By Gary D. Robinson
The King came humbly. He didn’t look like the King many were expecting. So Jerusalem rejected Him — like He knew they would. As the city came into view, as He saw the magnificent temple gleaming like silver, Jesus wept. Tears leak from his eyes and spill onto his donkey’s mane. He can no longer hear the shouts, the praise. In a few days, some of the same people who hollered “Hosanna!” would be screaming, “Crucify!” — like He knew they would.
But that’s not why Jesus cried. He was not thinking of Himself, but what was going to happen to a people who rejected Him. Forty years. That’s all Jerusalem had left. Then the Romans would lay siege. Inside the walls of the city, people would be reduced to animals. Mothers would cook their own babies. The dead would lie in heaps. When it was all over, not one stone of that magnificent temple — a house it took 40 years to build — would be left lying on another.
Advertisement
Who is Jesus — King, God, Judge? Here is a Judge . . . who weeps. He never points at us and says, “You’ll be sorry.” No, He is sorry. Jesus doesn’t need to condemn us. His mere presence puts us on trial. His presence demands a decision. Our decision will be our judge.
Speaking of judges, do you remember last year when Brian Nichols shot four people in Georgia, including a judge? Fleeing from justice, he entered the home of Ashley Smith. He bound her with duct tape, threatening to kill her if she resisted. What did Ashley do? She began to read to him from The Purpose-Driven Life and to talk to him about God. Seven hours later, Brian Jones gave himself up. A story that could have ended in blood and fire and smoke ended with peaceful surrender.
In her Wall Street Journal column, Peggy Noonan reprinted a transcript of Ashley Smith’s testimony. From this woman’s simple, unadorned story, it’s quite evident that Brian Jones met Jesus in her apartment. What a great story — a murderer sees the love of God in Jesus Christ!
I’ll tell you a better story. We’ve all broken the Law. We’re all fugitives. In fact, we’re responsible for the murder of the Judge! But He will forgive. He will embrace. His arms are open wide to receive us. Don’t let those arms stay empty. Don’t ignore Jesus. Don’t allow the problems and issues of your life to obscure Him. Be careful what you do with Him. He is the issue.
______________
Gary D. Robinson is Preaching Minister at Conneautville Church of Christ in Conneautville, PA.
