Triumph and Tragedy

 

As he was drawing near–already on the way down the Mount of Olives–the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen.  Luke 19:37

 

It was Palm Sunday and the sermon was on Hell. Really, Hell. We are doing a study of the book of 1 Corinthians. Chapter 6:9 -11 are verses warning that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Our Pastor taught that this indicates they will inherit the kingdom of Hell. So, he was teaching about Hell. I was amazed when the sermon was easily tied to Palm Sunday.

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was a triumphant event. Luke 19  tells us that His disciples were rejoicing, praising God, and calling Him King. They were not thinking about Hell.

Jesus Wept

As Jesus got near Jerusalem, He wept over it. His disciples were praising and rejoicing over Him and He was weeping over the city. Why?

Hell.

He was nearing His crucifixion. The Jewish religious leaders were plotting His death. His own disciples were many but more were there because of His miracles and “the mighty works they had seen” (Luke 19:37) than those who really understood His mission as God. As He approached Jerusalem knowing His own time on earth was short, He wept over their spiritual state. There eternal destination would be determined by their faithful or faithless response to Him as Christ the King.

Too many were faithless – and Jesus knew their hearts. He also knew the hearts of those who “followed” Him, the faithful and the faithless.

Triumph or Tragedy

We say we believe Hebrews 13:8 that says Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He knows our hearts. He knows the faithful and the faithless. He knows the triumphal finish for those who are faithful and the tragedy awaiting those who are faithless…even those who show up at church weekly and sing and serve and listen to the sermon. He knows.

Faithful or faithless? Which describes you and me?

If we are faithful does the tragic end awaiting so many of our “neighbors” make us weep? Are we so secure in our own salvation that we are unconcerned for others?

If faithless, why? Christ has paid the penalty for all of our sin – and we all have sin. He was killed for it (the wages of sin is death) and has been raised from the dead so that we, too, may be resurrected from death to eternal life with God.

Christ is King!  But He’s not just a political king as was expected – He’s King of all reality, including the reality of life and death.  He has conquered the grave and offers eternal paradise to those who are His and who will work to advance His kingdom.

This is great news because Hell is terrible news. Hell is worth weeping over. Hell is worth stepping out of our comfort zones to warn someone about. Hell should motivate us to tell others how Jesus has saved us from it and how He is using His people to love their neighbors.

Everyone responds to Christ. That response leads to either triumph or tragedy. For you, for me, for our children and their children, our neighbors and theirs, the best possible gift is a faithful response.

Who do you know who needs to hear about Him and what His resurrection is all about?