April 7th, 1963 “Jesus Wept” Late Mr. N. Daniel

Luke 19:41 “When He was come near, He beheld the City, and wept over it."

Weeping is a sign of impotence. When a man cannot remedy a particular situation, he weeps.

Women weep easily. Jesus was a mature personality. He was fortified with the highest qualities of heaven. He was fortified with the armour of meekness. It is an armour which no weapon on earth can pierce. He was a lowly man full of meekness. He entered into the city filled with meekness. He was the Son of the holiest woman on this earth. The head of the house - Joseph was meek. There was no pride of money or education or social position in them. They were a self-supporting (financially) and self-sufficient family. I do not think that any thought of pride entered into the heart of Mary. It is a great achievement.

St. Peter is talking about women. I Peter 3:4. "Let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 'Meek and quiet spirit.' Peter says that such women are able to conquer their husbands. Yet they maintained a meek and quiet spirit. Women are weak but while they are adorned with meekness they are strong.

Jesus was coming into the city of Jerusalem. Angels, saintly people, the blind who were healed and others saw Him coming on the colt and they rejoiced. Something was telling them in their hearts that it was the grandest sight. Some who were lame and healed jumped high. 'Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord'. Children also knew that He was a great man. Some children are devil-possessed. Parents do not go to church. Those who had paralyzed hands and were healed raised their hands and shouted. The paralytic man brought by four men also would have been there.

Jesus could see the future. When He saw the innocent people's future, He wept. Others did not weep because they could not see what Jesus saw. When Jesus sees your birth and death and when He sees that we will not be near His throne on the last day He weeps. Some of the women (the woman at the well also) must have been there. It was a big crowd. If we asked them to stop shouting praises they would not. Their hearts were filled with joy and gratitude. Such a day Jerusalem never saw. Jesus is the King of kings. When David entered the city he did not have this glory. Solomon with all his earthly glory never had an entrance like this. There was no practice or previous preparation for this reception for Jesus. But the crowd was controlled by the Holy Spirit. When you praise Jesus, you can rejoice truly. If you understand His Majesty and power you will be a blessed person. Jesus was very happy to have this crowd around Him.

When you do not worship in the morning or delight in His Word you are a great loser. If you do not rejoice when you open the Bible you are a loser. What a great Book God has placed in your hands! If you dig into it, you will come into a spiritual complexion that transcends all worldly beauty. You will look like your master.

Jesus is weeping. He looked at the impenitent city. What more could He do for it? If a man does not repent, Jesus' blood is powerless. The heavenly sacrifice is of no value to this man. God's own laws are like that. The wages of sin is death. He took the death on Himself. The Pharisees and Sadducees were full of pride and vanity. Are you following such people? In how many Cathedrals and Churches do we see the spirit of Christ? I went to Mangalore to preach but I could not preach there. The spirit of Christ was not there. Do not think that you can go and preach anywhere.

Jesus said, "Enemies would surround Jerusalem and would kill the people." The wages of sin is death. No one can interfere when your sin finally brings death to you. Even if God wants to interfere Satan will accuse God that He is not a just God; He is breaking His own laws. ''This man, this family and this nation did not repent and so they are all mine," the devil will claim. The devil will take you into his hands. When Jesus calls you, you must acknowledge that you are a sinner and you must repent. If you do not do this you will be dragged to hell. Some of my class-mates were full of pride and they were dragged to hell!

When Jesus finished His sorrowful soliloquy, the pharisees came and asked Him to stop the people's acclamation. Jesus said, 'Truth is powerful. They cannot keep quiet.' The ungodly people did not spread their garments on the way. They will not do so. Even if they did so, the wind would have blown them out of the way. Do not wear anybody's clothes. The clothes of a man like Sadhu Sunder Singh or the disciples would have virtue in them. Sunder Singh gave me his shawl and I covered my brother with it when he was dying with typhoid. He recovered. Elijah gave his mantle to his disciple Elisha. It divided the waters of Jordan. Do not take gifts from ungodly people. It is good to visit the dwelling places of the righteous. It is good to hear the conversation of godly women.

Jesus was coming into the city fortified with meekness. Meekness means the courage of a lion. It is moral courage. People know what is in their hearts. As Jesus looks into their hearts, they also will look. No one can flatter them. They will know their own level. They will say that God opened their eyes to see the secret of their hearts in the Bible. No evil will be hidden in them. They will be cleansed. Then they will be filled with meekness. What can hell do or the devil do? As you are clad with meekness no power can defeat you. O young woman! Are you taking spiritual exercise? If you are clad with the meekness of Moses, you will be a power. God opened the door of heaven to Moses. Manna came down on the people and water from the rock. Light was there. Let us demonstrate these things by being clad with the qualities of Jesus. It will be glorious.

For the last time Jesus entered into the temple. It was His last visit. He never entered the temple again. The merchants there were busy. Jesus did not have any value for money. He drove the cattle away. The people there could not do anything. No man could resist His heavenly majesty. With sorrow in His heart, He did that cleansing. The city was the cause for its own destruction. That temple was never again built. The worship of Jehovah was never restored. When Jesus wept, did He not have reason to weep? Does He weep for you?

For the Jews, Jerusalem was a greatly welcome sight. From Jericho the path to Jerusalem was one of ascent. The Jews would jump at the sight of Jerusalem. It was not easy to throw down the tables of the money-changers. If you went to the temple during festival times, and if you did anything against their customs, the Jews would be so roused. They could kill you. Here look at Jesus' courage. Our churches are worshipping places not praying places. They are full of darkness. If Jesus comes and turns things upside down in our houses and hearts, it would be good. Whatever we have built against His will, must be pulled down by Him. Our homes must be suitable dwelling places for Jesus to come.