Changes in the Wind

By Bob Sorge

Part 2

But in the story of the triumphal entry, a change took place in the atmosphere of the procession, and it happened in Jesus Himself. As He approached the city, His smile gave way to tears, and He began to weep over the city (see Luke 19:41). "Jesus, you're throwing a damper on the meeting. We're having the praise party of the decade, and You're getting all sorrowful. We're doing our best to keep the crowd up, but we need you to cooperate with the effort, Lord." They didn't understand the shift that was taking place in the Spirit.

We're in a similar place in the mid-90s. We've learned the art of high praise under the smile of Jesus, and now we`re sensing a change in the atmosphere, but we're still trying to keep the people up in high praises. We don`t understand what's changing, but the expression on Jesus' countenance is different.

The thing that removed Jesus' smile at the triumphal entry was the flood of emotions that swept over His soul as He realized He was coming to Jerusalem as the Lamb, to be slain by the people to whom He had come. His eyes turned to Calvary, and they flowed with tears as He considered the judgment that would come upon the resistant nation of Israel. The "praise party" was an important preparatory element in the unfolding events of that final week, but the heart of Jesus began to be broken for those who were rejecting Him.

Because of the diversity in the body of Christ, different segments of the church are at different places at different times. If you're in a place in any way similar to where l am at, you can probably agree that Jesus' countenance has changed, and even though we're maintaining the praise forms we've become comfortable with, we realire that something has changed. We don't sense the smile of Jesus on what we're doing like we used to. And like the disciples of 2,000 years ago, we're looking at this new face of Jesus, and we don't know what to do in response.

Whatever our response needs to be, I believe it will include an embracing of the cross and a passion for the harvest. Jesus at one time was calling us to rejoice, but now He's calling us to die. The age of the Old Covenant was consummated with the death of Jesus on the cross; in the same way, the age of the New Covenant will come into full consummation when the people of God embrace the fullness of the cross. The Spirit is kindling a passion for Jesus in the hearts of His people, and the best way to be renewed in love is to have a revelation of the love of God displayed in the cross of Jesus Christ.

One of the "paradigm shifts" currently taking in the body of Christ, in my opinion, is a moving away from an emphasis on the mechanics of worship (the how-to's), and a renewed emphasis on the Person Whom we worship. There is a cry in our hearts to know Jesus Himself, in the fullness of His personality- to have mature bridal affection for our Lord. Some of us have been more enthralled with the praise party than with the King. But our hearts are burning and being quickened, for we are coming alive to the infinitely glorious personality of our Lover and Friend. This is not just spirited worship, but worship in truth- an unfolding understanding of Who Jesus really is.

We must know how the heart of Jesus is changing as we journey toward the culmination of all things. To do this we must be searching His face. Just a little while ago He was laughing, but what's He doing now? When we see the weeping Savior, will we know how to respond?

Back to Part 1.

Copyright: 1994 by Morningstar Publications and Ministries. All rights reserved.

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