Christ's Desire

Christ’s Desire

Luke 13:31-34; 19:41-42

Christ’s desire for Israel was that they might have known Him in an intimate relationship as their Messiah. Several days before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, He expressed that desire when He said after being confronted by some Pharisees, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... How often I I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! Again several days later as He begins the descent of His triumphal entry from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, upon seeing the city Christ wept over it saying, “How I wish today that of all people, you, would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and your peace is hidden from your eyes.” Sad that the children of Israel would miss out on the joy and blessing of knowing and doing what the Messiah desired, and how sad that many of us miss the joy and blessing that can be ours by knowing and doing what Christ desires. What is Christ’s desire for you and me?

I. He desires that we would know Him as our Savior

A. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

B. Jesus Christ wants us Saved and He died for us to make that possible. Jesus Christ has offered a Gift to you that is priceless, one which we could never make enough or do enough to pay it ourselves. All you need to do is accept it.

C. Ephesians 2:8-9 8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”

D. John 10:27-30 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”

E. Dr Tom Malone, Former Pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church, Pontiac, Michigan gave five reasons why he knew God wants you to be saved.

1. God said we should pray for everyone (1 Timothy 2:1). If there were no hope for you to be saved, would God exhort us to pray for that person?

2. The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus died for all, died for every one of us--for the lost heathen, for the uncivilized, for those in the past, for those who live now, and for all those who will be born until the end of time. He "gave himself a ransom for all." (1 Timothy 2:6) That means He died for you.

3. The Bible teaches that God is not willing that any should perish. (2 Peter 3:9)

4. Jesus has never refused anyone who came to Him for salvation - "All that the Father gives to me shall come unto me; and he that comes to me I will in no wise cast out.”

5. Because God loves you and gave His Son His only begotten Son to suffer and die on the cross of Calvary. (Romans 8:32) - adapted

II. He desires that we would know Him as our Strength and Sustainer

A. 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

B. Matthew 11: 28-29 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

C. A young student on a group tour of Washington, D.C., stayed behind atop the Washington Monument so that he might enjoy the view for a few extra minutes. At 5:15, when he turned to ride the elevator down, he noticed for the first time a sign which stated that the elevator stopped running at 5:00. He raced down the steps and discovered that the doors had been locked. He shouted for help. For three hours he pounded on the door and screamed for someone on the outside, but to no avail! At about 8:30, the exhausted and terrified young man took another look around him, and noticed … a telephone. Sheepishly, he picked up the phone—which, of course, had been there all along!—and dialed for help, and was released from the building within minutes. Psalm 46:1 declares, "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." How many times do we plunge forward in panic because we have overlooked our most obvious Source of help? - W. Wayne Price. "Proclaim," 1980 #2, p. 36.