Weeping Over Jerusalem

28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” 41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

Three times in scripture we are told of Jesus shedding tears. One was with the sisters just before raising Lazarus from the dead.

One was in the garden of Gesthemane as he anguished of the cup he was bearing to overcome our sin.

And one was here in verse 41

Luke 19:41 ESV

41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,

Have you ever had a time in your life where you are both happy and sad? I sure have. One of those times was just under a year ago. I was saying goodbye to a people and place I had loved for many years, but I was also happy about the call of God and the possibilities of this new place and this new people. Here at First Baptist Church.

Imagine being Jesus. You have heard the words of the disciples singing praises to you, but He knows what is coming.

More than that, He knows why it is coming.

He mourns fallenness

Luke 19:42 ESV

42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

How far man has fallen. Sin pervades so much of life.

That fallenness is indicated in at least three ways in these few verses.

First, missing the time of visitation.

God visits for judgement or salvation. Sometimes for both.

Luke 7:16 ESV

16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!”

Luke 1:68 ESV

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people

Luke 12:54–56 ESV

54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) O, that You Knew the Terms of Peace!

Therefore, when Jesus says to Jerusalem, “You did not know the time of your visitation,” he means, “You did not know that my coming to you is the coming of God for your redemption, your salvation.”

Jerusalem was missing the uniqueness of time for them.

Second, missing the terms of peace.

Luke 13:34 ESV

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

They needed to be asking the right person for those terms.

Luke 14:31–32 ESV

31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

Jerusalem was missing the terms of peace. they still believed it would be on their terms.

They needed to go to the other king, God, Jesus for those terms

The price of peace stood in their midst and they were missing him.

Luke 17:20 ESV

20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed,

Third, missing the coming judgement.

They were oblivious to the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the temple.

Matthew 24:1–2 ESV

1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. 2 But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Ecclesiastes 12:14 ESV

14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Nahum 1:3 ESV

3 The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

So, what do we need to learn?

Let us not miss the time of our visitation.

Luke 12:56 ESV

56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Urgency needs to exist in my heart for the gospel.

Let us not miss the term of our peace.

What are the terms of peace?

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 ESV

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:1 ESV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 10:13 ESV

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:14–15 ESV

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

Let us have urgency in our hearts for the gospel.

Let us not miss the coming judgement.

One of the greatest aspects of our salvation is the priesthood of all believers.

1 Corinthians 3:16–17 ESV

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Let us have urgency in our hearts for the gospel.

Final thought

Shallow/ Superficial Religion

Let us have a depth of belief and devotion of practice.

if we do so,

We will have urgency in our hearts for the gospel.

For those who may not know Jesus as savior. Do not be like Jerusalem.

Don’t miss the time of your visitation.

Don’t miss the terms of peace.

Don’t miss the coming judgement.

Turn to Jesus today. Answer the call, surrender your life.

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