In the name of Christ Jesus, dear fellow redeemed people of God,

If a dog runs away from home and never comes back, what does a child feel? Sorrow. If a child runs away from home and doesn't return, what does a parent feel? Deep sorrow. Today, we see Jesus experiencing sorrow over lost sinners, sinners who rejected him. Let us consider these words verse by verse as:

{31} At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you." The Pharisees were usually not too friendly to Jesus. Generally, they wanted to trap him and get rid of him. In this case, they came to Jesus and told him to leave and go somewhere else. But they didn't just say, "Get out of here." They said, "Herod wants to kill you." I am not at all certain that Herod really wanted to kill Jesus. Killing John the Baptist had been a big mistake, and he knew it. If Herod really wanted to kill Jesus, he would have simply had him arrested. Instead, we see these Pharisees warning Jesus to leave the region. Most likely what happened was that Herod and the Pharisees figured that this threat would intimidate Jesus into leaving the area. They were trying to scare Jesus away. They wanted him to go somewhere else. His preaching had become troublesome. It seems that Jesus had been preaching here in Perea, on the eastern side of the Jordan, and Herod and the Pharisees wanted him to move on. But Jesus was not going to be intimidated.

{32} He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.'" Jesus called Herod a "fox." Most would agree that the characteristic of a fox is to be cunning, sly, and tricky. Herod was trying to trick Jesus into leaving the area. But Jesus replied that he had some more work to do before he would move on. He had some miracles to do. He would drive out demons. He would heal people. And then he would move on, and reach his goal.

You know what his goal was, don't you? Jesus had discussed it with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. He talked with them, in the hearing of Peter, James and John, about his upcoming death in Jerusalem. Jesus had told his disciples what was going to happen. He said: "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life" (Lk 9:22). His goal or mission was to save sinners. His goal was to redeem us and all people.

We are all sinners, deserving God's punishment. God's Word says that we should put God first in all things, but we haven't always done that. God commands that we hear his Word gladly, but we haven't always done that. God says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." Have you really done that? Really? Have you really loved your neighbor, your wife or husband, your boss, your co-worker, your neighbor, your fellow member as much as you love yourself? God says that we have not kept his law.

But there is good news. Jesus came with the goal of saving us. This is how Isaiah put it: "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Is 53:6). Jesus came to live a perfect life for us, and then die on the cross in our place, as our Substitute. The reason why Jesus had to die such a cruel, terrible death is that, in love, the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. Yet, because Jesus paid our price in full, he rose from the dead on the third day. He won forgiveness of sins for you and for me. Whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Believe in Jesus, and you'll never have to suffer sin's punishment. You will live in heaven forever! If only all people would believe in Jesus, all people would be going to heaven. And yet, that is not the case. Sadly, there are people who want nothing to do with Jesus. That was how it was then too.

Jesus said: {33} "In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day - for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!" Jesus was going to keep moving toward his goal, but he knew that he would die in Jerusalem. For, he said, "surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!" If Jesus were to say this today, he would immediately be attacked in the media for making an anti-Semitic statement. Yet, Jesus was himself a Jew, by race, according to his human nature! He knew the truth. Many prophets suffered at the hands of the people of Jerusalem. One by the name of Zechariah had actually been stoned in the very courtyard of the Temple! In a general way, Jerusalem didn't want to hear about their sins. They didn't want someone telling them that they were wrong. And if someone did this, these wicked people were not against putting him to death. These words are sharp law, but they are not "anti-Semitic" because Jesus shows love for these people. Take a look at the very next verse!

{34} "O 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, but you were not willing!" Jesus mentions the name "Jerusalem" twice in loving concern. He had also said, "Martha, Martha" when teaching her that hearing God's Word is more important than being busy serving the Lord. He would say, "Simon, Simon" when warning Peter against self-confidence when doing battle with the devil. He would later say, "Saul, Saul" when reaching out to a great persecutor who would become the great apostle Paul. And here, in love, Jesus says, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem..." Notice that Jesus doesn't merely say that they "killed" the prophets, as though it was only a matter of the past. He says that they "kill" the prophets, because it was something that they were presently involved with. They would likewise stone Stephen to death for saying similar words.

And yet, JESUS SORROWS OVER THE LOST! Jesus says, "how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings." Picture the scene. A chicken hawk is flying overhead, threatening helpless chicks. The hen spreads her wings, and invites the chicks to come under her wings for safety. Under those wings the chicks would be safe. Under those wings the chicks would be comforted. But then, we hear those shattering words: "but you were not willing!" Jesus would have gathered the people and kept them safe. He would have protected and comforted them from all enemies. He would have delivered them from sin, death and the devil. He would have kept them from eternal punishment. If only they would have given up their selfish pride and repented! If only they would have believed in Jesus! But Jesus says, "you were not willing!" You would not do it! You refused! See Jesus inviting, calling, reaching out in love with protection and safety and salvation, and the people walk away. They refuse. No, it's worse. They turn to kill him. So, they must face the consequences.

Jesus said: {35} "Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" Jerusalem would not succeed. They would be destroyed by enemies. In 70 A.D., the Romans came and destroyed the city. They did not leave one stone upon another. It happened. It is history now. The people of Jerusalem would see Jesus riding in triumphal procession on Palm Sunday. Finally, they would see him return with power and great glory as the Judge on Judgment Day. But without repentance and faith, they would not see him as Savior, and they would not avoid eternal punishment. Unless they believed in Jesus as their Savior from sin, they would not have a place in heaven.

But this is not God's fault. It is their own. 2 Peter 3:9 says, "The Lord ... is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." Jesus did not want these people to perish. He wanted them all to repent. He would be patient with them, for a limited time, but then their time of grace would end, and if they did not repent, they would perish. Yet, God doesn't want anyone to perish.

1 Timothy 2:4 says, that God our Savior "wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." God wants everyone to repent and believe in Jesus. God wants you to repent and believe in Jesus. God wants your relatives, neighbors and friends to repent and believe in Jesus. God wants everyone to know the truth of the gospel, believe in Jesus Christ, and be saved in the final judgment.

But in the end, in that final judgment, Jesus said: "whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved and whoever does not believe shall be condemned." That is the crucial dividing line, the point of division. Believers in Jesus will inherit eternal life in heaven. All others will be condemned to eternal punishment. But it is not as though our Savior doesn't care! Here, in these words, we learn that Jesus sorrows over the lost. Still today our loving Savior invites and calls, "Come to me, and you will have eternal rest." Amen.