To Seek And To Save

Passing The Expiration Date

Luke 19.41-44

[Introductory Video: Alex Testimony in Worship Videos 5 min.] 

[Passing the expiration date:  Personal testimony concerning expiration dates (milk and yogert).] 

[The truth’s contained in the video you just watched are many.  Alex came to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ because a friend cared enough and had enough courage to share Jesus and His great love with her.  Yet, after her conversion Alex failed to realize the importance of the message she carried until it was too late for her brother Tyler.  ] 

[If there is one thing I hear in Alex’s message it is that she wished she had shared the message of her Lord and Savior with her brother before he died.  Now she carries a sense of guilt that has driven her beyond a very important point of decision.  She is determined to never again neglect the message of eternal hope she carries.  She has determined to tell the story of Jesus to all who will hear her, because her brother’s memory will always remind her and compel her to witness for our Lord.] 

[Another undeniable truth contained in Her testimony is the fact that you just do not know how long you have in this mortal life.  Tyler was taken tragically from their family by a terrible accident.  Their loss was not only mortal, but it was eternal.  All hope was removed from their family of ever being reunited with Tyler again, when he died without Christ.  The tragedy would have been just as mortally real if he had died as a Christian, yet as a Christian there would have been an immortal hope and comfort.  If Tyler had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, his family would have lost him for the duration of their life on earth, but they would have carried the hope and comfort of knowing they would yet be with him for an eternity in heaven, one day to come.] 

[One does not know when your mortal allotment of life will pass its expiration date, except Almighty God.  One does not know how many opportunities you will have to respond to the Gospel message, before you become so calloused you cannot hear the message anymore, and God stops uselessly pricking your heart.  Will you risk your eternal soul?] 

A.     God’s Longing Heart (vs 41-42) [– Jesus has come to Jerusalem.  He is riding, or maybe has ridden, the colt to the city through the misguided cheers of the people.  One can almost hear them in the background shouting “. . . Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord . . . ” (vs 38).  Hearing their cheers and looking upon Jerusalem draws out the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ.  As we consider God’s longing heart in this passage we must note:]    

1.      Our Lord’s Compassion (vs 41; 2 Pet 3.9; John 3.16; Rom 5.8) [– “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,” Consider the precious value that our Lord places upon every human soul.  Jesus looks at the city of Jerusalem and He weeps.]   

a.       [For all people - Not for one particular group of people within the city, but for all who are in that holy city.  He weeps for:] 

(1)   [The Jews within Jerusalem.] 

(2)   [The Romans within Jerusalem.] 

(3)   [The men, women, and children within Jerusalem.] 

[2 Peter 3:9 ⁹ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.]

b.      [Why does our Lord weep?  Because He loves them all!] 

 [Romans 5:8 ⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ]

c.       [What would our Heavenly Father give because of His great love?  He would give the very best that heaven has to offer:] 

[John 3:16 ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ]

[Without the slightest doubt, Almighty God loves you with the deepest kind of love.  He loves you with a supernatural, divine love that goes beyond all human expression.  Hence, the Lord Jesus Christ looks on Jerusalem with loving eyes and a longing heart and weeps]

2.      Our Lord’s Proclamation (vs 42; Psalm 19.1-3; Rom 1.19-22; Rom 10.17) [– “Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! . . .” – Someone might exclaim, then why doesn’t God tell them in a way that they cannot deny?  Oh, but He has. God proclaimed His power, purpose and plan by:] 

a.       [Revealing it in all creation] 

[Psalms 19:1-3 ¹ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. ² Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. ³ There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. ]

[Romans 1:19-22 ¹⁹ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. ²⁰ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: ²¹ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. ²² Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,]

b.      [Recording it in a written Word] 

[Romans 10:17 ¹⁷ So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.]

c.       [Manifesting it in a living Savior] 

d.      [Preaching it through an illuminated Church] 

3.      Our Lord’s Predestination (vs 42; Rom 8.28; John 3.3; 1.12) – “. . . the things which belong unto thy peace! . . .” – God’s plan and purpose for is eternally revealed.  There is no secret when it comes to God’s plan for your life.  God intends for you: 

[Romans 8:28 ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.]

a.       [God’s plan for Israel and all people is still clear – God purposes for people to experience a supernatural peace.  This peace is greater than anything that can be realized in this mortal world.  It is the ultimate peace that can only be experienced through a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.] 

b.      [God’s plan can be realized only through] 

(1)   [The New Birth – You must accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.] 

[John 3:3 ³ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.]

