He Came & You Missed Him with Guest Eric Jjombwe | Coastal Church

Mar 29, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: The Power of Jesus’s Name Over Every Circumstance

The name of Jesus is not merely a title; it is a declaration of supreme authority. Whatever challenge, fear, or doubt you face, it must bow to the power found in His name. This is not a distant theological concept but a present reality for those who believe. When His name is spoken in faith, everything that is not of Him must flee. We can have confidence that His presence changes everything. [14:56]

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)

Reflection: What is one specific fear or anxious thought you have been carrying that you need to speak the name of Jesus over today? What might it look like to actively trust in His authority in that area throughout your day?

Day 2: Recognizing the Moment of God’s Visitation

God orchestrates specific moments of divine appointment, often long promised and perfectly timed. These are not random occurrences but purposeful visitations designed for our redemption and peace. The tragedy is not that God fails to show up, but that we can be so preoccupied that we miss Him when He does. He comes into our situations with a purpose far greater than we often perceive. [20:02]

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, 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.”
Luke 19:41-42 (NIV)

Reflection: When have you recognized a past moment where God was clearly at work in your life? How can you cultivate a greater awareness and sensitivity to recognize His present activity and not let it remain hidden from your eyes?

Day 3: The Call to Surrender Beyond Praise

It is possible to offer enthusiastic praise while our hearts remain far from true surrender. God is not merely interested in our songs; He desires our full submission. He visits not to be a temporary guest but to become the permanent Lord of our lives. This requires a relinquishing of control that goes much deeper than a moment of emotional worship. [40:32]

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Luke 6:46 (NIV)

Reflection: In what area of your life are you most tempted to offer God praise while simultaneously withholding your full obedience and surrender? What is one practical step you can take this week to align that area more fully with His lordship?

Day 4: Embracing the Peace That Christ Offers

We often cry out for peace, comfort, and hope while clinging to the very things that rob us of them. Christ Himself is our peace, and rejecting His way means rejecting the very solution we desperately need. He comes to us offering a reconciliation and wholeness that the world cannot provide, if only we will receive it. [33:50]

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.
Ephesians 2:14 (NIV)

Reflection: What is one thing you are holding onto—a worry, a habit, a relationship—that is actively preventing you from fully receiving the peace that Christ is offering you right now? What would it look like to release it to Him?

Day 5: Preparing for Visitation Through Repentance and Prayer

We prepare our hearts for God’s visitation through a lifestyle of repentance and persistent prayer. These are not one-time actions but ongoing postures that keep our hearts soft and attentive to God. Prayer aligns our perspective with His, allowing us to see our need for Him clearly and recognize His movement when He draws near. [45:39]

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)

Reflection: As you reflect on your current rhythm of life, what is one specific adjustment you could make to create more space for prayerful repentance, ensuring your heart is ready and responsive when God visits?

Sermon Summary

Jesus arrives in Jerusalem amid triumphant shouts and palm branches, yet the arrival unmasks spiritual blindness: the crowd praises without surrender, and the One who comes to bring peace weeps over a people who fail to recognize their visitation. Prophecy and providence converge as Daniel’s seventy weeks align with the timing of the Messiah’s entrance, underscoring God’s faithfulness to fulfill promises across centuries. The weeping at the gate highlights a stark contrast between outward worship and inward repentance, revealing that acclaim without obedience invites judgment and missed redemption.

The narrative portrays visitations as different from personal encounters: an encounter responds to a seeker; a visitation interrupts and seeks residence, demanding full relinquishment of control. Jesus intends to reconcile, to be the true peace that removes separation between God and humanity, yet people often cling to idols and comforts that thwart that reconciliation. Historical fulfillment—Jerusalem’s eventual destruction in AD 70 and the literal overturning of the temple stones—serves as a prophetic warning about the consequences of rejecting a divinely timed offer of salvation.

Three practical responses prepare a heart for visitation. Repentance must become a daily posture, not a single event, restoring first love and aligning life with God’s will. Releasing idols removes competing loyalties that nullify surrender. Returning to prayer softens the heart, clarifies imminent danger, and reorients desire toward the Prince of Peace. Obedience, offered before full understanding, can avert destruction; God’s long-suffering eventually gives way to righteous consequence when mercy goes unheeded.

The invitation culminates in a call to surrender beyond praise: to accept Jesus as Lord, to trade applause for allegiance. The promise remains that those who open their hands will find peace, healing, and freedom. The day of visitation still demands a response—repentance, renunciation of idols, and a renewed life of prayer—so that the moment of divine arrival becomes a moment of salvation rather than a missed opportunity.

Key Takeaways

1. Surrender matters more than praise Outward worship without inward surrender leaves the heart unchanged. True reception of God’s presence requires relinquishing control, not merely raising voices. When praise becomes performance, the door stays shut to the Lord’s transformative work. Surrender invites God to stay and reorder life around his purposes. [29:24]
2. Recognize God’s appointed visitations A visitation interrupts on God’s terms and seeks to take residence, not merely to provide a fleeting encounter. Being present when God shows up means preparing to yield, not just to celebrate. Missing a visitation can bring lasting loss that praise alone cannot avert. Cultivate awareness that God moves in time and purpose beyond personal schedules. [39:24]
3. Repentance as ongoing lifestyle Repentance does not end at an initial decision; it must shape daily choices and restore first love. Habitual turning from sin keeps the heart sensitive to God’s voice and prevents hardening that leads to judgment. Repentance reorients desire toward God and away from those patterns that invite destruction. Let repentance be the pathway back to genuine union with Christ. [45:39]
4. Prayer bridges brokenness and righteousness Prayer softens stubborn hearts and exposes looming consequences before they arrive. Regular prayer clarifies need, aligns the will, and prepares the soul to accept God’s rescue. It functions as both a conduit for grace and a discipline that cultivates readiness for divine intervention. Return to prayer to see and respond to God’s visitation with wisdom. [47:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[14:56] - Declarations: Speaking Jesus
[16:59] - Opening and Introduction
[18:22] - Reading Luke 19
[20:02] - He Came and You Missed Him (Title)
[22:35] - Daniel’s Prophecy Fulfilled
[25:54] - Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem
[31:42] - Praise Versus Compassion
[37:13] - Obedience Overturns Destruction
[45:39] - Prepare: Repent, Release, Pray
[50:38] - Invitation and Altar Call
[52:39] - Closing Prayer and Surrender

