The Rock Story Monologue

I told this story @ the 2012 Easter Eggstravaganza.

(Hold a rock while talking about rocks… make sure it’s big enough for the audience to see)

There are 3 kinds of rocks

Now I’m not a geologist, so this is simple and don’t ask any questions 🙂 There are:

1. igneous rocks or magma, volcanic;
2. sedimentary rocks or regular rocks that break off of larger rocks that are formed through pressure in the sediment;
3. and metamorphic rocks or rocks that undergo a change in substance.

So that’s a very brief explanation of different kinds of rocks.

The week before Passover, Jesus entered Jerusalem on an unridden donkey to the praises of people:

“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

This was the 1st century equivalent of a kingly procession. At the end of the palm-waving parade, the donkey rider would walk up the steps of the Temple and be crowned king. This is what everyone expected of Jesus.

The religious leaders knew this and it’s why they told Jesus to silence the crowd from praising him. Jesus told them that if they could not praise then the rocks themselves will cry out and praise (Luke 19:40).

So right now, we are all going to become rocks

• This group over here is going to be igneous rocks and you are going to say: “Praise the Lord!”
• Middle section, you are going to be sedimentary rocks and you will shout “Hallelujah!”
• Last section, you will represent metamorphic rocks and will chant “Whoo, hooo, hooo, hooo!”

All right, are you all ready? Okay rocks… Cry out in praise! (And everyone does there assigned chant).

Rocks are important.

The passion week

Well, after the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, Jesus was not crowned king, he left Jerusalem. On the night of Passover he called his disciples together and took the bread and the wine and codified them to represent his broken body and spilled blood for the sins of the world. Jesus went to the Garden and prayed for strength to follow the Father’s will. He was then betrayed by a close friend and arrested by the authorities. Jesus endured a few trials, several beatings, and ultimately, crucifixion on a Roman cross.

Jesus dies for our sins. He did what we could not do for ourselves.

Then he was buried (Mark 15:46). In a rich man’s tomb, the body of Jesus was wrapped in linen cloths and a large stone was rolled over the tomb to seal it. Because of the religious leader’s fear, guards were stationed outside of the tomb.

Become the rock

(step in front, or step into, a large fake rock. This is where you become the rock).

Hi. I’m a large rock. I got a first-hand look at the Resurrection. Let me tell you what I saw.

They put the body of Jesus into the tomb and then they rolled me in front of the entrance and sealed it. Pilate placed guards to protect the tomb and to prevent the disciples from stealing the body of Jesus.

On the day after the Sabbath, someone or something rolled me away! I think it is what you call an angel. Most people think I, the stone, got rolled away so Jesus could get out. Nope, that’s not true. Jesus was already gone when the angel rolled me away. I don’t know when Jesus left, but he was just gone! I was rolled away so the women and the disciples could see that Jesus was risen!

It was incredible to witness this universe-shattering event first-hand!

But most of you are probably wondering, “Are rocks that important? I mean, you’re just a rock. No offense, but I’m a human. I’m made in God’s image.”

That’s true. You humans do have the image of God thing going on that makes you incredibly special to God. However, the apostle Peter used rocks to describe what kind of humans you are supposed to be:

“As you come to him, the living Stone–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him–you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5 NIV, emphasis mine)

Like rocks?

You didn’t know that God wanted you humans to be like rocks, did you?! You are all to pattern your life after the one who authored life. God wants you as a group of Jesus people to grow, “be built into a spiritual house,” in order “to be a holy priesthood.”

The world desperately needs a group of people who live out and model a way of life that God wants. You get to be a living witness to the life of Jesus in Hayward, northern WI, and beyond!