Understanding The Way Of Peace

Title: Understanding the Way of Peace

Text: Luke 19:41-44

Date: April 1, 2012

Place: Washington A/G

Introduction

I. Welcome to Palm Sunday

A. Day to commemorate Jesus’ triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem

B. We call it palm Sunday because the Gospel writers all tell of how the worshippers gathered around Jesus that day and waved palm branches saying, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

C. The Scene and setting

1. Jesus and His disciples were on their way up to Jerusalem to observe the Passover

2. They had been all around the area of Judea doing ministry

a. Teaching the multitudes

b. Calling people into ministry from sycamore trees

c. Healing the blind

3. There are a great number of people now in this Entourage

a. A great deal of fanfare surrounding this moment

b. The people are on a bit of a high from the things they have heard and witnessed.

c. An event so meaningful it was recorded by all the gospel writers

- The Bible says that they had just left Bethany and John records just the chapter before how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead

- Mark records that along this journey Jesus encountered one “Blind Bartimaeus” and Jesus healed Him.

- Matthew accounts that there were two blind men along the way that Jesus healed.

II. Jesus’ broken heart

A. All the gospel writers share this account, but they share it from different perspectives

1. Matthew and Mark tell how Jesus went straight into the Temple and overturned the tables of the money changers

2. John tells of Jesus exchange with His disciples concerning His coming crucifixion

3. Somewhere along the way the Gospel writer Luke’s eyes are opened by the Sprit to something that speaks so profoundly to Him that he knows it must be included in his record.

4. I believe Luke’s perspective on this is one that will speak powerfully to us in the day and hour in which we live as well.

a. But as He 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. 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. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not accept your opportunity for salvation." (Luke 19:41-44 NLT)

b. The lessons about our Lord

Body

I. Jesus Sees the Heart

A. “He Beheld the City”

B. What the average person saw

1. Beautiful Jerusalem, the religious capital of the world

2. A city buzzing with activity, much of it religious

3. The ceremonial acts in and around the Temple

C. So much of what the world sees is superficial

1. It’s only on the surface

2. It’s a façade that covers a much deeper reality

3. We put on shows because we don’t want people to know the hurt and dysfunction that is really in our lives

D. There is One who sees beyond into the heart of the matter

1. We can’t hide things from God

a. You can fool all of the people some of the time

b. You can fool some of the people all the time.

c. You can’t fool God any of the time.

2. God would surely have known it, for He knows the secrets of every heart. (Psalm 44:21 NLT)

E. The Reality of the City

1. Even though this was a city buzzing with religious activity and gave the appearances that everything was okay there was a deep undertow in the life of Jerusalem

2. There was unrest over the fact that they were under Roman authority

a. This was to be God’s city; it was the land of promise

b. They were subject to a pagan government

c. They were wishing God would just show up and deliver them from this tyranny

d. To every citizen and every Roman Century it appeared that they were loving life and loving their God, but deep inside there was a hurt and frustration for which they needed a remedy

F. Let’s be real!

1. How many of you ever become frustrated in your own life with the fact that you are a child of the King but you are still impacted by the fact that you live and have your being in a fallen world that is under the sway of demonic powers?

a. Physical Concerns

b. Financial hardships

c. Family & Relationship issues

d. Unrest at home and across the globe

2. How many of you face situations in life and you know that it would be so much better if God would just show up and make everything all right?