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Luke 19:41-44 (NLT)
But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

Observation questions

What was the crowd doing as Jesus entered Jerusalem, and how did He respond?
According to the passage, what did Jesus say was "hidden from their eyes," and what was the consequence?
What specific historical event did Jesus prophesy regarding the temple stones? [35:54]
How does the sermon describe the difference between an "encounter" with God and a "visitation" from God? [39:24]

Interpretation questions

Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem even as the crowd praised Him? What does this reveal about His heart toward people who worship outwardly but lack inward surrender?
The sermon mentions that "obedience has the power to overturn destruction" [37:13]. How might obedience have changed Jerusalem’s fate, and what does this imply about God’s intentions when He calls us to obey?
How does the concept of "visitation" challenge a believer’s understanding of God’s timing and purpose compared to a personal "encounter"?
Jesus said Jerusalem “did not recognize the time of God’s coming.” What spiritual conditions might cause someone to miss God’s purposeful intervention in their life?

Application questions

Surrender matters more than praise #!!29:24!!. In what areas of your life are you still holding back from full surrender, even while praising God?
Repentance is meant to be a daily lifestyle, not a one-time event #!!45:39!!. What would it look like for you to practice repentance intentionally this week?
Are there any "idols" in your life—comforts, habits, or loyalties—that prevent you from fully embracing Jesus as Lord? What would it look like to release them? [47:25]
How can you cultivate a heart of prayer to stay sensitive to God’s voice and recognize His movement in your life? [47:51]
Have there been moments when you felt God was "interrupting" your life with a divine visitation? How did you respond?
Jesus wept over Jerusalem’s blindness. Is there someone in your life who doesn’t recognize their need for God? How can you compassionately intercede for them?
What is one practical step you can take this week to ensure you don’t “miss” what God is doing in your life, your family, or your community?

Sermon Clips

38s

#PrayerBridgesHearts

“Jesus is saying that prayer is the bridge between your brokenness and righteousness. Prayer is how you prepare your heart to receive him when he walks in. Prayer will soften your heart. It will cause you to reconsider things. Actually, prayer will help you to see the impending destruction even more clearer so that you know your need for the savior when he shows up. Prayer is necessary for the life of a believer.”

32s

#ObedienceOverturnsDestruction

“But let me tell you this, obedience has the power to overturn destruction. Obedience to God has the power to overturn destruction. And many times when God calls us to obey in a specific way, he is seeing something that we don't see. And sometimes the hard part is trusting him even when you do not see the full picture and actually leaning into whatever he's asking you to do so that you can actually reap whatever he he he has planned for you.”

36s

#RepentanceIsALifestyle

“Repentance is not the thing that you did the very first time you say to Jesus, I surrender my life to you. Yes, that was one part of repentance but repentance is also a lifestyle because as a believer I acknowledge that even though I want and long to follow Jesus as closely as I want to follow him, every single day I fall and I get back up. I fall and I get back up. I mess up and I go back to him. Why? Because he invites us to repent.”

33s

#JesusComesToTakeOver

“And so when Jesus visits, actually comes to take residence. But not only just a, you know, a tenant or somebody, your roomie. No. He comes in to be the landlord. You know? And so when he walks into Jerusalem, he's like, Jerusalem, I'm here to take over. And they're like, hey, no. No. No. No. No. No. No. Like the vibe. We like, you know, this whole what's going on right now but that taking over thing, I think crucify him.”

42s

#ReleaseIdolsEmbraceJesus

“Repentance is a lifestyle. And so when things don't work out the way that you thought they were gonna work out, maybe you have thoughts that you didn't wanna have, you you end up doing something that you didn't wanna do, repent. Repent. This is the first step, you know. And then the second thing, release your idols. Release your idols. You can't hold on to him while you're still holding on to everything else. There is there's there has to be a release in order then to actually embrace him.”

32s

#PraiseVsSurrender

“So that made me think, so is it possible for us to be praising God but our hearts being far from him? Is it possible for us to act like we are fully in on him and yet two days or three days or a couple of days down the road we're going to say, no, we choose Barabbas. You can crucify that guy. This is what happened. One moment they were saying hosanna, the next moment they were like, who the heck is he? They're like, get rid of him. We don't want him.”

36s

#EncounterVsVisitation

“In Christian circles, we talk about encounters. Right? If you've been around the church quite a lot, you will hear this term thrown around all the time. Oh, I had an encounter with God and it changed my life. And those are good. Those are great. But what about visitations? What about when God walks into the room on his own accord? Remember, this day, April was God's day.”

40s

#ReadyToSurrenderFully

“They can let him like enjoy the praise but they're not willing to relinquish control. They're not willing to give him total surrender. So there's a difference between encounter and visitation. And when Jesus visits, he's here to surrender. So let me ask you this question, what would it take for you to be ready when he walks into the room? What will it take for you to surrender completely, totally? What what what is it gonna take?”

Ask a question about this sermon

Coastal Church This sermon · AI assistant

How do visitations differ from encounters spiritually

Why did Jesus weep amid Palm Sunday praise

What does surrender require when God visits