WHEN JESUS WEEPS
LUKE 19: 28, 41-42
I. INTRODUCTION
NO ONE LIKES TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF REJECTION. NO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, REJECTION IS BOTH UNPLEASANT AND PAINFUL. TO BE REJECTED BY SOMEONE DEMONSTRATES THAT THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED OR CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IS BEING OFFERED TO THEM. MANY OF US RECEIVE PHONE CALLS FROM TELA-MARKETER’S, TRYING WITH VIGOR TO SELL THEIR ITEMS TO US, ONLY TO BE ON THE RECEIVING END OF OUR REJECTION. WE EITHER HANG THE PHONE UP, OR WE TELL THEM NO THANK YOU. WELL, HOW MANY OF US HAVE MADE OUR FEELINGS KNOWN TO SOMEONE, BUT THE FEELING WAS NOT MUTUAL, THEREBY WE EXPERIENCED A CLOSED DOOR TO A WISHFUL RELATIONSHIP THAT NEVER CAME TO FRUITION? OUR HEARTS WERE BROKEN. WE COULD NOT SLEEP. WE COULD NOT EAT. WHY? BECAUSE REJECTION IS BOTH UNPLEASANT AND PAINFUL. HOW MANY OF US HAVE APPLIED FOR THAT DREAM JOB, ONLY TO RECEIVE A PHONE CALL OR A LETTER STATING THAT WE WERE NOT CHOSEN? IN OTHER WORDS, WE WERE REJECTED. THERE IS NOTHING EXCITING ABOUT BEING REJECTED.
I DON’T KNOW OF ANYONE WHO LIVES TO BE REJECTED, BECAUSE REJECTION CAN BRING TEARS THAT FLOW FROM OUR EYES LIKE A MIGHTY RUSHING RIVER. BUT MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, I MUST REMIND US TODAY THAT OUR BEHAVIOR HAS A WAY OF MAKING THE MASTER WEEP. THEREFORE, WE OUGHT TO ASK OURSELVES THIS PIVOTAL QUESTION, “IS JESUS WEEPING OVER ME?” IF THE ANSWER IS NO, THEN FINE. BUT IF THE ANSWER IS ”YES,” OR “I DON’T KNOW,” THEN WE MUST EXAMINE OUR LIFESTYLE, STRIVING TO MAKE A CHANGE.
II. THE TEXT
JESUS WAS ON HIS WAY TO JERUSALEM TO FULFILL GOD’S PLAN OF REDEMPTION BY DYING ON AN OLD RUGGED CROSS. JERUSALEM HAD A HISTORY OF REJECTING THE PROPHETS OF GOD, LUKE 13:34 TEACHES, “O JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM, WHICH KILLEST THE PROPHETS, AND STONEST THEM THAT ARE SENT UNTO THEE; HOW OFTEN WOULD I HAVE GATHERED THY CHILDREN TOGETHER, AS A HEN DOTH GATHER HER BROOD UNDER HER WINGS, AND YE WOULD NOT!”
HE WAS GOING TO A CITY THAT WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE THINGS OF GOD. HE WAS GOING TO A CITY THAT WAS NOT INTERESTED IN HIS WORD OR HIS WORKS. HE WAS GOING TO A CITY THAT WAS STUCK IN THE MUNDANE, MELANCHOLY, MECHANISM OF THEIR WAYS. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED IN THIS AGE INWHICH WE LIVE. IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE MANY IN THE WORLD TODAY WHO ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THE THINGS OF GOD, LIVING AS IF THIS PRESENT WORLD IS THE FINAL DESTINATION OF HUMANITY. JESUS DESIRES ACCORDING TO 2 PETER 3:9 THAT ALL WOULD BE SAVED. LISTEN TO THE INSIGHTFUL WORDS OF THAT TEXT, “THE LORD IS NOT SLACK CONCERNING HIS PROMISE, AS SOME MEN COUNT SLACKNESS; BUT IS LONGSUFFERING TO US-WARD, NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.” BUT I’M AFRAID THAT WHEN JESUS LOOKS AT THE BEHAVIOR OF HUMANITY, HE WEEPS.
JESUS WAS WELL ACQUAINTED WITH THE REJECTION OF JERUSALEM, BECAUSE HE HAD TRIED ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS TO BE A BLESSING TO THEM, ONLY TO HAVE HIS EFFORTS DENIED. HE WENT TO HIS OWN BUT HIS OWN DID NOT WELCOME HIM. JESUS SAYS IN LUKE 4:24, “AND HE SAID, VERILY, I SAY UNTO YOU, NO PROPHET IS ACCEPTED IN HIS OWN COUNTRY.” JOHN 1:11 READS, “HE CAME UNTO HIS OWN, AND HIS OWN RECEIVED HIM NOT.”
III. APPLICATION
NOTICE IN THE TEXT THAT JESUS WENT TO HIS OWN PEOPLE. HE WAS NOT GOING TO A STRANGE CITY THAT WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH GOD. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, JESUS WANTS TO BLESS US AS HIS PEOPLE, BUT SOMETIMES OUR BEHAVIOR MAKES HIM WEEP. WHENEVER WE AS CHRISTIANS GO CONTRARY TO HIS WORD, IT GRIEVES HIM. WHENEVER THOSE OF US WHO HAVE BEEN SET APART, ARE NOT MINDFUL OF HIS WORD, IT PAINS HIM. WHENEVER WE FAIL TO SHOW INTEREST IN THE THINGS OF GOD, IT BREAKS HIS HEART. WHEN WE DON’T ATTEND CHURCH LIKE WE SHOULD, IT WOUNDS HIM. WHEN WE DON’T ATTEND BIBLE STUDY, SUNDAY SCHOOL, PAY OUR TITHES, LOVE EACH OTHER, JESUS WEEPS.
TO SHOW A LACK OF CONCERN FOR THE THINGS OF GOD IS INDICATIVE OF HOW WE FEEL ABOUT GOD. IT DOES NOT MATTER HOW MUCH YOU SAY YOU LOVE HIM, IF IT DOES NOT SHOW UP IN YOUR ACTION, THEN ALL YOU ARE DOING IS LIP SERVICE. JESUS TAKES NO INTEREST OR PLEASURE IN THOSE WHO SAY THEY LOVE HIM, BUT REFUSE TO FOLLOW HIS COMMANDS. MARK 7:6 TEACHES, “HE ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM, WELL HATH ESAIAS PROPHESIED OF YOU HYPOCRITES, AS IT IS WRITTEN, THIS PEOPLE HONOURETH ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME.”
WE OUGHT TO STRIVE TO PLEASE HIM IN EVERY WAY BECAUSE:
HE PAID A PRICE THAT WE COULD NOT PAY.
HE SATISFIED A DEBT THAT HE DID NOT ACCRUE.
HE LOVES THOSE THAT DON’T LOVE HIM.
HE IS INTERESTED IN THOSE WHO ARE NOT INTERESTED IN HIM.
HE REDEEMED US FROM THE GUTTERS OF SIN.
HE SAVED US FROM OURSELVES.
FORGIVES US WHEN WE ASK HIM.
HE LOOKS BEYOND OUR FAULTS, AND MEETS OUR NEEDS.
