Go! And Weep for the Lost: A Palm Sunday Call to Action
Introduction:
Today is Palm Sunday, a day where we celebrate Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It’s a day filled with joy, with crowds shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” It’s a day of excitement, as people lay down palm branches, their cloaks, and prepare for the Passover. But beneath the shouts of joy, beneath the praise and worship, there was something deeper going on—a deep, heartfelt sorrow in the heart of Jesus. As He approached the city, He wept.
And today, as we look at this moment from Scripture, I want to challenge you to Go! and weep for the lost. Jesus’ tears over Jerusalem are not just a historical event; they are a call to action for each of us today. Jesus wept because the people missed the very thing that would bring them peace—reconciliation with God through Him. As His followers, we are called to Go! and weep for the lost, to have His heart for the world, and to be His agents of peace.
Let’s explore what this looks like today as we open our Bibles to Luke 19:41-44.
1. Go! And Weep Over the Lost: Jesus’ Heart of Compassion
Luke 19:41-42 – “But as Jesus came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, He began to weep. ‘How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.’” (NLT)
This passage reveals an emotional moment in Jesus' journey to Jerusalem. He sees the city ahead, and instead of joining in the celebration, He weeps. It’s one of only two instances where we are told that Jesus wept—another is found in John 11:35, at the tomb of Lazarus. But here, Jesus is weeping over the city of Jerusalem, over the people who had rejected the very peace that He brought.
Let’s dive into the context. Jesus had been preaching, teaching, and performing miracles for years. He had revealed Himself as the Messiah, the promised King, and yet the majority of the people could not see Him for who He truly was. They wanted a political warrior to overthrow Roman rule, but they missed the true purpose of His coming: to bring reconciliation between God and humanity through His death on the cross.
The word “weep” here (Greek: klaio) denotes an intense sorrow, a lament. It’s not just a few tears shed—Jesus is deeply moved, broken-hearted over the lostness of the people. This is the same compassion that moved Him when He saw the sick, the poor, the hungry (Matthew 9:36). Jesus is the compassionate King, weeping for those who are blind to the peace He offers.
Just as Jesus wept over Jerusalem, He calls us to have His heart for the lost. We live in a world that is broken, confused, and lost. There are many who are seeking peace in the wrong places—whether in material things, relationships, or worldly success. But true peace is found only in Jesus Christ. As His followers, we must share His heart for the lost. Are we moved with compassion? Are we broken over the spiritual blindness of those around us? Go! and weep for the lost. Let the heart of Jesus stir you to action.
As William Temple said “The Church is the only society that exists for the benefit of those who are not its members.”
William Temple’s words resonate deeply with the very essence of the Church’s mission. The Church is not a club or an exclusive group reserved for the righteous or the saved; it is a living organism, commissioned to be a light to the world. Jesus Himself, when commissioning His disciples, did not say, "Go and build a sanctuary for the saved." Rather, He said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel" (Mark 16:15).
In other words, the Church’s purpose is outward-facing, directed towards the lost, the broken, and the spiritually blind. Our role is not just to gather for our own benefit but to be agents of transformation and reconciliation in a world in desperate need of hope and healing.
This thought mirrors the heart of the Gospel: Jesus came for the lost, the sick, the outcasts, and the sinners. The Church, as His body, must embody this same sacrificial love, reaching out beyond its walls to bring the Good News to those who have yet to hear it.
So, we must ask ourselves: Are we as a Church living out this outward-facing mission? Are we willing to go and serve those who are not yet part of the family, in the same way Jesus did? The Church exists for the lost, and that is the mandate that should drive us—out of our comfort zones and into the mission field.
2. Go! And Proclaim the Way to Peace
Luke 19:42 – “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.” (NLT)
Jesus’ tears are not just for the people’s immediate rejection of Him; they are for their inability to see the way to true peace. In the original Greek, the word for “peace” here is eirene, meaning a state of tranquility, wholeness, and reconciliation with God. The peace Jesus offers is not temporary or superficial; it is the deep peace of knowing our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to our Creator. This peace was hidden from their eyes because they were spiritually blind (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Jesus is lamenting over a people who failed to recognize Him as the Messiah. They were too caught up in their own desires and political expectations to understand that the true peace He offered was through His sacrifice on the cross. They were looking for freedom from oppression, but He was offering them freedom from sin.
John 14:27 – “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (NLT)
Here, Jesus emphasizes that the peace He gives is unique. It’s not a peace the world can offer. It’s a peace that comes from being reconciled to God. This is the peace He desires for everyone, but it requires us to recognize who He is and accept the salvation He offers.
Jesus’ call is not just for the people of Jerusalem; it is for all of us. Go! and proclaim the way to peace. How will others know the way to peace unless we share it with them? In a world full of noise and distraction, we are called to point people to the only true peace—Jesus Christ. It’s a peace that transcends circumstances, that guards our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:7). Don’t keep this peace to yourself—share it with the world.
