Jesus wept

Jesus loved Martha, Mary and their brother Lazarus. When word came that Lazarus was sick, Jesus stayed where He was two more days. By the time He reached Bethany, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days.

Martha met Him first, with faith and frustration in the same breath: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jesus answered with one of His great I AM statements: “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Then Mary came and fell at His feet with the same words, weeping, with the mourners weeping around her. John says Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. The Greek word, embrimaomai, is strong; in older Greek it could describe a horse snorting. Jesus wasn't only sad. He was stirred, standing face to face with death, the enemy He came to destroy.

Then come two words: “Jesus wept.” For the mourners' loud crying John uses one word, klaiō. For Jesus he uses another, dakryō, to shed tears. Quiet tears running down the face of God.

Here's what makes it astonishing. Jesus knew that in a few minutes He would call Lazarus out of the grave. He didn't weep because He had no hope. He wept because He loved, and because grief is real even when resurrection is coming.

That gives you permission. You can believe in the resurrection and still cry at the funeral. Faith doesn't mean pretending loss doesn't hurt. Jesus didn't skip the tears on the way to the miracle.

Then He stood at the tomb and called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The One who weeps with you is the same One who has the last word over death.