The Bible is Like Tears

01/30/22

Dominant Thought: The streams of tears flow from the streams of mercy.

Objectives:

I want my listeners to understand the value of weeping over sin.

I want my listeners to feel empathy for people including ourselves when we don’t obey God’s law.

I want my listeners to pray, “God, break my heart for what breaks your heart.”

I think we need to cry more. I know what you’re thinking. That is a strange way to start a message, preacher. And then your next thought is, Preacher, you do enough crying for all of us. I must agree that most Sundays I shed a tear or two, but I hope I’m in good company. And, I know that I am not alone.

The case I want to make comes from Psalm 119.136 “My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.” We have many reasons to cry. People cry when a loved one dies. We cry tears of grief. We cry when hear receive sad news. Some people cry tears of joy. Babies cry as their primary form of communication. Children and maybe a few adults cry when they don’t get their way.

The tears I invite you to shed flow from our response when people do not keep God’s instructions. Let’s read the verses from Psalm 119.129-136. To help us cry better, I want us took at this section of Psalm 119 in reverse order as we identify four truths to help us cry better.

First, we cry when people don’t keep God’s instruction (Psalm 119.134-136).

Streams flows as the first word in Psalm 119.136. The word order for the first line, “Streams of tears shed eyes my.” The writer cries streams of tears because he looks around and sees human oppression and people failing to obey the instructions of God. We could understand the word, law, as “instructions.”

We can also translate the verb obey as “keep.” The word, “keep,” occurs 21 times in Psalm 119.

The Apostle Paul warned the church in Ephesus night and day with teas (Acts 20.31). Earlier Paul shared with the Ephesian elders his “serving the Lord with all humility and tears” (Acts 20.19). Paul even wrote about his tears to the church in Corinth. 2 Corinthians 2.4 ,“For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.”

I invite you to pray this prayer this week, “God, break my heart for what breaks yours.”

Second, we cry when we don’t keep God’s instruction (Psalm 119.133).

In Psalm 119.133, we find another verse describing our steps, “Direct my footsteps, according to your word.” Then, the prayer, “let no sin rule over me.”

Not only should we cry when others fail to honor God’s law, but we need to take a look in the mirror and weep for our own sin.

Peter shows us a healthy example of weeping over sin. After Peter died knowing Jesus three times, he heard the rooster crow. Matthew 26.75 “And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”

Third, Jesus cries when we don’t keep His instruction (Psalm 119.132).

“Have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name” (Psalm 119.132). When you look into the face of Jesus, you find mercy. Sometimes as He shows His mercy, tears flow from His eyes.

Did you know that Jesus cried? The shortest verse in the English Bible is John 11.35, “Jesus wept.” He weeps at the grave of his dear friend, Lazarus. It’s okay to cry. Jesus may have cried because he missed His friend. He may have cried because that death does not belong to the way He created the world. Death reminds us that we live in a fallen and broken world. Death is the ultimate consequence of sin.

Jesus wept for the city of Jerusalem in Luke 19.41 “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it.”

Fourth, Jesus keeps God’s instruction (Psalm 119.129-131).

The Psalmist once again calls God’s word wonderful. He obeys them. God’s word gives light to our paths and understanding to the simple. The Scripture continues, “I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands” (Psalm 119.131. These three verses could be laid over he life of Jesus. He spoke wonderful words as He preached. He is the light of the world. He longs for God’s commands. The writer to the Hebrews describes the tears and the faithfulness of Jesus.

Hebrews 5:7–9 NIV

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

The streams of tears flow from the streams of mercy.