The MISSION of Jesus

INTRO —

Ever have to do something you knew would be difficult, but not doing it was not an option, because doing it would serve a greater purpose?

Funeral home (Debbie/Chuck) — Keryx prison ministry (Tim)

Palm Sunday — Jesus near to Jerusalem — Knowing what’s next — Gethsemane

(S) — Today Luke points us to again to his tears...

Luke 19:41 (NIV)

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it

Not for himself, but a very different reason — His mission is nearing its end

Series — Jesus shaped life — The MISSION of Jesus

Three gospels are very clear about one thing — Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem was a significant part of his ministry.

Matthew 16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem...

Mark chapter 8 — “He spoke plainly about this...”

Luke chapter 9 — As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.

It would be easy to reason that getting to Jerusalem was his mission. If so, were his tears a sign of a FAILED MISSION?

Jesus weeps — Lazarus — Gethsemane

Jesus had always known the difficulty of the road ahead. What was coming for himself. Doing it served a greater purpose.

What was Jesus’ mission? Was it Jerusalem the city which he wept over?

Jerusalem was always a destination…but never the mission

Today, palm Sunday, it was not for himself he sheds tears — but for those who did not recognize him.

My prayer is that the cause of Jesus’ deep grief? Can help us live the mission of Jesus in our own lives?

PRAY

Jerusalem a city headed for destruction

(S) — ‘Catapulta’ by Edward Poynter (1868)

586 B.C.E — The Babylonians captured the city, torched it, and exiled the Judean leadership to Babylon.

2 kings 24:19 “King Zedekiah did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as Jehoiakim had done.”

Sin took them there — Unwillingness to repentant and live for God

Unfortunately generations latter didn’t learn the lessons of history — Future destruction

Micah 3:12 “Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.”

God doesn’t give up on them — Enter Jesus, born to Jewish descendants, subject to the influence and the traditions of Israel. Jesus knew its history, its sacred text laws and customs, of its kings, prophets, and its successes and failures

Seeing the city — Seeing his native land — Knowing that again it would face destruction — He weeps

Bay City Church Fire

(S) — Jerusalem had great significance for its people...

1. It’s name — Vision of peace or prosperity”

yeru meaning "flow" — Shalayim is from the word shalam meaning complete and whole — PEACE

Luke 19:42 (NIV)

“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace...

2. Holy city on a hill — Temple — God’s presence on earth — Worship

“Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.” Psalm 99:9

3. City of refuge — A physical and spiritual symbol of God’s protection

Built on a hill? For its protection!

“The Old City of Jerusalem is located atop a limestone plateau in the Judaean Mountains, flanked by the Hinnom Valley to the southwest. The Kidron Valley is to the east, separating the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives.”

4. Light of hope for the people —

“The central location for Israel’s self-understanding of life under God.” How they were to live under God’s covenant, as an example to all nations”

It is still a light of hope for Orthodox Jews today.

Easter in Jerusalem – The Light of Hope and Resurrection

Jesus speaks of it’s coming destruction very explicitly

(S) — How the Romans took city — Emperor Titus —

Luke 19:43 (NIV)

The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.

Walls were not only for protection but could be used to cut off the inhabitants and isolate them from resources and outside help. By the time Rome attacked, the people had been mentally and physically diminished before a hand was laid on them.

The moral of the Ukrainians

Satan uses sin in the same manner — Isolate, separate us from God and each other — Decline in consistent worship attendance

What will be remembered most of the covid years

(S) — Jesus’ words...

Luke 19:44 (NIV)

They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another...

Children — The impact would be disastrous for the whole of the city

Destructive habit of a father or mother

(S) — Not one stone left on another — solders/prisoners of war, through down each stone —

Pic — Archaeologist left the stones as they were found…

As a testimony to the devastation of turning away from God...

Beautiful hand made stained glass windows would be shattered into pieces — Pews splintered into kindling — Hymnals shredded for fuel on the fires — Every memorialized gift removed and destroyed — The central place of worship a pile of rubble

(S) — From PRAISE to LAMENT — Jesus WEPT!

He knew what was coming for himself, yet these tears were not for his suffering and not even for the place of his people

Jerusalem was always a destination…but never the mission

Jesus mission was always about PEOPLE...

(S) — Specifically those who had rejected him — whose eyes were closed and hearts were hardened to the one God sent to redeem them and the world.

...because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Luke 19:44 (NIV)

The lost son — Good Samaritan — Woman caught in adultery — The grieving centurion and his friends Mary and Martha — Those who had turned the place of worship into a den for thieves — God’s tears when Moses came down the mountain — he wept for the broken and the lost — the unrepentant sinner

Luke 19:41–44 (NIV)

...he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

I wonder do we memorialize too much the structure and place we worship? Has the church and the mission become more about the building than the people? Are we concerned more with the way we worship, songs we sing or don’t sing more than who we worship?

(S) — Church fire on mission trip

Jesus knew the road to jerusalem would be hard — But it had a greater purpose — To save people

To bring people into relationship with God — Show people how to live and surrender their lives to the one who gives them life — To save the lost — soften harden hearts — break down walls of hostility — To unit the body of Christ on mission to bring people to himself

(S) — Jesus mission was always people and it still is for the church today!

Luke 19:42 (NIV)

“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace

When you think of church, do you see people? Or do you only see brick and morter...

Somethings are hard, difficult to do but when we know their is a great purpose, that the mission is always about people then it becomes easier for us to live a Jesus mission-shaped life.

(S) —

Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,

who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation,

who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Are you living the mission of Jesus? — PEOPLE