It’s Crying Time
John 11:35
Isn’t it interesting that we men aren’t supposed to cry? It’s true, you know—we’re supposed to be tough and strong. Big boys don’t cry. Unless you’re singing a country song. I remember a country tune from many a year ago that proclaimed: “Well, it’s crying time again, you’re gonna leave me. I can see that far away look in your eye. I can tell by the way you hold me darlin,’ that it won’t be long until it’s crying time.” I learned the lesson—I can’t cry about a broken bone, but a broken heart, and watch be blubber.
Of course, I have grown a lot since the days of my youth. And I’ve learned a rather important lesson. It takes a strong man to cry, a real man, a man of character. How do I know this? Listen to our text—“Jesus wept.” This is the shortest verse in the Bible, but no verse carries more meaning in it. (A. T. Robertson). Friends, if the King of Kings and Lord of Lords can weep in a moment of sorrow, then I need not fear a tear. In this to the point passage, Jesus shared in the sorrow brought about by Lazarus’s death. He taught us that it’s okay to weep when it’s crying time.
And folks, if you live in the world I live in, it’s crying time almost all the time. People are hurting all around us. In a world that hurt’s this badly, our eyes should be wet with tears. Our tears should reflect the love that we have for people who are hurting and struggling in this world. When should we be weeping? When should our eyes be filled with tears? Consider the following times.
I. We should weep when those around us have lost hope.
A. For reasons that the disciples might not ever have fathomed, when Jesus got word that Lazarus was sick, he delayed getting to Lazarus’s side—the end result, his friend died.
1. When he finally arrived at Bethany, he was greeted by Martha who had a strong note of resignation in her voice.
2. “Martha’s word is neither accusation nor reproach but deep sorrow and poignant regret. When Lazarus was sick, the sisters longed, ‘Oh, if only he were here!’ Then they sent him word, but Lazarus died, and so the regret set in, ‘Oh, if only he had been here!’” (Lenski, 796-97).
3. To Martha’s credit, she tried to muster courage, hope of some sort to hold onto—yet, even the promise of a resurrection at the end of time didn’t seem to help her much: even that knowledge couldn’t take away the pain of the moment: Lazarus was dead now. How was she going to make it, right now?
B. Hope is such a precarious thing—one swift bump, and it falls over with a thud.
C. If we follow in the steps of our Lord—we will be there: loving, and trying to help pick up the pieces of a shattered dream: and we’ll cry along with those who are hurting.
1. When Jesus cared enough to be involved with Martha’s loss of hope—her hope was restored: Her confession of faith in Jesus is the strongest in the gospels—Peter testified in a moment of exhilaration. Martha testified of a faith from the pit of despair. Herschel Hobbs wrote: “Insofar as she could tell, He had failed her. Yet she still believed in him” (Hobbs, Zond, John, 61).
2. When we care enough to be involved, to show the world our Jesus, maybe, just maybe—hope will be restored.
II. We should weep when those around us have faced tragedy.
A. Mary then comes to Jesus—and her reaction is so very similar to Martha’s, yet marked by a more emotional outburst.
1. John uses words that tell us, as soon as Mary saw Jesus, she burst into tears, falling at his feet.
2. “If only you had been here. . .” she repeats Martha’s words—“my brother’s life wouldn’t have been wasted!”
3. Her loss is so very powerful, that all those around her are drawn into her pain—and share in her weeping: and it stirs Jesus to the very pits of his being.
4. Mary and Martha were not spared the pain that death brought upon them; neither was Jesus—even though he knew that death didn’t have the final word. The family of Lazarus and their dear friend would face their tragedy together!
B. Every single day of this world—someone faces a horrible loss. Listen to the word of a distraught father who tells of his reaction to the death of his son.
C. We may not offer the solution to tragedy that Jesus offered Mary and Martha, but, we can be certain that those who face the tragedies of life know that they need not do so alone.
1. We can be there for them, when they need us—we can open our hearts to them, and let them know that they are loved.
2. “Often all that we can do is to shed tears in grief too deep for words. Jesus understood and understands.” (F.F.Bruce).
III. We should weep when those around us live lives marked by frustration.
A. The crowds that had gathered that day had also come to share in Martha and Mary’s pain—and the people were genuinely touched by Jesus’ sorrow: touched and perplexed.
1. I see no hostility in this crowd—I know that other interpreters have seen it.
2. Instead, I see a group of people who are trying to make sense of the pain that they see in their friends; and yet, they can’t quite make sense of it all.
3. They had heard about Jesus, about his power—and he just didn’t help Lazarus: it didn’t make any sense, and that frustrated the people, for they wanted desperately for it all to make sense.
B. Have you ever felt the anguish of doing something you knew in your heart was right—and yet, you suffered in spite of it, maybe because of it?
1. Folks, each of us in this room knows that there is such a thing as right and wrong.
2. I’ve been told all of my life, if I do the right thing, everything will work out all right.
3. As I look back over my life, I realize, that this is not always true: sometimes, doing the right thing results in pain, anguish, sorrow and frustration: and life simply doesn’t always make sense!
4. We are followers of God—we’re not supposed to suffer, are we?
C. And yet, there are Mary and Martha at the graveside of their brother: and here we are with a lot of unanswered questions: and maybe, just maybe, we ought to quit looking for answers long enough to come together and love each other, and comfort each other, and cry with each other.
1. Again, we cannot resurrect the dead, or heal the broken-hearted with words of wit and wisdom.
2. But, together, we can find strength to move ahead—even in the midst of frustration.
IV. We should weep tears of joy, when those around us have been touched by God.
A. Can you begin to imagine how dramatically things changed when Jesus called out Lazarus’s name?
1. Jesus shouted, not because Lazarus was hard of hearing—or because the miracle needed a loud voice.
2. He wanted all there to see and hear: God was going to do something amazing! Beyond all expectation!
3. Lazarus came out of the grave and shocked every body so much, they stood there staring at his body all wrapped up, ready for a tomb, only very much alive—Jesus had to shock them into action: untie him and let him loose!
4. I do not doubt for one moment that tears of joy and wonder were shed: Lazarus had come forth!
B. Let us not forget, my friends, that it is equally important that we share in the joys of those around us as their pain: this world is so full of hurt, that when we can actually see God’s hand at work, we ought to shout it from the housetops—we ought to sing it out with all of our hearts: GOD IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THIS WORLD!!!
C. Friends, when we share in the joy of life that God can bring, then that joy can spread, and lives will be challenged and changed.
1. Folks, joy is contagious—as we share the greatest reason for joy in the world, the Love of God Almighty, we stand to win so much more than a World Series: we stand to win a world!
2. Are you ready to share tears of joy—I hope so, I truly do.
So now we come down to the final questions. When should we care? When should we shed tears? Very simply—when those about us are hurting at the depths of their beings. No one on this earth should have to bear their sorrows alone. And they wouldn’t if Christ’s church will take seriously the admonition of the Word of God that we bear one another’s burdens. My prayer for each of you today is that you will allow your hearts to be touched by the compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ. May his great love challenge us to greater heights for our own love. My friends—if you are the one without hope today, if you have faced tragedy, if you are frustrated—will you come and let me share with you my Jesus, who stands ready to comfort your hurting heart? If you are here today and bursting with the joy of the Lord, will you come and share it with me—that I might rejoice with you! It’s crying time, friends. Let’s pray that our hearts our warm with love, and that our eyes will testify to that love. Will you join me today in committing our hearts to the cause of Christ? It’s crying time—will our eyes be dry before the Lord?