[John 1:12 ¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:]

(2)   [Your Spiritual Transformation] 

B.     Israel’s Languishing Eyes (vs 42) [– “. . . but now they are hid from thine eyes.”]  

1.      A Continuing Message (Heb 4.12; John 16.7-8; Acts 9.5) [– A piercing, pricking message - Without a doubt God had called out for Israel to be His chosen people.  God called:] 

a.       Through the prophets [– Through more than 19 inspired prophets who penned the warnings, promises, and covenants of Almighty God in hallowed writ over a period of nearly 1400 years. 77 major prophecies and 270 prophetical ramifications were publicly proclaimed and written for all the world to hear and heed, but especially the people of Israel.] 

b.      [Through the written Word of God – The Word of God is Sharp and powerful. Cuts to the very core of your being.  It prick and stabs at your false beliefs and rebellious self will.  It seeks to reveal who you are in comparison to who the Lord Jesus Christ is.  All the while God’s purpose through his Word is still singular, that you might realize, repent, and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.]  

[Hebrews 4:12 ¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.]

c.       [Through His Holy Spirit – God compliment what He endeavors to do through his prophets and His Word by the convicting, rebuking work of the Holy Spirit with in you.  The Holy Spirit will prick your heart time and time again much as a bee sting will pierce your skin.  The Bible records:] 

[John 16:7-8 ⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. ⁸ And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:]

[Acts 9:5 ⁵ And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.]

[The Greek word used here to account for Paul’s kicking against the pricks refers to a bee sting.  God kept pricking Paul, stinging Paul’s heart and conscience in hopes that Paul would realize His need and respond to God’s purpose in saving Grace through the Lord Jesus Christ.  In Paul’s case, we find that Paul responded and surrendered His life and received the gift of eternal life.]

[But as Jesus looks over Jerusalem a second, far more tragic response is realized.]

2.      A Callused Mind (Eph 4.17-19) [– There was a manifested spiritual truth that was hidden from the spiritual eyes of those in Jerusalem.  Some might think it was hidden from them purposefully by God.  The truth is that it had always been manifested to them by God as previously noted.  The problem was that Israel had heard it, and seen it time and again, so that they had become cold to the message.  Even the incredible miracles of our Lord Jesus and his Apostles could not capture their foggy gaze because of their thick cataracts.  What is the result of continuous pricks?  Nothing less than a callus] 

[Ephesians 4:17-19 ¹⁷ This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, ¹⁸ Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: ¹⁹ Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. ]

a.       [Blindness - porosis po'-ro-sis - 1) the covering with a callus 2) obtrusiveness of mental discernment, dulled perception 3) the mind of one has been blunted 3a) of stubbornness, obduracy ] 

[Those in Jerusalem could not see, not because God did not want them to see, nor because the message was not heralded, but because they had developed callus’ or spiritual cataracts that prevented them from see the truth.  They were blinded because of their continuous rebellion against God power and purposes for their lives.] 

[Those in Jerusalem had passed an expiration date not one set by the FDA nor by God, but one established by their own refusal to respond to God gracious gospel message.  Each time they refuse God precious gift their callus grew a little thicker, until they could not see past the callus any longer.] 

Their callus made them callous to the things of God. 

3.      The Cost Manifested (vs 43-44; Rom 6.23) [– “For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, ⁴⁴ And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” – As a result of their callousness against the powerful spiritual move of God upon their lives, the judgment of God would be the inevitable result.  Jesus gazed upon Jerusalem, with the tears of divine love streaming down His cheeks, offering an unfathomable forgiveness for all who would receive it; but they would choose judgment instead.] 

[Romans 6:23 ²³ For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. ]

C.     Your Listening Ears [– The heart of God is the same for you today as it was for Jerusalem as Jesus wept over that city and its precious souls.  Can you sense the tear filled heart of God] 

1.      God is Drawing you (Jer 31.3) [– you are listening to this message because of the supernatural intervention of almighty God.  God is reaching out to you through this preacher, through His written Word, through the supernatural spiritual pricks of the Holy Spirit in your heart.  Why?  Because God loves you and wants to save you.  The Bible records:] 

[Jeremiah 31:3 ³ The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.]

[I can see in my minds eye, the Lord Jesus Christ standing on the right side of the Father’s throne in heaven above, looking over Terre Haute right now, gazing with compassionate eyes upon your lost soul.  Why?  He’s hoping your will realize your need and accept the Lord Jesus Christ today.]  

2.      Your Decision is required (Joshua 24.15) 

[Joshua 24:14 ¹⁴ Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.]

[How about you?  Are you passed your expiration date?  Are you so Callus that you are Callous toward God?  Will you chance your immortal soul that you will have another chance later, or will you accept the Lord Jesus Christ today?] 

CrossRoads Baptist Church, October 7, 2007