Broken-hearted

Broken-hearted

(Luke 19:28-44)

Yearly Theme:  “Kindness is… Action”

Series Title:  “Suffering Servant”

April 2^nd, 2023

Something to think about:

Today is “Palm Sunday.”  It’s the day leading into holy week when Jesus made His triumphal entry, and was hailed as King by the throngs of people that lined the roads leading into Jerusalem.  It is a day of celebration, as Jesus is recognized by the crowd as the One King who has come in the name of the LORD.  He is hailed as Hosanna, the One who saves, and the son of King David, the long-awaited Messiah.

The celebration of Jesus’ entry would be short-lived, for later in the week, He would be arrested, beaten, and condemned to death by crucifixion.  However, for our purposes today we will only be looking at His triumphal entry. 

Though all of the Gospels record Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we will be exploring Luke’s account.  Let’s take a look: 

Luke 19:28-44 (NLT),

²⁸ After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. ²⁹ As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. ³⁰ “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ”

³² So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. ³³ And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”

³⁴ And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” ³⁵ So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.

³⁶ As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. ³⁷ When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

³⁸ “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

³⁹ But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

⁴⁰ He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

⁴¹ But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. ⁴² “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. ⁴³ Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. ⁴⁴ 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.”

Though the setting is celebratory, Jesus’ countenance is somber and contemplative.  He knows what this final journey is leading to, and he knows that the people don’t really understand who He is and why He has come.  With a steely determination, and a broken heart, Jesus 

Here’s the takeaway:

Key Point:  “Spiritual blindness leads to broken-heartedness.”

There are three main points that we need to explore today:

• Embraced as  … Sort of.

Luke 19:36-38 (NLT),  ³⁶ As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. ³⁷ When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

³⁸ “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

• A final  .

Luke 19:39-40 (NLT),  ³⁹ But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

⁴⁰ He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

•  to GOD’s  .

Luke 19:41-42 (NLT),  ⁴¹ But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. ⁴² “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.

Something to take home:

Author and missionary, Lou Nicholes, writes,

“A while ago my wife and I were eating lunch at a Christian camp and conference center.  We sat down at a table with two couples we had never met before.  During our conversation, I learned that they were staying in their motor homes in the RV Park and had sort of landed there by accident, not realizing it was a Christian camp.  One of the ladies then asked me what was meant by the term ‘being born again.’  When I asked each of them if they had ever trusted Christ (John 1:12), one lady said she was fortunate to have been a Christian all her life, as she grew up in a good home.  When I shared how we are saved by God’s grace and there is nothing we can do (Eph. 2:8-9) the lady seemed to be blind to this truth.”

There are many people who believe in GOD, but who have neglected to surrender their lives to Christ.  They either don’t know or have forgotten what Jesus said to Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, UNLESS YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”    They either don’t know or have forgotten what Jesus said to His disciples when He declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  NO ONE CAN COME TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME.”[1]  They either don’t know, or have forgotten the words of Jesus to the crowds, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”[2]  They either don’t know or have forgotten that Jesus said, “I am the gate [to the Kingdom of GOD].   Those who come in THROUGH ME will be saved.”[3]

Have we embraced Jesus as King in our churches today?  Are we listening to His appeals?  Are we blinded to GOD’s presence in our midst?  Is Jesus weeping over our cities and towns knowing that peace has been hidden from our eyes?

We must cry out to GOD and seek the face of Christ while there’s still time.  Maybe, just maybe, GOD will have mercy on us.

Key Point:  “Spiritual blindness leads to broken-heartedness.”

[1] John 14:6, NLT.

[2] Luke 9:23, NLT.

[3] John 10:9a, NLT.