Upon seeing the heartache and suffering sisters of Lazarus who had died days earlier and their friends He was “greatly troubled” (John 11:33) and Jesus wept. Martha had believed if He had of come earlier Jesus could have done something to save her brother. She had faith that Jesus could do something but only up to the point of DEATH! He was good she believed but death was bigger, stronger and had the ultimate power! DEATH RULED, she believed!
Jesus had said to her, “… Believe to see the Glory of God.” In our suffering and pain we see Jesus reveal the heart of God to the suffering. We often reverse it, let me “see” first THEN I will “believe.” God’s order is always faith first! David had once said,” surely I would have despaired unless I had BELIEVED TO SEE the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
1.- GOD’S COMPASSION FOR THE SUFFERING.
Jesus could have spoken from a distance and granted healing as He had done for the centurion’s servant -Matt 8:13 but He choose not to.
GODS DELAYS DO NOT MEAN GOD’S DENIAL.
He was “greatly troubled” (John 11:33) and he wept. He shed tears. The Scripture says that, “HE LOVED.” Compassion is not to merely to be moved with feelings of sorrow But to be moved to ACT. It is to see the other person’s need and take it as one’s own! Jesus “feels the very feelings” His people feel as our Great High Priest.- Hebrews 4:15. Jesus wept when He saw them.
Think about it, He knew what He was going to do, He always does – John 6:6! He knew He was going to raise Lazarus within moments and the people would have their tears and pain cease.
He knew what He would do, yet He wept with them. He wept for them. He wept tears of compassion The original language indicates that the Lord Jesus wept ‘silent tears. He wept tears of compassion.
He came to the people in pain and also that out of their suffering might come…
2.- GOD’S GLORY -THE ULTIMATE GOAL.
Death did not have ultimate authority – Jesus does! Death is in submission to Jesus! Out of their pain, sorrow came something glorious – the Glorifying of God through the events surrounding Lazarus death! God was going to put Himself on DISPLAY! Jesus brought something wonderful out from their hurt! He brings beauty out of ashes.
He seeks to bring THE GREATEST GLORY FOR GOD out of each event. We may not always understand, indeed in the heat of the moment, event, bad news, tragedy, pain it seems we often do not understand the “why” and despite the input of “JOB’S FRIENDS ” they often do not either and too often their “advice” and “authoritative” stand as having omniscience on the matter, in reality too often their reasoning’s are more to satisfy themselves in trying to come up with a reason “why this is happening” as somehow they have “to know,” as they hate THEY DO NOT know, “why!” Too often it is more about them in reality. It is often a desire to control, to be in control of what is happening, than it is to help, comfort the hurting and suffering ones. But whatever about, “Job’s friends…”
” WE DO KNOW”
We can say authoritatively, truths from the Scripture, such as what we do know, and in the Knowledge of the Scripture there is comfort and hope and indeed purpose in our pain! God wants us to know, and we can know, some anchors for our storm in the midst of the storm.
A.- WE DO KNOW that God – works all things together for GOOD to those who LOVE Him and are the called…” And that “GOOD” is ultimately to conform us to the image of Christ in our thinking,, motivations, responses and doings- Rom 8:28-29!
B.- WE DO KNOW that God – COMFORTS the crushed and COMMISSIONS them to comfort others as His authorized, qualified ministers if comfort with the same comfort which He has comforted them with- 2 Cor 1:3-4
C.- WE DO KNOW that God’s – ULTIMATE END IS HIS GREATEST GLORY, in every circumstance Including this- your own suffering! Your pain can be the platform for God to receive greater glory through you into the lives of others! Your pain is not pointless -to God! God is at work in you and through you!
3,- REAL MEN CRY; the Perfect Man did, Jesus Christ
Jesus wept with compassion for the heartache of others. He was neither indifferent nor callous to their pain, He was drawn towards the hurting ones with a heart of compassion.
God was glorified THROUGH their Sufferings. This DOES NOT mean one has to suffer for God to be glorified BUT IT DOES MEAN, GOD can use even suffering to bring glory from it to Himself. Your sufferings are NOT pointless in the hands of Jesus!
Jesus shows us real men do cry over the hurts of others and are neither embarrassed, ashamed or fearful of showing such demonstrations of empathy with those who hurt. Jesus tears revealed the heart of God for the hurting.
Jesus Wept;
the evil of sin was being manifested in the form of death , which was a consequence of sin as a result of the Fall and it was not God’s original design.
Jesus Wept;
With compassion over the effects of sin that results in all people dying but He would weep now and show us the heart of God through the Perfect Man- Himself. He soon would Himself die such a cruel and violent death on a cross to destroy the power of death and sin and to extend His gift of eternal life to them that though they die physically, spiritually they will live forever !
Jesus wept with compassion for the hurting and suffering.
Jesus wept over what sin had caused
Jesus wept because He LOVED the people!
Some truths to Ponder;
JESUS KNOWS AND CARES ABOUT YOUR SUFFERING
GOD’S DELAYS ARE NOT NECESSARILY GOD’S DENIALS
GOD IS UP TO SOMETHING OF ETERNAL VALUE.
YOUR SUFFERING MAY BE GOD’S MEANS TO GREATER GLORIFYING OF HIMSELF TO OTHERS- THROUGH YOU!
YOUR SUFFERING IS PAINFUL- BUT NOT POINTLESS IN THE HANDS OF JESUS
CIRCUMSTANCES DO NOT HAVE THE FINAL WORD- JESUS DOES!
