[Jesus said] “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Devotion based on Matthew 23:37-39

The entire chapter of Matthew 23 is several stern warnings that Jesus spoke against those who rejected him in unbelief, especially the religious leaders. If you read through those passages, you will see that Jesus spoke very strongly against those who opposed him. His reason for the woes he pronounced was not to antagonize his enemies. No, he spoke as firmly as he did because he truly loved them! He wanted them to see that the confidence they were putting in themselves for salvation was very dangerous. They could not save themselves from condemnation in hell by their attempts to live as righteously as possible. Jesus wanted to correct them. He wanted them to put their faith in him as their Savior so they would not fall under the eternal judgment of God. He wanted them to have eternal life with God by trusting in him as their Savior.

Oh, the great extent of Jesus’ love for people! He wants all to come to the knowledge of God’s truth and be saved from the curse of sin. He reaches out to gather people into the protective care of his boundless goodness and fills them with the fullness of life. He calls upon them to turn away from the emptiness and hopelessness they have without him. How sad and sorrowful he is when they refuse because when judgment finally comes, they will be separated from God forever.

Jesus is our Savior. His death was the sacrifice that God accepted as payment for all our sins. There’s nothing more for us to do for the forgiveness of sins and the joy of life with God. Jesus did it all. Believe it.

Prayer:

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.