SCRIPTURE: John 11:28-37
“Jesus wept.” (John 11:35)
In Jesus, we see God; in Jesus’ tears, we see God’s tears.
“Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (John 11:37)
Could God or Jesus keep us from dying – technically, yes.
For some reason God (as seen through Jesus) does not just snap His fingers and fix everything.
God does intervene at times, but His purpose is greater than just fixing our problems.
God is addressing the source of our problems, our sin condition.
God created humans to rule over and care for His creation.
Our selfish, sinful hearts have resulted in this broken, messed up world.
He could just ‘fix it’, instead He sets out to ‘fix us’.
In Jesus (human) we see what ruling over and caring for creation looks like.
We see love, justice, compassion – including tears – a true human and God-like response.
With love, and tears, God rescues us from sinful, selfish living…
And restores us to be loving leaders and caregivers.
Like Jesus, we need to weep with those who weep, suffer with those who suffer.
And offer ourselves in service to God, and to all, with love and tears.
This is how we are saved – this what we are saved for!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, Your tears speak volumes. Thank You for showing me how much You care, for all people. May my tears flow with Your for those who still need to experience Your love.
This verse is interesting to me because I believe (correct me if I’m wrong) that ‘Jesus Wept’ is one of the shortest verses in the bible. I believe he wept was recorded twice (again could be wrong). Once where above like you said where his friend Lazarus died, and once in Luke 19 where he approached Jerusalem and saw all the lost souls in the city. What’s striking to me is the fact that he had ‘wept’ means He was fully human. His compassion for people he knew and didn’t know! It proves that He enters into our pain with us. He meets us at our point of vulnerability, our humanity and hurts when we hurt. What comfort to know that Jesus himself is crying along with you!
Observation/Application
A Man of Sorrows was His name.
Jesus wept.
He identified with the people He came to save from their sin. He had real feelings and identified with theirs.
He was man.
He wept with others.
He rejoiced with others such as at the wedding feast.
He was real.
He was there in the middle of all things.
And so must I be as Christ to them.
Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, Who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!