The Rejected Saviour
Sunday, February 03, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 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, 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.”
Luke 19:41–44
If you visit Jerusalem today and go to the Mount of Olives, you will find a small church building located part of the way down the mountain going toward the city. It is called Dominus Flevit, the Church of the Lord’s Tears. It is built on the spot where tradition says that Jesus was when he wept over the Holy City. The dome is built in the shape of a teardrop. In the floor is a mosaic dating back hundreds of years that depicts a hen and her chickens, recalling what Jesus said about how He willingly would have gathered the people unto Him if they had been willing to come.
The Saviour entered Jerusalem, but He was rejected by the majority of the people because they did not recognize the gift of eternal life He was offering them. It is no different in our day. Many people know about Jesus, but they do not see themselves as being in need of salvation. Some people think because of their church membership, their good deeds, or their family heritage they will be fine in God’s eyes. But the best we can offer God falls far short of His standard of perfection. Rather than rejecting Christ, they should receive His freely-offered gift of salvation. And those of us who already know Christ as our personal Saviour should be sure to tell others about Him before it is too late for them.
“And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. 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, 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.”
Luke 19:41–44
If you visit Jerusalem today and go to the Mount of Olives, you will find a small church building located part of the way down the mountain going toward the city. It is called Dominus Flevit, the Church of the Lord’s Tears. It is built on the spot where tradition says that Jesus was when he wept over the Holy City. The dome is built in the shape of a teardrop. In the floor is a mosaic dating back hundreds of years that depicts a hen and her chickens, recalling what Jesus said about how He willingly would have gathered the people unto Him if they had been willing to come.
The Saviour entered Jerusalem, but He was rejected by the majority of the people because they did not recognize the gift of eternal life He was offering them. It is no different in our day. Many people know about Jesus, but they do not see themselves as being in need of salvation. Some people think because of their church membership, their good deeds, or their family heritage they will be fine in God’s eyes. But the best we can offer God falls far short of His standard of perfection. Rather than rejecting Christ, they should receive His freely-offered gift of salvation. And those of us who already know Christ as our personal Saviour should be sure to tell others about Him before it is too late for them.
Today's Growth Principle:
Jesus is the only way of salvation, and those who reject Him have no hope of Heaven.
Jesus is the only way of salvation, and those who reject Him have no hope of Heaven.
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