Fixing Broken Actions

Locked within the passage that was just read to us is one of the biggest text in all of the Bible. I think it would be a good idea for us to memorize it together – tonight. It is good to have Bible passages memorized because when times are tough, they can give us or others encouragement.

However, some Christians use Bible text when they shouldn’t. Sometimes Christians use Bible text to try and comfort someone who is going through hard times or showing them that they just need to have more faith. Either way, sometimes it is just better off not to throw a Bible verse at someone hurting, it is better just to be a ministry of presence – be there to comfort them. After all, it is easy to misunderstand a person’s emotional brokenness, and we can’t always fix them. Not to mention we don’t always know what exactly is causing them to be emotionally broken at that specific moment.

There are people out there that seem to wake up on the wrong side of the bed every other day but after the day starts they are happy go lucky people. And then there are those who seem to be happy go lucky, but out of the blue, it’s like someone turned a garden hose on and shoved it in their ear to where the tears are coming out every orifice of their face.

Now I know that is none of you in here. Everyone always wakes up on the right side of the bed, and no one in here just starts profusely crying and has no idea why – Right? 😊 (FCF) However, misunderstanding broken emotions results in broken actions. Rather your emotions are caused by anxiety, anger, depression they are hard to understand and the Bible passage we are about to memorize together might give us some insight on how to handle these emotions – when someone you know experiences them, because it wouldn’t be you. 😊

So, are you ready to try to memorize one of the biggest passages in all the Bible – it will be up on the screen, so you can follow along.

Text:

“Jesus wept.”

Although this sentence only has two words in it, it does have a subject and a verb; not to mention there are volumes of books written on this passage. I know this might sound funny coming out of my mouth, but you don’t need a bunch of words to say a lot.

Sermon Structure:

But here is what we are going to do to understand some of what this passage teaches.

We are going to answer 1 question, then see what we can learn from that answer. Then, based on that teaching we are going to grab the future hope and bring it into our present reality. Hopefully, this will give us some encouragement and equip us to deal with people who have woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Then we will break out into our groups. So, what is that question? What caused Jesus to weep?

Sub-intro:

But before we do that I am going to point out a few things within the context.

So, Jesus was in this debate with the Jewish leaders because they wanted him to be truthful about who he was, and he said that “The Father and I are one” – meaning that – He is God. Then the Jews picked up stones to stone him. But Jesus miraculously escaped and went to where he was originally baptized. Now at this point, Jesus was just hanging out with his bros. And because Lazarus got sick, Martha and Mary sent a runner to find Jesus and bring him back to heal his dear friend. Now we know that Jesus loved Lazarus because the runner said, “Lord he whom you Love is ill.” Then Jesus turned to the runner and 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” and then he just went on teaching. Then a couple of days went by and Jesus in his Divine self-knew that Lazarus had died, so he told the disciples that they needed to go back to the area that the Jews wanted to stone him because Lazarus has fallen asleep. Now I can just imagine what this looked like; the disciples were a lot like us – kind of slow at times and missing the point. I can just imagine Peter saying:

Well Lord, um, if he has fallen asleep and he is sick it’s probably better for us to just hang here and pray for him. I mean, after all, we’ve got like 5,000 people following us around, and that’s not counting women and children. If we go to see Lazarus, there is going to be so much noise, and I know when I am sick I just want it nice and quiet. Not to mention the Jews just wanted to stone you.”

And then after what I can just imagine as a sigh of frustration, Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake, I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” How do you like that for being sensitive? Well, Thomas, got in an emotional uproar and was like “Let’s go die with him.” So, there they all went; off to what they thought were their impending death. Now Jesus gets to the village and has some fantastic conversations with Martha (but we are not going to get into all of that, it’s good stuff, and I encourage to read and study that section, but for the sake of time we are going to skip that. So, here we are, Jesus sends Martha to get Mary, and now we are at this gigantic verse “Jesus wept.”

Body:

(T.S.) What caused Jesus to weep (v.35)?

