John 3:16-17
God LOVES the World
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Matthew 6:9-13
Pray God's Kingdom Come on Earth as it is in Heaven
9 “Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
John 14:15-21
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
Luke 19:28-44
Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 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. 44 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.”
Matthew 28:16-20
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Jesus wept...He wept as He approached and saw the city of Jerusalem on a small colt...We did not know, who He was...How could we miss Him?...He is after all, our Creator...We are all made in His Image...All things were made through Him...And yet, we did not know that He was the Son of God...We did not know that He was God in the flesh...Soon we would arrest Him...Soon we would crucify Him...Jesus said as He approached the Holy City, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes...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.”...
While Jesus was here we had questions and doubts, His disciples had questions and doubts, His opposition had questions and many doubts, and those who listened to Him had questions and doubts about Him...We wanted to recognize Him...We wanted to believe He could forgive sins...We wanted to believe He could walk on water, and do all the miracles He did...But there are sometimes questions and doubt -even as people watched this rather odd Man, do the things that He did...But if God became a Man, we should expect Him to be utterly different than ourselves...After all, He is God...So being odd and doing miracles should be expected...He created all things...
But because He came, and if we believe -shouldn't we follow what He teaches and taught us...If He came to tell us to make disciples of all nations -we should believe Him...If He teaches us to tell all nations the Holy Spirit He has given each of us, to be and live, and work together -we should believe Him...After all the Holy Spirit will be the One that guides us to all Truth....We can often read the gospels and gloss over the power that He has...But God has always came for the meek and mild, and teaches us like the Lamb...
God has and did come to earth...We did not recognize the time of God’s coming to us...And we hung Him from a tree...God has been to earth for us, and we did not recognize it...We somehow missed it...We do not know what peace is, and on the day that He came He came to bring us peace...If only we would know who He really is...God has begun His Kingdom with Jesus...He sent Jesus to bring us peace, and start His Kingdom on earth...Jesus did God's will on earth, the same as He does in heaven...And we should pray and hope for the same thing...God LOVES the world...He sent His Son to save us and the world...He came to show us the way, not to condemn the world, but to save it...God's will be done, now on earth as it is being done in heaven...