What Makes Jesus Cry?

Luke 19:41-44

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, ⁴² saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  ⁴³ For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side,  ⁴⁴ and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."

What Makes Jesus Cry?

They missed their “time of visitation” – the moment that makes for “Peace”

Shalom: peace, prosperity, success, health, completeness, contentment, harmony

• Nothing missing, nothing broken

Not only lost Shalom, Lost the Future

Jer 29:11.  For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  NIV

We must cooperate with the Time 

 

2 Types of Time:

Chrónos: The measure of the succession of minutes and event.

Kairós:  Appropriate or opportune time; proper season

Times at which certain foreordained events take place. 

A period influenced by something. A period of opportunity

God designates certain times to accomplish certain things

•  Gal 6:9.  Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

God gives us understanding & discernment of the times:  

Sons of Issachar knew what should be done in certain times

He scolds us when we don’t understand & discern the times:

Matt 16:2-3

He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; ³ and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.

Some things happen in due season 

• ·       Gal 4:4.  When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son,
• ·       Rom 5:6.  In due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Time is pregnant – full, due – with something

Some things happen in new season

When God “sets” the time for something to happen

          Everything is orchestrated for that moment

We must cooperate with that moment

          We must seize the moment – we cannot delay

Esther 4:14.  For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish.

Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

• What if Esther had let fear take over?
• What if she had talked herself out of it?

We must Seize the Day

John 9:4.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

This is not a time for waiting

          This is a time to make that move

God has set the opportune moment – set up the divine intersection

God has orchestrated everything to be in order for a specific time and place

          And we don’t show up

It breaks Jesus’ heart when we miss our moment

          He Weeps – not just tears.  He wails, openly grieves

Can’t talk ourselves out of what’s in our spirit, what’s in our hand, in our heart

Eccl 3:17.  For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work."

  This is your day!

This is your time!

Redeem the time, because the days are evil.  Eph 5:16

Heb 3:12-15.  Today, when you hear His voice, harden not your heart

The Grace Deception: When is a Lie Not a Lie?

Lev 16:2, 8

Gen27:6=17-25-30

Isaac nearing the end of life & losing his sight:

Called Esau, his oldest son, to prepare to bless him

The blessing was an event, given based on position

 Esau was first in position

The Mother, Rebekah overheard Isaac's plan to bless Esau, so she went to the younger son, Jacob

Devised a plan to get Isaac to bless Jacob instead of Esau

She told Jacob to get 2 goats 

          Goats are a sacrifice & a substitute – Lev 16

Jacob said, “We are opposite”

My father won’t be fooled because of Esau’s hairiness

Rebekah, dressed Jacob in Esau’s choice clothes – favorite suit

         Made hairy skin from the goat

                 Made food

Jacob went into the presence of his father dressed like Esau vs 15

Isaac was suspicious when he heard Jacob’s voice

"How did you get it so quickly?"

1. So he called Jacob closer to touch him

          He touched him – the voice of Jacob, but the skin of Esau

 2. Then he asked him directly

  Jacob lied and said he was Esau

 3.  After Isaac ate the food, he told Jacob to come close and kiss him

  Then he smelled him

                    His clothes smelled like Esau

The father gave Jacob the blessing

Esau came back at the same time Jacob was leaving

Isaac was shocked when the real Esau came in

Your brother carried away your blessing

I blessed him, and he shall be blessed 

I have guaranteed him success 

The blessing is irrevocable

The story of Jacob is our story 

1. We are opposite of Jesus (like Jacob was opposite of Esau)
2. We are “tricksters” with no right to the blessing

Only Jesus, the firstborn, can go in to access the blessing 

Rebekah, the mother, is the representation of the Church 

Gal 4:26.  The Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.

The Church helps me put on Jesus

• Rom 13:14.  "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ."

The 2 goats are a preview of the Atonement – Lev 16

The only way to enter the presence of the Father was with blood 

1. One goat was for blood
2. The other goat was for substitution

Must be dressed in Jesus’ favorite clothes – His righteousness 

Isa 61:10a

For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,

He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

We go into the presence of the Father dressed like Jesus

And smelling like Jesus

We have been baptized into Jesus Christ, and put on Christ  - Gal 3:27 

So, when the Father ask, "Are you my Son?"

We can answer, "Yes"

The Father sees me as Jesus

The Father blesses me as if I am His firstborn, Jesus

We get the blessing of the first-born  

When God the Father blesses you, “you are blessed”

He can’t take it back

Salvation is not about how good you are

Your goodness cannot put you into Jesus’ position

Nor can it bring you into the Father’s presence

Salvation is about the great exchange

2 Cor 5:21.  [Jesus] who knew no sin [became] sin for us,

So that we might we who were not righteous, would become the righteousness of God in Christ. 

"That Your Faith Fail Not"

What is faith?

• ·       Faith is not some button we push because we want something from God

• ·       Faith is not about chasing after things or chasing after blessings
  • It is about chasing after God 
  • It changes my pursuit from material things to Kingdom things

• ·       Faith does not stop believing God based on circumstances
  • It’s walking with Him regardless of the circumstances

Walk of Faith is about uncertain movement 

          Don’t always know where He will lead you

• ·       Valley – “God of Valley” – know about me
• ·       Wilderness – know about yourself
• ·       Sea – “not overflow you” – know control over circumstances
• ·       Midst of the Enemy – “Prepare a table – know about enemy

                              We can’t let our Faith fail

What happens when Faith meets failure? 

Luke 22:31-32

And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you,

that he may sift you as wheat. 

32 But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail;

and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren."

“Exaiteo”  Demanded the Test   (ex.  Job)

          Wants to prove you’ll fail and that you’re a failure

Sift like wheat – Shake you till you come apart

          Constant shaking – until you’re shaken into pieces & quit

Job 16:7a, 12

Now He has worn me out;

12 I was at ease, but He has shattered me;

He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces;

He has set me up for His target,

Satan wants to see you & your faith completely destroyed

Jesus said, I have prayed for you! – Interceded

Heb 7:25.  He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God

through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

• ·       He died ‘once for all’ but He is still in the process of saving us

In this shaking process, there will be loss & even failure

          But I will not let your faith fail

If the enemy can get your faith to fail, it totally shakes up the relationship with God – Without faith it’s impossible to please Him

He takes what Satan uses to destroy you – Sifting

Turns the evil to good

Constant shaking in sifters until tares (weeds) appear on top,

soil falls below, and wheat on bottom

This sifting creates another issue

At first sight, all you see is the dirt at the bottom, and the weeds on top

“Accuser of the Brothers”

Points to the weeds & the dirt – what’s easy to see

Says that’s all there is to you

Satan tries to condemn you before God

        Wants you to condemn yourself

Jesus is still interceding !!!!

Rom 8:34.  Who is he who condemns?  It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God,

Who also makes intercession for us

God allows the process – to separate the stuff out of your life

There’s substance in there

Satan had plans to take you out…

God’s won’t let anything happen to you, unless

• ·      It makes you better
• ·      And it gives Him glory

Jesus says, I already have plans for your recovery

“When you are converted – have returned”

You are not disqualified because of your failure

        You become responsible

• ·      Strengthen your Brother
• ·      Feed my sheep – John 21:15