When Love and Holiness "Kiss"
by Rev. Kirby Williams
When perfect love meets perfect holiness in perfect harmony.
Text: Luke 19:39-44
Date: 02/02/2025, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 181
Description:
As we continue the narrative of the Triumphal Entry, we enter the scene as Jesus is making His way down the western slope of the Mount of Olives on a donkey. As He looks upon the Holy City of Jerusalem and the magnificent Temple complex before Him-- He breaks down and wails. He then, accurately predicts the harsh judgment that is coming upon that city because they did not know the time of their visitation. We will analyze these epic events both in what they mean for Israel in the foreground, and eschatologically for all people in the "not yet". Given this scenario, we will ask ourselves why does the Son of God incarnate weep over the impending judgment rather than omnipotently preventing it? We will ponder the age-old question of the relationship between God's love, compassion and mercy-- and His holiness. Ultimately we will realize that God is perfect both in the nature and harmony of all His attributes, and that in Christ-- love and holiness "kiss".
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I. Introduction, Psa. 85:10.
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 19:39-44.
A. Context
1. The extended context.
2. The parable of the minas, Luke 19:14.
3. The immediate context.
a. The significance of the donkey.
i. A carefully arranged symbol.
ii. The fulfillment of prophecy, Zech 9:9.
iii. A symbol of peace.
b. The connection with the Nativity narrative, Luke 19:38, 2:14.
c. Focus on the disciples.
B. When love and holiness meet.
1. The blindness of the unfaithful servants, vs. 39.
a. Rebuking and blaming the King, Luke 11:38, 19:21.
b. An unfaithful nation, Matt. 15:8,9,24.
c. Focus on the Pharisees.
i. The focus of much of Jesus' ministry, Luke 17:20, 13:31.
ii. Becoming enemies.
iii. The deciding factor, John 10:30,31, 8:58,59, 10:33.
2. When stones cry out, vs. 40.
a. The exuberant shout of Creation, Luke 3:8; Gen. 4:10.
b. The lament of judgment.
i. Creation is fallen, Rev. 21:1; 1Pet. 3:13; Rom. 8:19-22.
ii. The prophecy of Habakkuk, Hab. 2:11; 1Pet. 2:5.
3. Jesus weeps, vs. 41.
a. An intense weeping, Mark 5:38; Matt. 26:75.
b. An audible weeping.
4. Jesus' lament for His lost sheep, vs. 42.
a. The lament for of peace.
i. The Prince of Peace.
ii. Knowing what leads to peace.
b. The lament for blindness.
i. The choice of a blind soul, John 8:44; Luke 16:29.
ii. Divine Judicial blindness, John 12:39-40.
iii. A blind view of peace, Jer. 6:14; John 12:47-48.
5. The lament for Jerusalem, vs. 43-44a.
a. The inevitability of eschatological judgment, Amos 4:2; John 1:9-11.
b. The fall of Jerusalem.
i. The siege, vs. 43.
1) The barricade.
2) Surrounding the city.
3) Hemmed in.
ii. The destruction, vs. 44a.
1) Total destruction.
2) A horrible bloodbath, Psa. 137:8-9; Hos. 10:14.
3) The stones cry out.
c. The Final Judgment, Luke 19:27; Rev. 14:10.
6. Missing the time of visitation, vs. 44b.
a. The "inclusio", Luke 1:68,78,79.
b. The "overseer".
c. The reason for Jesus' tears.
III. Application
A. The perfection of God's attributes, Matt. 5:48.
B. Love and holiness in perfect harmony.
C. Perfect love in judgment, John 3:16, 15:13.
IV. Conclusion
