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What makes you cry?

• Some cry easily: tv commercials,  hallmark movies, kids saying ILY… etc.  Those videos of military members returning from deployment get me every time!
• Others cry rarely: tough and hide tears – “never let them see emotion” “real men don’t cry”

But the Bible describes many heroes of faith have their tears recorded.

• Joseph seeing brothers after many years of separation (Ge 43:30)
• Ruth at loss of husband (1:9)
• Hannah at infertility (1Sa 1:7, 10)
• Jonathan grieving his father’s violent behavior (1Sa 20:41)
• David many times – “God, you have kept count of my tossings and put my tears in a bottle” (Ps 56:8) and Ps 34:15 “The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry”
• Elisha at evil nation (2 Ki 8:11-12)
• Nehemiah for national tragedy (1:4)
• Esther to spare Israelites (8:4)
• Hezekiah’s sick diagnosis (2 Ki 20:5)
• Isaiah exhorted people to weep for God’s judgment was near (13:6)
• Jeremiah wrote a book called Lamentations, and wept bitterly at his nation’s downfall (Je 13:7)
• Ezekiel was charged to put a mark on foreheads of men who sigh & cry over all the abominations done in Jerusalem; but those w/o the mark were sentenced to death (Ez 9:4-5).
• Peter wept bitterly after denying Jesus (Mt 26:75)
• Paul wept for dear friends (Ac 20:19; 2Ti 1:4), and other times for his friend’s salvation (Ro 10:1).
• John wept at a glorious throne-room vision of Jesus with a diverse population singing about God’s redemption (Rev 5:5)
• Jesus wept at death’s haunting of earthly relationships (Jn 11:35)
• Jesus promises to wipe away all our tears and make all the bad and sad be redeemed (Re 21:4)

Overall, crying can be sacred and can save your life.

Crying can be sacred. Crying can save your life.

Today’s passage reflects upon Jesus’ tears and prayers for a nation, and how that applies to us today.

EXAMINE    Love leading to sacrifice  
Matthew 23:37-39 ³⁷ 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.’

Context: Jesus is nearing the end of His life. He has entered Jerusalem on a donkey where crowds shouted “Hosanna!” Jesus cleanses the temple and then gets in an extended debate with the Pharisees. In this chapter, Jesus pronounces 7 “woes” – warnings against wrongdoing, laments of evil, and rebuke for repentance.^[1] Jesus’ critique of the Pharisees was for their hypocrisy, pride, and spiritual stubbornness.[2] In some sense, Jesus is not just critiquing the Pharisees but the nation.

But, in Jesus’ critique of a nation we observe several characteristics.

Personalize your conflicts.

The English text reads “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem. While the repetition of naming the city exists in the original text, the “O” is absent. Yet, the translators add it because the original language lacked punctuation, like exclamation points! So, the translators want us to notice the repetition of names and the context is communicating an impassioned and personalized toned.

An example of this is David in 2Sam 18:33 saying, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son, O Absalom, my son, my son.” Absalom is one of David’s sons, but he deceives and betrays his father with vile actions. Yet, when Absalom dies, David is greatly grieved because he lost his son twice: once in the betrayal and a second in his murder.

We have multiple records of Jesus communicating in this pattern:

• Lk 10:41 “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many thins, but one thing is necessary”
• Lk 22:31 “Simon, Simon, look out. Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.”

Likewise, Jesus’ prayer for Jerusalem is personal because of its cyclical unfaithfulness. He references the city as if it was an individual to personalize His message and reflect the intimate relationship God has with His people.

> See individuals behind your differences. The way we do this is by calling persons by their name and identifying their relationship to us (family, friend, fellow Christian, neighbor, etc.).  

Caution misconduct.

Jesus explained that the religious leaders and regular citizens of Israel were rebellious. They rejected God’s prophets and stoned God’s messengers. Their deeds were worthy of rebuke and reprimand.

Think back through the OT of Israel’s treatment of prophets:

• Joseph shared his dreams about God elevating him to a high position, and people would revere him. Indeed, this happened, but not without his brothers bullying and leaving him for dead.
• Moses led Israelites from slavery, but not without frequent complaints and attack upon his character.
• David prospered and expanded a nation, but not without plots to undermine his leadership and overthrow his life.
• Elijah was chased into caves by murdering servants of Jezebel.
• Daniel was thrown into a lions den.
• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace.
• Isaiah preached repentance but tradition tells us his body was sawn in two by King Manasseh.
• Jeremiah preached repentance but he was forced to live in a deep and dark cistern and eventually murdered.
• John the Baptizer preached righteousness but was beheaded.
• Peter was crucified upside down.
• Paul was likely beheaded by Nero.
• John was boiled then sentenced to a secluded island prison.
• Jesus, the Savior of the world, suffered scourging, spit on, mocked and mauled with punches, and was nailed to a cross to hang and die.

Jesus would suffer the same fate as prophets before, but He still came. Jesus loved people by offering grace but also telling them truth. Jesus cautioned critics like Nicodemus, warned wrongdoers like the woman at the well, reprimanded rebels like Peter, and admonished adversaries like the religious and political leaders of the day. Yes, Jesus ate with sinners but He didn’t approve of their sin. Instead, Jesus warned people to repent and “sin no more.” He gave people fresh starts and second chances to learn from their past and grow from their failures.

