Jesus Weeps Over the City!
If we ever wondered if Jesus cared for lost people, today shows his passion for rescuing his own people, the Israelites. Jesus shows that lost people matter to God, when he looks over the city and weeps for it. He weeps because he knows they will reject the peace that he came to bring, first to the Jew, and then to the Gentiles. This is a peace that is greater than protection from their neighboring enemies, a peace with God that comes from faith in Him who God has sent to them. A peace that was talked about in the Old Testament through the various prophets, but a peace they would soon reject.
Jesus prays that they would seize this moment when God himself has come to save them, but this has been hidden from their eyes. They are spiritually blind. They are so focused on their version of the Messiab, that they can't recognize the true Messiah. When Jesus realizes this, he weeps. This shows his true heart for his fellow Jews, and really all people. Jesus is God, and yet he can't make people believe. This would be to deny free will that God has given us. Later the apostle Stephen, the first Christian, martyr would say to the Jewish leaders,
"You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?"
There are people today who still resist Jesus and the Gospel, and Jesus still weeps for them. He commissioned the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. He promises us he will be with us, as we continue the mission he started. When we understand his heart, we begin to care about and weep for lost people who still matter God.
Jesus work in us your passion, so we may too seek to lead the least and the lost to you. We trust in your promise that we don't go alone, but you will be with until the of the age. Amen.
Luke 19:41-44
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
Jesus prays that they would seize this moment when God himself has come to save them, but this has been hidden from their eyes. They are spiritually blind. They are so focused on their version of the Messiab, that they can't recognize the true Messiah. When Jesus realizes this, he weeps. This shows his true heart for his fellow Jews, and really all people. Jesus is God, and yet he can't make people believe. This would be to deny free will that God has given us. Later the apostle Stephen, the first Christian, martyr would say to the Jewish leaders,
"You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute?"
There are people today who still resist Jesus and the Gospel, and Jesus still weeps for them. He commissioned the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations. He promises us he will be with us, as we continue the mission he started. When we understand his heart, we begin to care about and weep for lost people who still matter God.
Jesus work in us your passion, so we may too seek to lead the least and the lost to you. We trust in your promise that we don't go alone, but you will be with until the of the age. Amen.
Luke 19:41-44
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
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