REMEMBERING OUR MOTHERS

By Irving Serrano Sr

Eight mothers played key roles in the coming of Jesus Christ. None of them were perfect, yet each showed strong faith in God. God, in turn, rewarded them for their confidence in him. These mothers lived in an age when women were often treated as second class citizens, yet God appreciated their true worth, just as He does today. Eve, was the first woman and the first mother. Without a single role model or mentor, she paved the maternal way to become "mother of all the living". She and her mate Adam lived in paradise, but they spoiled it by listening to satan instead of God. Eve suffered terrible grief when her son Cain murdered his brother Abel, yet despite these tragedies, Eve went on to fulfil her part in Gods plan of populating the earth. Sarah was one of the most important women in the Bible. She was the wife of Abraham, which made her the mother of the nation of Israel. Yet Sarah was barren. She conceived through a miracle in spite of her old age. Sarah was a good wife, a loyal helper and builder with

Abraham. Her faith serves as a shining example for every person who has to wait on God to act. Rebekah, like her mother In law Sarah, was barren. When her husband Isaac prayed for her, God opened Rebekah`s womb and she conceived and gave birth to two sons, Esau and Jacob. During an age when women were typically submissive, Rebekah was quite assertive. At times Rebekah took matters into her own hands. Sometimes that worked out, but it also resulted in disastrous consequences. Jocabed, the mother of Moses, is one of the under appreciated mothers in the Bible, yet she also showed tremendous faith in God. To avoid the mass slaughter of Hebrew boys, she set her baby adrift in the Nile River, hoping that someone would find him and raise him. God worked it out, so that her baby was found by Pharaoh`s daughter. Jochebed even became her own son`s nurse. God used Moses mightily, to free the Hebrew people from their 400 year bondage of slavery and take them to the promised land. Although little is written about Jochebed in the Bible, her story speaks powerfully to mothers of today. Hannah`s story is one of the most touching in the Entire Bible. Like several other mothers in the Bible, she knew what it meant to suffer long years of barrenness. In Hannah`s case she was cruelly taunted by her husband`s other wife. But Hannah never gave up on God. Finally her heartfelt prayers were answered. She gave birth to a son, Samuel, then did something entirely selfless to honor her promise to God. God favored Hannah with five more children, bringing great blessing to her life. Bathsheba was the object of King David`s lust. David even arranged to have her husband Uriah the Hittite killed to get him out of the way. God was so displeased with David`s actions that he struck dead the baby from that union. In spite of heartbreaking circumstances, Bathsheba remained loyal to David. Their next son, Solomon, was loved by God and grew up to become Israel`s greatest King. From David`s line would come Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. And Bathsheba would have the distinguished honor of being one of the only five women listed in Messiah`s ancestry. Elizabeth, barren in her old age, was another of the miracle mothers in the Bible. She conceived and gave birth to a son. She and her husband named him John, as an angel had instructed. Like Hannah before her, she dedicated her son to God, and like Hannah`s son, he also became a great prophet, John the Baptist. Elizabeth`s joy was complete when her relative Mary visited her, pregnant with the future Savior of the world. Mary was the most  honored mother in the Bible, the human mother of Jesus, who saved the world from it`s sins. Although she was only a young, humble peasant,

Mary accepted God`s will for her life.she suffered enormous shame and pain, yet never doubted her son for a moment. Mary stands as highly favored by God, a shining example of obedience and submission to the Father`s will. As we learn about these women. We all must acknowledge the women in our live`s today. Our mothers. For many, you are so blessed to still have them around. And those of us who have already lost our beloved....we must take heed of the example`s. We must cherish the love of God, they carried. And realize, it is our turn to carry the torch. We remember our Grandmother praying, we remember our mothers, and aunt`s praying. Most of the time`s crying their heart out. But know this. They were`nt doing it for themselves. They simply was doing it for you! They cried, and ask God to forgive us of our indiscretions. Forgive us, for our ignorance's. To shield and protect us from satan`s grasp. And just like all the miracle mothers of the Bible, teach us to pray to the God of our Fathers, so that we may be loyal to God, and find favor in his eyes. I encourage you, on this up coming Mothers Day. Remember these mother`s. Remember your mother. Take a good look at your wife, and thank God. May God bless you. Love always, Irving Serrano Sr.
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NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

The National Day of Prayer is Thursday, May 2, 2013.