We want to answer this question because as followers of Jesus the things that stir him up should stir us up.

The emotional responses of others can easily be misunderstood.

Look at

John 11:33–36 ESV

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. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

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!”

Notice how the text says Jesus saw Mary weeping and the Jews weeping, that it caused him to be so “deeply moved” that he “wept.” This isn’t just a tear or two; this is the floodgates opening. Every orifice of his face would have had some kind of fluid coming out of it. Even the Jews who wanted to stone him seen his emotions. When it says that he was so deeply moved that he wept; does this deeply moved mean because the people around him were weeping it all hit him at once? He just realized how much he was going to miss his friend. It can’t be, there has got to be something else going on here. After all, Jesus knew that Lazarus has died and that he was going to raise him from the dead – because he said so in v. 14 before they even left.

So, what’s going on here? The key to understanding this situation is understanding what the word “Deeply moved” means.

Sometimes, people cry when they are sad. Sometimes people cry when they are mad. Sometimes they cry when they are glad.

Misunderstanding emotions are not something that we have time for right now!

(T.S.) What caused Jesus to weep?

Was he deeply moved because he was glad – his tears were tears of joy. After all, in v.4 Jesus 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.” Then in v.15 he wasn’t worried about the people 2000 years later who are so sensitive, and he said, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake, I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.” I want you to understand, that when Jesus said for “your sake” and “that you may believe” the “you” is plural. And although it is hard to differentiate singular from plural in English it’s not hard in Greek – it is quite clear. In English, we make up words like ya’ll, youns guys. Now why that is important is because Jesus wasn’t just talking to his disciples at that time. He was also talking about the Jews that didn’t believe in him. Furthermore, he was talking you.

Okay, let’s get back on track. We know that although it is true that Jesus does sympathize with us, he didn’t weep because the people around him were weeping and it made him realize that he was going to miss Lazarus. Now he might have been weeping because he was glad. But I am not quite ready to stand my ground on that argument. It just doesn’t seem to fit Jesus’ personality when you search the scriptures. So, let’s look for a different alternative before we jump on the “he was glad wagon.”

Like I said earlier, the key to understanding what made Jesus weep, is understanding what deeply moved means.

(T.S.) Could being “deeply moved” be a combination of sorrow and gladness.

The word that is translated to “deeply moved” means indignation. By definition, it means angered, scolded, warned. Look at for another example of what indignation means.

Mark 10:14 ESV

But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

The children wanted to come close to Jesus, but the disciples were not letting them, they were rebuking the children. This not only made Jesus mad, but it brought him sorrow. In other words, Jesus was angered. You might be thinking; how could that be, isn’t being angry a sin? - No.

says,

Ephesians 4:26 ESV

Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

Be angry and do not sin…

says,

James 1:20 ESV

for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

Or what about ,

Matthew 21:12 ESV

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

You see Jesus was coming unglued in this situation, but it was godly anger.

And this was the same emotion that caused Jesus to weep. Jesus was so mad it caused him to weep.

Jesus wept, not because he was sad about his friend’s death!

Jesus wept, in order that God might do, with tears and compassion, what human beings do on behalf of their fellow man.

Jesus wept, because human nature had fallen to such an extent that, after being expelled from eternity, it had come to love the lower world.

Jesus wept, because those who could be immortal, the devil deceived to become mortal.

Jesus wept, because those who he created to be with him, chose to die rather chose to live with him.

Jesus wept, because he was ticked.

(MAP) As followers of Jesus, the things that deeply moved him should deeply move us.

(Application) Does the brokenness of this world move you to godly action or worldly action?

What are some ways that you see godly responses and what are some worldly responses in your life?

(CPS) Broken Emotion results in Broken actions.

(MAP) Understanding how to embrace our emotions, results in fixing broken actions.

(T.S.) How do we understand emotionally driven actions?

By understanding the motives that drive our actions.

