Seeking Peace: Luke 19:41-44

As Jesus arrives at Jerusalem leading up to the Passover weekend when He would be crucified, Luke describes in his gospel that Jesus does something that seems unexpected, and Luke describes how Jesus gives a prediction and message about the city that probably challenged those present.

In this short four-verse passage, we are able to see an amazing picture of Jesus’ heart and God’s love for His city and His people.

Let’s begin by reading what happens from Luke’s gospel, and then unpack some things we can learn about God from this event. Our passage is found in Luke’s gospel, chapter 19, and we will be reading from the Good News Translation. Starting in verse 41, Luke tells us that:

⁴¹ He [Jesus] came closer to the city, and when he saw it, he wept over it, ⁴² saying, “If you only knew today what is needed for peace! But now you cannot see it! ⁴³ The time will come when your enemies will surround you with barricades, blockade you, and close in on you from every side. ⁴⁴ They will completely destroy you and the people within your walls; not a single stone will they leave in its place, because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you!”

In this short passage, we can see Jesus’ heart, His emotions, His love, and His challenge for God’s people. This is one of only two places in the gospels where Jesus cried. The other time is shortly before raising Lazarus from the dead. In the Lazarus event, we can learn that Jesus loves people on an individual level, and the Lazarus event has Jesus interacting with both Martha and Mary each separately and uniquely.

To contrast the Lazarus miracle where Jesus cried, we have this passage which demonstrates Jesus’ love for God’s people and His nation – at a national level. On the national level, the people of Israel rejected Him even if there were plenty of individual exceptions. Jesus cries for the city because it represented His people, and how they had waited and waited for God’s Messiah to arrive only to not recognize or accept Him when He actually came.

The two times Jesus cries describe the two ways God interacts with His people. God desires a personal connection with each of us. God also desires a group level connection with us as well. God interacts with groups of people differently than He interacts with individuals. It would be a mistake to interpret a group interaction as being God dealing with someone on a personal level, just as it would be a mistake to interpret an individual message to be equally applicable to a group. While God can use prophets and messengers to deliver messages to either individuals or groups, it would be a mistake to misapply His words to the wrong context.

However, there is a bigger theme present in this passage than God’s emotions and love for His people. This big theme is found in how Jesus ends His message for Jerusalem. Jesus finishes His message by saying at the end of verse 44, “because you did not recognize the time when God came to save you”.

This statement is worth paying close attention to because it describes how the people as a nation decided to reject Jesus because they did not recognize Him, and because they didn’t realize what is needed for peace. The people at that time believed peace was possible only when they were diplomatic, free, or when they had the upper hand with their military.

God being the source of peace regardless of their circumstances was not something that entered their discussions. If God was brought into the discussion, it was because they believed God would keep His promise to their ancestors indefinitely, regardless of their present day choices, and because God had promised to send a Messiah who they believed would set them free from the Romans.

However, Jesus’ closing line in this passage is important for us to pay attention to. This closing line draws our attention onto the fact that we must open our eyes to what God is doing in the world around us. This closing line draws our attention onto the fact that we must depend on God to do the saving. This closing line draws our attention onto the fact that nothing we can do is enough to save ourselves. Today’s Christian culture seems less focused towards depending on God to save us as it is on pressing its own agendas forward towards achieving political, economical, and cultural power – which are all powers based on worldly standards.  

Jesus lived in one of the most oppressive times in world history, and if someone wanted to make the case Jesus came as a military leader, they would have a challenging time with how the gospels’ describe Jesus’ focus. It would take a lot of effort and misrepresenting of the gospels to make Jesus into a political leader. Instead, we see Jesus working on an individual level, helping those who needed help, and pointing people towards giving God the glory – all while living in the distant corner the Roman empire, and even a decent distance away from Jerusalem.

However, I also believe Jesus wouldn’t have changed His tactics even if He lived in Rome. We don’t see any hint of Jesus desiring political power, fame, or popularity while living in Judea, and there is no reason to think He would be different if He lived in a more politically-charged environment.

This means, at least to me, that as a follower of Jesus, I should spend five or even ten times more time praying than I do seeking to build influence among other people. Seeking influence shouldn’t even be a measurable goal for a follower of Jesus.

While there are followers of Jesus in almost every area of culture, the goal for a follower of Jesus is modeling Jesus, not seeking power. Culture has blinded people today, like it blinded those in the first century, regarding what is needed for true peace. Peace is not found in having power, influence, or wealth. Peace is not found in having a bigger military, a stronger economy, or having a better, stronger, or more effective world leader who wants to help you or your group.

The only place where peace can be found is by seeking God through Jesus, learning to depend on Him for everything, and praying like crazy for His will to be done in the world today. This idea fits with a saying I heard a while ago, which says that we should “Let go and let God”.

When trials come into our life, the only place where peace can be found is through leaning on and trusting in God. When things are going well, almost too well, and we are fearful or worried about what the future might hold, the only place where peace can be found is through leaning on and trusting in God.

Let’s pray today for our world, and for God’s will to be done in our world today. Instead of the customary closing challenges that I end every podcast with, let’s turn these challenges into a prayer for our lives:

Father,

Thank You for everything you have blessed us with. Thank You for creating us, for loving us, and for sending Jesus to redeem us from our sin-filled lives. I ask Father, that You be with each of Your followers living in the world today, and to help all of Your people to seek You first in their lives. Help us make You a priority when life’s demands want to distract us away.

Also Father, help us to grow closer to You each and every day through prayer and reading Your Word the Bible. Help each of us to have a personal relationship with You that is present from this point and moves forward with You all the way into eternity.

And Father, please bring about Your will for the world today. Lead, guide, and direct in all the decisions that each of us make, and help us to seek the things You want us to seek, and ignore the things You know are not worth our attention. Be with the state of the world, with all the world leaders, and direct history forward towards Your soon return!

We love You Father. Thank You for hearing, and answering, our prayer. In Jesus name, Amen.