In times of great crisis, this nation turns its collective heart to prayer for guidance, answers, and hope.

In 1981, Ronald Reagan asserted, "While never willing to bow to a tyrant, our forefathers were always willing to get on their knees before God." He called on all Americans to "join with [him] in giving thanks to Almighty God for the blessings He’s bestowed on this land and the protection He affords us as a people." Seven years later, he signed a law declaring that the first Thursday each May be set aside as the National Day of Prayer.

Started in 1952 by an act of Congress, the National Day of Prayer is an annual event for Americans to take time to pray for our country and its leaders. Praying for the U.S., however, has roots in the very origins of the country itself. In 1775 during the first Continental Congress, citizens were asked to pray for God’s guidance in the formation of this new nation. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln called for a day to be set aside each year for specific prayer for the needs of the nation.

Throughout our history, many trials have brought us to our knees: the Civil War; the First and Second World Wars; the Great Depression; September 11, 2001; and more recently, the shootings at Newtown, Conn. In times of great crisis, this nation turns its collective heart to prayer for guidance, answers, and hope.

The theme for 2013 is "Pray for America," which emphasizes the need for all citizens "to place their faith in the unfailing character of their Creator, who is sovereign over all governments, authorities, and men," said John Bornschein, vice chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. The Scripture reference for all events is Matthew 12:21: "The nations will put their hope in His name." Pastor Greg Laurie, this year’s honorary chairman, has written a special prayer that will be read nationwide at noon (EDT).

Millions of people gathered at thousands of organized prayer events last year. You can get involved by organizing and publicizing prayer breakfasts, worship services, and rallies in your community.

GEORGE BEVERLY SHEA GOES TO HEAVEN AT 104 YEARS

George Beverly Shea, who escaped a life of toil in an insurance office to become a Grammy-winning gospel singer and a longtime associate of the Rev. Billy Graham, appearing before an estimated 200 million people at Graham revival meetings worldwide, died on Tuesday in Asheville, N.C. He was 104.

 

Mr. Shea and Mr. Graham in the early years of their many decades as partners in evangelism.

His death was announced by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, in Charlotte, N.C., of which Mr. Shea was the official singing voice for more than half a century. Canadian-born, he lived in Montreat, N.C. — for decades just a mile from the home of Mr. Graham, a close friend.

Through the Billy Graham crusades, as the stadium-size revival meetings begun by Mr. Graham are known, Mr. Shea was perhaps the most widely heard gospel artist in the world, singing before worshipers throughout the United States and around the globe.

He also appeared regularly on “The Hour of Decision,” Mr. Graham’s weekly radio broadcast, which began in 1950 and continues to this day.

On a more intimate scale he sang at the prayer breakfasts of a series of United States presidents, including Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson and the first George Bush.

Mr. Shea, who was still singing as he embarked on his second century, was fond of saying that Mr. Graham would not let him retire, since nowhere in Scripture is the concept of retirement overtly addressed.

“I’ve been listening to Bev Shea sing for more than 50 years,” Mr. Graham told The Charlotte Observer in 1997, “and I would still rather hear him sing than anyone else I know.”

When interviewers asked why Mr. Graham did not simply lead his flock in song himself, as many preachers do, Mr. Shea suggested that the status quo was better for all concerned: Mr. Graham, as Mr. Shea put it with true Christian charity, suffered from “the malady of no melody.”

Mr. Shea’s vocal style, by contrast, was characterized by a resonant bass-baritone, impeccable diction, sensitive musical phrasing and an unshowmanlike delivery that nonetheless conveyed his ardent religious conviction.

He recorded more than 70 albums, including “In Times Like These” (1962), “Every Time I Feel the Spirit” (1972) and “The Old Rugged Cross” (1978). In 1966 he won the Grammy Award for best gospel or other religious recording for his album “Southland Favorites,” recorded with the Anita Kerr Singers.

Mr. Shea received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy, which administers the Grammys, in 2011.

Of the hundreds of songs he sang, Mr. Shea was most closely identified with “How Great Thou Art,” a hymn that became the de facto anthem of Mr. Graham’s ministry. In 1957, at a crusade in New York City, Mr. Shea, by popular demand, sang it on 108 consecutive nights.

Other songs for which he was known include “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” for which he composed the music, and “The Wonder of It All,” for which he wrote words and music.

