Title: Tragedy of Loss of Opportunity
Contents
▒▒▒ Bible : Luke 19:41~44
Today is Palm Sunday, when Jesus left Bethany, went around the Mount of Olives, crossed the Kidron brook, and entered the east gate of Jerusalem. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt that no one had ridden yet, which the disciples had rescued.
The crowd followed Jesus and shouted “Praise be to you. O King who comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest.”
When Jesus entered Jerusalem with cheers from the crowd, he saw the city of Jerusalem and wept. Jesus weeping contrasts with the cheers of the people. People's eyes and Jesus' eyes were different. On the day Jesus rode up to Jerusalem on a donkey, people praised Jerusalem. But Jesus was grieving as he looked forward to the destruction of Jerusalem in the future. Why did Jerusalem fall? Did sin prevail and be judged by God like Sodom and Gomorrah? no. Because they missed the opportunity to receive Jesus.
In the Old Testament, Israel had to worship only in Jerusalem. It is based on the idea of vocational unity. In Israel, men at least 12 years old were required to come to Jerusalem to worship at least three times a year. Because the ark was in the temple in Jerusalem. The ark is a symbol of God's presence. The temple in Jerusalem, where the ark was housed, was the dwelling place of God. Jerusalem was also a place of teaching. Jesus taught the word of God to many people in the temple in Jerusalem. Jerusalem was also the miraculous place where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
But in John 1:11, “Jesus came to his own land, and his people did not receive him.” Even though Jerusalem was the place where God was, where God's words were taught and the miracles of God took place, the land did not accept Jesus. Jesus went to that land, but he did not receive him.
Today, we live in a way that is more accessible to the Christian culture than ever before. It is no exaggeration to say that we are living in the age of the flood of the Word to the extent that we can hear the Word of God everywhere through the media. But can you say that you are a Christian just because you are easily exposed to Christian culture? As a member of the Hanshin Church, can I say that I am a Christian by saying that I am a member of the Hanshin Church bus and riding the bus proudly? no. A Christian is a person who has Christ at the center of his or her heart. As the apostle Paul said, we can say that we are a person of Christ only when the Spirit of Christ lives in our hearts.
Holy Week begins tomorrow. And next Sunday is Easter Sunday. I hope that it will be a time to experience Jesus, who loved us by having Jesus at the center of our hearts, rather than a formal period held every year.
2008-03-21 15:10:47