Jesus ate with sinners but He didn’t approve of their sin. Instead, Jesus warned people to repent and “sin no more.” He gave people fresh starts and second chances to learn from their past and grow from their failures.

All of life is a classroom.

• Intersections have traffic lights w/ green to go/yellow warning/red to stop.
• Railroad crossings have flashing lights and gates to close.
• Midwestern towns have sirens for incoming tornados.
• Sports have shot clocks for possessions and two-minute warnings before end of game.
• Even coffee cups have labels to warn us content inside is hot!

God has designed this world with many warnings to alert us to potential dangers. Likewise, God is frequently sending prophets & messengers to prepare the way of the Lord so that our attention is on God and not ourselves.

As God cautions us before judgment, so we should learn grace and exercise patience with others. At the very least, this means increased conversations with those you differ not less.

Compassion for the contrite.

Jesus illustrated His compassion as a hen gathers her brood under her wings. This is an interesting analogy.

• Compared Herod to a fox; being devious (Song Solomon 2:15) and predatory. So, the illustration of Jesus as a hen fits.
• Interestingly, God’s character resembles both masculine traits and feminine qualities. The OT & NT describes God has Fatherly guide and judge, as well as feminine nurturing attributes.
  • God is like a parental eagle to bring its young one under its protective wings (Dt 32:11; Ps 91:4)
• • Like a mother would never forget her nursing child, God will never forget His children (Isa 49:15)
• • God comforts like a mother comforts their child (Isa 66:13)
• • God is like a she-bear who pounces on those attacking her cubs (Hos 13:8)
• • God is a husband who loves with a godly zeal (Isa 54:5; 61:10; 62:5; Hos 2:16, 19; Eph 5:25).
• • God is our Heavenly Father who provides, loves, and even disciplines when necessary (Mt 6:7-11; 6:25-30; Heb 12:7-10).
  • And here – Jesus is compared to a hen gathering chickens under her protective wings but you were not willing! Jesus’ compassion is on full display.

Jer 9:1,ff “If my head were a spring of water, my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night over the slain of my dear people.”

The heart of God is open but broken over the lost. Jesus sees the value of every soul, and wants “no one to perish, but all to come to repentance” (cf 1Ti 2:4; 2Pe 3:9).    

> When you look at the world, do you condemn it or have compassion for it? Do you present yourself as smug and better than others bc of your beliefs – thinking, “I’m right. And I know where I’m going – BUT – you’re wrong, and going to hell!”? If so, this is uncharacteristic of Jesus. As Christians, we are not to love the world’s values (1Jn 2:15), yet as Jesus, we are to love the lost and the world’s people (Jn 3:16). We cannot make an enemy out of the mission field, and must align our heart passions with God’s heart priorities.

We cannot make an enemy out of the mission field, and must align our heart passions with God’s heart priorities.

7 ways to increase your compassion quotient:

1. Pray for God to open your mind and align your heart passions with His heart priorities.
   Php 2:3 (unselfishness).
   Ja 2:17 (faith w/o works is dead).
   The power of the gospel is not just making mean people nice but  transforming the dead into new life. If we significantly struggle with loving others, then we might evaluate if we understand the gospel.
2. Read the Gospels and study Jesus’ life.
3. Study the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).
4. 9 Arts of Conversation [3] study: Noticing. Praying. Listening. Asking questions. Loving. Welcoming Hospitality. Facilitation. Serving. Sharing Jesus.
5. Memorize Scriptures about God’s mercy and forgiveness: Ex: Eph 4:32; Mat 5:7 “blessed are merciful for they shall receive mercy”.
6. Do a word study on “compassion.” [4]
7. Spend time with other Christians. Our church plans outreach events not just to grow our church but to grow your witness. Churches are to equip the saints for the work of ministry to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into a mature person measured by Christ’s fullness (Ep 4).

APPLY / TAKEWAWAY

• Invited to presence. Israel wanted a temple without the holiness and glory of God. The Jews wanted a religion without the Savior. And Christians can go through the motions of church without Christ. But Jesus said your house is desolate without Him. In other words, there is no happiness or joy without Jesus. And there is no heaven without Jesus. Our lives are in overwhelming need and extraordinary demand to know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

• Repent being a rooster – strutting proudly and fighting wildly. Embrace humility and surrender to the provision of Father God. We are baby eagles needing nurtured how to fly. Repent to receive God’s forgiveness. Don’t be the unwilling and hard heart who runs from the open arms of the Savior.

• Weep in prayer and work in planting gospel seeds so that others may rejoice saying, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ Let’s pray for our nation, our church, and our lives to bring glory to God.

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^[1] Daniel M. Doriani, “Matthew,” in Matthew–Luke, ed. Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar, vol. VIII, ESV Expository Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2021), 349.

[2] https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2020/08/03/child-games-jesus-and-faithfulness-matthew-23/

[3] https://growinggodlygenerations.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/9-arts-training-to-make-disciples-at-spbc.pdf

[4] https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/character-of-god-compassion/