For instance, look at the motives of the Jews. At first glance, it appeared that they were a ministry of presence – truly being there for Martha and Mary.

says,

John 11:19 ESV

and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

And then says

John 11:31 ESV

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.

And finally, says,

John 11:33 ESV

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.

You might think, look it is so clear, they were there for Martha and Mary, but you would be reading your view into the text. You have to understand that the Jews were very traditionally lead people. They followed many Jewish customs. And one of those Jewish customs said that even a poor family had to higher a minimum of two flute players and a professional wailer or you could say a professional crybaby. They weren’t there to comfort the family they were there to uphold the religious rituals – Which is another reason Jesus was ticked off.

(CPS) If Broken Emotion results in Broken actions.

How should we view Mary’s emotional response to Jesus?

It could be easy to misunderstand Mary’s emotion in says,

John 11:32 ESV

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.”

Now, we have a couple of ways we could view her emotions here. Is she angered and rebellious? After all, she is a disciple of Jesus’ according to . She knew Jesus could have saved her brothers life and that is why she sent a runner after Jesus. But no, Jesus had more important things to do. Is that how she was coming at Jesus? I don’t think so. The text says,

she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

This is a total submission but with broken emotions. You’ve gotta understand; although she loves Jesus and submits to his authority, there is still real brokenness in this question. Just imagine the situation, once Lazarus got sick and it kept getting worse, Mary would have sent for Jesus – who would have been the only one who could have healed him. There wasn’t Med express or Fast care there weren’t hospitals. The sisters would have been the ones taking care of Lazarus. As he continued to get sicker and sicker, they would have been the ones cleaning up after him. And I don’t mean – here’s a barf bucket bro and some chicken noodle soup with a sprite. No, I am talking they would have been cleaning up fluids coming out of both ends. Have you ever watched someone die from sickness? You know when death is at the door you can smell it. So, when she says,

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

Now don’t see this as a statement because it is really a question, and it is a question that many of us ask today. It’s questions like this that I don’t ever what to shy away from. It’s a legit question. She’s saying, Lord, where were you when I need you. Lord if you would have been here when I was going through all this abuse; If you would have been here when my parents abandoned me; if you would have been here when my loved one was dying, If you would have been here when my anxiety kicked in, or my depression kicked in. Lord where were you when I needed you.

Jesus Wept….(Pause)….. Jesus was infuriated by what sin has caused to happen

(CPS) Broken Emotion results in Broken action, but, only if they’re not viewed in light of future hope.

(Illustration) Crossing the Red sea or scared of flying on a plan (If time).

(MAP) Broken emotions only result in broken actions if they're not viewed in light of future hope.

(T.S.) But how can we fix that?

By viewing our brokenness in light of the future hope. says,

Revelation 21:1–5 ESV

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. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 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. 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.” 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.”

And that is what we have to look forward to as followers of Jesus. And although these words are trustworthy and have been handed down for 2000 years so that you Crave may believe, Jesus took it a step further. He reached out to the future hope and grabbed onto it dragging it into the present reality he stood outside of the dead man’s thumb and cried out, in

John 11:38–44 ESV

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 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.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 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.”

“Lazarus come out” 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.”

It’s a good thing he called him by name because if he would have just said come out all the dead would have risen. You see, dead men can’t come to life unless God calls them. And this is the same that goes for you. You cannot go to God unless God calls you out of your tomb. There are four types of people That are here today that Jesus is calling. Do you hear him?

1. The Christian that Jesus has called from death to life and you are walking a fruitful walk – Be encouraged by your future hope…

2. Then there is the Christian who is still bound up. It’s like your heard Jesus call you from death to life, but you got so excited that you were being set free and you didn’t hear him say Unbind him and let him go…

3. Then there is you who think you are good enough you come here, you go to church on Sundays ( although you're really not spiritually there) you strive to be a good person, but you know in your heart that you have not come out of the tomb yet even though he is calling…

4. And then there is you who know that you haven’t repented of your sins. You have loved the things of this world more than the God who created you, but do you hear him calling you…

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