v.35 Jesus wept.
What a great window of insight and understanding into the heart of Jesus this shortest verse in the Bible is: Jesus wept.
A book I have come to love by Richard Gehman, about World Vision and Samaritan's Purse founder, Bob Pierce, Let My Heart Be Broken (with the things that break the heart of God). reflects this simple yet profound verse, "Jesus wept".
I heard a missionary say one time, "What makes God cry-what makes me cry- when those two lines connect Christian maturity is happening."
Look at the account in John with me this morning and we will discover why Jesus wept.
1. Someone He Loved Had Died. vs.3, 5
Jesus was grieving. Even though He was going to raise Lazarus back to life shortly, there was grief. He was in that moment feeling what all us feel when we lose someone we love to death.
We can console people with the fact that their loved one is in heaven, if they knew Christ as their savior, but be aware they still grieve. We do not grieve like the rest of men who have no hope but we still grieve.
When someone we love dies our hearts break. C.S. Lewis wrote, "To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal.
Jesus wept because
2. He was in a cemetery which was never part of the landscape of God's original plan. vs.34-35
When God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden they were sinless and innocent.
Death is a result of sin.
Life is the gift of God.
Genesis 2.7 The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
We are told in Ecclesiastes 3.11 He has also set eternity in the hearts of men. That came with the breath of God, His Spirit. He set Adam in the garden and set eternity in Adam.
We were created to live forever. We have been recreated so we can.
Jesus wept because at Lazarus' tomb He saw the result of sin- death. He wept because
3. He saw the limits of the faith. -vs. 21-27, 32 39-40
Mary and Martha did the wrong thing here. They blamed God for this tragedy.
LORD, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
LORD, if...
I have not heard the voice of the enemy a whole lot in my life. I believe he has much bigger targets than me to go after. One time I heard him speak through someone else when my brother was sick and I was struggling over his not getting healed, "Larry, it seems like God is letting His servants down..." I shuddered when I heard that. An arrow of discouragement was shot at my heart and I remember, although I didn't believe it, it hurt me. Thank God for this chapter in His Word! I remember hearing God speak to me through it after my brother died, "Your brother will rise again." Hallelujah! I know that is true!
This was a loaded statement: Why didn't You come immediately? Why did You wait? You should have listened to us! Why didn't You answer us the way we wanted?
From His arrival v.23 Jesus was talking about Lazarus rising from the dead but they couldn't take it in- neither did they after He was crucified, even after He rose again doubts were in the minds of some. Luke 24.38, Matthew 28.17
Childlike faith is what we need!
Jesus wept because...
4. He was experiencing a funeral. vs.36-38
Insincere mourners.
Art Alexander, our District Superintendent, and I were having lunch the other day and he said, "There ought to be a lot less talk at funerals." I agreed. I would add noise too- but unfortunately funerals are one of those times, those few times when family gets together anymore.
Funerals, like the cemetery were not part of creation.
Jesus wept because...
5. He had compassion on Mary and Martha. vs.33-35
He had compassion on them. He has compassion on us.
Psalm 34.18
Psalm 147.3
Death is our last enemy and for those who die in the LORD, a rescue! II Timothy 4.16-18
There's Not A Friend Like the Lowly Jesus!
No Not One!
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