Tomorrow the Gospel reading from John 11 contains the shortest verse in the Bible, just two words: “Jesus wept.” Confirmation students have joked for decades that they want this as their confirmation verse because, well, it’s short and easy to remember. Despite the brevity of the verse, its theological implications are deep enough to drown in.
Jesus wept. He had emotions. He is truly human. He identifies with us in everything that we are going through. When we weep we are participating in an activity also done by the divine Son of God.
Jesus wept. Since Jesus is sinless and Jesus wept, crying isn’t a sin. It’s not something to feel ashamed of.
Jesus wept. The occasion for Jesus weeping is that His friend Lazarus had died four days earlier. Jesus knows He is going to raise Lazarus from the dead in a minute, yet He still weeps. This tells us that it is abundantly appropriate to weep and grieve when our loved ones die. Even though we know Jesus will raise us from the dead and we will be forever with Jesus, weeping is still the proper response to death even with the hope of the resurrection seconds or years or millennia away.
Jesus wept. And yet, He will also wipe away every tear from our eyes for the time for mourning will not last forever. For Christ will raise us from the dead never to die again. And when death is gone, our tears will be no more. Jesus wept, but He won’t weep forever.
God’s blessings on your day. Keep the faith.
Pastor Andy
