A Reason to Mourn

 “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it…”

(Luke 19:41 ESV)

As believers, we know that we’re to reach out to the lost. We know we’re to proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. And we know that we’re to make disciples of all nations.

This means, of course, that we’re to care about the lost. We’re to care about those who are in bondage to sin. We’re to care for those who are perishing.

Often, however, it seems that we do not care. We write them off because it seems that they just don’t get it. And we write them off believing they're only receiving what they have coming to them.

We heartlessly leave them to their fate. We leave them to God's judgment. And rather than pointing them to Jesus, we sit on our hands.

No care is seen. No concern is demonstrated. No tears are shed.

As we look to Luke 19, Jesus knew the fate of Jerusalem. He knew the fate of the people who lived there. He knew the judgement that was soon to befall them.

Yet, even with this knowledge, he wasn’t numb when it came to them. He didn’t simply move on, ignoring the reality of their situation. Their fate is something that caused him to grieve.

He wept over the city who had rejected him. He mourned the city who refused the salvation he came to bring. Tears were literally shed for those who hated him.

As believers, Jesus’ concern for the lost is something that brings us great comfort. It does so because, without Jesus’ concern for sinners, without his love for those who were perishing, we ourselves would be forever lost.

We must remember that we are those who were perishing. It was we who deserved the judgment of God. It was we who, apart from his intervention, would spend eternity in hell.

Realizing this, realizing what he has graciously done for us, we should share his heart for those who are perishing. We should grieve those who remain under his wrath. We should shed tears for those who’ve rejected him and the salvation he came to bring.

It should drive us to action. It should lead us to reach out with the good news of Jesus’ coming, and that of his death and resurrection. And even when this message is refused, we should mourn.