Scripture Reading: Luke 13.31-35

Good Morning.

The climax is building. . . in today's short passage we see that Jesus is in danger--"Herod wants to kill you," the Pharisees warn Him--a danger indeed, as he had killed Jesus' cousin, John-the-Baptist. This is significant because it indicates that the government officials wanted to rid themselves of the threat that Jesus represented. Jesus does not change His course though. He will continue doing what He was called to do on the road that leads to Jerusalem, 'today, tomorrow and on the third day', an expression meaning a short, indefinite period of time followed by an imminent and certain event--His death and resurrection. And then as He considers Jerusalem, city of God, Jesus weeps for her. He cries. Now let me ask you something. . . what would you do if you were with Jesus, and He started weeping? I can only imagine.

Here's a simple illustration from about a week ago: I was in the midst of doing a mighty tough balancing act, under a good deal of pressure, and it was taking its toll on my nerves; my stomach was tied in knots. After a long car ride with my boys bickering in the backseat. . . I didn't realize I was ready to blow until....I got pulled over for a well-deserved traffic ticket. I probably shouldn't tell you what I did, but man, the cop was really ticked at me! He shined his flashlight in my eyes, motioned me to the side of the road, and asked for my license and registration. Then, he NOTICED. . . (remember NOTICE from two days' ago morning briefing?). . . okay, so I don't usually think of cops as taking notice and then dispensing mercy, but this man did. I wasn't even crying (yet), but he looked long at me and said, 'there's a side street right there--you need to pull over and collect yourself before you take off again.' And then, wonder of wonder, miracle of miracles, he handed back my license, and said 'good bye'. Then. . . then. . . as I pulled away, I started crying... hard. Poor Dylan in the backseat said, 'mom, its okay, he didn't give you a ticket. . .' and I sobbed louder, 'mom, I'm really sorry Danny and I were fighting. . . mom. . . mom?' Here's the point--Dylan instantly became concerned about my crying; because he loves me, he was pained to see me so clearly upset. What would you do if you were with Jesus, and He started crying?

Now put yourself in the group of people walking alongside Jesus, when He starts to talk about Jerusalem, and then just weeps for her-- you would think, 'Lord, what is it? What troubles You so?' You would observe His every movement in an effort to understand what was hurting Him. Wouldn't you? Jesus wept over Jerusalem for all that she represented--like a mother whose child goes astray, flaunting her freedom, rejecting everything she was brought up to believe. "It is a helpless, crushing pain of futility, and it staggers me to realize that the Son of God himself emitted a cry of helplessness in the face of human freedom. Not even God, with all His power, can force a human being to love."* This is one of three times the gospels record that Jesus cried--each while in great emotional pain. Another time was when He had learned His dear friend Lazarus had died and He witnessed the sorrow of Mary and Martha. The third time was when His Father turned His back on Him, as He bore our sin in the agony of the cross--with gutteral sobs, He cried, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'

"A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief," Isaiah describes our Lord. (53.3) Surely Jesus understands anything we will ever face, as He experienced all of it. . . willingly, by choice. Defies logic, doesn't it?

So what are we to take from these concluding verses of Luke 13? Just as my son's heart broke to see his mother crying and so upset, I believe we should look carefully at what breaks the heart of God. . . like the people of Jerusalem that were lost--does your heart break over people who will go into eternity, forever separated from God? Indeed, we should NOTICE what Jesus would see as we go along our way. If it doesn't touch our hearts, perhaps we should realize our hearts are hard, and do something about that, huh? And then, perhaps we could endeavor to be a light in our little part of the world. . . we could choose to brighten the corner where we live, as they say. Caring, praying for, loving well, inviting, giving, sharing ~ just a few ways we could get started~~

Go ahead. . . I dare you. . . change your world today~

Christine

*Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew