A few years ago, my wife and I had the incredible experience of traveling to Israel on a two-week tour with a group of pastors of various denominations from across the U.S. For our last three days in country, we traveled up from the Dead Sea, at 1,400 feet below sea level, to the city of Jerusalem, over 2,500 feet above sea level.<\/p>\n
Entering Jerusalem, the tour bus took us to the Mount of Olives, looking down over the Kidron Valley to the Old City of Jerusalem. The old city situated in the middle of greater Jerusalem, is surrounded by high walls. Within the walls are four \u201cquarters;\u201d the Jewish quarter, the Christian quarter, the Muslim quarter and the Arminian quarter.<\/p>\n
Overlooking the Old City, from the Mount of Olives, we were about to walk down the Mount of Olives, via Palm Sunday Road. This is the road Jesus would have ridden down on a donkey the Sunday before he was crucified. On that particular day, the people lined the narrow street and waved palm branches and laid down their cloaks, praising him and all the wonders he had done.<\/p>\n
As we walked down Palm Sunday road, I pondered about that day Jesus road into town. We stopped at an overlook. And it was at that time of day I heard sounds like I had never heard before. The Muslim call to prayer was echoing across the valley from the Dome of the Rock in the Old City. At the same time, the Jewish call to worship sounded from a shofar not far away. Church bells began to ring in Christian churches. It was a cacophony of sounds competing for dominance and attention.<\/p>\n
It was at that moment, standing there overlooking this amazing historic city, reflecting on Jesus\u2019 presence there on that same road 2,000 earlier, I recalled reading about him stopping, overlooking the city and, in the midst of all the people\u2019s celebration, began weeping. He said, as quoted from the New Testament gospel of Luke 19:41-42, \u201cAs he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, \u2018If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace\u2014but now it is hidden from your eyes.\u2019\u201d Jesus predicted, with weeping and, I believe a broken heart, that because they didn\u2019t hear God coming to them, their city would be destroyed. In 70 A.D., that prophecy was fulfilled.<\/p>\n
But, what struck me on that day, listening to the three religions, Islam, Judaism and Christianity and their loud, confusing noise echoing across the city, competing for the attention of the people, was sadness. For it might not have been that much different in Jesus\u2019s day. It wasn\u2019t the same competing religions, but the noise of the world\u2019s religion, philosophy, politics, commerce, etc., all trying to outdo each other for the attention of the people. \u201cBuy me! Follow Me! Hey, over here! Choose this way!\u201d<\/p>\n
Jesus wept, mourning over the confusion and lostness of the people. Yesterday and today, I believe Jesus still weeps over people who are looking for peace in all the wrong places. Jesus said, \u201cIf you had only known what would bring you peace.\u201d Jesus, Himself, is the source of our peace. It is not in religion, it is in knowing and believing and following Jesus, God\u2019s son, who came that we might know God and walk with Him. He came as a sacrifice for the sins that bring confusion, hopelessness and lostness into our lives.<\/p>\n
Later, that week, Jesus would gather his disciples and tell them he would soon be betrayed, crucified, but on the third day, be raised to life. The disciples heard crucifixion, and were distraught over the events that were about to take place. Jesus said to them in John\u2019s Gospel, 14:27, \u201cPeace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.\u201d In the midst of the world\u2019s chaos, we can know the peace of Jesus. Our longing for peace is not in religion, but in a relationship with Jesus, who loves us and gave himself as a sacrifice for us. And he, who lives again, offers us peace and hope!<\/p>\n
\u2022 Dan Wiese is the pastor of the Church of the Nazarene.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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