F.B. Meyer wrote “The greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.”
These words strike at the heart of our spiritual neglect. We often find ourselves lamenting over the prayers that seem to go unanswered, but Meyer points us to a far greater tragedy: the prayers we never offer in the first place.
In the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly calls us to pray—He teaches us that prayer is not just a duty but a privilege. He invites us to approach God as our Father, to bring our petitions, our thanksgivings, and even our lamentations before Him. And yet, too often we withhold our prayers, either out of unbelief, complacency, or the mistaken notion that God doesn’t care or that our prayers won’t make a difference.
But the truth is that prayer is the lifeline of the believer. It’s the means through which we cultivate intimacy with God, the means through which His power is unleashed in our lives and in the world. When we fail to pray, we are missing out on God’s invitation to partner with Him in His work. It’s not that God is powerless without our prayers, but that He desires us to be part of His will being done on earth.
Think about it: the greatest tragedy is not that God doesn’t answer our prayers, but that we fail to offer them in the first place. What is it in your life that you’ve neglected to bring before God in prayer? What burdens have you carried without asking Him to carry them with you? Let us not make the mistake of failing to offer our prayers, for in doing so, we miss the opportunity to experience the nearness of God and the transformation He longs to bring into our lives.
As we reflect on Meyer’s words, may they inspire us to pray with boldness and faith, knowing that our Father invites us into a life of communion with Him.
3. Go! And Warn of the Consequences of Rejection
Luke 19:43-44 – “Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. They will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.” (NLT)
These verses contain a sobering prophecy. Jesus is predicting the destruction of Jerusalem, which would come to pass in 70 A.D. when the Romans would destroy the city and the temple. The reason for this judgment is clear: the people of Jerusalem rejected Jesus, the Prince of Peace. They had been offered the way of salvation, but they refused to accept it.
This is a tragic reminder that rejecting the peace of Christ has consequences. Rejection of Jesus is not a neutral decision—it is a decision that leads to spiritual death and separation from God. The destruction of Jerusalem was a physical manifestation of the spiritual reality of rejection.
John 3:36 – “Anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.” (NLT)
The stakes are high. The rejection of Christ is not just a temporary loss; it’s an eternal one. The judgment that came upon Jerusalem was a warning to all of us. When we reject Jesus, we reject life itself.
We must understand that rejection of Jesus leads to destruction—eternal separation from God. Go! and warn others of this reality. Share the gospel with urgency, knowing that people’s eternal destinies are at stake. Our mission is not just to share good news, but to warn people of the consequences of rejecting the only way to salvation.
As Billy Graham stated “It’s not enough to be a good person. You must be a saved person, and there is only one way to salvation: through Jesus Christ.”
Billy Graham's words strike at the very heart of the Gospel message. While society often praises good deeds and moral behaviour, the Bible makes it clear that salvation is not earned through our efforts or our goodness, but through faith in Jesus Christ alone. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me” (NLT). Salvation is not a matter of being "good enough"—it’s about being saved by grace through faith in Christ's finished work on the cross.
Many well-meaning people believe that being a good person is sufficient, but the Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Our good works, no matter how admirable, cannot bridge the gap between our sin and God’s holiness. It is only through Jesus—who lived the perfect life, died for our sins, and rose again—that we can be reconciled to God.
Billy Graham’s statement challenges us to confront the illusion that our actions can save us. Jesus is the only way, and it's through Him that we find eternal life. This truth not only humbles us but also gives us hope, knowing that salvation is available to all who believe in Him.
4. Go! And Offer the Peace of Christ to the World
John 14:6 – “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.’” (NLT)
Jesus makes it clear in John 14:6 that He is the only way to peace, to truth, and to life. There are no other paths, no other means by which we can be reconciled to God. Jesus, in His love, has made the way open for all who would come to Him. He is not just the Prince of Peace; He is the only way to true peace with God.
If you have not yet accepted Christ, I urge you today—come to Him. The peace He offers is available to all, but it requires faith in Him. As followers of Jesus, we are called to share this peace with the world. Go! and offer the peace of Christ to the lost. There is no greater calling than to be agents of reconciliation in a world desperately in need of peace.
Conclusion:
This Palm Sunday, let us take a moment to reflect on the heart of Jesus. As He approached Jerusalem, He wept over the lost, over those who missed the way to peace. He weeps today for those who are still lost, still blind to the salvation He offers.
Go! and weep for the lost. Let us share His compassion. Go! and proclaim the way to peace. Let us make the gospel known. Go! and warn of the consequences of rejection. Let us take the gospel to the ends of the earth. And finally, Go! and offer the peace of Christ to a broken world.
Will you answer the call today? Will you commit to going, to weeping, to proclaiming the message of peace? The King has come, and He is offering peace to all who will receive Him.
Invitation to Faith:
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, I invite you to do so today. Come to the Prince of Peace. He offers forgiveness, reconciliation with God, and eternal life. Do not wait for another moment. Accept His gift of grace today.
