John 11:33-36
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
We have talked about this passage recently because of the awesome miracle that Jesus performs in bringing Lazarus back to life. Now we read this story again, thinking of the human side of Jesus. I am thinking this morning that maybe Jesus wept because he realized what his actions had allowed to happen at that moment. The event had to play out the way it did, if we are to accept God's plan. But it is our natural human tendency to wonder why Jesus didn't just come earlier and prevent all of this heartache. In the end, we don't really know why Jesus cried. I am wondering where this passage leads me this morning. Maybe the message for me is to allow feelings to happen, and not to overthink. Jesus cared for all people, and did not like to see anyone suffer. He cried with Mary and Martha, maybe sometimes he cries with me.
Holy Lord, you sent Jesus to earth fully a human man, and fully God. It is hard to grasp, but your scripture sheds light on this mystery. Help me to understand and to learn, and most importantly, to live with this Holy Spirit you have sent to me. Amen
Becky, transforming
John 11:33-36
Jesus expressed many human emotions in these verses. Anger, being troubled, weeping, and love among them. Only being truly human allowed Jesus to express himself in the same way we do. It tells me that because he loves me, he is happy when I am happy and cries when I cry.
Prayer: Gracious God, Thank you for your fully human son who understands our needs. Amen
Thursday, December 14th, 2023
John 11:33-36
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
We have talked about this scripture several times in the past week, knowing that Jesus wept, demonstrates how totally human he was . Having the pain and sorrow of losing a loved one, and to share this sorrow with other humans. This scripture and the surrounding verses are perhaps, for me the most compassionate verses in the Bible. Sometimes I look at…
John 11:33-36 As I have grown older I find it increasingly difficult to see someone else’s tears. It can instantly provoke my own. The “contagiousness” of sorrow seems to me to be a critical piece of evidence proving all in the human family are related in some mystical way. Only someone who does not have the Holy Spirit in them could be unmoved by the frightened tears of children whether they be Israeli or Palestinian. This is the connection I sense that Jesus encountered and experienced at Bethany. Confronted by the depth of communal grief over Lazarus’ death, a man He too called friend, the human Jesus let His emotions show in solidarity with the mourners surrounding Him. Even though G…