Your Monday Morning Jesus Wept John 11: 35 This week’s messa | Beza International Church

Your Monday Morning

Jesus Wept
John 11: 35

This week’s message was brought to us by Edward Brown.

John 11: 35 tells us that Jesus wept. It is a very simple but mysterious verse that we as adults struggle to understand. The gospel records two times when Jesus wept and this was very personal. 

Why did Jesus weep?
Why did Jesus weep knowing that He would resurrect Lazarus? There are two reasons. The first reason is Love. He loved Mary and Martha and wept when He saw them crying. Crying is contagious, especially when you see someone you love cry.  But Jesus wasn’t coming to a funeral but a resurrection. He knew what He was going to do. His plans are better than our plans. God is never late.

The second reason is that Jesus hates death. Death is a result of sin and lack of faith. He wept angry tears. His tears were not only of sorrow but also anger. A deep anger swelled up in him as He saw the people crying and did not believe that He could resurrect Lazarus.  And the bible says that Jesus was troubled. (John 11: 33) The same verb is used in the Garden of Gethsemane and the pool at Bethesda.      

Think about in your own life when you were crying in angry tears? Close your eyes and remember what you were thinking, saw and felt. Hold on to it like a piece of Gold, because God uses those memories today. And if you allow Him, He will use them for the rest of your life.  The Lord intercedes on our behalf. What the enemy meant for evil, God meant it for good (Genesis 50: 20). Jesus is fully human and He understands our pain and tears. He emphasizes and empathizes with the poor in spirit and the downtrodden. The bible teaches us that the most courageous and strong leaders are capable of crying. David wasn’t scared of death and crying. Mary Magdalene and others had the courage to follow Him and cry at his feet.

Ethiopia is Lazarus
I have a word for Ethiopia today. Ethiopia is Lazarus. If you go on the media, the world keeps reading Ethiopia’s obituary. But Ethiopia is very much alive. And it will rise again. Addis Ababa is not just a capital of Ethiopia but of Africa. And Africa will rise. God always comes to our rescue when we least expect it and we come to the ends of ourselves. But nothing is impossible to God. The fact that Ethiopia is mentioned in the bible over 50 times is what gives me hope, because Ethiopia is part of God’s plan. God is a God of purpose and continuity.  What He started here, He will finish here. 

There are tears of sorrow, but there are also tears of joy. The bible says weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning (Psalms 35: 5). Rev 21: 4 tells us that He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more. David talks about God is holding his tears in a bottle (Psalms 58: 6). The Hebrew word for bottle is wineskins. That is a flood and river of tears. God is going to use those tears. A river is coming.
     
When we truly love one another, that is when the flood comes and the water flows. Justice and righteousness must flow like a river (Amos 5: 14). That flood is coming. We need to enter the teary season. Let’s cry tears of righteousness, tears of humble forgiveness, and tears of faith.

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