jesus wept

A common Bible trivia question is "what is the shortest verse in the Bible?" The answer is John 11:35 which says "Jesus wept."  While this might help you score a point in a game of trivial pursuit, it isn't just a fact to memorize; but a truth to take in.
Jesus wept.  Why?  Why did Jesus cry?  

First, we need to remember that while 100% divine, Jesus was also 100% human.  This seeming contradiction, is still true, Jesus was fully man and also fully God...and so he felt human emotions just like us.  We should never intentionally or unintentionally minimize the humanity of Jesus.  Jesus felt all human emotions just like us.  He felt happiness, sadness, anger, fear, pain...all of it.  Emotions aren't good or bad; they are just part of the human experience and Jesus felt them.  In this case he felt sadness.

But why did Jesus feel sadness?  In the story it is clear that Jesus knows what will happen in the end.  He came there to resurrect Lazarus.  So why, if you know the happy ending, would you feel sad?  I think that it's because Jesus saw the deep grief and pain of the sisters (who he loved) and felt empathy.  He saw their pain and he sympathized with them.  They didn't know the end of the story, they didn't know the happy ending...and yet they had faith.
 
In John 11 Jesus has a conversation with Mary (the sister).  He said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.  Do you believe this?"  Mary answered, "Yes, Lord.  I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is come into the world."
 
Mary had faith in Jesus, faith in his resurrection power and yet she was still broken-hearted.  This is the truth of our reality.  We believe in the eternal life of Jesus and yet we are still allowed to mourn and grieve when one we love dies.  Jesus had human emotions and so do we.  Grief is good for our souls, it means we loved deeply.  Jesus wept, and so should we when we mourn.  
 
And I believe Jesus weeps with us still.  He sees our pain, our loss, our broken hearts and he still cares, still loves and still helps.  Thank you Jesus.
 
In Christ,
Pastor Scott