"JESUS WEPT"


A. "AND JESUS WEPT" - JOHN 11:35
  1. This is doubtless, the shortest verse in the Bible:
    1. It contains only twelve letters
    2. In Luke our Lord speaks of Lot's wife - "Remember Lot's wife" - we have sixteen letters
  2. But, it is exceedingly meaningful:
    1. Those tears were an expression of deep sympathy with the sorrowing sisters that had lost their brother in death
    2. We shall receive comfort by considering the deep meaning of the words of our text B. THE TEARS OF JESUS
  3. Are expression of His thorough humanity:
    1. It is characteristically human to weep
    2. Wrote Paul to the Romans, "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep" - Rom. 12:15
    3. Said Job, "Did not I weep for him that was in trouble?" - Job 30:25
    4. Human sorrow is ever contagious
  4. Of Him it is written:
    1. "In all their affliction He was afflicted" - Is. 63:9
    2. "Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" - Is. 53:4
    3. "A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" - Is. 53:3
  5. The tears of Jesus at the grave of His friend Lazarus were an expression of divine compassion:
    1. His compassion revealed the great sympathetic love of our heavenly Father - who truly suffered in the person of His only begotten Son
    2. Wrote Jeremiah, "For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men" Lam. 3:33
    3. Said He through the prophet Ezekiel, "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth" - Ez. 18:32
  6. The friendship of Jesus with Lazarus and his two sisters was very close and intimate:
    1. "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus" - John 11:5
    2. Said the Jews, "Behold how he loved him:" - John 11:36
    3. It was there where He found sympathy and comfort C. LESSONS
  7. It is natural and right to weep after departed friends:
    1. Although we know that they have fallen asleep in Jesus and await the call of the life-giver at His second coming; yet we miss their love and companionship
    2. Although we know that we shall soon meet them to be with them forever, yet we will feel lonely at every turn; we miss them at the family altar; when we gather with God's children in Christian fellowship
  8. But, this is important - the tears of our Lord were tempered with hope:
    1. Jesus knew that His friend would hear His voice and come back to life again - John 11:42-43
    2. Thus the tears of God's children are tempered by the knowledge that soon, very soon the dead in Jesus shall rise to eternal life
    3. And then comes that happy family reunion so comforting to the sorrowing
    4. Wrote the prophet Jeremiah, "Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears...they shall come again from the land of the enemy...there is hope in thine end" Jer. 31:15-17
  9. Jesus wept:
    1. Thus indicating that He fully understood the implications of sin, suffering and death
    2. For of Him it is written, "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest" - Heb. 2:9-18
    3. Weeping ones do not be ashamed to express your sorrow with tears - Jesus did at the tomb of His close friend
    4. But temper your sorrow by placing your hope in Him who has broken the bond of death and has set the captives free
    5. Said He through the prophet Hosea, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death; O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction" - Hosea 13:14


Design © John Bryant 2011