And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Luke 18:24, NKJV)
Jesus was very sorrowful when the young ruler went away “very sorrowful” upon hearing what he still lacked in order to have eternal life (Lk. 18:22-23). Christ’s sorrow is far removed from the blasphemous picture of a God who delights in humanity’s suffering and demise. God is grieved when we choose other things instead of His will. It is also helpful to see that Christ did not change His will to somehow make following Him more palatable for the young man. Neither will He for us; He deserves our full submission. On another occasion, Jesus wept over Jerusalem because He knew she would soon be destroyed because of rejecting Him as the Messiah (Lk. 19:41-44). God cries when we refuse Christ in our lives. An even worse punishment, an everlasting destruction, will come “on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:8-9). We must resolve not to bring God to tears by our sins against Him. God has prepared a New Jerusalem where every tear will cease forever (Rev. 21:4). Be true and faithful and true – His words certainly are (Rev. 21:5).
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