Calvin Synod Herald, 2013 (114. évfolyam, 3-12. szám)

2013-03-01 / 3-4. szám

changed them.

There were also sinister faces there. Faces with squinty eyes, waiting for Him to say one wrong word to make one mistake.

The Sadducees and Pharisees were there. They were supposed to be keepers of the law, the spiritual leaders. But Jesus had gained so much popularity that they felt threatened. So, full of jealousy, they watched Him.

The Romans were there, fearing revolt and watching for any sign of rebellion against Rome. They were ready and waiting to crush any uprising.

Jesus realized, as He listened to their "Hosannas," that soon the sinister voices would drown out the voices of love that those crying for Him to be King would soon be crying, "Crucify Him!" or simply standing aside, saying nothing at all.

Now Jesus is descending along the road from the Mt. of Olives, across the brook, toward the gate, the crowds thronging around Him.

I wonder how the apostles were reacting to all this? I have always thought that Judas was probably ecstatic basking in the reflected glory because Judas may have wanted an earthly Kingdom more than any of the others.

I imagine that Peter walked with chest expanded enjoying the throngs and the cheers of the crowd maybe with one hand on his sword just in case something went wrong thinking to himself, "Maybe it was worth it to leave the fishnets and boats. Maybe at last we are going to get what we deserve."

Possibly there was Thomas, a bit skeptical about everything that was going on wondering what is going to happen next.

They were all there in Jerusalem loving faces, sinister faces anxious apostles. Crowds trampling almost one upon another when suddenly the whole procession stopped.

Do you suppose it could have been a little like rush hour traffic on the big city expressway? One car stops, then all the other cars stop, like a chain reaction. I can just hear the people way back in the crowd that day saying, "What’s the holdup? What is going on? Why don’t you guys move on?"

But the people who were closest to Jesus could see and they realized that it was He who had stopped the parade. Then they saw His body begin to shake. Maybe at first they thought He was laughing. Laughter would seem to be natural for everybody else was laughing, and joy prevailed.

But then they saw His face, and they saw no evidence of laughter. Rather, they saw sorrow and tears. He was not laughing. He was crying. B. The Scripture tells us that Jesus reacted emotionally many times from different scenes that He saw. When He saw the poor. When He saw the hungry. When He saw people sinning. When He saw the ill. The Scriptures say repeatedly that "...He had compassion on them."

But it only tells us of two times that Jesus cried. One time He cried at the grave of Lazarus. You remember, Mary and Martha were both weeping, and it says that Jesus wept with them. He wept for them. He entered into their grief with compassion and He identified with their sorrow & despair.

WHY WAS JESUS CRYING?

Now this was the second occasion. He looked at the city of Jerusalem. He saw the mixture of faces and the masses of humanity crowding there and He realized the emptiness of their lives.

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD_____________________________

They had not heard the message of peace. They did not understand the purpose of His coming.

Listen to Luke 19:41 44. "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.

‘The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.

‘They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you. (Luke 19:41-44)

They had eyes, but they didn’t see. They had ears, but they didn’t hear. They missed the whole point of the message that God had given to them.

Today, just like the city of Jerusalem, we find ourselves in the presence of Jesus. I wonder what He finds when He looks into

our faces?

Does He see people concerned about so many things worried about income taxes, worried about job security, worried about their health, or lack of it? Does He see people who are so busy doing things here and there so busy that they never bother to consider those things that are eternally important?

Does he see people who recognize Him for who He is - The Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God?

When He turns and looks into our lives, I wonder, will He weep once again because of what He sees? Or will we have the joy that passes all understanding as we respond to His outstretched arms and hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord"?

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