Sounds of the Passion: Weeping Tears :: John 11:35

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[Introduction]

Weeping. This is one of those sounds we never want to hear. When you hear the sound of weeping, you want it to stop. Though sometimes we weep tears of joy, mostly we weep because something’s wrong. Maybe we are confronted with death or the loss of a career. Maybe the loss of a relationship brings us to tears. But sooner or later, we all weep.

Jesus wept (v 35). This two-word verse in the Bible eloquently and powerfully proclaims that we actually have a high priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hb 4:15). Jesus is the Lord who rejoices with those who rejoice and he mourns with those who mourn (Rm 12:15). 

He weeps because he is True Man. He weeps because he is True God. Our Lord saw the pain that sin and death causes ... and he wept. And like Joseph, our Lord weeps over those who reject his peace (Gen 50:17; Lk 19:41). 

Can you hear how he loves you?

3. The first time we encounter Jesus weeping is at the death of Lazarus. 

Lazarus was a close friend of Jesus. And he had two sisters, Mary and Martha, whom Jesus also loved. One day Lazarus became ill. So his sisters sent word to Jesus. Lord, the one you love (like a brother) is ill (Jn 11:3). 

If Mary and Martha are like me, I’m sure they would have expected Jesus to come just as soon as he heard the news ... but he didn’t. Instead, he waited. 

He waited on purpose. 

He waited for four days. 

And then, he led the disciples to Bethany to see just how bad things really were. 

Mary and Martha were already in tears when he arrived. Lord, Martha said to Jesus, if you were here, my brother would not have died. Yet now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you. Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.

You also believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life, don’t you? ... That though we die, yet we will live, and that everyone who lives and believes in [Jesus] will certainly not die forever (Jn 11:25-26). ... But that doesn’t keep you from weeping, does it? 

Upon seeing Mary weeping, and the Jews also weeping with her, Jesus was moved deeply and found himself troubled. And that’s when it happened: When he saw the tomb, Jesus wept (Jn 11:35). 

The people of Bethany thought Jesus was weeping for Lazarus. See how he loved him, the people said (Jn 11:36). But Jesus wasn’t weeping for Lazarus. Lazarus was just fine. Jesus was weeping for Mary and Martha. Jesus was weeping for the people. Jesus was weeping for you and me. Jesus was weeping for everyone who faces the consequence of sin ... death. 

This is why he came from heaven about to earth to earth below. He came to provide for you and your little ones (Gen 50:21). He came to wipe away the tears from our eyes. He came so that death would be no more (Rv 21:4)

2. But first he had more weeping to do. 

When Jesus saw the city of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he wept over it, saying, If you knew on this day, even you, the things that make for peace. But now they are hidden from your eyes (Lk 19:41-42). Then, just days later, we wept again, this time with no crowd to watch. In the Garden of Gethsemane ... when he was all alone ... he wept in anguish while sweating blood, praying ... Father, if it is possible, please let this cup pass from me. 

You can’t blame Jesus for not wanting to drink the cup. Throughout the Old Testament the cup is a picture of God’s wrath. The cup is filled with the wine of the Lord’s anger ... the same wrath he promised the nations would one day be forced to drink. 

That cup was now at Jesus’ lips. And because he is True Man, Jesus recoiled in horror at drinking it. He described his soul as being overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death (Mt 26:38). Yes, Jesus wept because he knew we couldn’t face God’s wrath on our own. 

If we were to spend ten thousand times ten thousand years in hell, that would not be enough pain and anguish to alleviate the wrath of God. Only the death of the sinless one ... that would be Jesus himself ... was enough to take away God’s anger. 

So Jesus drank the cup and wept in pain. We wept on the cross. He wept knowing that like Joseph’s brothers, some of us simply won’t believe that ... on account of the blood he shed ... the forgiveness of sins actually is ours. He wept, like Joseph, knowing that whereas you devised evil against him, God devised it for our benefit so that he would produce life this day for many people who believe in Jesus (Gen 50:20). 

1. Jesus bore our grief and our pain.

From the cross, this man of sorrows ... who was and has been and who continues to be despised and rejected by men ... saw his mother weeping for her son. And finally, with tears of victory, he cried out in triumph, It is finished (Jn 19:30).

Yes, do you see how he loves you!

JESUS WEPT FOR YOU

[Conclusion]

Brothers and sisters, we all feel pain and hurt. We all face distress. We all weep. And when you do, remember you are never alone. Jesus is with you. He knows your pain. He knows your tears. But more than that, he promises to bring you through it all ... into eternal joy. 

So call on him. He will hear your prayer. Listen to him. He will teach you. Believe in him. He will raise you from the dead and give you eternal life. 

I have come that they might have life and have it to the full, Jesus said (Jn 10:10). And nothing in all of creation will be able to separate you from the love of God ... in Jesus’ name.

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