Grace in Christ 28

John 11 captures for us one of the most moving stories of Jesus’ ministry.  While Jesus often did not have a place to lay His head, when He was in the regions of Bethany He had a dear friend Lazarus who welcomed Him.  Lazarus had two sisters, Mary and Martha.  This home was the scene of great friendship, great teaching and in John 11 a great miracle. 

Lazarus died.  Jesus had been informed of his illness but had not gone to heal him.  He had another plan that would be the perfect picture of His teaching that He was true Life.  After the death of Lazarus, Jesus went up to Bethany.  Martha ran to meet Him and chastised Him for His delay.  He assured her of the certainty of Lazarus’ future resurrection. Martha was not appeased.  Jesus then told her that He was the resurrection and the life.  To this she confessed her full faith in Him.  Then her sister Mary came and fell crying at Jesus’ feet.  Jesus asked her to take Him to the tomb.  Then Jesus wept. 

Oh what grace and pity for the sorrowing family that brought Jesus to tears!  That is the wonderful grace of Jesus to us.  He sincerely cares about us.  Our hurts are felt by Him.  He is not disinterested or disengaged from us. We are His bride.  We are His body.  He rejoices in our rejoicing and He bears our sorrows. 

 Marguerite St. Leon Barstow Loud wrote only one hymn.  It is taken from John 11:35 and is simply titled “Jesus Wept”.  Her first stanza calls upon all those who are broken hearted to come to Jesus.  He will understand their sorrow and comfort them in their need.  She concludes the verse, “Sacred are sorrow’s tears since Jesus wept.”  He does not despise our sorrow.  He cares for it as He cares for us. 

Her third stanza is taken straight from John 11. “But with the friends He loved, whose hopes had perished, the Savior stood, while thro’ His bosom rushed a tide of sympathy for those He cherished, and from His eyes the burning dewdrops gushed: and bending o’er the tomb where Lazarus slept, in agony of soul, then Jesus wept.”

But Jesus didn’t just weep.  He called Lazarus forth from the grave and gave proof to His victory over death.  Mrs. Loud concludes her hymn with the all the hope and comfort that Jesus' power over death can give to all who believe, “Look up, ye mourners, hear what He has spoken, he that believes on Me shall never die. Thro’ faith and love your spirit shall be kept; hope brighter grew on earth when Jesus wept.”  Herein is grace in Christ.

 

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