Jesus Wept

Read John 11
 
John 11:35-36 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!”
 
SEE our Lord Jesus’ compassion. Can you imagine the Lord of Life standing in front of a grave? Yes, I’m sure he had done this before. Other friends had died. Apparently, his earthly father Joseph was dead when Jesus’ ministry began. In his humanity, the God of heaven would have known human grief.
   But why would the LORD of Life weep? After all, he knew that in a few minutes this grave would open, and his friend would walk out. Why the deep sorrow?
   To answer the “why’s” of God, it is essential to know who God is. We know God is love. We know God is life. We know God is resurrection. We know God is eternal.
   Because God so loved the world (John 3:16a) we can surely know Jesus wept not only for Lazarus’ death, but he mourned for all humanity. Surely our loving LORD God wept when evil entered the Garden of Eden! He wept because so very, very much had been lost at the moment death had broken into the world and begun its destruction. After all, the Living Word had spoken, and a formless void became a sparkling universe of exact proportion and extraordinary perfection. Death was not in God’s good creation. Jesus wept over death’s curse that separated mankind from the Holy God.
   Jesus, the Son of God, was acting into God’s salvation plan to destroy death. He would not just go to a grave and raise a dead man, he would go into a grave as a sacrifice, so he could rise to resurrect all dead souls. Once again, the Living Word would speak, and mankind could come into the life-giving wonder of a blessed, perfect relationship with our Holy God forever.
   Can you see God’s love through Jesus’ tears? Do you know Jesus’ passion for you? The cross is called “the Passion of Christ” because God’s deep love was the catalyst to send the Son to die, so you may live. Indeed, God’s Love Story is expressed in “Jesus Wept”.
   Praise Jesus he wept over death. Praise Jesus he has come in love to tell those who mourn that the time of the LORD’s favor has come, and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the LORD has planted for his own glory. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago. They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.