Peace and Visitation

Luke 19:42-44
"saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."

Lets set this up....Christ has requested the colt and has coming riding into Jerusalem as it was prophecied. Many are shouthing "Hosanna, the King" and some are discontent shouting for them to ordered to stop. As Christ looks upon the people He speaks those words recorded in Luke. There is so much going here. We have Him yet again speaking in a way that is difficult for the people to understand, He is prophecying the destruction of Jerusalem, and more importantly the destruction of His people.

"Would you have known on this day the things that make for peace!" He proclaims this desperately to a lost a people. A people that He loves. They have witnessed so many signs and wonders, yet seeing they cannot see, hearing they cannot hear. They are looking for the Kingdom to be setup at that current time, but that is not the way. Being that they are so focused upon themselves and whats needful for them at that moment, they refuse to see prophecy of old. The do not realize that the Kingdom He has come to setup is not of this world. They do not understand that before there can be life, there must be a ressurection and how can there be a ressurection without the sacrifice of the sinless Son of God.

Christ goes on to speak to them about what will come upon them 35-40 years later. When the Romans destroy the city. Not one rock will be left unturned and they shall be destroyed. Once again they will be handed over because they did not recognize the visitation from the Lord. Their judgement is coming upon them and Christ proclaims "if only you could have seen!!"

Many are focused much on this world. Many have taken the good initiative to serve those who are unfortunate. We serve because it is good and it is right, but do we ever ask what are we serving. The people of Jerusalem were excited for the kingdom, not because of the endless worship, but for the most part because what they would recieve. So when we give to others, what are they recieving. Are we only feeding their stomachs, but never their spirit? There is nothing wrong with caring for those who are suffering, in fact I encourage it, but without the gospel we are not serving anything. We only bring momentary satisfaction to a life that will be in eternal destruction without Christ. His visitation is now. The thing  that makes for peace is within His blood. Our covering before God that reconciles our relationship to Him. So I encourage you to feed souls, not just flesh. Do not labor for that which perishes, but labor for the eternal and everlasting. Labor for Him that gives life. The destruction is now and He is the only hope for a hopeless world. May the glorification of God through the cross be repeated again and again with you and the proclamation of the gospel. May God soften the hearts of a hardened people and may they hear His words.