George Beverly Shea, known as Bev, was born on Feb. 1, 1909, in Winchester, Ontario. His father, the Rev. Adam J. Shea, was a Wesleyan Methodist minister; his mother, the former Maude Whitney, was the organist in her husband’s church.

Growing up, Bev dreamed the dream of every red-blooded Canadian boy — to be a Mountie — but he also studied piano, organ and violin. One of eight children, he did his first formal singing in his father’s church choir and his first informal singing long before, around the family table.

As a young man Mr. Shea attended Houghton College in Houghton, N.Y., but left before graduating to help support his family in the Depression. He found work in Manhattan as a clerk with the Mutual Life Insurance Company, a post he would hold for nearly a decade. Meanwhile he studied voice with private teachers.

During this period Mr. Shea entered an amateur talent contest on Fred Allen’s radio show, singing “Go Down, Moses.” He came in second — he was beaten by a yodeler — but the exposure led to offers to sing on commercial radio. He declined, ill at ease with the idea of a life in secular music. His career in sacred music, however, was now assured.

In the late 1930s Mr. Shea moved to Chicago to join WMBI, the radio station of the Moody Bible Institute, as a staff announcer and singer. One day in 1943 a young man knocked on the studio door. The visitor was a Wheaton College student named William Franklin Graham Jr., who had stopped by to tell Mr. Shea how much he loved his singing.

Before long Mr. Graham, who had become a preacher in Western Springs, Ill., had recruited Mr. Shea to sing on his own religious radio show, “Songs in the Night.” From the mid-1940s to the early ’50s, Mr. Shea was also the host of “Club Time,” a gospel show broadcast on ABC Radio.

In 1947 Mr. Shea joined Mr. Graham and Cliff Barrows, who would serve as Mr. Graham’s longtime music director, in the first Billy Graham Crusade, in Charlotte.

Mr. Shea was the author of several books, including the memoir “How Sweet the Sound” (2004), written with Betty Free Swanberg and Jeffery McKenzie.

Mr. Shea’s first wife, the former Erma Scharfe, whom he married in 1934, died in 1976. His survivors include his second wife, the former Karlene Aceto, whom he married in 1985, and two children from his first marriage, Ronald and Elaine. Information on other survivors was not immediately available.

Though Mr. Shea was long a vital part of Mr. Graham’s work — Mr. Graham routinely insisted that without him he would have had no ministry — he retained a wry modesty about his role.

“The people didn’t come to hear me,” Mr. Shea told The Charlotte Observer in 2009. “They came to hear Billy. To get to hear him, they first had to listen to me.”

It was not always so. When they joined forces in the 1940s, Mr. Shea was already a nationally known voice in Christian music, Mr. Graham a fledgling minister. Their early revival meetings were often advertised this way:

BEV SHEA SINGS

Billy Graham will preach.

EXCESS BAGGAGE

By Irving Serrano Sr

 

 

Some times when we travel, we are often faced with what we want to take. If we are taking a flight, we are faced with, what we may like to carry verses checking in. In most cases, we are forewarned about over weight baggage. There is an additional charge to pay. In the event you get seated in the middle row, you have to deal with other peoples extra baggage. Making your journey a little less pleasant. As born again Christians, we all believe, and understand that we are living in this world, as if it were a journey. We live this current life, knowing and having faith, in our Lord Jesus Christ, that one day He will come for us. If our bodies fail us, and we depart from this world. He will take us into His loving arms. Otherwise we continue the good fight of faith. We love one another, and live a life pleasing to God. My inspiration comes from Paul of Tarsus; originally named Saul. He was one of the most notable of early Christian missionaries, his prolific writings forming a major portion of the New Testament. His influence on Christian thinking has arguably, been more significant than any

