Barricaded
Jerusalem’s blindness to God’s Messiah means absolute destruction for the city, bringing pain and tears to the Messiah who loves the blind city. Let us not be as Jerusalem!
Intro
Pray
Title / Text
Is He Here Yet?
The final cluster of planes was headed into the airport before it shut its doors and hangars for the night. A small girl came skipping down the hallway, taking two or three steps for every one the woman beside her took. Tied to her arm was a long string connected to a big yellow balloon that was bobbing above the people who were rushing to meet the night’s last incoming flight.
“Is he here yet?” the girl screamed. Eyes glanced her way, smiling at her enthusiasm. Then eyes turned to follow her stare to the exit leading to the plane.
“No! He is not here yet,” the woman answered, seeking to calm the child a bit. Weary, bloodshot eyes lighted up as travelers caught sight of the girl and remembered their childhood experiences at airports.
“Is he here yet?” the girl cried out again and again. Each time the young mother looked down to say, “No, honey, not yet.” Still the young legs pumped forward eagerly, getting as close to the doorway as possible.
Suddenly, the balloons began waving back and forth, up and down as the young girl jumped up and down, screaming. “There he is! He’s here! He’s here!” All eyes turned to see a young soldier walk through the doorway into the airport waiting room. Returning from Operation Desert Storm, he glanced quickly through the crowd to the leaping balloons and the small arm attached to them. Stooping down, he scooped up the running girl into his arms, welcome sign, balloons, and all.
“Daddy, Daddy,” she yelped. “I found you! I found you!”
The airport crowd smiled at the little girl’s happy discovery. Our smiles should be much bigger. Jesus came to earth to seek and to save the lost. He found us while we were yet sinners. He died for us. Now he rules on the heavenly throne at God’s right hand, watching as we carry out the responsibilities he has assigned us. Meanwhile, we join the disciples at the triumphal entry in singing Christ’s praises. We also join Christ in looking at a lost world that has rejected him and will not accept him as their Savior. Tears fill our eyes as they did his. We realize that we, too, are on a search-and-find mission with Jesus after the lost. Sadly, that mission begins in our own church, where secular business and human greed too often have taken over God’s house of prayer. Jesus calls us to let revival begin at our church, purifying our church life and worship. We must let Christ’s teaching once again be the central concern of our church. We must hang on every word he says, not because we are spellbound waiting for a miracle to gasp at, but because we know that obeying his teaching is the only way to meaningful life here and eternal life hereafter.