Jesus and Lament

// INTRO

JESUS & LAMENT

The Incarnation of Jesus shows us that Jesus fully embraced the human experience.

While he was fully God. He was fully man.

Philippians 2:6–8 ESV

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

We see this in his temptation in the desert. He fully embraced his humanity. Many times, Satan, tried to get him to forsake his humanity, yet he responded with the Word of God and showed us that it is possible to overcome with God’s Word.

Revelation points to this in all the letters to the churches from Jesus…

“…to the one who overcomes…”

Due to this fact that Jesus had a full human nature, we can expect that he experience all that humanity would and could experieince—including moment of Lament.

Jesus’ Personal Moments of Lament

Tomb of Lazarus

In John 11, Jesus is given news that his friend Lazarus was sick.

When Jesus heard this news, his response is full of hope and faith.

John 11:4 ESV

4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Jesus shows up outside the town of Bethany and is greeted by Lazarus’ sisters.

John 11:33–35 ESV

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.

We see Jesus fully experiencing the situation.

Sometimes as we read these accounts 2000 years later, we miss moments and details.

These details show us the humanity and tenderness of Jesus as the Son of Man.

We don’t know how long he wept—however, if I weep, it’s not a short experience. It’s not cute. It’s messy, raw, and I take my time.

The Glory of God

John 11:40–44 ESV

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

In the midst of the pain and loss, God is glorified!

The Lament of Jerusalem

In Luke 13 & 19 Jesus weeps over Jerusalem.

Here we see Jesus lamenting over a hard result to the mission.

Jesus’ mission was to seek & save the lost.

John 3:16–18 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Jesus came, presented the way of His Father, and let humanity use their free will to engage with that choice.

As Jesus laments over Jerusalem, he says these words…

Luke 13:34 ESV

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!

At some point in your life, you will experience the pain of helping someone — giving your time, your prayers, your energy — only to have them reject that help and end up in a hurt place.

And your heart will break because you see the road they’ve chosen.

That’s lament.

It’s the cry of love disappointed. Yet even there, we follow the way of Jesus, who wept over Jerusalem, and yet entrusted the outcome to the Father.

Lamenting in the Garden

I mentioned this a few weeks ago in Communal Lament. Jesus invited his disciples to sit with him in his pain.

Here we zoom in to Jesus and his personal experience.

Matthew 26:38–39 ESV

38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”

Jesus is experiencing an incredibly deep sorrow and grief.

The medical condition that he was undergoing is called hematidrosis (hema-tid-roh-sis).

Under intense stress or grief the capillaries around the sweat glands burst and cause the blood to be mixed with the sweat.

EVEN SO, he looks to His father and says, “not my will, yours be done.”

Lament on the Cross

As Jesus has been wrongfully placed on a criminal’s cross, he cries out the words to the Psalm of Lament in Ps 22.

Psalm 22:1 ESV

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

I believe Jesus began to quote this entire Psalm as he hung on that cross. With every valuable, painful breath that he would take, it was all he could do to utter the words inspired by His father, written by his ancestor, David.

Psalm 22:2–5 ESV

2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

As Jesus converses with His father in these final moments on the cross, the following unfolds…

Mark 15:37–39 ESV

37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

He cries out.

Access the presence of God is granted to all.

Those around received a revelation of the Son of God.

Jesus Enters the Lament of Others

The Widow of Nain - Luke 7

Jesus has compassion on this widow that has lost her only son.

Jesus steps in and brings hope.

Jairus’ Daughter & A Woman with an Issue - Mark 5

Jairus had come to Jesus requesting a miracle for his sick daughter.

Upon traveling to that place, a woman with a bleeding issue for 12 years approaches Jesus and receives a healing.

Jesus stops, engages with the woman and addresses the miracle that has just taken place.

As they go to continue on the journey, servants meet Jairus and deliver the news that his daughter has passed.

Jesus delivers a message of hope and we see the resurrection of a young girl!

Embracing the Lament of Others

Jesus doesn’t shy away from lamenting and tough situations.

He embraces them, knowing that they will lead to glory for His Father.

His view is always up!

Jesus Teaches on Lament in a Kingdom Life

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus is teaching his audience how to live a Kingdom Life

In Matt 5.4 Jesus tells us that those that mourn are blessed.

