Thursday, March 21, 2013
In one of Rembrandt’s famous paintings of Jesus he captures two distinct emotions in the face of Christ. If you cover one of Christ's eyes, his face had a sparkle of joy and hope. But if you covered his other eye, he looked like he was about to cry. And if you tried to look at both eyes, there were both emotions: first one, then the other, then mingled in a beautiful and tragic expression. That's the face of Jesus I see on Palm Sunday. In one eye we see the sparkle: "Yes, I am the king who comes in the name of the Lord. This is my city. These are my subjects." But in the other eye we see a tear: "No, there will be no reign in Jerusalem, no peace, no justice, no coronation day—at least not now. I have one week to live, and even that week will not be kingly.”The New Testament records three places where Jesus actually cried. There are many places where he showed compassion. There are lots of references to his mercy and love. But only three places where he actually shed tears.
The first is at the tomb of his friend Lazarus in John 11:35. Most people have this verse memorized, “Jesus wept.” These were tears of sympathy.
The second place is in the Garden of Gethsemane. The writer of Hebrews says, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission” (Hebrews 5:7). This, no doubt, references Jesus’ anguish in the Garden.
Third, he wept at “The Triumphal entry.” Read these words from Luke’s account:
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” Luke 19:41-44.
What moved Christ to tears at this joyful moment? This was a time of celebration. This was a time to shout, “Hosanna!” People were singing and dancing and waving palm branches. So, why did Jesus cry? Let me offer a couple of reasons:
1) Jesus cried because of spiritual ignorance. In verse 44, he states that the people of Jerusalem are not recognizing the time of God’s coming. Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God, is coming to Jerusalem and the greatest majority of the people do not recognize him in that truth. Because of this spiritual ignorance, these people do not experience real peace. In verse 42, Jesus declares that peace is being hidden from their eyes. Peace isn’t the absence of conflict in our life; it’s the presence of Jesus in our lives. Peace wasn’t Rome being thrown out of Jerusalem; it was Jesus being invited into personal lives. This spiritual ignorance moved Jesus to tears.
2) Jesus cried because of the judgment that was coming. Notice verse 43 again – a day of judgment was coming to Jerusalem. A day when enemies would hem them in and destroy them. That day came in 70 A.D.
This is a special week in the church calendar. We celebrate the week Jesus entered Jerusalem and ultimately went to the cross to pay for our sins. Palm Sunday is this Sunday. Here’s a question to consider this Palm Sunday. What moves you to tears? Do we cry over the spiritual ignorance of our friends? Our City? Are we burdened to tears that people do not know peace because they don’t know the Prince of Peace? Do we weep over impending judgment? Jesus did. And he did it on Palm Sunday.
Christ – likeness means my heart is usually filled with joy and sorrow. Joy because all my sins are washed away. Joy because Christ is my Savior, my Lord, my Friend, my Shepherd, my Hope and my Strength. But there is also sorrow. Sorrow because not all my friends know Him. Sorrow because my City is lost.Rembrandt painted the face of Christ correctly with joy and sorrow. May the Holy Spirit paint the same image of Jesus in me.
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