Jesus Wept
Read John 11.
It's the most famous verse in the Bible. It's the most memorized verse in the Bible. It's the one we always went to when the Sunday School teacher asked for favorite verses. We know that he did, but have you ever wondered why Jesus wept?
The verse comes in the midst of the story of Lazarus. Jesus' friend has died, been buried, and has, as far as we know, gone on to eternity. The tomb has been sealed, and the professional mourners from Jerusalem have come over to Bethany (just over the Mount of Olives) to help Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, grieve. They had sent word to Jesus when Lazarus was just sick, but Jesus showed up late, too late, and now it's all over.
Martha is angry and yet respectful of who Jesus is. Mary is quiet. Both are in the depths of grief and probably just a little bit honked off that Jesus didn't come when summoned. They are his friends. If you can't call the Messiah to come and save your brother when he's sick, what good is it having a Messiah for a friend? Martha knows all the right answers; she passed her theology final with flying colors. But that doesn't take away the sting that comes from the fact that her brother is dead. He's gone. And everyone knows no one comes back from death.
There, in the midst of the storm, stands Jesus, and if you look closely, there are tears running down his cheeks. Or perhaps a single tear. The word John uses indicates a quiet, humble crying, not loud weeping (in contrast, most likely, to what the professional mourners nearby are doing). But Jesus knows that he can and is going to raise Lazarus. There's no need for him to grieve the death of this friend who will soon be standing beside him again. So why does Jesus weep?
Well, far be it for me to guess the mind of the Son of God, but I'm going to anyway: Jesus weeps here, as he does when he stands on the Mount of Olives during his final trip into Jerusalem, because he can see full-force the brokenness of the world. Jesus weeps not for himself or his own grief. Jesus weeps for us, for those who live in the midst of the brokenness, for those who have been wounded and broken by sin, death and the grave. Jesus weeps because he longs for that day when there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more death...and no more crying. Jesus stands near the grave of his friend and he weeps for the brokenness of the world.
And then he attacks the brokenness of the world as he raises his friend from the dead. Not too long after this, he will attack it again and defeat it forever when he himself is raised from the dead. Lazarus' resurrection is the promise of his own. His resurrection is the promise of our own, and it sets in motion a plan for the resurrection of the entire world.
Defeating brokenness begins with a single tear flowing from a heart broken by the things that break the heart of God.
It's the most famous verse in the Bible. It's the most memorized verse in the Bible. It's the one we always went to when the Sunday School teacher asked for favorite verses. We know that he did, but have you ever wondered why Jesus wept?
The verse comes in the midst of the story of Lazarus. Jesus' friend has died, been buried, and has, as far as we know, gone on to eternity. The tomb has been sealed, and the professional mourners from Jerusalem have come over to Bethany (just over the Mount of Olives) to help Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, grieve. They had sent word to Jesus when Lazarus was just sick, but Jesus showed up late, too late, and now it's all over.
Martha is angry and yet respectful of who Jesus is. Mary is quiet. Both are in the depths of grief and probably just a little bit honked off that Jesus didn't come when summoned. They are his friends. If you can't call the Messiah to come and save your brother when he's sick, what good is it having a Messiah for a friend? Martha knows all the right answers; she passed her theology final with flying colors. But that doesn't take away the sting that comes from the fact that her brother is dead. He's gone. And everyone knows no one comes back from death.
There, in the midst of the storm, stands Jesus, and if you look closely, there are tears running down his cheeks. Or perhaps a single tear. The word John uses indicates a quiet, humble crying, not loud weeping (in contrast, most likely, to what the professional mourners nearby are doing). But Jesus knows that he can and is going to raise Lazarus. There's no need for him to grieve the death of this friend who will soon be standing beside him again. So why does Jesus weep?
Well, far be it for me to guess the mind of the Son of God, but I'm going to anyway: Jesus weeps here, as he does when he stands on the Mount of Olives during his final trip into Jerusalem, because he can see full-force the brokenness of the world. Jesus weeps not for himself or his own grief. Jesus weeps for us, for those who live in the midst of the brokenness, for those who have been wounded and broken by sin, death and the grave. Jesus weeps because he longs for that day when there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more death...and no more crying. Jesus stands near the grave of his friend and he weeps for the brokenness of the world.
And then he attacks the brokenness of the world as he raises his friend from the dead. Not too long after this, he will attack it again and defeat it forever when he himself is raised from the dead. Lazarus' resurrection is the promise of his own. His resurrection is the promise of our own, and it sets in motion a plan for the resurrection of the entire world.
Defeating brokenness begins with a single tear flowing from a heart broken by the things that break the heart of God.
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