All my Muslim friends say something that may surprise my Christian readers: they all say that they love Jesus. Personally, I think this is beautiful. Instead of arguing over who owns Jesus, I think that the topic of loving Jesus can create a tremendous conversation that Muslims and Christians can engage in. We can ask each other the questions:
“Why do you love Jesus?”
“What is it about him that you love?”
I love my wife – not just because she is my wife – but because of specific attributes that she has. She is faithful, honest, supportive, kind, wise, discerning, deep, thoughtful, caring, an excellent listener and – on the lighter side – she watches football and basketball with me (I could list many more positive traits)!
In the same way, I love Jesus because of specific attributes that he displayed when he walked the land of Palestine over 2000 years ago. He was the epitome of love, honesty, justice, wisdom, self-control, courage, mercy, grace, patience, righteous anger, and faithfulness to God (again, I could continue).
There is part of a story of Jesus that moves me deeply but is little known by many. It typifies one of the many reasons why I love him. It happened at the beginning of the time Christians around the world are celebrating right now called “Holy Week.” The event I am referring to happened on what is traditionally called “Palm Sunday” – the day that Jesus approached Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and was wildly celebrated by the masses as the long-promised, long-awaited messiah: the savior of the Jews. As Jesus descended that slope toward the city, most people were delirious with joy, a few people were angry (the jealous religious leaders), and one person – Jesus – wept. The Gospels – or Injeel – say that “as he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it” (Luke 19:41).
In that moment, Jesus saw so clearly that the people of Jerusalem would reject him and the salvation he came to bring. But it was not any kind of personal rejection that made him weep. He had far too much inner strength and understanding of his identity for that. No, he saw the terrible agony and future destruction that would come to the people of Jerusalem due to their rejection of him and his mission and that brought him to tears.
I love Jesus because out of his compassion he wept for people:
Lost people.
Doomed people.
Even wicked people who would reject him and curse him and hate him.
What kind of love was this?
While we as Christians and Muslims disagree on how Jesus got to Paradise (a topic for another day), we all agree that he is there. I wonder if, in Paradise today – right now – does Jesus look over our world and weep for people who are headed for the unspeakable destruction of God’s final judgment as he did on that day in Palestine 2000 years ago?
Does Jesus still weep?
(Postscript: dear friends, I write this blog for only one reason. I want as many people as possible to be in Paradise! Jesus paid the price for you to be there. He gave up everything – his very life – for you. No amount of good deeds can pay for your many sins. No amount of praying, fasting, giving, or going can erase the stain of your bad deeds. But, one thing can. The sacrifice of Jesus. If you want to talk about this, please reply to this blog post or send me a private message at InTheHarvest@gmail.com. We can talk together with mutual respect, honesty, and love.)
Most definitely!
Randy, thanks for your opinion! Hey, tell me what you base your surety upon?
Well, let me first saying that the people who rejected Jesus Christ was not the people of Jerusalem in general, but they were a group of Jewish (who managed to kill him in the punishment that’s in the old testament for the person who claim that he’s a prophet), and they were also the Pharisees who rejected him too.
Back to your question, surely he wept and he still weep! and what he said really happened to the city from its enemies! (Luke 41-44: And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. )
Ammar, thanks so much for commenting. I can always count on you!
Habibi, I think it is easy to look only at the Jewish people – particularly the Pharisees and other religious leaders – as the ones who rejected Jesus (and I believe they killed him too). The trouble is, I believe we all have rejected Jesus in some way or another. He asked people to give him their full allegiance. Who has been able to do that with a whole heart?
Honestly, I believe that just like all other people, I have betrayed Jesus by my lack of total love for him. Yes, the vast majority of the Jewish people in Jesus’ day rejected him and turned him over to the Roman authorities. But I think we need to always examine our hearts as to our dedication to Jesus too.
It was great pleasure for me to meet pastor Mark and his wife in Jordan. I don’t know if he remembers me, and I apologize for my belated response to his posts.
One great thing that I still remember from pastor Mark is that he told me that we are all looking for the truth in this life. Nobody wants to burn in Hell or not to go to Paradise. Therefore, I conclude that we , Muslims and Christians, are on the same boat, in the same quest. We are together, and our purpose is to know the truth. It is very important to cleanse our hearts from fake showy behaviors and stubbornness, and work together towards finding the truth. Since that meeting, I myself decided to apply it on myself. It is important to admit that we don’t know something if we really don’t know it or we have no explicable interpretation for it.
To make it short to the subject, when I remember Jesus Christ, I remember that beside Prophet Mohammad, as far as I know, Jesus Christ is the only messenger of God who is referred to as a Mercy from God. He is the word of God, a sign from God, and Mercy from God to mankind. Of course, this is not the only trait, but the one that appeals to me the most. When I see any merciful behavior or think of one, it comes into my mind the teachings of Jesus Christ. I even remember the first book I came across from a nearby mosque in my childhood, entitled “Jesus-Peace of Allah be upon him-, a Sign and Mercy”. May God accept from all of us and bring all of us to the right path that finally puts us with those whom he favored and loved, and Jesus Christ is one of those great people.
Omar,
What a delightful surprise to hear from you after meeting you in Jordan! Of course we remember you! How could we forget your kind help to us when we missed the bus? You rescued us! (In fact, I have partially written a blog post for the future about how you helped us).
We are in the same boat as Muslims and Christians: the same quest for finding the truth. And I love what you say about abandoning outward behaviors which are just for show – just to impress someone. That kind of behavior sure doesn’t impress God, does it? No, I long for deeply honest interchanges and discussions between Muslims and Christians. Real heart talk about what we agree on and what we don’t.
Jesus: yes, I agree, he really is a sign from God. A sign that God sees our sins but knows that we cannot be good enough to make it to heaven/paradise. Yet. . .he loves us and makes a way to heaven. And yes, I agree, Jesus really is a mercy from God. He saved me from the horrible penalty of my sins.
Mercy: God not giving us what we deserve – the punishment of hell.
Grace: God giving us what we don’t deserve – the gift of heaven.
For me, my heart cry is “Thank God for Jesus – my savior – my bridge to heaven!”
I can also thank God for His mercy & grace, and for Jesus-my Savior & bridge to heaven. I am thankful for how His kindness led me to Jesus & showed me the sacrificial extent of His love for me. Love so pure, so divine and great that He chose to lay down His life to pay for my trespasses, my mistakes , my sins. I remember Jesus’ sacrifice on this Good Friday, and His willingness to die on the cross for you & for me to provide us a bridge to God., our Heavenly Father. I do believe Jesus’ words , “ I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, but through me.”
Valerie, I so appreciate you reading my blog post!
Praise God for your appreciation of Jesus’ work for us in his sacrifice – a true demonstration of his love. He proved his love. Not just words, but actions.
Keep up your great work with Muslim people that you love – and that God loves!