other New Testament author. The apostle Paul, wrote many letters, as he traveled, all the while teaching and preaching the Gospel of Christ. He was also a great teacher, as his letters go on to demonstrate. He traveled the land, meeting different people, and always made it a point to show the believers how to serve God. How to conduct themselves. Our Bible tells us that on a few occasions, he went to their churches, saying; No! your doing it all wrong. Like in today's world, there are people that live without any knowledge of Christ. Yet, there are many people that do know about Christ. They proclaim to be Christians, most of them even go to church, on a regular basis. Some are held back, because of the excess baggage. Some times there are things in our lives, that should no longer exist in our daily lives. People, places, or things? These are the excess baggage. The ones that hinder you from prospering, and living a totally clean life, that is pleasing to God. Paul wrote a letter to the church of the Corinthians, and his principal concern, was the nonchalant concern of the church. He was talking about a man who was sleeping with his fathers wife. He went on to say how the pagans did`nt live this way. Meaning those who did`nt believe in God, would not live this way. And yet they wanted to boast. ( 1 Corinthians 5). Many people come to know  Christ, they feel the conviction. They surrender their life to Jesus, as lord and saviour, then act as if were a great secret. They act like it would be wrong to speak to the on-believers. Let us all remember, that when Jesus Christ, walked this earth. He really did`nt hang out with the believers except to fellowship. Otherwise He spent his time with the non-believers, the ones who made jokes, the ones who lived in sin. The rest of us who proclaim to be followers, true born again practicing Christians, need to show love and compassion towards the newly in Christ. Show them the way. Remember that the sin that a church turns a blind eye, becomes the sin of that church. Each one of us have a responsibility to the church of our bodies, and our families. We cannot turn a blind eye to any sin, that wants to dwell within our church. (1 Corinthians 5:6,7, 8) Do`nt you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new leavened batch, as you really are, for Christ, our passover lamb has been sacrificed. " Therefore let us keep the festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth". Christ road it out to the very end, while He was nailed to that center cross. May God bless you. Love always, Irving Serrano Sr. 

THE CROSS OF CALVARY

By Evelyn Melendez

 

The Cross of Calvary should contemplate with joy, with joy, with Christian devotion because it has great many privileges and benefits, but we must not forget that the reality of the Cross was a very terrible experience that she died in some ways it is impossible to describe.Our Lord Jesus Christ who know the conditions of humanity lost in sin, sunk in misery, ruined by their own wickedness, renounce all its amenities heavenly throne and crown to die on the cross for all sinners.Christ had declared with certainty and clarity that would give his life a ransom for many, and the Apostle Peter on the day of Pentecost declared "delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God."From the beginning the Lord knows precisely the courage to go to the Cross of Calvary and march steadily toward her because he knew that Cross would take the imminent defeat of the enemies of humanity, He knows that the Cross was the goal established and consent of his life.Our Lord Jesus Christ of simple and humble birth in a manger in Bethlehem happens to be crucified on a rustic wooden cross, which became the only effective sacrificial altar and forever where our dear Savior was the sin offering only valid for all mankind who consents and so died the just for the unjust, the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.There was a large crowd witnessing everything that happened on the hill called Calvary and the best they believed that this event was just one of those used to see in that time they did not know that crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth was very different from all others, did not know that this event would be the center of the history of mankind and that all those who took part in the scene of the Cross would be remembered through the centuries.In the Cross is that we can see the true nature of sin and evil, and as evil as transgression. In the Cross we find Christ tied for our sins because He was the only one who could pay the price of sin, was our representative, our substitute who took over their shoulder, our sins and thus pass through the terrible loneliness of death Cross.How is it possible not to love and who loved us and bought us with the price of blood. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved, accepted as your personal Savior."

DO WE LISTEN WITH OUR EARS OR OUR EYES

By Irving Serrano Sr

 

