Our Lord’s chief desire is to show mercy and pity through his mighty power. Today, Jesus weeps over the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem, a word that means the city of peace. The City of God, Holy Zion, the center of the world in the eyes of the people of Israel. Jerusalem, the city that killed the prophets of old, and only days after this reading from Luke, the city will also kill the Son of God. Yet, before he sets a new altar before the people, that is, the cross of Calvary, Christ himself, our new high priest, and his very body our new temple, must cleanse the old to teach the people of the new. At the end of our reading, we find the disciples at Jesus’ feet as his word is the true refuge from calamity and judgment.
Earlier in the same chapter of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem, sitting on a colt of a donkey. He comes into the city for his last Passover to the sound of the cries of children, saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. “ Yet, it is only Christ who truly knows what awaits him and this passover celebration. That the king, who is the Lord Jesus, has come to purchase his people back from their idolatrous ways with his own blood. The joyous occasion becomes one of sorrow. For Christ knows that not many of that city will come to believe in him as the Son of God either now or after his resurrection. Christ mourns the coming visitation of the Lord. As we know from Jewish history, the words of Jesus in our gospel reading were fulfilled in the year 70 A.D. According to Jesus’ own prophecy, the city was destroyed by the Romans, leaving no stone unturned. This event is known as the Siege of Jerusalem.
The God of the Bible is the God of visitation. The Lord desires to be with his people, either to demonstrate his judgment or to extend peace. Many times, the Lord’s visitation in the Bible does both of these at the same time. We only need to look at the life of Abraham as it is recorded in the book of Genesis. Here, we see two notable visitations of the Lord. Abraham had a nephew named Lot who lived in a city called Sodom. There, two of the Lord’s angels visited Lot and his family. The men of that town were overcome by evil desires for the two visitors. The men’s sin of sensuality was a result of the people’s hatred of God. Though the Lord had mercy and compassion upon his servant Lot and his family as they were brought out of the city by the angels. The Lord showed favor and great kindness, saving the lives of his servants.
The Lord also visited his servant, Abraham. God visited him as he appeared at the Oaks of Mamre. While Abraham entertained his three guests with bread made from fine flour and a good and tender calf, the Lord revealed that his barren wife, Sarah, would have a son. Sarah laughed in disbelief. The angel of the Lord replies to Sarah, “Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time, I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.” The Lord came to Abraham to reveal his mighty works, for through Abraham came Isaac and through Isaac came the Christ, the savior of all the world.
Our God is the God of visitation, and as he visits the city of Jerusalem, Christ, our Lord, brings mercy and pity through mighty power that brings about the judgment of the cross and the grace of the resurrection. Jesus comes to visit the people to save us from the coming destruction of this life and in the life to come. Even as our Lord executes judgment upon sin, he never ceases to come to save sinners, those who are lost and oppressed.
And now Christ cleanses the temple in order that he may teach the word of God to the people. He throws out the money changers as they have made the house of God into a den of robbers who take advantage of the people, as they were required to exchange their money for the currency of the temple. He cast out the animal dealers, for they took advantage of those who traveled far and wide by overselling their animals so that the people could offer their Passover lambs as sacrifices in the temple. For the temple of God cannot be divided, partially dedicated to the sacrifices and worship of the God of Israel, while also being dedicated to lies and deceit. The same is true for our hearts, as we dwell with Christ and he with us. Our souls and bodies are temples of the Lord. God does not want our hearts divided within us. Partially dedicated to one true God, while the other part is held by the deception of sin. Using our mouth to worship God and to receive his sacrament on Sunday morning, while it is also used for spreading gossip, making up rumors, or fabricating the truth, and many other such things. For Christ our Lord says, “A house divided cannot stand.”
Yet, do not fear our Lord’s visitation. For Christ has not come only for jerusalem, but for the sake of the whole world. He comes into our hearts to cleanse them from sin, from unbelief, and from the captivity of the devil and the world. He makes his humble abode with us as he is the Word of God in flesh and blood. We have beheld his glory, the glory of God the Father, full of grace and truth. He cleanses us so that he may be with us, that in all things, even trials, temptations, and yes, our suffering Christ Jesus is with us here and now. For He has bought us with the price of His own blood. As he goes to Jerusalem for the sake of Calvary. There, the cross is his new altar. His body is the new temple. And Christ himself is our new high priest. As the Lord has visited us with his mighty power that he might save us.
Now that Christ has cleansed the temple in Jerusalem and the temples of our hearts by his word in sacraments. He teaches in the temple day and night for three days. and the people of the city cling to every word that he speaks. And the same is true for you, dear Christian, for this is how you have come to believe in Jesus, by his word of promise and forgiveness. The word of the Lord is given to you for your good. And by his word, you are restored to God your Heavenly Father.
The Lord visits his people to show his mercy. This is not a one-time event, but happened here in this place week after week. Jesus is there in holy absolution pronounced upon his people, he is in the preaching and reading of his word, and he is in the bread and wine that is his body and blood for your comfort and forgiveness. In his word, heaven and earth meet. As our Lord never ceases to be with us and to have mercy upon us all.
St. John's and Grace Evangelical Lutheran Parish 