LORD FORGIVE ME IF I MAKE YOU WEEP
John 11:33-35, Heb .5:5-7, and Luke 19:28-44
(Illustration) A little boy was standing outside a busy mall, crying. People would stop by and ask him what was wrong. He would say " I want my mommy" People felt sorry for him, and gave him dimes to stop him from crying. Finally, a salesperson walked up to him and said " don't cry little boy , I know where your mommy is " . The little boy looked up to him with tears in his eyes, and said " SO DO I, JUST KEEP QUIET, I'VE GOT A GOOD THING GOING HERE.3
Remember when you were a child, and you would cry when you didn't get your way? Or when you were punished, you would cry.
Then when you got older, people would tell you that big boys don't cry.
It is okay to cry. It is okay to weep.
Three times in the Bible, Jesus wept.w
1. The first time, it was tears of SYMPATHY
John 11:33-35 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved[a] in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept.
Jesus' friend Lazerus had just died, Martha and Mary needed someone to share their pain. They had lost a brother, and their hearts were broken. Even though Jesus knew that Lazerus would be resurrected, He wept with those who wept.
2. The secon time Jesus wept, were tears of struggle.
Heb. :5-7 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
6 as he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus[a] offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence
The weight of our sins, had separated Jesus from the Father. This is why Jesus asked the Father, 3 times, If it be possible , let this cup pass. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done.
3. The third time Jesus wept, were tears of sorrow.
Luke 19:41-44 Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
This word for weeping here, means audible weeping. It means that Jesus cried out loud.
It means that Jesus broke out weeping over Jerusalem. He knew that they were going to be captives.
Here is Jesus, a full grown man, God in the flesh, weeping out loud.We are used to seeing a child weep, but here we see Jesus weeping.
He wept, because He knew that He o.
JESUS WAS WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM
My question today is , If Jesus was still on this earth, would He weep over America?
1st Samuel 2;30 Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
Jesus cared about Jerusalem, He cares about America.
Jesus was crying over Jerusalem's hardness of their heart.
Matthew 23:37-40
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”
Some of these same ones, had seen Jesus do all the miracles, yet would soon be yeliing , crucify Him.
Don't we sometimes do the same today. Aren't we quick to forget all that Jesus has done for us? All the times He heals us, delivers us for trouble, blesses us?
Jesus was saying to those people, and is saying to us, " I gave you miracles, signs, and wonders. I met your needs, Healed your bodies, fed you, and clothed you, but you have rejected me.
The same is happening today in our America. How does Jesus feel about all the venom that is spewed , and directed toward Him today? All the hardness of peoples hearts. There is a worldwide rebellion and blasphemy toward Him today. People are saying " we will not be put under God's rule.
Sometimes I ask myself, how long will God put up with this attitude?o
Maybe Jesus was weeping because He could forsee America mocking Him, and rejecting Him.
Think about all the times that the gospel has been preached accross America, and yet some continue to reject Him.
God said in Gal. 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
I believe that there will come a day in America, when God will bring judgement , and people will cry out to Him, and He will say as He did in Jer. 11:10-12
10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant that I made with their fathers. 11 Therefore, thus says the Lord, Behold, I am bringing disaster upon them that they cannot escape. Though they cry to me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they cannot save them in the time of their trouble
We live in world who will tolerate nearly all religions , accept Christianity.
A world where lies will be tolerated, but not the truth.
We have kicked God out of our schools,
God has blessed America, but we have turned our backs on Jesus.
Hard to find a nativty scene at Christmas. We aren't supposed to say Merry Christmas anymore. It is now Happy holidays.
We sing God bless America, well, He already has.
In closing, we can also ask ourselves this one queston
WOULD JESUS WEEP OVER ME, IF HE WERE STILL WALKING ON EARTH TODAY?
Would He weep over my ingratitude? Would He weep over my unbelief? Would He weep over my uncaring?
Would He weep over my selfishness? Would HE weep over my laziness?
Would Jesus when I am ungrateful?
An ungreatful man, is like a hog walking alone under an oak tree eating acorns, never once looking up to see where the acorns were coming from.
Lord please forgive me when I whine, when I complaing, when I am unthankful, when I don't trust you.
I don't wont to make Jesus weep. Do You?
