called you, and if you accept Him in faith, then all the promises of His Word are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and you can grow into the likeness of His perfection. “He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30)

Tragically many will reject the gospel as they are caught with the allure of the world. I have empathy with that as once all I knew was this world and had no vision of the greater world of His Kingdom in Heaven. I have sympathy for them because of their ignorance because they refuse to seek the truth while it can be found. As many Jewish writers repeat word for emphasis, I say, tragically, tragically, they know not what they are doing. Living a visionless, purposeless, and hopeless life. “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)

As a member of His Church is not a social club as the world envisions, but an intimate Church family, and it is also a global family of believers in Jesus striving to become the likeness of Him for the world to see. It is a bigger family than our universe as we have a Church family living in Heaven. All akin in behavior. “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:12-17

As a body of believers in the Lord Jesus, we each have our part to play. We are not all one thing or the other, as the body has many functions to accomplish the mission of our Lord. “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

The reason for our call is to fulfill the purpose of our Creator. Our God is a God of purpose, and nothing He has said and nothing He has done has been accomplished without purpose. That would be especially true for His creation of humankind. Every soul God has created has a purpose for them to live. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

Whatever our work is to do, whatever our deeds are to be done, it is in the process of fulfilling the mission of Jesus to save the lost in this world. Followers of Jesus are never a spectator but a life committed to the act of faith to “go.” “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Some will follow, and others will go another way, leading to distraction. God has ordained it, and His will shall be done. The Church of Jesus will not fail, as His Word has secured it. Even if some of the body stumble away, the stones will declare His Holy Name, Jesus. “But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!” (Luke 19:40)

Thomas Kirkpatrick, First Baptist Church of Durant, May 28, 2020