Sunday Morning Service, 4/5/09

Songs

• Hosannah!
• Lord I Lift Your Name On High
• Inside The Gate
• God Is Working
• Blessed Be Your Name
• You Are Welcome In This Place
• You Are Why
• Jesus Messiah
• Field Of Souls

Sermon: Jesus Wept Over The City

Every family has challenges to face. Every family has times when things seem to be going well, and other times when all roads seem to lead uphill.

We have come through some times as a church family. We've been through some restructuring changes. In my opinion, they've all been positive, but they haven't all been easy. Things have been tight for our budget. (No, I'm not asking for an offering.) Several weeks ago, our budget got so tight that the senior leadership met and agreed to cut our pay by forty-one percent. We've done that, and that continues, though I hope it won't continue forever. Most of us feel a forty-one percent pay cust. I say this only so you would know how to pray.

Pastor Thomas went to the doctor recently and had some tests on his thyroid. The specialist couldn't say whether it is cancer or not, but recommended that they remove all the abnormal growths that they found.

I want you to know that this isn't a report of doom and gloom. This is an opportunity for positive change.

Some of our staff has had to take temporary employment because of their paycut. Nobody's leaving; they aren't taking jobs because they don't like the church; they like eating.

These times aren't easy, but we serve a strong and wonderful God, amen? We serve a victorious God.

One early Sunday morning, Jesus was entering the city of Jerusalem, and he sent two disciples before him.

I want you to picture yourself there with Jesus.

Can you imagine the conversation of the disciples on their way to get the colt? "We're going to jail. Jesus has turned into a horse-thief, and he's sending us to do his dirty work."

Before that account, there was no mention of Christ riding any animal. In fact, he walked everywhere he went, with the possible example of the boat on the Sea of Galilee, and we even have an account of him walking there.

We don't know a lot of the circumstances surrounding this story, but we do know that this was a difficult time for Jesus. To ride into the city instead of walking as he had done so many times before must have been a difficult decision. To ride into the city, instead of walking, was to proclaim himself as a king. We recognize Jesus as king, but would they? Would they recognize him as a spiritual king? He had been preaching for three years, but they hadn't gotten the message. Perhaps there would be a headline in the Jerusalem newspaper saying, "Carpenter proclaims himself king!" Perhaps some would be eager to place a crown on his head. Perhaps some of those who gathered that day were among those he had healed. Perhaps some had been there when he spoke with men of authority at the age of twelve. The day of Calvary must have loomed in Jesus' mind like a dark mountain, but in spite of that, he went on. Even as Jesus arrived, the news was still spreading that he had raised Lazarus from the dead. The people were talking about it in the streets. "He's going to be here today!" "I saw him! I saw Lazarus! He was dead, but now he is alive. Surely, only God could do that!" The news traveled from one person to another. There was no television, no email, no twitter, but the buzz was real. There was a large crowd of people gathered on both sides of the road. They had cut palm branches. Imagine Jesus seeing the mixture of expressions on all their faces. Maybe Barnabas whom Jesus had healed of his blindness was there. Maybe Zacchaeus was there. Maybe the ten lepers were there. Surely Mary Magdalene and Martha were there. Jesus knew they were all there. He taught them; he healed them; he ministered to them. But there were also sinister faces, waiting for one wrong word, one wrong move, to give an occasion for accusation. Those were the people who were appointed to be the keepers of the spiritual law. They watched and waited. The Romans were there, fearing revolt, watching and waiting for any signs of rebellion against Rome, so they could be ready to crush any uprising.

Now Jesus is descending from the Mount of Olives, approaching the gate. Do you wonder what the apostles were reading into all this? Judas, ecstatic at the arrival of God's kingdom here on earth. Peter, puffed up, but with his sword ready just in case. Thomas, skeptical of what might happen next. Andrew, overwhelmed by it all. James and Joh planning their secretary positions in Jesus' new cabinet. They all had different reactions. Then suddenly, the traffic stopped. What's going on?

Over and over again in the scriptures, we see Jesus reaction to sinners: he had compassion. But now we see a different reaction: he wept. Why? Because they had not heard the message of peace. They didn't understand the reason for his coming.

They don't get it. There's something so wonderful, so complete, so pure, so positive, so great, and they don't see it. It's hid from their eyes.

They had eyes but did not see; ears but they did not hear. They brought palm branches to lay down before him like they did for the Macabees who had driven out the oppressors and reestablished the temple. They were ready to go to war if he would lead them. They hadn't received the message:

Jesus is the one who taught them:

They didn't understand. It didn't make any sense from a physical perspective. They probably said, "He said some beautiful words, but surely he wasn't talking about Rome. Only a lunatic would ask us to love Rome." But that's exactly what he meant. And Jesus wept over them, because their opportunity was taken away, and they would never have another chance.

What opportunity is Jesus giving you? What chance is he giving you, that if you don't respond, the opportunity will never come again? Jesus wept that day because he knew that the clock was ticking; time was moving forward, and they weren't. The people wanted something for their physical lives right then, and he wanted to give them something that would last for all eternity. They had the opportunity to show the nation of Rome something new. Jesus wept over them because the opportunity had passed and would never come their way again.

Realize that Jesus went to Calvary for you, for me, for all of us. He sits upon his colt, his beast of burden, and sees the people all around, but beyond that he sees the army of Titus marching in and destroying everything, so that "no stone would be laid upon another." How much different would their lives have been if they could have recognized the one who came riding into their midst that day.

What does Jesus say as he comes into our midst today? Does he see insecurity? Does he see people so busy about their daily lives that they fail to recognize the things that are important to eternity? Will he weep at what he sees, or will he have the joy that lasts for all eternity?

As for me and my house, my prayer is that we'll hear "Well done." Times on earth are challenging; many of us have faced loss of jobs, of money, of reputation. As we close, I'd like to open the altar for prayer. The Messiah is here today, saints! Jesus is alive. We know that he was crucified, but we also know that he arose from the dead. This altar is open for you today. Come and pray with me.