Jesus Is My Super Hero - Do You Know What Time It Is?

Scripture

“Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:41-44‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Jesus came near Jerusalem. Looking at the city, he began to cry for it and said, “I wish you knew today what would bring you peace. But it is hidden from you now. A time is coming when your enemies will build a wall around you and hold you in on all sides. They will destroy you and all your people. Not one stone of your buildings will stay on top of another. All this will happen because you did not know the time when God came to save you.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:41-44‬ ‭ERV‬

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 “They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you. ”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:44‬ ‭NLT‬‬

OBSERVATION 

RECOGNIZE - Verb

• To acknowledge
• To admit as being
• To take notice of
• To show appreciation

“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In the preceding chapter, and in the preceding sequences of Jesus’ life He encounters two men, who, on the surface seem similar. But they each received Christ differently, leading to two different outcomes.

The Rich Young Ruler

Luke‬ ‭18:18-25‬ ‭ESV

“And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth." When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."

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Zacchaeus

Luke‬ ‭19:1-10‬ ‭ERV‬‬

“Jesus was going through the city of Jericho. In Jericho there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a wealthy, very important tax collector. He wanted to see who Jesus was. There were many others who wanted to see Jesus too. Zacchaeus was too short to see above the people. So he ran to a place where he knew Jesus would come. 

Then he climbed a sycamore tree so he could see him. When Jesus came to where Zacchaeus was, he looked up and saw him in the tree. Jesus said, “Zacchaeus, hurry! Come down! I must stay at your house today.” 

Zacchaeus hurried and came down. He was happy to have Jesus in his house. Everyone saw this. They began to complain, “Look at the kind of man Jesus is staying with. Zacchaeus is a sinner!” 

Zacchaeus said to the Lord, “I want to do good. I will give half of my money to the poor. If I have cheated anyone, I will pay them back four times more.” 

APPLICATION 

REPENTANCE - A change of attitude and action from sin toward obedience to God. The concept of repentance differs slightly in the Hebrew and Greek minds, but an emphasis upon right behavior is consistent throughout.

Jesus said, “Today is the day for this family to be saved from sin. Yes, even this tax collector is one of God’s chosen people. The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.”

The Hebrew word that most closely approximates “repent” or “repentance” is translated into English as “return,” which basically means “to turn around and go in the opposite direction.” 

The Greek word for “repentance” derives from a verb meaning “to radically change one’s thinking.” “Repentance” refers to an event in which an individual attains a divinely provided new understanding of their behavior and feels compelled to change that behavior and begin a new relationship with God

REDEEMER One who pays a price on behalf of an impoverished relative, in order to effect the release of the relative or his/her property (Lev 25:25–54). The New Testament uses this term in reference to Jesus, whose death comes to represent both payment for sin and freedom for the believer.

Prayer - My God, thank You for loving me, helping me to recognize who truly are. I thank You for revealing my sin to me, allowing me to repent, and prompting me to restore to anyone that I’ve wronged. I love you.