Jesus Weeps

Emotions

We seems to live in a world full of emotion outbursts,

but many people don’t appear to be connected to their real emotions.

Do you agree?

Maybe it is the increase in Keyboard Warriors

The ability to express with little filtering

because we don’t have to face the person.

We live in a world

where Pause, Pray, Ponder and Proceed

is battling

with Read, React, Retaliate

Instead of controlling our emotions

we live in a society

we you are to concentrate

on my wants, my needs, my feelings,

ME ME ME

me, myself and I

But our emotions are part of who God made us

And today we see --- Jesus having emotions

Our Lord is not a COLD distance King in a Castle

But is a Loving, Feeling, Protecting God that is active with us.

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Todays verse are still in the context

of Jesus and the story of Lazarus

Today the subject is still------ Lazarus has died and many are gathered

but for the most part these verses

are much more personal and intimate, then others.

The main message today is focused on Jesus, Martha, and Mary

Lets read together

John 11:28–37 (ESV)

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”

29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him.

30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him.

31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.

34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.”

35 Jesus wept.

36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

Many years ago, in study time,

maybe even the first time i read or pondered these verses

I remember thinking “Jesus wept” ----- Huh

Jesus is God, God is all powerful

God is in control of all things

God was in Church --- in the Sky --- in Heaven

I grew up believing in God and being told about Jesus but never

about relationship with Him

And i grew up in a society that

said “men don’t cry”, “stop crying or I will give you something to cry about”

but Jesus wept........

Men were to be tough, hard working, leaders

We were not taught by our parents and grandparents

to “seek our identity” or find ourselves

we were TAUGHT and DISCIPLINED to BECOME

In fact to be funny :

It was pretty easy to tell little boys from little girls

there were color charts acceptability

boys had short hair and girls had long hair

You get it, if you grew up in a conservative area of the East Coast.

I fully remember my WWII veteran grandfather who survived pearl harbor

saying that i could not grow up hair out,

wear jewelry other that a wedding ring and watch,

and tie dye wasn’t even in play.

We were taught to control our

Emotions !!!

But today we have a little deeper insight than society

Emotions are not bad

God has them.

and we are to control them and live our life for Christ

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I am sure by know you have heard that “Jesus wept” is the shortest verse in the Bible

and i read one time that is true in the English language but not in the original Greek.

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Lazarus has died and is in the tomb.

Many people are gathered around and they are mourning

Not like we probably have experienced or

at least i have mostly —doing funeral— seen people cry and many times cry hard

But the atmosphere here is one where people are wailing

— Crying out loudly expressing deep emotion.

A family would employ flute players

and professional mourners

I read that the Jewish tradition was that “wailing out loud, would lighten the heart”

We often tell loved ones that are hurting to “let it out”

maybe that is where it comes from.

Jesus Wept ---- shows us the Heart that He has for Others

Martha

Went to Jesus versus Mary remained at home

Sought the healing power of Jesus

She believed in Jesus

Gives two great faith statements

John 11:22 ESV

22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.”

John 11:24 ESV

24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

I am reminded of Romans 10:9

Romans 10:9 (ESV)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Our great comfort ---- How we start the process of being a Christian

We speak our believe in Jesus

For we know that it is not empty words that save us,

but being IN CHRIST that gives us the Eternal promise of Salvation in Christ Alone.

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Martha was Pragmatic

In Luke 10 we learn that Martha was doing tasks and Mary was sitting with Jesus

Remember Martha is working in the kitchen and grumbling that Mary is sitting with Jesus and not helping.

Martha has a servant heart, a go-getter attitude

Mary is more feeling, more introspective.

Mary

Mary appears to be emotional here in these verses

Mary is withdrawn in her house, surrounded my others, likely crying and focused sololy on the loss of her brother

Martha goes out, but then returns and “calls to her sister, Mary”

Mary responds quickly and goes to Jesus - for Jesus has not entered the village yet

Mary rises and the group of people with her rise and go with

Mary loves Jesus and Mary believes

Mary “falls at His feet”

Mary likely reacts in the pain and hurt and tells Jesus what is on her heart.

John 11:32 (ESV)

32 “...Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Jesus with a heart that we are learning to model

sees the tears of Mary and the Others,

Jesus sees the hurt and the pain

and it tells us that he is deeply moved in His spirit.

Jesus

We are given an insight into Jesus’s heart

and let us remember that Jesus is the same today as He was then and same as he was and will be

If you are hurting today

Jesus knows your pain,

Jesus sees your sorrow

Jesus feels with you

Jesus is greatly troubled and moved in His spirit for you.

Our lesson of Lazarus is also a lesson in Jesus

Jesus is not distant

But like Mary and Martha we need to GO TO HIM

We learn to believe in the Power of Jesus

and we learn here today that

Jesus likely has something better in mind

That is what followers do, it is what we as children of God must do

We must GO TO JESUS

Whether you Run to Him, or Sit and wait on Him

your Focus must be on Him

This message shows us

that the heart may be different

but the mind must focused

our understanding that

Jesus is truly in control of ALL THINGS

We pray for healing --- Healing or Heaven for a Christian

Jesus grants us Resurrection

Jesus sees our tears

and weeps with us.

Our Lord is KING

Our Good Shepherd leads us from a position of Love.

Let us embrace

that our Lord knows you, not as a name on a list,

but with a caring, emotional, protective, LOVING HEART.

Lets Pray