from Gary Hamrick
... Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Chapel
for
The Peace Jesus Came to Give
... Consider whether your peace rests upon favorable circumstances or upon the finished work of Christ, who alone can reconcile you to God.
Luke 19:42 NIV (devotion translation)
If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace, but now it is hidden from your eyes.
Devotion:
This passage reveals that Jesus came to give a peace far greater than the people of Jerusalem expected.
As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds welcomed Him as King. They praised God, spread their cloaks along the road, and celebrated the mighty works they had seen. Yet their understanding of Jesus was incomplete. Many expected the Messiah to deliver Israel from Roman oppression and establish the kind of kingdom they desired. When Jesus did not fulfill those expectations, their enthusiasm would soon disappear.
But Jesus had come for something greater. Humanity’s deepest problem was not Rome, political oppression, or difficult circumstances. It was sin and separation from God. Before there could be lasting peace in the world, sinners needed peace with their Creator.
This is why Jesus wept over Jerusalem. His tears reveal the compassion of God toward those who are lost. The people were looking for peace while rejecting the One who could truly give it. Jesus knew that within days He would go to the cross, where He would bear the judgment for sin and make reconciliation with God possible.
We can make a similar mistake when we measure Christ according to our expectations. We may want Him to change circumstances, remove difficulties, or answer according to our plans. Yet Jesus remains worthy of our worship even when His purposes differ from ours. Faith receives Him for who He is, not merely for what we hope He will do.
Christ came first to deal with our greatest need. Through His death and resurrection, those who trust in Him are forgiven, reconciled to God, and brought under the gracious rule of the true King.
Consider whether your peace rests upon favorable circumstances or upon the finished work of Christ, who alone can reconcile you to God.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, help me to receive You as You truly are and not according to my own expectations. Thank You for giving Yourself for my sin so that I may have peace with God through You. Amen.
Related Sermon:
Digging Deeper:
- Luke 19:41-44 ↗ - The immediate context of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem because they failed to recognize what would bring them peace.
- Romans 5:1 ↗ - Through faith in Christ, we have peace with God because we have been justified.
- Ephesians 2:13-14 ↗ - Christ Himself is our peace, reconciling those who were far from God.
- John 14:27 ↗ - Jesus gives a peace that is greater than anything the world can provide.
- Colossians 1:19-20 ↗ - Through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, God reconciles sinners to Himself.
- Isaiah 53:4-5 ↗ - The suffering Messiah bears our sin and brings the peace we need with God.