IS JESUS STILL WEEPING?

Luke 19:28-48

INTRODUCTION: Early Sunday morning as Jesus was walking toward Jerusalem Jesus stopped for a moment and sent two of His disciples on an errand: Luke 19:28-31. In times of war the conqueror would ride on a prancing stallion. But in times of peace, the king would ride a colt to symbolize that peace prevailed. Riding that colt into Jerusalem Jesus was declaring Himself to be Israel’s king! Zechariah 9:9.

I. HOW DID THE PEOPLE RESPOND TO JESUS’S DECLARATION?

Here is the Son of a small-town carpenter declaring Himself to be the King of Israel. The Pharisees felt Jesus was guilty of blasphemy against God: Luke 19:37-39. Even though Jesus knew what awaited Him in Jerusalem He set His face to fulfill His Father’s plan for His life: Luke 18:31-34.

II. JESUS’ ROAD TOWARD THE GATES OF THE CITY.

As Jesus road down toward the city gate the crowds were constantly growing and it was a festive crowd because it was the feat of the Passover. The pilgrims were gathering from far and near for this was the greatest of all Jewish holidays. Passover: the time was at midnight when the death angle passed over the first born of Israel and kill the firstborn of Egypt: Exodus 12:1-13. As Jesus entered into Jerusalem the crowds shouted: Hosanna to the King!” Mark 11:8-10; Psalm 118:25-26. Do you suppose anywhere there that Jesus had healed or raised form the dead? Luke 8:1-3. Let me ask: “Do you think those women were glad on this day that they had been supporting Jesus’ ministry?” Suddenly the whole procession stopped!

III. SURELY NOT TEARS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARADE!

Jesus Himself had stopped the parade. As tears rolled down His face. Our Lord often reacted in ways that surprised those around Him. When Jesus saw the poor He saw them in a way no one else did: Mark 12:41-44. When Jesus saw the hungry, He saw them as no one else saw them: John 6:32-35. When Jesus saw people sinning, He treated them as no one else did: John 8:2-11. When our Lord saw people ill He responded as no one else did: Luke 9:10-11. The Scriptures say repeatedly that “He had compassion on them.” But only two times does the Bible tell us that Jesus cried. One-time Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus: John 11:32-36.

IV. WHY WAS JESUS CRYING AS HE LOOKED OVER JERUSALEM?

Here as our Lord was about to enter Jerusalem the Bible tells us that our Lord wept: Luke 19:41-44. He wept because the crowd that was praising Him still did not understand His message of peace. Those people had eyes but they could not see. They had ears but they could not hear. They missed the whole point of the message God had given to them. And that too was prophesied: Isaiah 6:9-12. Jesus wept because these were His people but they did not recognize Him as their Messiah and for this reason Jesus wept. How different their story could have been had they only recognized Jesus as the King of Israel: Matthew 27:37-39. When our Lord looks at us today, does He see people so busy with life they have no time to discover who Jesus really is? Revelation 3:20. Will we receive God’s gift of love today or reject Him? John 1:10-13. Even Christians can close their eyes and ears and grieve our Lord: 1 John 1:7-10. Our God is redeeming a people for Himself. Will you receive God’s love gift?