"Do we listen with our ears, or with our eyes" So here we are in the month of March. The first quarter of the year. Many are waiting for the spring weather, after dealing with a rough winter, and possibly dealing with damages, from recent storm Sandy. Many are enjoying the Basketball season. Everyone is caught up in something. Sadly, many of us have lost a loved one. We all relate with the sadness. Weather we lose a Family member, or we hear of a tragic death, on the news. Everyone feels, or share that pain. Some people say; Life is hard, they shake their heads and walk away. Others get angry, and in most cases, they get angry, or rebellious at the wrong one. Then there is a great number of people, that rely on their faith and trust in God. Death, sickness, hardship of all sorts visit the lives of everyone on this earth. The effects are the same. Our way of dealing with the results, and where we draw our comfort from is what makes the difference. With all these things in mind, and with Easter not far away. It seems appropriate to reflect on the Bibles teaching on death....and Resurrection. We live and operate in such a high tech world. Yet when the sudden reality of death touches our door, we are left only with our faith, our beliefs. Now what about those who don`t believe in anything? What is there to have faith in? Where do they deposit their trust in? "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised, to those who love Him." (James 1:2) In today's world, high-tech as many believe. People still procrastinate in following Christ. Others just focus on what they see, not on what they hear. And its not just the everyday plain folk. There are Doctors, Lawyers, teachers and professors. When they went to school, they listened, they learned. They go through life and apply and teach what they were told. The results of their actions is where their faith is in. Yet, we speak about Jesus Christ, and all of a sudden everyone is deaf and blind. Christ, had the same type of reaction when He walked this  earth. Life on earth was much harder in ancient times. For the moment ,let`s just call it a deep dark river. This earth we live in, with out knowing what pit awaits for us at our very next step. What monster can pull up on us at any moment. Jesus saw people enslaved by their own fears. Realistically a cheap power. Though He tried to explain that the river of death was nothing to fear, the people wouldn't believe Him. He touched a boy, and called him back to life. The followers were still unconvinced. He whispered life into the dead body of a little girl. Yet, the people were still cynical. He let a dead man spend four days in a grave, and then called him out. Could all of this be enough? Apparently not! Crucifixion was not only one of the most disgraceful forms of death, but also one of the most dreadful and painful methods of execution in the ancient times. Jesus Christ, found it necessary to enter that river. Submerge Himself into it, and come out the other side. For the believer; this is the Resurrection. A time of joy. A time to sing. A time to celebrate. There is no doubt that Jesus Christ, was born into this world. After performing miracles after miracles, He died on the cross, for all mankind. So that who so ever believes in Him, would not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16) "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not disaster. To give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11) Weather you find yourself at the top of your game, prosperous and living large,. Or if you find yourself at the end of your rope, facing hardships of any kind. Take a moment and speak to God. Ask Him to forgive any wrong that you may have committed. Ask Him to be your Saviour today. Ask Him to direct your path to prosperity. "If God is for us, Who  can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). May God bless you.

 Love always, Irving Serrano Sr.

 

 

PALM SUNDAY: JESUS WAS WEEPING!

 

A PALM SUNDAY SPECIAL EDITION

 

"As He approached Bethphage & Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, He sent two of His disciples, saying to them,

‘Go to the village ahead of you, & as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it & bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.’" (Luke 19:29-31)

A. The 2 disciples must have wondered about what Jesus told them to do, because none of the Gospel accounts about the ministry of Christ ever mention Him riding any animal to get from one place to another.

He must have walked hundreds of miles up & down the land we now call the "Holy Land," but there is no mention of Him ever riding, except in a boat across the Sea of Galilee.

But now, He gives this unusual command to go into the village to get a colt that had never been ridden, & to bring it to Him. It must have seemed strange, indeed.

He even tells them the exact words they are to use should anyone question them. They are to say, "The Lord needs it." Was this prearranged? Did the owners know what Jesus was going to do? We don’t know.

B. It is obvious, though, that Jesus knew what He was going to face in the city of Jerusalem. So His decision to go into Jerusalem must have been one of the most difficult Jesus ever made.

And on top of that, to ride into the city on a colt, rather than to walk into it as He had often done before, must have been an even more difficult decision, because riding a colt into the city was a public declaration that He was a King.

Five hundred years earlier, the prophet Zechariah had proclaimed that fact when he wrote, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous & having salvation, gentle & riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)

ILL. You see, in times of war conquerors would ride in chariots or upon prancing stallions.

But in times of peace, the king would ride a colt to symbolize that peace prevailed. So, for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem upon a colt is to declare that He is a King proclaiming peace.

Of course, this was the beginning of the great 8-day Passover Festival, when the Jews remembered God’s deliverance of their ancestors from Egyptian slavery. Jews from all over the world were gathering in Jerusalem to celebrate, & the city was filled to overflowing.

So obviously, Jesus wasn’t the only one coming to Jerusalem for the Passover.

Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, had already entered Jerusalem to occupy the Antonia Fortress & the Praetorium with a full complement of elite & battle-hardened Roman soldiers ever ready & willing to suppress any attempted uprising against Roman rule that might occur.

Herod Antipas, Tetrarch (King/ruler) of Galilee & Perea, the one who had imprisoned & beheaded John the Baptist, had also arrived with great pomp & ceremony, undoubtedly occupying the palace of his late father, Herod the Great.

Such power & pageantry the people were seeing that week - & then here comes Jesus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah: “See, your king comes to you, righteous & having salvation, gentle & riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9)


For the crowds lining the road that day, Jesus riding a colt into the city was a public declaration that He was the promised King!

