What Jesus Longs For

Jesus revealed his heart to his disciples on several occasions, but none were more personal than when he spoke these words, "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!” (Luke 12:49-50).

When Jesus said, “I Wish It Were Already Kindled!” he was referring to the day when he would judge the earth and set it right. John the Baptist prophesied that Jesus would one day do this. As Jesus looked around and saw the pain, suffering, evil and injustice caused from man’s sin, he longed for the day when it would all be made different. When you feel your heart will break because of the heartache and hurt this world is plagued with, remember Jesus longs to change it. However, Jesus said before that day can come I have a baptism to go through with. He was referring to his death on the cross. The most needed change was death of the perfect man who died for all the sinners (you and me included).

Jesus said that he felt distress because of what lay ahead for him. He was not referring to the agony of the cross as much as he was referring to the idea of carrying the weight of the sin of the whole world. The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, penned these beautiful words to describe what Jesus did for us on the cross, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor 5:21).

In the past two years we have seen an increase in anarchy and violence in our country, and in St. Louis, Missouri we are seeing more than our share. There are groups popping up everywhere demanding an end to racism and bigotry. However, their actions and words are full of the same ugly attitudes they pretend to condemn.

Ours is an imperfect world, populated by imperfect people, and we will never see perfection on this earth. We will never achieve a perfect world here on this earth by ourselves. To achieve perfection without the help of the one who is truly perfect is impossible. You know how Jesus began his work of making us perfect. He came to this earth and died on a horrible cross at the hands of the hate filled Jewish leaders and the cruel Roman soldiers. He died the death of a common criminal. He had no sin, but he died for our sin. Until that day of final judgement arrives when Jesus puts everything right, we will hope in our God. We will allow him to change our hearts and help us to love each other in ways we could never do on our own.