Jesus' Lament: The Urgent Call to Acceptance

Devotional

Day 1: The Tragedy of Rejection

Jesus' lament over Jerusalem is a poignant reminder of the tragedy that comes with rejecting God's offer of salvation. This rejection is not just a historical event but a reflection of the human heart's tendency to resist God's love and grace. The refusal to accept Christ is often rooted in pride and self-sufficiency, leading to spiritual desolation. The people of Jerusalem, much like many today, were blinded by their own self-righteousness and failed to recognize the true identity and mission of Jesus. This serves as a warning to us about the consequences of turning away from God's love and grace. [09:32]

Jeremiah 6:16 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’"

Reflection: Consider a time when pride or self-sufficiency led you to reject help or guidance. How can you open your heart to God's love and grace today?

Day 2: The Choice of the Gospel

The Gospel presents a clear choice: to accept or reject Jesus Christ. There is no neutrality in this decision, as it involves both the heart and the will. Accepting Christ means acknowledging our need for salvation and embracing His offer of protection and eternal life. This choice is not merely an intellectual decision but a profound commitment to follow Jesus and live according to His teachings. The urgency of this decision is underscored by the eternal consequences it carries. [07:23]

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (ESV): "I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself hesitating to fully commit to Jesus? What steps can you take today to make a decisive choice for Christ?

Day 3: The Consequences of Refusal

Rejecting Christ leads to spiritual desolation, as symbolized by the destruction of Jerusalem. Relying on religious structures or self-righteousness without a genuine relationship with God is futile. Jesus warns of the dire consequences of turning away from Him, urging us to seek refuge in His love. The desolation of Jerusalem serves as a metaphor for the emptiness and despair that come from rejecting God's offer of salvation. It is a call to examine our own lives and ensure that we are not relying on external forms of religion without a true connection to God. [41:55]

Isaiah 30:15 (ESV): "For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.' But you were unwilling."

Reflection: Reflect on any areas where you might be relying on religious rituals rather than a genuine relationship with God. How can you deepen your connection with Him today?

Day 4: The Offer of Protection

Jesus uses the metaphor of a hen gathering her brood to illustrate His desire to protect and save us. His sacrifice on the cross stands between us and the judgment we deserve, offering a way to be reconciled with God. This offer of protection is available to all who believe in Him. It is a powerful reminder of God's love and the lengths He went to in order to provide us with salvation. Embracing this protection means trusting in Jesus and allowing Him to guide and shelter us in our daily lives. [31:03]

Psalm 91:4 (ESV): "He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler."

Reflection: In what ways do you need to seek refuge under Jesus' wings today? How can you trust Him more fully with your fears and uncertainties?

Day 5: The Urgency of Acceptance

The call to accept Christ is urgent. Recognizing who Jesus is and what He offers is crucial for our spiritual well-being. The invitation to find safety under His wings is a present opportunity to embrace eternal life and avoid the tragic consequences of rejection. This urgency is a reminder that the decision to follow Christ should not be delayed, as it impacts our eternal destiny. It is a call to action, urging us to respond to God's love and grace with open hearts and willing spirits. [50:08]

Hebrews 3:15 (ESV): "As it is said, 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.'"

Reflection: What is holding you back from fully accepting Jesus' invitation today? How can you respond to His call with urgency and commitment?

Sermon Summary

In the passage from Luke 13:34-35, Jesus laments over Jerusalem, expressing sorrow for the city's rejection of the prophets and ultimately Himself. This lamentation is not just a historical account but a profound reflection on the human condition and our response to God's offer of salvation. Jesus uses the metaphor of a hen gathering her brood under her wings to illustrate His desire to protect and save, yet the people of Jerusalem refused Him. This refusal is emblematic of humanity's persistent rejection of God's love and grace throughout history.

The heart of the message is the choice presented by the Gospel: to accept or reject Jesus Christ. There is no middle ground. This choice is not merely an intellectual decision but a matter of the heart and will. The rejection of Christ is often rooted in pride, self-sufficiency, and a refusal to acknowledge our need for salvation. The people of Jerusalem, much like many today, were blinded by their own self-righteousness and failed to recognize the true identity and mission of Jesus.

Jesus' lament over Jerusalem serves as a warning of the consequences of rejecting Him. The desolation of Jerusalem is a metaphor for the spiritual desolation that comes from turning away from God. The destruction of the temple symbolizes the futility of relying on religious structures and self-righteousness without a genuine relationship with God. Jesus offers protection and salvation, standing between us and the judgment we deserve. His sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate act of love, providing a way for us to be reconciled with God.

