It was night. The sun had long ago set behind western Mt. Carmel, and from mid-heaven the moon shone down upon the great guilty city. The song of the drunkard was ended, and he slept heavily. The worker sought rest from the labor of the past day and strength for the day to come. Sleep smoothed the lines of care from the face of the tired mother, while beside her her baby rested peacefully. All business seemed stopped, all activity calmed. The city slept.
But on eastern Mt. Olive stood a stranger, solitary, alone. His clothing was travel-stained, and his hair was wet with the dew of night. He stood and looked upon the city, and through His wonderful eyes compassion shone. As He looked, He wept.
It was Jesus, Jesus the Nazarene, from the plains of Galilee. Still the city slept; the Weeper and His tears were all unnoticed by those for whom He wept. But a wakeful heaven looked on in wonder, and multitudes of angels bowed and worshipped at the sight. They looked upon Him with reverence as He stood there alone.
Jesus is the Lord of heaven, the eternal Son of God; yet there He stood without a home upon the earth His hands had made. Why? The reason is plain. Men’s hearts were full of sin, and His was full of love. He came to bring them blessing, to flood their land with joy from heaven, even as the morning sun fills all the earth with light.
But they would not. All, all had been in vain. His words, His works and His tears did not awaken any love to Him. The city slept-how dark and dreadful was that slumber!
Yet their hatred did not sleep, for often their hearts were roused to rage against Him, and that without a cause. Yet in spite of all, He loved them. He might have gathered in His hand the lightning of the heavens and blasted all the land forever, but that He did not do. Instead, He stood and wept, and then He went onward to the cross. He went to the cross to die for them-to shed His precious blood that even to them salvation might be preached and to them might be given, not joy which they had forfeited on earth, but joy unspeakable in heaven.
He died; His blood was shed; His love passed the test. He died for sinners and, being raised out of the grave, He sent His servants with the word of life into the city over which He wept.
Two thousand years have passed since then, and still Jesus the Savior sends the message of salvation to men on earth. But thousands there are who sleep indifferently-a dark and deadly sleep-the sleep of sin. They do not want Christ, nor God, nor heaven-they love their dreams of happiness on earth.