Jesus Wept

When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. ³⁴He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵Jesus began to weep. ³⁶So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” ³⁷But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” John 11:32-27

Jesus' journey to the cross was gut wrenching and challenging. He knew what God's plan meant for him. He knew the pain he would endure on the cross, but also how his death and resurrection would change the world forever. The truth is Jesus is not only the savior of the world, but also fully human. He had personal relationships and friendships with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Jesus' journey to the cross led him to wait two days to come back Lazarus, in order to show God's glory, but it wasn't without a cost. When Jesus saw the pain and mourning in the eyes of Mary he was "deeply moved" and began to weep. Jesus wept for Mary and for himself. He wept because his journey to the cross would also mean the loss of those he loved. Jesus wept and showed his compassion for human relationships, suffering and grief. Jesus wept and showed us God's heart.

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. ³⁹Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, “Father, I thank you for having heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.” ⁴³When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” ⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” John 11:38-44

Jesus' grief for Lazarus and support for Mary and Martha show us God's heart for the hurting. We need this reminder for all the pain, heartache, and loss we experience. We are not alone; God is with us. Jesus' raising of Lazarus demonstrates that death does not have the final say in life, God does. There is nothing impossible for God. Jesus raises to new life a man who had been dead four days. He raises him up with the powerful words: "Lazarus come out!" Lazarus is no longer bound by the power of death, through Christ he has been raised. This is the promise for us as well.

Through Christ, we hear the command to "come out" of the tomb of death and despair. Through Christ, we achieve victory over sin, darkness, and evil. Through Christ, we can claim the victory of life. Jesus wept for those he loved. He wept for Lazarus, Mary and Martha and he weeps for us. And like Lazarus, we too will share in the promise of new life through the death and resurrection of the Lord. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord, help me to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those in joy. Help me to give compassion and love to others as you have given to me, in Jesus' name, AMEN.