The call is urgent: to recognize who Jesus is, to understand the gravity of rejecting His offer, and to seek refuge under His wings. This is not just a historical lament but a present invitation to find safety and eternal life in Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. The Tragedy of Rejection: Jesus' lament over Jerusalem highlights the tragedy of rejecting God's offer of salvation. This rejection is not just a historical event but a reflection of the human heart's tendency to resist God's love and grace. The refusal to accept Christ is rooted in pride and self-sufficiency, leading to spiritual desolation. [09:32]
2. The Choice of the Gospel: The Gospel presents a clear choice: to accept or reject Jesus Christ. There is no neutrality. This decision is not merely intellectual but involves the heart and will. Accepting Christ means acknowledging our need for salvation and embracing His offer of protection and eternal life. [07:23]
3. The Consequences of Refusal: Rejecting Christ leads to spiritual desolation, as symbolized by the destruction of Jerusalem. Relying on religious structures or self-righteousness without a genuine relationship with God is futile. Jesus warns of the dire consequences of turning away from Him, urging us to seek refuge in His love. [41:55]
4. The Offer of Protection: Jesus uses the metaphor of a hen gathering her brood to illustrate His desire to protect and save us. His sacrifice on the cross stands between us and the judgment we deserve, offering a way to be reconciled with God. This offer of protection is available to all who believe in Him. [31:03]
5. The Urgency of Acceptance: The call to accept Christ is urgent. Recognizing who Jesus is and what He offers is crucial for our spiritual well-being. The invitation to find safety under His wings is a present opportunity to embrace eternal life and avoid the tragic consequences of rejection. [50:08]
** [50:08]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Jesus' Lament Over Jerusalem
[01:16] - The Sadness of Rejection
[02:09] - Jesus' Mission and Purpose
[03:37] - The Offer of the Gospel
[05:40] - The Choice Presented
[07:23] - Accept or Refuse
[09:32] - The Tragedy of Unbelief
[10:26] - Why Jerusalem Rejected
[12:54] - The Human Condition
[14:02] - The Heart of the Issue
[18:46] - The Pride of Jerusalem
[22:36] - Resentment of the Prophets
[29:04] - What We Refuse
[31:03] - The Offer of Protection
[41:55] - Consequences of Refusal
[50:08] - The Urgency of Acceptance

Sermon Clips

"These undoubtedly are the saddest words that were ever spoken by our blessed Lord and savior. They are his lament over the city of Jerusalem, over its people, its common people who cried away, away with him, crucify him, and desired that a robber called Barabbas should be set free to them instead of the Lord." [00:01:12]

"Our Lord here expresses this lament with regard to the city. You remember how he came to do so. We were considering it partly last Sunday evening. You remember that the Pharisees came unto him saying, get thee out and depart in for Herod will kill thee, and he replied saying, go and tell that fox, behold I cast out devils and I do cures today and tomorrow and the third day I shall be perfected." [00:02:07]

"Now that, my dear friends, is precisely the position still. This is the very business and purpose of the preaching of the Christian Gospel. It is to confront men and women with this offer, with this choice. Every preaching of the Gospel worthy of the name does that. It is to hold Jesus Christ before men and women and his offer and to confront them with a choice." [00:05:34]

"Ah, but you say, I've never thought of it. Very well, you haven't accepted it. It is one or the other of these two. I wonder whether we realize further what all that means and what all that involves. Well, thank God our Lord himself shows us here very plainly what it means. He analyzes and shows the terrible truth about unbelief." [00:08:00]

"Why does mankind behave like this? Well, our Lord tells us the answer in terms of these people in Jerusalem. It's true of us all by nature. He says the reason is you would not. What he means is this, you see that the trouble is down in the realm of the will and in the realm of the heart. You would not." [00:13:56]

"Why not? Well, because you don't like the truth of God. It disturbs you. It makes you feel miserable. It makes you feel unhappy. You see, I don't want to listen to that sort of stuff, death and judgment. Ah, I'm not interested. I want something to comfort me. But here you see the Son of God preached this prophetic message." [00:26:17]

"Do you know, my dear friends, the Son of God came into the world to save. He said the son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish. He will otherwise, but he sent his son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." [00:36:52]

"Jesus Christ, the son of God, stands between all who believe in him and the law and the wrath and the punishment of God upon men's sins and unrighteousness. What was he doing on the cross on Calvary's Hill? Do you know the answer? Spreading his wings, giving us a place to go hide so that when the law shouts, he answers." [00:38:03]

"Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. What does he mean? Well, primarily this is a reference to the temple, the house that they boasted of so much and which they believed was going to save them. The house, the temple, and what he's telling them is this. He says, you know, that house in Jerusalem, that temple is nothing without me." [00:42:31]

"Anybody who rejects Jesus Christ and his offer always does so for some reason. I wonder what your reason is. Are you rejecting him because of some pleasure that you're holding on to, something in the world that you like very much and you say you're not going to give it up? All right, it may be that. What else?" [00:44:22]

"Realize who he is, realize why he came into the world, realize what he offers you, the shadow of his wings, safety in life, in death, throughout eternity. Realize the consequences of refusing such a gracious offer offered at the cost of his life, his very blood, and realizing it, take immediately a stand with Charles Wesley." [00:49:35]

"Fly to him, get under the shadow of his wings. Fly, he offers protection still. It's not too late. See the hardness of your heart that has made you refuse him until this night. See what you're refusing. See the terrible, awful, tragic consequences of doing so, and fly to him. Be covered, be made safe." [00:52:01]

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