I. HOW WOULD THE PEOPLE RESPOND TO THAT?

How would the people respond to that? Would they recognize that His Kingdom was not of this world that it was a spiritual kingdom, & He was to be a spiritual King? Small chance, because He had been teaching them that for over 3 years, & still they had not learned that lesson.

A. Perhaps some of them would greet Him with laughter. Maybe they would be amused by what Jesus was doing. After all, it was a rather ridiculous picture. Here is a carpenter declaring Himself to be a King!

Perhaps some would think, "He is a lunatic, living in a world of fantasy imagining Himself to be a King!" And they would laugh at him.

B. Others would greet Him with anger upset because they would interpret His riding into the city as arrogance & blasphemy against God.

C. Of course, many would hail Him with joy, welcoming Him as an earthly King, come to reestablish the throne of David, & overthrow the Roman Empire. They were ready & eager to place a crown upon His head.

D. Among the crowds would be people He had healed. Some had been among the thousands He had fed. Many more had seen some of His miracles, & listened as "He spoke with authority." They had listened, & their lives had been changed.

Jesus knew all of this. He knew that just over the horizon was the cross, looming like a monster ready to consume Him. But Luke 9:51 tells us that in spite of it all, Jesus still "...resolutely set out for Jerusalem."

II. JESUS RIDES TOWARD THE GATE OF THE CITY

As Jesus rides down toward the gate of the city, the crowds are growing, & there is a festive air, for it is Passover & pilgrims are gathering from far & near for this greatest of all Jewish holidays.

A. Even before Jesus arrives, the news has spread that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. You can imagine the excitement that prevails.

"Have you heard the news? Lazarus died, & was buried in a tomb so long that his body was starting to decay. But this teacher from Nazareth called out, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ & Lazarus came forth. I saw him! They stripped away the grave clothing, & he actually walked & breathed & lived again! Surely only the Messiah could do that!"

The news travels from one person to another, until finally when Jesus was ready to enter the city, great crowds had collected on both sides of the road. They were there! They had cut palm branches & were shouting, "Hosanna to the king!" Excitement prevailed throughout the whole city!

B. Then Jesus looked over His waiting audience. He must have seen the mixture of expressions on their faces.

1. There were those who loved Him: Perhaps Bartimaeus   was there, a man who had received his sight, no longer in his beggar’s rags. How about Zacchaeus? He had paid back his debt to society, & had made his peace with God.

And the lepers? Their skin had been cleansed & now they were rejoicing for the healing that the Lord had given them. Maybe Jairus’ daughter was there back to life again after experiencing death.

Lazarus & Mary & Martha & Mary Magdalene they were all there! Their lives reflected the love that was in their hearts for this man who had taught them, & molded them & changed them.

2. There were also sinister faces there. Faces with squinty eyes, waiting for Him to say one wrong word to make one mistake.

ILL. The Sadducees & Pharisees were there. They were supposed to be keepers of the law, the spiritual leaders. But Jesus had gained so much popularity that they felt threatened. So, full of jealousy, they watched Him.

The Romans were there, fearing revolt & watching for any sign of rebellion against Rome. They were ready & waiting to crush any uprising.

Jesus realized, as He listened to their "Hosannas," that soon the sinister voices would drown out the voices of love that those crying for Him to be King would soon be crying, "Crucify Him!" or simply standing aside, saying nothing at all.

C. Now Jesus is descending along the road from the Mt. of Olives, across the brook, toward the gate, the crowds thronging around Him.

I wonder how the apostles were reacting to all this? I have always thought that Judas was probably ecstatic basking in the reflected glory because Judas may have wanted an earthly Kingdom more than any of the others.

ILL. I imagine that Peter walked with chest expanded enjoying the throngs & the cheers of the crowd maybe with one hand on his sword just in case something went wrong thinking to himself, "Maybe it was worth it to leave the fishnets & boats. Maybe at last we are going to get what we deserve."

Possibly there was Thomas, a bit skeptical about everything that was going on wondering what is going to happen next.

Maybe Andrew was overwhelmed by it all. He was so used to bringing people to Jesus one by one, or in small groups & now look at them all!

What about James & John? Do you suppose they were thinking about Jesus being crowned King so that they could be on His right & left hand in positions of authority & power?

They were all there in Jerusalem loving faces sinister faces anxious apostles. Crowds trampling almost one upon another when suddenly the whole procession stopped.

