2/9/16: “Jesus Wept”

Posted on Feb 8, 2016 in General |

“Jesus Wept”

 John 11:35

 

‘Jesus wept’, is the shortest verse in the King James Bible.  It is when Jesus was at the tomb of Lazarus that the entire scene was taking place.  Let us look at some of the verses before and after:

 

John 11:32-39

“Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.  When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.  And said, 

Where have you laid him?

  They said unto him, Lord, come and see.  Jesus wept.  Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!  And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?  Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave.  It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.  Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.  Martha, the sister of him who was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he had been dead four days.”

Jesus Christ was not only the son of God, but he also came to us as a man.  Jesus had feelings, emotions, just like you, and I do.  For you see, Jesus already knew that Lazarus was dead when He arrived.  Jesus wept because of the lack of faith and trust in the people around Him.

`Faith’ knows God can and ‘trust’ knows that God will.  Why do you think Christ was groaning in His spirit and that He was troubled?  Because He knew and could sense that, everyone around Him had issues with faith and trust.  I mean after all, Lazarus had been dead for four days, right?  Rotting flesh and decay had already been set into motion when the heart of Lazarus stopped beating and he was buried and left for dead.

James 2:20 says that, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” Why do you think, in John 11:39, Jesus told them to take away the stone?  Faith, my brothers, and sisters in Christ!  If you also notice, that at the end of John 11:39, Martha started to slightly argue with Jesus and present the argument that why taking away the stone was a bad idea.

Excuses, arguments, and suggestions all come from one root cause, rebellion.  Using the power of suggestion, Eve was fooled by the serpent in the garden.  Let’s examine for a moment the conversation that took place between Satan and Eve in Genesis:

Genesis 3:1-5

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.  And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”

Did you HEAR how he did that?  Through the power of suggestion, Satan convinced Eve to eat the fruit God had told both Adam and Eve not to eat.  Just like at the end of John 11:39, when Martha offered the suggestion to Jesus about why taking the stone away from the tomb of Lazarus was a bad idea.  Now… you realize why, “Jesus Wept.”

Don’t you think that Jesus weeps every time a sheep, knowing the truth, from the flock goes astray?  Usually for something like that to happen, there has to be a heart that has waxed cold through disbelief and/or doubt, a let down from a person and/or a lack of a prayer life and a word life, or even a combination of any of those.

Just like Eve and Martha, the power of suggestion in the society we live in is running amok; either through: TV Commercials, or misguided people, false profits and teachings even through our friends and family.  Satan will use whatever tool that is knowingly or unknowingly willing to try to strike at you.  You must be ready for an attack at all times through prayer, word, fasting, supplication, and putting on the full ‘Armor of God’ as like in this example straight from the Word of God:

Ephesians 6:10-18

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.  And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”

Saints, above all else, rejoice and be thankful that no matter how far away you stray, or how far down you go, that we serve a God that nothing is impossible and has no limits!  Trust me saints, God has had about enough of His Son weeping for us!  The trumpet is getting

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him SHOULD not perish, but have everlasting life.” Become the church that God wants you become.  Loving, caring, nurturing, birthing new spirits into the body of Christ daily.  Look after the sheep and do not let them go astray.  Put on the full armor of God and have ‘faith’ AND ‘trust’ and shout from the rooftops what the Lord has done for you!  I leave you with a final thought:

Romans 12:1-2

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

 

By: Minister Richard Hagemaster