English Service by Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

THE TRAGEDY OF LOST OPPORTUNITY

SERIES: PALM SUNDAY.

TEXT: LUKE 19:28-44.

 

Palm Sunday is the Sunday that Jesus Christ entered into Jerusalem five days before His death on the Cross of Calvary.

From all outward appearance, Palm Sunday was a triumph!

  • Jesus was riding into the city of Jerusalem like a King.
  • The crowds were praising God and honoring Jesus.
  • Then on top of the hill Jesus stopped. He looked down and saw spreading before Him, the city of Jerusalem and while the crowds were singing, Jesus was weeping!!

Palm Sunday was not a triumph, it was a tragedy!!

  • For Jesus was saying to the citizens of that favored city, “If you had known at least in this your day, the things which belong to your peace! But now they are hid from your eyes.”
  • It was a tragedy for Jerusalem – the tragedy of lost opportunity!. 

Let us learn three things:- 

JESUS CHRIST DOES NOT SEE THINGS THE WAY WE SEE THEM!

The disciples admired the temple and pointed out it’s magnificent stones to Jesus.

    • But Jesus called it a den of thieves.
    • The priests pointed to the people who followed Jesus in the crowd and called them sinners.
    • But Jesus said they were only sick people needing a physician and sheep needing a shepherd!
    • On Palm Sunday the disciples pointed to Jerusalem and proudly rejoiced in its great heritage and beauty!
    • But Jesus Christ looked at the some city, and saw a city of dead men.
  • Jesus a city destined to be destroyed by enemy armies-(V. 43-44)

Why did Jerusalem face this tragic judgement?

    • Was it because the city uneducated? No! Within her walls were some of the most intelligent men were ever lived!!
    • Was it because the city was immoral?- No ! Other cities in that day were just as sinful and perhaps even worse!!
    • So what then was the reason for Jerusalem’s judgement?
  • The answer is simple. She lost her opportunity –(v. 44). “Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.”
  •  Jesus heart was broken and He wept bitterly for Jerusalem and her people.

No city on the Earth was favored as much as Jerusalem!!

  • All the prophets of God went through Jerusalem.
  • The temple was in Jerusalem.
  • The covenants, promises of God, blessings happened in Jerusalem.
  • The very son of God walked her streets and taught in her temple courts.
  • Before her very eyes, Jesus healed the sick and not far from her gate. He raised the dead!!
  • The people of Jerusalem were privileged to have God visit them!
  • “He came unto His own and His own received Him not!”-(John 1:11-12)

The opportunity He gave them was not just are single event!!

  • He ministered for some three years!!
  • They saw Him changes men and women by the power of His grace; all the evidence was there.
  • The door of opportunity stood wide open, yet the people refused to go in!!
  • The result was defeat and destruction! They could have enjoyed peace eternally but no city on earth has go through wars as Jerusalem.
  • Peace with God, peace on earth, but instead Jerusalem, the city of peace has suffered war!

But before condemning there too severely however, let us examine our own lives.

  • Has any generation been more favored than ours when it comes to spiritual opportunities?
  • The word of God is available today as the daily news.
  • We have access to a Bible everywhere.
  • The Gospel TV, Radio – Gospel everywhere.
  • Our generation will never have to say we did not have an opportunity.

Like Jerusalem of old, we have our day of visitation but what are we doing with it?

  • Why are so many people missing their spiritual opportunities today?
  • Some people are bound by tradition- The Jews had their own religious system and saw no need for change.
  • They heard Jesus give the “sermon on the mount”.

Human nature has not changed!! People are still the same today!!

  • People would rather hold onto an old tradition that face a new truth.
  • For this reason people miss their God given opportunities.

All the Old Testament sacrifices and ceremonies have their fulfilment in Christ!!

  • Yet the people preferred to hold to their religious system and miss the exciting fulfilment found in Jesus Christ.
  • The Passover feast they were now celebrating was a picture of Jesus Christ the Passover Lamb of God.
  • The real Lamb of God was in their midst that day but they did not recognize Him lost opportunity.

THEY ALLOWED THEMSELVES TO BE INFLUENCED BY MEN WHO WERE WRONG!!

  • Instead of considering the facts for themselves they permitted the experts to make their decisions for them!
  • Today there very many people who allow the wrong people to make decision for them-(John 7:40-53)
  •  Simply because important people reject Jesus Christ that does not mean you reject Him.
  • Simply because scientists, politicians and educators are not saved we should not follow them.
  • People lose their opportunity for salvation because they follow the so called “opinion leaders”.
  • If we listen to God’s voice we will know our day of opportunity and seize it.
  • Today seize the opportunity, receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
  • Don’t miss your opportunity for salvation because of what other people think or say.

FOR THE PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM MISSING THEIR OPPORTUNITY MEANS JUDGEMENT!!

  • The Roman armies finally came and destroyed their beloved city and its beautiful temple!!
  • But interestingly enough God gave the nation several years of grace before judgement fell.

While on the cross Jesus prayed for the nation of Israel “Father Forgive them for they don’t know”.

  • On the day of Pentecost and for several years afterward the apostles and early believer’s witnessed about Jesus Christ and His saving grace.
  • Unfortunately the leaders did not repent and believe the gospel.
  • 40years later, Jerusalem fell under God’s judgement according to the prophecy of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • In 70AD the Roman army under the leadership of general Titus surrounded Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem died like flies!!

All of this leads to one solemn truth! “No man knows when the day of opportunity will end”

  • Since no man knows he had better take advantage of the opportunity when it comes his way-(2 Peter 3:9)
  • Jesus Christ warned us in-(John 12:35) “Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the light lest darkness come upon you”
  • This is what we know for sure “opportunity comes today, not yesterday- yesterday’s gone! Not tomorrow -tomorrow may not come.
  • Now is the accepted time –(2 Cor.6:2) “Now is the day of salvation”
  • The Holy Spirit says it-(Heb. 3:7-8)—“where fore as the Holy Spirit saith, Today if ye will hear his voice harden not”.

CONCLUSION

  • The message of Palm Sunday is the message of peace. Jesus said “if only you knew  these things that belong to your peace”
  • The gospel is what belong to your peace, peace with God self with others.
  • Jesus came as God’s ambassador of peace, yet they declared war-(v. 44)
  • He came with outstretched arms of love and they nailed them to the cross!
  • He rode into the city as their King and they crowned Him with thorns!
  • As they did these things to the Lord of Glory their opportunity passed away!!
  • Today Jesus Christ comes to you offering grace love and forgiveness.
  • The opportunity is here, today is the day of your salvation.
  • Must Jesus turn away a weep because another day of opportunity is gone….Forever!!
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Rev, DR. Willy Mutiso

Rev, Dr. Willy Mutiso is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Athiriver. He is widely known for his practical and dynamic teaching style which helps people apply the timeless truths of Scripture to their everyday lives.

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