Matthew 5:4 ESV

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

In Matt 6.25-34 He delivers profound teaching on worry and anxiety.

We don’t have to worry. Instead put our energy into trusting the Father!

In Matt 7.7-11 He tells us to pray with persistence using the example of Ask, Seek, Knock.

It is easy for me to fall into the comfort that, “Welp, I asked Lord, can you respond now.”

In many cases persistence, perseverance, and patience are needed to see a situation through.

Jesus Transforms Lament into Hope

In his final teaching in the upper room, Jesus expresses that the life in the world is going to be a difficult one.

However, as Jesus leaves this world, the Holy Spirit is coming shortly after to live in our hearts.

John 16:20–22 ESV

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

Lament always leads to Hope

JESUS IS OUR HOPE

Hope Now

We see in Colossians that we are following Jesus closely.

Because he went first and made a way in death and resurrection —we have hope!

Colossians 2:12–15 ESV

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Psalm 33 shows us that the Lord has not forgotten us or left us to be.

His eye is on us!

Psalm 33:18–22 ESV

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19 that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. 22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Jeremiah 17:7–8 ESV

7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. 8 He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

The steadfast man is not swayed in massive dynamic swings when hardship comes his way.

He is stable, steady, planted in firm foundation.

Hope in Waiting

Proverbs 13:12 ESV

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

The wise saying here is pointing out the obvious, but reinforcing the hardship that happening in these times of lament.

As we wait for joy to be restored, our hearts remain heavy.

The interesting thing about this phrase “hope in waiting” — it’s repetitve to say “wait” and “hope” as they mean the same thing in the Hebrew.

Psalm 130 ESV

A Song of Ascents. 1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! 2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. 5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

vs 5 could be read as follows — I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I wait. OR I hope for the Lord, my soul hopes, and in his word I hope.

To wait on the Lord is to hope in the Lord.

Isaiah 40:31 ESV

31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Paul, in writing to the Romans church, speaks on suffering in the waiting.

Romans 8:18–25 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Hope isn’t needed if you already have it.

There’s no more waiting if you have the solution.

Hope in Glory

As we look ahead to a day when our lives fully step into eternity — we use this as a hope for what lies ahead.

Colossians 1:27 ESV

27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

Paul’s telling us that Christ in us IS the hope of Glory.

You have Christ living in you—what more do you need?

Fulfilling his missing is the most fulfilling task one can do on this side of Heaven.

Titus 2:13 ESV

13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

In the midst of waiting, John delivers an encouraging word to his readers.

1 John 3:2 ESV

2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV

12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

Revelation 22:4 ESV

4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

The End of Lament

Revelation 21:1–7 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Isaiah 25:8 ESV

8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.

Isaiah 65:17–19 ESV

17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind. 18 But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. 19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.

LOOK TO JESUS

The Story of Helen Lemmel

Helen Lemmel was a gifted musician and singer in the early 1900s. She had an incredible future ahead of her, but her life took a sharp turn. She developed an illness that eventually caused her to lose her eyesight. The grief of becoming blind was devastating enough, but then her husband — unable or unwilling to walk with her through the darkness — abandoned her. She was left to face not only physical blindness but also the deep ache of rejection and loss.

In her lament, Helen wrestled with God. She knew sorrow, disappointment, and despair. But in that season, she came across a little tract written by missionary Lilias Trotter. It said this: “Turn your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look full into His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Those words pierced her heart. In the middle of her suffering, she realized the call of lament isn’t to deny the pain, but to turn her gaze toward Jesus.

It was out of this moment that she wrote the hymn Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus. She couldn’t physically see, yet she saw with more clarity than many of us do — that fixing our eyes on Christ brings hope, perspective, and peace in the middle of lament.

Her song still calls us today: Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face… That’s what lament does. It brings all our pain, grief, and injustice to the feet of Christ — and in His presence, sorrow gives way to hope.

Psalm 126 ESV

A Song of Ascents. 1 When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” 3 The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad. 4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb! 5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy! 6 He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

The Lord’s Supper

Luke 22:14–19 ESV

14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

Luke 22:20 ESV

20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.