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The Salt Newsletter

Welcome to The Salt Newsletter, a weekly email where I aim to provide insight from scripture and teach you how to teach this to someone else. 

In Acts 1:1, Luke states that in his gospel he wrote about all that “Jesus began to do and teach.” An important model for us all because it isn’t just important for us to do what scripture says. We should be quick to teach it to others as well. Why? Because we’re the salt of the earth and that’s how you and I will make disciples of all nations!

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THIS WEEK
The Weeping of Jesus Explained

read time 4 minutes

^{Luke 19:41-44 states, "And when He drew near and saw the city, He wept over it, saying, 'Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.'"}

Have you ever realized that the Gospels mention Jesus weeping only twice? The first instance occurs upon the death of Lazarus, where we find the shortest verse in Scripture: “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) However, the second instance is one I ask you to meditate on, as it's more profound than we might initially imagine. After the triumphal entry, as Jesus nears Jerusalem to willingly face His crucifixion, He weeps the second time.

During this moment, while descending the Mount of Olives and surrounded by multitudes praising Him, Jesus looks ahead at the skyline of Jerusalem which ‘triggers’ Him.

Luke 19:41-44 states, "And when He drew near and saw the city, He wept over it, saying, 'Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.'"

When Jesus weeps over Lazarus, the original Greek word dakruō indicates that He shed tears. There was emotion, but it was not overwhelming, because He knew Lazarus would be brought back to life. In contrast, the Greek word used for Jesus' weeping over Jerusalem (klaiō) signifies a more intense, agonizing weeping—an audible sob. Jesus burst into tears. Not because of fear at the thought of His looming crucifixion but because of His profound sorrow over a city He loved, filled with people who rejected Him. The people "did not know the time of their visitation" by the Savior of the World (Luke 19:44).

The reality is: This agonizing pain is what Jesus feels over anyone who does not have a relationship with Him.

What does this mean for us?

It underscores that while Jesus inhabits in the praise of His people, just as He received from the crowds during His triumphal entry, He is still deeply concerned for those who reject Him. Unlike Lazarus, their destiny isn’t an encouragement for believers in Christ. Their destiny is eternal separation from the Father. This should crush us, just as it crushed Jesus.

To possess the mind of Christ means to feel profound sorrow for those who are lost. When someone in our lives rejects Christ, our mission should be to love them and remind them of the eternal joy Jesus brings. It's not your fault if they continue to reject the truth, remembering that Jesus Himself was rejected while declaring who He was! Yet, we must still make the effort. It’s the Spirit that will do the rest as long as we are obedient.

How do we share Jesus with the lost?

See below:

TEACH THIS LESSON TO OTHERS

How do we share Jesus with the lost?

1. Avoid being overly preachy. Remember before someone reads the Bible, they'll read you. Let your life be a testament to your faith. This involves being mindful of how we express emotion. Do not let anger, pride, jealousy, gossip, or negative thinking take root in your life. Hypocrisy can be a thorn that hurts our witness.

2. Share in 1 minute or less who you were before meeting Jesus, how you met Him, and how you've changed since then. “This is who I was, then I met Jesus, and this is who I am now.”

   1. Once you're able to articulate this to yourself, you'll also identify the audience that God has equipped you to reach. Have you overcome addiction? Then those currently struggling with it are your mission field. Have you risen out of poverty? God has empowered you to help others do the same. The spheres of influence God has granted us as the body of Christ are limitless.

3. Follow up. If you exchange contact information, make an effort to connect over coffee and genuinely engage with those God leads you to disciple. Don’t overwhelm yourself or others; set comfortable boundaries. The man that discipled me initially checked on me daily; now, it's every few months, but his presence remains. Create a legacy that truly matters—an eternal legacy.

A PRAYER

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for your finished work on the cross. Lord, it agonized you to think of those that could not see the time of your visitation. Lord we remind ourselves of your visitation in our own life. Thank you for the people you placed in our lives, the families you placed us in, or the churches you’ve led us to that introduced us to you. I pray that you give each of us a burden for the lost. Lord, let us be the vehicle of your presence for another. I ask that as we obey you in sharing the Gospel with others, that your Holy Spirit let it cut the hearts of the hearers.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen