WHEN JESUS CAME TO TOWN
On October 15, 1971, music legend Ricky Nelson stepped onto the stage at Madison Square Garden for a rock-and-roll reunion. The audience cheered at first but then began booing, not because of Nelson’s performance but because his hair and clothes weren’t the same as in the 1950s. His appearance simply didn’t match what they wanted. Nelson chronicled his woes in his hit song, “Garden Party.”
In some ways, this parallels Jesus’s experience on Palm Sunday. The road was thronged with crowds, jockeying for position to grab a glimpse of the Messiah. The masses were convinced that this carpenter was the long-awaited king of prophecy. The throngs spread their cloaks on the road to welcome him. All the promises made to Abraham and David, all the words of the prophets, were teetering on the precipice of fulfillment.
But in Luke 19:41 Jesus did something strange. “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.” Not tears of joy, as the text shows. Verse 42 states, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you bring you peace.” Imagine going to a birthday party and the birthday boy stands in the corner wailing. Doesn’t quite fit.
Jesus knew within five days the same crowd welcoming him as king would be shouting “Crucify him!” Like Ricky Nelson, he didn’t match what they wanted. The Jews longed for a political king, a military leader who would deliver them from Rome. But God’s Son didn’t come to temporarily save one nation from one oppressive government. He came to save the entire world from sin for all time. God’s plan is always much bigger than ours.
So Jesus wept. Because he wasn’t the kind of king they wanted. Because he knew they were actually rejecting him. Because he knew the consequences of their rejection were catastrophic.
Like the Jews, sometimes we want our own version of Jesus. The Mushy Messiah, who allows us to live however we wish. Or Jack-in-a-Box Jesus, who pops out when we need him but otherwise remains out of sight. Or the Health-and-Wealth Christ, who only preaches happiness.
We don’t need a Jesus who makes life easier for a short time. We need Jesus the Savior who delivers us from sin. The One who knows exactly what we need—not someone who gives us everything we want. The Jesus who wept over his people the day he came to town.
Principle: The Jews rejected Jesus because he wasn’t the kind of king they wanted.
Ponder:
In what circumstances do you struggle with wanting God on your own terms?
How can you avoid making the same mistake as the Jews did?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Luke 19:28–44.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I acknowledge you as Lord of my life. I surrender my will and my life to you. Help me to trust in your perfect plan for my life and for our world.