Christmas 2018 Blog Post #7

 Jesus wept. (John 11:35, New International Version)

As this is the shortest verse in the Bible, you may have heard it before. Maybe even memorized it!

Here is the premise of these two words. Jesus has just returned to Judea as He has gotten word that His friend Lazarus was sick and dying. The last time Jesus and His disciples had been in this area, the locals had threatened to stone Him, so the disciples were not as keen to return as Jesus was. But Jesus knew what would happen when He got there and what He was going to do.

Lazarus’s sisters, Mary and Martha, met them outside of town, mourning the death of their brother, who had died four days before. The women were confident that Lazarus would rise from the dead, but they thought it would be only at the end of time when all believers would come back to life.

Jesus, true man and true God, broke down and cried with compassion for this family. Then He went into the tomb and brought Lazarus back to life.   

The whole month of December I have been blogging about Bible verses which remind me of the birth of Jesus. So, what does this short verse have to do with that? Probably a few things, but being as I am not a Bible scholar, I’ll just tell you what I get out of this.

Jesus never cried as a baby. I know I might lose some of you here, but hear me out. Babies cry because they want something. They are hungry, they are cold, they are hot, they have a bellyache, they filled their pants. They cry to get the attention they need to make things better for themselves.

When we want something because it will make us feel better – we want a better paying job, we want a better house, we want, we want, we want – that’s called coveting and it’s a sin. So, basically, since those babies were born as sinners, they start right off doing it, wanting, wanting, wanting. Does it mean babies are selfish and just plain bad? No, it means this is the world that Adam and Eve created when they sinned the first time.

And since Jesus was completely without sin, I rest my case, that He never cried as a Baby. Never cried for Himself or because He wanted something. But He cried later on when He saw what sin was doing to this world. And I think He still cries when He sees all that is going on in this world right now. I think He cries a lot. 

From Christmas 2015. I think this was in the midst of a work in progress.