Happy Easter And God Bless!
Though I have never been called to be a preacher, I have written a few things that I feel I could polish a little and deliver into a sermon, if I were so chosen.
Today I am having a meh day, and reflecting upon the fact that Jesus' resurection and therefore your salvation as a Christian should be the ultimate day of joy, it did not come without tears. Here is a piece I wrote awhile back entitled, "In Joy And Tears."
IN JOY AND TEARS(Some Thoughts on Our Christian Attitudes)
“ And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto Him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”
- Luke 19:37-42 (KJV)
The Christian life is to be full of overflowing abundant joy.
Someone has said that joy is the flag that flies from the heart when the King is in residence there.
A Christian is to have joy unspeakable as we read in The First Book of Peter:
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”
- 1 Peter 1:7-9 (KJV)
Behind out tears, beneath our struggles, joy abides.
I recently went to a close family friends’ funeral and was asked to read some poetry selections at the service, and being an emotional man, I struggled not to cry, but with The Lord’s help and guidance, I made it through the time with only a few tears.
Brothers and sisters, remember, along with joy, the Christian life is also a life of weeping and mourning.
The Book of Ecclesiastes tells us:
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”
– Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 (KJV)
We also know that Jesus Himself wept three times. The Bible tells us:
He wept a the grave of Lazarus, as we see in The Book of John:
“Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto Him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!”
- John 11:32-36 (KJV)
In Gethsemane before His betrayal as we see in The Book Of Hebrews:
“So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest; but He that said unto Him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As He saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”
- Hebrews 5:5-9 (KJV)
Jesus also shed tears over the future of Jerusalem as we read in The Book of Luke:
“And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”
- Luke 19:41-42 (KJV)
What was it that broke Jesus' heart as he looked over the city?
What was it that moved Him to such compassion that He wept?
He cried over sin.
Three truths caused Jesus to weep over the city of Jerusalem.
Let’s look at each truth and ask ourselves, “does this truth disturb me?”
If I am a true follower of Christ, it seems that what broke His heart ought to break mine.
As we examine these truths, we need to consider if we bear a likeness to Jesus?
We need to ask, “Do we feel as He felt?”
RELIGION WITHOUT REALITY
Jesus wept because of the superficial religion of his people.
On the day of these events the people were rejoicing and casting palm branches before Him.
What a day of joy and pageantry.
But in the midst of it all, Jesus wept.
Jesus saw the superficiality of their religion.
He beheld a crowd that had a religion which was empty of reality.
They had celebration, pomp, and ritual, but not God.
They had form, but not force.
He knew that the crowd which now cried “Hail Him! Hail Him” would in a few day be crying “Nail Him! Nail Him!”
The Pharisees and the Sadducees of Jesus' day, the most religious people there, had never really submitted to Him as we know from The Book of Matthew:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but He that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
– Matthew 7:21-23 (KJV)
They had preaching, praying, power, and performance.
But they did not have Jesus.
When Jesus looked at their religion that was without reality and force broke His heart.
OPPORTUNITY WITHOUT OBSERVANCE
Jesus wept over the passing opportunity of His people as we see again in The Book of Luke:
“And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.”
– Luke 19:41-42 (KJV)
What an opportunity these people had!
The Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory, was coming in, and they were not ready to receive Him.
The most glorious opportunity of the ages was slipping past them.
If Jesus looked at our cities and the lost opportunities we have let pass He would weep over us!
Jesus knew that in a very short time judgment was to come upon the people.
God gives opportunity, but when it is spurned, He gives judgment.
Remember, In the Book of Jeremiah, Jeremiah wept over Jerusalem and Judah because he warned them of judgment and they would not listen.
The Babylonian army came, surrounded the city, and cut off the people from their food.
The Lord’s judgment came.
Opportunity is quickly passing from us.
The world is full of drunkenness, dope, vice, adultery, fornication and perversions of all types.
We are going away from God.
He has given us opportunity, but it is passing by.
Next comes judgment.
If Jesus were to look at us today, our churches keeping house, and the world bent on following sin, He would weep!
The opportunity of youth is passing as we read in The Book of Ecclesiastes:
“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;”
- Ecclesiastes 12:1 (KJV)
It is estimated that only about 8% of those who are saved do so after the age of 20.
Many times we as parents tell those who are trying to teach them the gospel that we do not want our children manipulated, or religion forced on them.
When they turn 17, 18, or 19 and they are living in sin, we want to bring them to the preacher or elders and say, “Can't you do something for him?”
When we do these things we stifle the Word to the point it no longer cuts, penetrates, or affects the way it should according to The Book of Hebrews:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
- Hebrews 4:12 (KJV)
The opportunity of life is passing as The Psalmist told us:
“What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.”
- Psalms 89:48 (KJV)
CALAMITY WITHOUT CONCERN
In The Book of Luke we see the smoldering judgment:
“For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”
- Luke 19:43-44 (KJV)
Judgment was coming, but they did not know it.
They were living in a time of peace and tranquility.
But Jesus looked through the tunnel of time and saw the judgment they could not see.
Jesus sees the judgment of the world.
Remember, after opportunity comes judgment.
Someone has defined the church in the 21st century as a “Dry Eyed Church in a Hell Bent World.”
Do you know what is wrong with the world and the church today?
No tears!
When was the last time we shed tears over a soul mortgaged to the devil?
Many of us have children and or other loved ones outside the church.
When was the last time we actually shed tears on their behalf?
When was the last time we got down on our hands and knees and prayed for their salvation?
If we can't remember the answer to either of these questions, we may have the answer for their lost condition.
Some day it is going to be too late for tears, maybe it already is.
CONCLUSION:
Let's pray that the things that broke Jesus' heart will break ours.
Let's strive to have a religion that is real.
Let's seek to seize the opportunities that come our way.
Let's begin to show real concern for the calamity of the lost.
Comments