Jesus Weeps: Recognizing God's Presence and Peace

Devotional

Day 1: The Compassionate Lament of Jesus

Jesus' tears over Jerusalem reveal His profound compassion and sorrow for a city that failed to recognize its moment of divine visitation. This moment challenges us to consider how often we overlook God's presence in our lives, missing the peace He offers. Jesus' lamentation is not just about the physical destruction that would come at the hands of the Romans in 70 A.D., but a deeper spiritual blindness that prevented the people from recognizing the Prince of Peace in their midst. His tears echo the lament of the prophets, like Jeremiah, who warned of the consequences of turning away from God.
As we reflect on this, we are invited to examine our own lives. Are we aware of God's presence, or do we, like Jerusalem, miss the signs of His peace? The call is to open our hearts to His visitation, to be vigilant and aware of His presence in our daily lives. [06:23]

Luke 19:41-42 (ESV): "And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 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.'"

Reflection: Think of a recent moment when you felt distant from God. How can you invite His presence into that area of your life today?

Day 2: The Perils of Spiritual Blindness

The destruction of Jerusalem serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of spiritual blindness. When we fail to recognize God's presence and His call to peace, we risk losing the very foundation of our spiritual lives. This blindness is not just a historical event but a spiritual condition that can affect us today.
In our fast-paced world, it's easy to become spiritually blind, missing the subtle ways God speaks to us. We are called to be attentive, to seek His presence actively, and to respond to His call. By doing so, we can avoid the pitfalls of spiritual complacency and embrace the fullness of life that God offers. [09:55]

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV): "In their case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

Reflection: Identify one distraction in your life that keeps you from seeing God's presence. What step can you take today to minimize its influence?

Day 3: The Sanctity of Worship

Jesus' cleansing of the temple highlights the importance of maintaining the sanctity of our places of worship. Our churches should be spaces where the sacred is honored, and God's presence is revered, not secularized or profaned. This act of cleansing was a demonstration of Jesus' zeal for true worship, a House of Prayer, not a den of robbers.
As we gather in our places of worship, we are reminded to honor the sacredness of these spaces. They are not just buildings but places where we encounter the divine. We are called to create an atmosphere of reverence, where God's presence is acknowledged and celebrated. [25:19]

Isaiah 56:7 (ESV): "These I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples."

Reflection: Reflect on your attitude when entering a place of worship. How can you contribute to creating a sacred atmosphere in your church community?

Day 4: Recognizing God's Visitation

The concept of the "day of visitation" calls us to be vigilant and aware of God's presence in our lives. It is a reminder that God visits us in unexpected ways, and we must be prepared to receive Him with open hearts. This visitation is not always dramatic but often comes in the quiet moments of our daily lives.
We are encouraged to cultivate a spirit of awareness, to be open to the ways God speaks to us. By doing so, we can recognize His presence and respond to His call, experiencing the peace and joy that come from walking closely with Him. [22:59]

1 Peter 2:12 (ESV): "Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."

Reflection: Think of a recent unexpected moment where you felt God's presence. How can you remain open to His visitation in your daily routine?

Day 5: Cherishing the Word of God

Just as the people hung on Jesus' words in the temple, we are called to cherish and hold fast to the Word of God. It is through His Word that we find life, guidance, and the strength to navigate our spiritual journeys. The Word of God is not just a text but a living message that speaks to our hearts and transforms our lives.
As we engage with Scripture, we are invited to listen attentively, to meditate on its truths, and to apply its teachings to our lives. By doing so, we can experience the transformative power of God's Word, finding direction and encouragement for our journey. [29:12]

Psalm 119:105 (ESV): "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Reflection: Choose a Bible verse that speaks to you today. How can you meditate on it and apply its truth to your life this week?

Sermon Summary

As we delve into the Gospel According to Saint Luke, chapter 19, we find ourselves at a poignant moment in Jesus' journey. As He approaches Jerusalem, the city of peace, He is overcome with sorrow and weeps over it. Despite the cheers of "Hosanna" from the crowd, Jesus foresees the impending destruction of the city, a consequence of its failure to recognize the time of its visitation. This lamentation is not just about the physical destruction that would come at the hands of the Romans in 70 A.D., but a deeper spiritual blindness that prevented the people from recognizing the Prince of Peace in their midst.

Jesus' tears over Jerusalem echo the lament of the prophets, like Jeremiah, who warned of the consequences of turning away from God. The city, once a beacon of holiness, had become secularized, missing the peace that Jesus offered. This peace was not merely the absence of conflict but a profound spiritual reconciliation with God. Jesus' entry into the temple, where He drove out the merchants, underscores His zeal for a place of true worship, a House of Prayer, not a den of robbers.

The narrative challenges us to reflect on our own recognition of God's visitation in our lives. Are we aware of His presence, or do we, like Jerusalem, miss the signs of His peace? The call is to transform our places of worship into sacred spaces where we hang on every word of God, recognizing the holiness of His presence among us.

Key Takeaways

1. The Weeping Savior: Jesus' tears over Jerusalem reveal His deep compassion and sorrow for a city that failed to recognize its moment of divine visitation. This moment challenges us to consider how often we overlook God's presence in our lives, missing the peace He offers. [06:23]
2. The Consequence of Spiritual Blindness: The destruction of Jerusalem serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of spiritual blindness. When we fail to recognize God's presence and His call to peace, we risk losing the very foundation of our spiritual lives. [09:55]
3. The Sacredness of Worship: Jesus' cleansing of the temple highlights the importance of maintaining the sanctity of our places of worship. Our churches should be spaces where the sacred is honored, and God's presence is revered, not secularized or profaned. [25:19]
4. Recognizing the Day of Visitation: The concept of the "day of visitation" calls us to be vigilant and aware of God's presence in our lives. It is a reminder that God visits us in unexpected ways, and we must be prepared to receive Him with open hearts. [22:59]
5. Hanging on Every Word: Just as the people hung on Jesus' words in the temple, we are called to cherish and hold fast to the Word of God. It is through His Word that we find life, guidance, and the strength to navigate our spiritual journeys. [29:12]
** [29:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:08] - Reading from Luke 19
[00:24] - Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem
[01:15] - Cleansing the Temple
[02:06] - Prayer for Understanding
[03:02] - Jesus' Triumphal Entry
[04:17] - The Things That Make for Peace
[05:26] - Lamentation Over Jerusalem
[06:40] - The City of Peace
[07:50] - Impending Judgment
[09:02] - The Temple of the Lord
[10:49] - The Roman Siege
[12:05] - The Mount of Olives
[13:18] - Jesus in the Temple as a Boy
[16:40] - The Time of Visitation
[23:33] - Jesus Cleanses the Temple Again
[26:00] - The Sacredness of Worship
[29:12] - Hanging on Every Word

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What was Jesus' emotional response as He approached Jerusalem, and what did He foresee for the city? [00:24]
How did Jesus describe the temple, and what actions did He take upon entering it? [01:15]
What was the reaction of the chief priests and scribes to Jesus' teachings in the temple? [01:36]

Interpretation Questions

What does Jesus' lament over Jerusalem reveal about His understanding of peace and the city's spiritual state? [06:23]
How does the destruction of Jerusalem serve as a warning about spiritual blindness and the consequences of not recognizing God's presence? [09:55]
In what ways does Jesus' cleansing of the temple highlight the importance of maintaining the sanctity of worship spaces? [25:19]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you might have overlooked God's presence in your life. How can you become more aware of His visitation in your daily routine? [06:23]
What are some signs of spiritual blindness in today's world, and how can you guard against them in your own life? [09:55]
Consider the current state of your place of worship. How can you contribute to maintaining its sacredness and ensuring it remains a house of prayer? [25:19]
Jesus wept over Jerusalem's failure to recognize its moment of divine visitation. How can you ensure you don't miss God's presence and peace in your life? [16:58]
How can you "hang on every word" of God in your personal study and communal worship? What practical steps can you take to deepen your engagement with Scripture? [29:12]
Jesus' actions in the temple were driven by a zeal for true worship. How can you cultivate a similar passion for authentic worship in your life? [23:33]
Reflect on the concept of the "day of visitation." How can you prepare your heart to receive God in unexpected ways? [22:59]

Sermon Clips

and when he draw near and saw the city he wept over it saying what did you even you had known on this day the things that make for peace but now they are hidden from your eyes and 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 [00:00:19]

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 and he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold saying to them it is written my house shall be a House of Prayer but you have made it den of robbers [00:00:52]

and he was teaching daily in the temple the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him but they did not find anything that they could do for all the people were hanging on his words again we are blessed to receive this word superintendent by God the Holy Spirit and inspired also by him [00:01:27]

this is the unvarnished word of God and I pray that you will receive it as such and that the Lord will give you ears to hear his word please be seated let us pray our father and our God again we beseech you to have mercy upon us to draw near unto us that we may give heed to the truth of your word [00:02:03]

and that you who inspired this original text might work through it to open our hearts to its truth where we ask it in Jesus name amen in our last time together we looked at the account of Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem and this text then picks up in the following verse after Jesus had responded to the rebuke of the Pharisees [00:02:30]

when he said the that if his disciples would be silenced the very Stones would cry out and now our Lord as we read Drew near and saw the city he was approaching this circuitous route from Bethany across the valley of kidran and coming in at an angle to Jerusalem with its walls 150 feet high the city that has been this Central Sanctuary for centuries [00:03:02]

since David had moved his headquarters to that town Jerusalem the city of peace and now when Jesus looked at Jerusalem the cheers of all of the people had been ringing in his ears everybody was screaming Hosanna Hosanna blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord but Jesus was weeping he looked at this city and thus he cried [00:03:36]

he said would that you even you had known on this day the things that make for peace and now they are hidden from your eyes and 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 and they will tear you down to the ground you and your children with you [00:04:17]

they won't leave a single Stone left upon another comma and then he gives the reason why not a stone would be left on the city of Jerusalem in the temple because he said you did not know the time of your visitation now we need to listen carefully to this wrenching lamentation that Jesus gave over the city [00:04:54]

just earlier when he approached Jerusalem on another occasion as Luke recorded he cried as well and he said Jerusalem Jerusalem you who kill the prophets and stone those who have sent to you would that I could have gathered you to myself as a hen gathers her chicks but you would not we read in John's gospel that when Christ came into this world of Darkness [00:05:30]

he came to his own but his own received him not and so on this occasion when he enters the city with tears rolling down his cheeks he said this is supposed to be the holy city the city set on a hill the city of peace Jerusalem Jesus had spoken of the Peace that would be his final Legacy when in a few days he would gather with his disciples [00:06:08]

in the upper room and say peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you let not your heart be troubled but by now Jerusalem had become a secular City and they missed the Prince of Peace who was riding on a donkey coming to his own people they had no idea what that peace would all be about and he warned them once again as he had before [00:06:48]

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