If You Had Only Known
March/21/2008 Filed in: Daily Walk
Series
• New
Testament Reading: Luke 19:28-20:19
• Old Testament Passage: Ezekiel 2:4-11
• Points to Ponder
“If You Had Only Known”
Jesus wept over the fate the people of Jerusalem would soon face. They would be surrounded by
their enemies (the Romans in A.D. 70) who would lay siege to the city and then destroy it
completely, killing its inhabitants. The reason for such a fate? Jesus said, “You did not recognize the
time of God’s coming to you.” They weren’t ignorant because they weren’t told, but because they
wouldn’t look, listen and believe. Again, he forewarns of their ruin when in the parable of the
tenants he says of the owner, “He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to another.”
Jesus had done everything he could to make himself and his God known. For three years he
patiently and persistently taught, explained, answered questions, performed miracles and served the
people. He had pointed to their scriptures and shown how his life was a fulfillment of all the
Messianic prophecies. They were blinded by their theological basis, their religious traditions, their
self-righteousness and focus on this world.
Our mission in the 21st century is to make Jesus and his will known to the world, by our deeds and
by our words. We need to give every person we can a chance to know of God’s love, grace and of his
desire for a relationship with every person. But the reality is that not everyone will listen and not
every one who hears will believe. Eternal destruction awaits those who do not obey the gospel (2
Thessalonians 2:8-10). So let’s weep over those who refuse to believe and do everything we can to
reach those who haven’t yet heard.
• Questions to Consider: When you think about what will happen to those who will not
recognize the time of God’s coming, how does that make you feel? What does that reality
motivate you to do? Is there anyone you know to whom you have yet to preach the gospel?
• Old Testament Passage: Ezekiel 2:4-11
• Points to Ponder
“If You Had Only Known”
Jesus wept over the fate the people of Jerusalem would soon face. They would be surrounded by
their enemies (the Romans in A.D. 70) who would lay siege to the city and then destroy it
completely, killing its inhabitants. The reason for such a fate? Jesus said, “You did not recognize the
time of God’s coming to you.” They weren’t ignorant because they weren’t told, but because they
wouldn’t look, listen and believe. Again, he forewarns of their ruin when in the parable of the
tenants he says of the owner, “He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to another.”
Jesus had done everything he could to make himself and his God known. For three years he
patiently and persistently taught, explained, answered questions, performed miracles and served the
people. He had pointed to their scriptures and shown how his life was a fulfillment of all the
Messianic prophecies. They were blinded by their theological basis, their religious traditions, their
self-righteousness and focus on this world.
Our mission in the 21st century is to make Jesus and his will known to the world, by our deeds and
by our words. We need to give every person we can a chance to know of God’s love, grace and of his
desire for a relationship with every person. But the reality is that not everyone will listen and not
every one who hears will believe. Eternal destruction awaits those who do not obey the gospel (2
Thessalonians 2:8-10). So let’s weep over those who refuse to believe and do everything we can to
reach those who haven’t yet heard.
• Questions to Consider: When you think about what will happen to those who will not
recognize the time of God’s coming, how does that make you feel? What does that reality
motivate you to do? Is there anyone you know to whom you have yet to preach the gospel?