SORROW
It's a feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortunate events suffered by oneself or other people. It’s not an emotion we would choose to have if it were left up to human intent. Mankind would definitely choose to seize the day with no regrets. If man could create a plan on how to live their lives, it definitely would not include suffering, pain or death. And yet, Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? Matthew 16:24-25 And then, Jesus revealed his coming death. Listen to this - “Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.” Matthew 17:22-23 Today, we would use the word “depressed” to describe what the disciples felt - which, in my opinion, would totally minimize the gut-wrenching sorrow they felt. You seed, Matthew used the words “exceedingly sorrowful” - which embeds a deep distress that cuts straight to the heart. If you have ever experienced the death of someone you love, then you probably understand the pain involved. If you ever did wrong to someone you love then you probably understand the regret they had. You see, Jesus did not say he was about to be betrayed by one man - named Judas Iscariot. He said he was about to be betrayed and killed by many men who represented the remnant nation of God’s covenant. I bet the disciples knew what he meant because Jesus consistently called the religious leaders hypocrites. You see, Before humans could ever express a disappointment with God, we should look at what we have done and realize it was us who broke His heart. “Then the Lord God called to Adam and said, “Where are you?” Adam said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat from? Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” Genesis 3:9-13 Right from the start, man had a rebellious heart. The creation caused exceeding sorrow to ebb inside their Creator. But God is faithful. He is not the adulterous one in the relationship. And although he has cursed his union, He did not walk away from his love. He found a way to forgive, and He implanted His promise inside His bride. He bore the Son of Man, and He sent His Word into the world to defeat sin and death. “So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” Genesis 3:14-15 And the Son of God was born to the woman who was impregnated with His Word. A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads. Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days. Revelation 12:1-6 SORROW & JOY are the way of the Lord. “See, O Lord, that I am in distress; My soul is troubled; My heart is overturned within me, For I have been very rebellious. Outside the sword bereaves, At home it is like death. They have heard that I sigh, But no one comforts me. All my enemies have heard of my trouble; They are glad that You have done it. Bring on the day You have announced, That they may become like me. “Let all their wickedness come before You, And do to them as You have done to me For all my transgressions; For my sighs are many, and my heart is faint.” Lamentations 1:18-22 This is the lamentation of a servants heart, at least until the Day of the Lord. We cry not for ourselves. We cry for the ones who don’t know God. We cry for the sorrow we have caused. “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” In the midst of sorrow, we sing for joy because the third day has come and Jesus sits at the right hand of God! The male child has been born.
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