The Day Jesus Wept: What Broke His Heart and What it Means Today

But as they came closer to Jerusalem and Jesus saw the city ahead, He began to cry.  “I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you”.

– Jesus in Luke 19:41-42

In a week filled with dramatic moments, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem wasn’t only moving for those who were lining the streets dancing, singing and waving palm branches, it was intensely impactful and emotional for Jesus Himself.

As Jesus approaches the city riding on a donkey and with his disciples, you can imagine the roar of the crowds building as more and more continue to gather along the road.

Then all of a sudden the parade just stops.
It might have been a little like rush hour traffic when you aren’t sure what’s causing the slowdown. Is there a stall or an accident up ahead?

Then you hear a sound in the distance, but it’s not an emergency siren, it’s the sound of a loud cry.
This was a deep and public cry with more eyes now watching Jesus than at any other time in the three years since he began His ministry. And it was not something the people of Jerusalem were expecting from the one they now recognized to be their Messiah and King – as their scriptures foretold.

The Bible tells us that Jesus reacted emotionally many times from different scenes that He saw. When He saw the poor. When He saw the hungry. When He saw people sinning. When He saw the ill and those with debilitating disease.

The scriptures say repeatedly that Jesus “…had compassion on them.”
But it only tells us of two occasions that Jesus cried. One time He cried at the grave of Lazarus. There Jesus saw Lazarus’ sisters Mary & Martha both weeping and he began to weep with them.

And not just with them – He wept for them. He entered into their grief with compassion and He identified with their sorrow and despair. He also grieved because He could see that they both struggled to believe He could raise their brother from the dead in that moment.

Now just days after raising Lazarus, Jesus enters Jerusalem—and once again, He weeps.
Whenever we see anyone in tears, one of our most natural responses is to ask, “Why are you crying?” We try to understand what’s causing their pain and hope that maybe we can bring some relief or comfort.

So let’s ask, why was Jesus crying? We know He didn’t cry often. There must have been very good reason as there was when He wept for His close friend, Lazarus.

Why Did Jesus Cry?

Jesus had a deep love for the city of Jerusalem. Many scriptures in the Old Testament God bear out that God had chosen this city to bear His name forever and Jesus would have known and understood this.
Jesus saw a great city that had lost its way and wasn’t fulfilling it purpose. Much the same as when He looks at people all over the world who He has created who are lost and not finding His purpose for their lives.

Jesus heard the cheers of the people, but He knew their heart. He knew something was off. Not only were they lost and without purpose, they misunderstood His purpose as He rode into the city.

Why did Jesus cry? It was a culmination of many things on that Palm Sunday:

1. Because the people misunderstood His Kingdom. They wanted Jesus as their King to deliver them from oppression and crush the Romans. Jesus had come first to bring a spiritual kingdom into their hearts but they wanted an earthly king.

2. Because He saw a city that would be destroyed by the Romans. Jesus lamented that Jerusalem had missed an opportunity to truly receive Him. He saw that their rejection of Him would eventually result in the destruction of the city and in Jews being scattered throughout the Roman world – just as it happened in 70 AD. In Luke 19:41,43-44 we read:
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known… The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

3. Because they did not accept His terms for peace. In Hebrew, Jerusalem means “city of peace” or “God will establish peace”. As Jesus approached the city, recognizing the meaning of its name, he said in Luke 19:42…

“If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

The people in Jerusalem desired peace but wanted it to come through conflict. Jesus was offering them peace in conflict. The people who listened to Him must have thought, “Well, those are beautiful words, but surely He doesn’t mean for us to live in peace with Rome? He doesn’t expect us to love Rome? Only a lunatic would command you to love Rome. We can’t love Rome!”

How often do we as Christians do the same thing? We want peace, and we want blessings, but at the same time, we want to do things our way to get them. We think we have a better plan than God. In essence, the attitude is…
“God, I want peace and blessings, and I’m going to do this, and that, and the other, because that’s how I want to handle it – and I know what I’m doing. And Lord, I just really need you to bless me in my actions.”

Jerusalem wanted “their king, their way” and didn’t see that God had a better plan in sending Jesus. This moved Him to weep.

4. Because He knew many of these “fans” would cry “crucify Him” in a few days. It’s almost hard to believe that the same people who are dancing and cheering for Jesus in the streets are the same ones shouting “crucify” less than a week later.

How can people turn so quickly? What is it about human nature that makes us so fickle, so unreliable and capable of such betrayal?
As you think about this, you have to ask, “How could this not bring all of us to tears?”

Just as Jesus was moved then, Jesus cries when people today say, “Yes I’ll follow Jesus!”, but at the first sign of opposition or struggle, they quit. Or the first time they discover that church is not perfect, they become disillusioned.

Somehow forgetting that they themselves aren’t perfect.
It’s true that church isn’t perfect, because there are people in it. If it was perfect, it would stop being perfect as soon as you and I got there.

People today might say they’re a fan of something or someone, but it’s much different than committing your life to it. I pray that all of us would be “all in” in our commitment to Jesus and not as those in Jerusalem were on Palm Sunday.

Is There a City That Moves Your Heart?

Just as Jesus has a big heart for Jerusalem, which He saw as His city, He cares deeply for cities all over the world.

Which had me thinking about our own city. Do you love your city? Do you pray for your city?
Have you been moved to tears by the spiritual condition of your city?

As I write this, I’ve just come from our Saturday Morning Prayer meeting that we have each week at all our Coastal campuses.
Many today were weeping as we prayed together for our cities and our country. Many could feel the weightiness of God’s heart and His compassion as we reflected on the spiritual condition of our nation and the people around us.
From a very deep place we cried out to God for spiritual awakening across our land. For God to keep our land glorious and free. For God’s church to watch and pray and stand on guard for “O Canada”.

If you are moved and energized to pray as I am, or if you desire for God to move you in prayer, I invite you to take a step and join us for Saturday Morning Prayer and make this a part of your life each week.

Click this LINK for more information and to join us.