Recognize Thy Visitation

“RECOGNIZE THY VISITATION”

“Recognizing the Presence of Christ”

Luke 19:41-44

Fr. Christopher M. Nerreau

Illustration: When I was about 13years old I got into deer hunting. I was trained by a very fine hunter who took time to teach me to shoot, scout and prepare my game. He showed me how to avoid being seen, smelled or heard. He taught me where to go, how to remain still and move slowly. But in all of my years I never got a single shot at a deer. The reason, the deer were prepared for my VISITATION to the woods. They were cautious; they were constantly prepared for me. In a similar way God has called us to be prepared for His visitation. We are to be prepared to receive Him when He visits us. Unfortunately many people through the love of this world and the desires of their own selfish hearts are blinded to Christ’s presence in this world.

• In today’s gospel we find Christ weeping (Original Greek “burst into tears”) as He approaches the city of Jerusalem. (v.41) why was He weeping?

• Because He foresaw the terrible judgments of those who had not recognized the time of [His] visitation. (v.44)

Proposition: The same judgments that befell Jerusalem will befall those who refuse to recognize the time of Christ’s visitation.

Interrogative sentence: Today I ask you, do you recognize the Lord Jesus Christ’s visitation in your own life?

Sermon Preview: In our sermon today will see the parallels between the judgment of Jerusalem and that of the lives of those who recognize not Thy visitation:

1. SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS (v.42)

2. SPIRITUAL ISOLATION (v.43)

3. SPIRITUAL DESTRUCTION (v. 44)

Transitional Sentence: Firstly, not recognizing Thy visitation can lead to…

I. SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS (v.41)

Explanation: THE BIBLE SAYS: Luke 19:41 – “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes.” God has hidden Christ’s visitation because of unbelief…

• THE BIBLE SAYS: Romans 1:18 - “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (suppression causes blindness)

• “If you had known this day” - Their unbelief caused God to turn them over to the desires of their hearts (wrath of God) causing spiritual blindness. This blindness was so severe they could not see the opportunity of grace being afforded them in Christ, even in His visitation.

• “Even you” – Jesus emphasized the fact that these were His own people, chosen by God and entrusted with the oracles of God, and yet even they had fallen into spiritual blindness.

o THE BIBLE SAYS: John 1:11 –“He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.”

• “the things which make for peace!” – The peace to which Jesus is referring is peace with God. He is the means of reconciliation with God that the prophets spoke of:

o THE BIBLE SAYS: 2 Cor. 5:19 – “that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them…”

Illustration: I have a friend who is colorblind; his eyes cannot perceive the color green. In a similar way the hearts of the unbelieving Jews cannot perceive Christ’s arrival. The cure for colorblind is to trust those who see color, the same is true for the spiritually blind.

Application: So we see the judgment of God begins with spiritual blindness for all whose hearts are unbelieving, who suppress the truth of Christ. If God did not spare His own nation, will he spare you? The cause of spiritual blindness is unbelief and the cure for spiritual blindness is trust! Do you need to trust in Christ?

Transition: The judgment of God on unbelief is spiritual blindness. It is also.

II. SPIRITUAL ISOLATION (v. 43)

Explanation: Jesus weeps as He see their spiritual blindness causing their enemy to surround and isolate them.

THE BIBLE SAYS – “(v.43) “For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side…”

• In 70 ad this is exactly what happened as Rome surrounded the city of Jerusalem with close to 20,000 troops. This did not happen overnight; imagine watched from the walls of Jerusalem as each day thousands of new troops were added.

• The Jewish nation lived in absolute fear as they saw a good portion of the Roman army surrounding the city. There spiritual blindness and a life of peace had escaped them due to unbelief and now they find their enemies all about them.

• THE BIBLE SAYS – 1 Peter 5:8 “…be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”