Pursuit of the lost

S - Luke 19:38-44 (NASB)

 “BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD;
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

 ³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” ⁴⁰ But Jesus answered, “I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!”

 ⁴¹ When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, ⁴⁴ and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

O -  Jesus' final entry into Jerusalem was greatly different than all the others.   It was a procession not unlike a king returning from a great battle.    In this case however it was only the disciples Christ had gathered along the way that recognized Jesus as King, and victor.   Although he had been teaching in many places for some it was still unknown to them who Jesus was.  The pharisee's showed up to these processions despite there unbelief and even the witness of all the people was not enough to change their point of view.   We see Jesus weeping as He approaches Jerusalem, likely in sadness over the cities unbelief,  and for some their impending judgement.   What is interesting is that His followers thought the kingdom of Heaven was impending on them because the Christ was here, and the religious leaders were completely oblivious to that possibility.

A -  The application for me is recognize that people will be blind to the good news of who Christ is.  I should follow Christ's example and morn for the loss of these people.   But I should also follow Christ example in that after this procession Jesus headed into the temple and began to boldly teach truth with even more determination (or so I assume since he turned over tables of the money changers).     I too am not simply to mourn over the lost but boldly go after them.

P - Dear heavenly Father, thank you for today's lesson, may it be sealed to my heart.  I pray Lord that you would continue to show me your ways and give me your passion for the lost.  I pray all this in Jesus name, Amen.