III. SUDDENLY THE WHOLE PROCESSION STOPPED

ILL. Do you suppose it could have been a little like rush hour traffic on the big city expressway? One car stops, then all the other cars stop, like a chain reaction. I can just hear the people way back in the crowd that day saying, "What’s the holdup? What is going on? Why don’t you guys move on?"

A. But the people who were closest to Jesus could see & they realized that it was He who had stopped the parade. Then they saw His body begin to shake. Maybe at first they thought He was laughing. Laughter would seem to be natural for everybody else was laughing, & joy prevailed.

But then they saw His face, & they saw no evidence of laughter. Rather, they saw sorrow & tears. He was not laughing. He was crying.

B. The Scripture tells us that Jesus reacted emotionally many times from different scenes that He saw. When He saw the poor. When He saw the hungry. When He saw people sinning. When He saw the ill. The Scriptures say repeatedly that "...He had compassion on them."

But it only tells us of two times that Jesus cried. One time He cried at the grave of Lazarus. You remember, Mary & Martha were both weeping, & it says that Jesus wept with them. He wept for them. He entered into their grief with compassion & He identified with their sorrow & despair.

IV. WHY WAS JESUS CRYING?

Now this was the 2nd occasion. He looked at the city of Jerusalem. He saw the mixture of faces & the masses of humanity crowding there & He realized the emptiness of their lives. They had not heard the message of peace. They did not understand the purpose of His coming.

Listen as I read Luke 19:41 44. "As He approached Jerusalem & saw the city, He wept over it & said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace but now it is hidden from your eyes.

‘The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you & encircle you & hem you in on every side.

‘They will dash you to the ground, you & 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)

They had eyes, but they didn’t see. They had ears, but they didn’t hear. They missed the whole point of the message that God had given to them.

A. The fact they waved palm branches showed that they didn’t understand, because that is exactly what their great-grandparents had done when the Maccabees overthrew the Syrian oppressors & reestablished worship in the temple.

By waving palm branches they were showing that they expected Jesus to be another warlord another general of the armies one who would lead them to overthrow the Romans. They were saying that they were ready to pick up their swords & shields & go to war if He would lead them!

B. Jesus said, "I didn’t come for that purpose. I came to show you a more excellent way. I came to show you the way of love." He had said, "Love your enemies & pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

“If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you & take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go with him one mile, go with him two miles." (Matthew 5:39-41)

Those people who listened to Him must have thought, "Well, those are beautiful words, but surely He doesn’t mean Rome? He doesn’t expect us to love Rome? Only a lunatic would command you to love Rome. We can’t love Rome!"

But don’t you see that was exactly what He was saying? "Love even Rome because Rome with her mighty army has seen the power of the sword. But Rome has not seen the power of love. Show them love!"

C. The nation of Israel had the opportunity to show Rome something new & different. But because they didn’t understand Jesus because they completely misunderstood His mission Jesus wept over them because the opportunity would be taken away & they would never have it again.

These were God’s people God’s chosen people. God had loved them & led them across the wilderness & into the Promised  Land. But they did not understand the Messiah when He walked in their midst. Because of that, Jesus wept.

D. What a contrast! As He sits upon the beast of burden, He sees the towering Temple of God silhouetted against the sky. But beyond that in the years immediately ahead He sees the armies of Titus surrounding the Holy City. He sees Temple stones being taken down & the whole city leveled.

He sees bodies in the streets & blood running in the gutters & hundreds of thousands of people crying because they are starving to death while Titus waits for Jerusalem to surrender.

All of that because they didn’t recognize the Messiah when He came! How different their lives could have been. How different the history of Israel could have been if they had only recognized the one who came into their midst, riding on a colt.

Both Matthew & Luke tell us that sometime earlier Jesus looked down upon the city & had cried out, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…. how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." (Matthew 23:37 & Luke 13:34)

Today, just like the city of Jerusalem, we find ourselves in the presence of Jesus. I wonder what He finds when He looks into our faces?

Does He see people concerned about so many things worried about income taxes worried about job security worried about their health, or lack of it? Does He see people who are so busy doing things here & there so busy that they never bother to consider those things that are eternally important?

Does he see people who recognize Him for who He is - The Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God?

When He turns & looks into our lives, I wonder, will He weep once again because of what He sees? Or will we have the joy that passes all understanding as we respond to His outstretched arms & hear Him say, "Well done, good & faithful servant. Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord"?