Jesus Wept: A Prelude to the Book of Lamentations

John 11:32-35; Lamentations 3:22-24
August 16, 2020
Abraham Hong

Sermon Script

As we wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, there are many reasons for us to lament. There are many occasions for us to cry.

I think about people who go through cancer and all the helplessness and hopelessness that comes with it. I think about people who lose their jobs and look for new ones. I think about the heartache and heartbreak that comes with relationships. I think about all the feelings that come to mind when we think about our parents getting old and our grandparents passing away. I think about those who are depressed or lonely, hurt or angry. I think about this coronavirus pandemic and those who have lost their loved ones this year.

This pilgrim life is full of sadness and sorrow. We face much suffering and hardship on this old and fading earth. There are tears in our eyes, there is death, there is mourning and crying and pain. And so we lament. And so we cry.

But we do not lament by ourselves. We do not cry alone. Your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, your God, laments and cries with you. Your tears are accompanied by the tears of the King.

According to Genesis 6, when the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and when the Lord saw that every intention of the thoughts of man’s heart was only evil continually, the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. Our God laments.

According to Isaiah 53, our Lord was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, one who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. Our God laments.

According to Psalm 22, the Lord cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.” Our God laments.

According to Hebrews 5, our Lord offered up prayers and supplications in the days of his flesh, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Our God laments.

And according to John 11, when your Lord saw Mary weeping over the death of her brother Lazarus, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he wept. Your God laments.

Look at his beautiful compassion and empathy toward Mary. Look at his heartbreaking sadness and sorrow over Lazarus. Look at his devastating pain and agony about the reality of death. Look at his blazing holiness and righteousness against the wickedness of sin. Look at his kindness. Look at his love.

Praise the Lord! Praise be to our God! Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever! Why? Because Jesus wept. Because Jesus, out of his steadfast love that never ceases, out of his mercies that are new every morning and never come to an end, weeps for us and with us. Make no mistake, it is Jesus’ blood and righteousness that saves us. But make no mistake, Jesus’ blood and Jesus’ righteousness comes with Jesus’ heart and Jesus’ tears. There is no salvation without lamentation.

And when the salvation and the lamentation of Christ are considered together, his exaltation only increases.

Have you ever seen your Mom or your Dad cry? If so, then you know how profound it is to see it. Mom is supposed to be full of happiness and joy. There is nothing more moving than seeing Mom cry. And Dad is suppose to be full of strength and valor. There is nothing more moving than seeing Dad cry.

If this is true of your Mom and Dad, then how much more true is it of Jesus? Jesus is God. Jesus is the King. Jesus has the greatest glory and splendor and majesty and supremacy. Isn’t it utterly amazing that Jesus also has the greatest sadness and tears? And his sadness and tears only make us want to praise and worship him more. His sadness and tears only increase his glory and splendor and majesty and supremacy. Praise the Lord! Praise be to our God! There is nothing more moving than knowing that the King of kings is also the Lamenter of lamenters. There is no one like our God.

Dear Highland, if you are going through a time of sadness and if you feel like crying, then I just want you to know that your Savior laments with you. And I want you to know that Jesus knows and understands your tears. When he took on human flesh, he lived a life of perfection, a life without sin. But he also lived a life of humiliation, a life full of suffering. And so Jesus knows what it is like to feel hurt and pain. He knows what it is like to experience misery in a world ruined by sin. He knows what it is like to weep. He knows what it is like to die. Therefore, we do not lament by ourselves. We do not cry alone. Your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, your God, laments and cries with you. Your tears are accompanied by the tears of the King.

And dear Highland, if you are going through a time of sadness and if you feel like crying, then I just want you to remember how this all ends. God will dwell with you, and you will be his people, and God himself will be with you as their God. He will wipe away every tear from your eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Therefore, we endure our suffering and our sorrow with faith, knowing that one day our suffering and our sorrow will be no more. We do not cry without faith, hope and love. Your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, your God, promises an end to all lamentation. Your tears will be wiped away by the love of the King.

But until that day comes, we wait. We lament. We cry.

Dear Highland, let us be a church that laments. Let us lament over our sins. Our sins are terrible. There ought to be grief and hatred over our sinfulness against God and against others. Let us lament over our sins, as we are united with Christ.

Dear Highland, let us also lament over our misery and suffering. We are pilgrims who are looking forward to a better world that is to come. When we lament because of this world, we do so with conviction that this world is not our home. Let us lament over our misery and suffering, as we are united with Christ.

Dear Highland, let us also lament because of the kindness of Jesus. Remember God’s mercies toward you. Remember that God’s kindness leads you to repentance. Let us lament because of the kindness of Jesus, as we are united with Christ.

Dear Highland, let us also lament over the lost. A joy of evangelism is largely rooted in a sadness for those who do not know Christ. I’m willing to bet that those who evangelized to you and shared the gospel of Jesus with you shed tears for you in their thoughts and prayers. Let us lament over the lost, as we are united with Christ.

And finally, dear Highland, let us also lament with one another here at church. When we rejoice with those who rejoice and when we weep with those who weep, there is wonderful unity. May Highland be a loving community that is sensitive to the sufferings and tears of her members. Let us lament with one another here at church, as we are united with Christ.

As we go through the book of Lamentations in these next several weeks, I really hope that you will grow in love for Jesus. As we see how Jesus is the ultimate reader, the ultimate fulfiller, and the ultimate lamenter of all five chapters in the book of Lamentations, I really hope that the tears of your King will move you to greater repentance and faith in him.

And as we wait for his return, I really hope that you will know that his steadfast love never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. I really hope that you will be amazed by his faithfulness. I really hope that you will be able to say, “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.”

Soli Deo Gloria