John chapter 11
The other day I was reading some interesting facts about the bible, including that it contains over 3/4 of a million words in its 66 books. That certainly gives preachers a lot of scope for choosing a text. I also read that the longest verse in the bible is contained in Esther c 3 v 12 which contains no less than 66 words, yes 66 words.
However, today I want to go to the other extreme and choose the shortest verse in the bible as my text. And that verse contains just 2 words. John c 11 v 35 reads “Jesus wept”.
I think that this is one of the most precious verses in the whole bible. So deeply did Jesus feel the grief of Mary and Martha at the loss of their brother that his heart was wrong with anguish, and he wept.
Jesus was a very unconventional person in his day. He was angry with the injustice he saw around him. He was patient with the ordinary people who needed help. He had quite a sense of humour. Remember his little story about a camel going through the eye of a needle?
He spoke to women, even Samaritan women, with the tax gatherer and other sinners. He broke down barriers - that's why the Pharisees dislike him. He cut across prejudices. He was different not merely because he acted differently, but because his compassion for people refused to be limited by the rules and regulations of his time.
He felt sorrow - we read that Jesus wept. He wept with those he loved, and still does. He raised people up, and he still does. He included all in the healing process, and he still does.
When Jesus came into the world, men were haunted by the fear of their sins, and the likely retribution of a mighty and powerful God. They needed liberation, and that is just what Jesus brought to them. He taught by both his words and his example that God was not a God of hate and retribution, but rather a God of love, who entered into the joys and sorrows of his people.
Being a Christian means that we should endeavour to be like Christ, and that means that our attitude to life and to other people should be like his attitude, an attitude of love and concern for everybody. Sadly, that is not an attitude which everyone has, indeed, many people have very selfish attitudes, and think of no-one but themselves.
Being a Christian means that we must be prepared to be different to others who do not share this attitude of love and concern.
In the early church, people had no doubt that they had to be different to the rest of the population. In fact they had to be so different that very often they would be shunned by others, and some were even put to death.
A Christian then, by being different, must be easily identifiable. It should be possible to identify a Christian in schools, factories, shops, offices, on the sports field, indeed everywhere.
Some time ago my wife had to spend some time in hospital, and she told me how, in the middle of a crowded ward, a lady got out her bible to read, and then knelt down and prayed. She was easily identifiable as being a Christian.
A Christian teacher must obey not just the rules and regulations of the education authority, but also of Christ. And this will almost certainly mean that their attitude to their pupils will be very different, and they will be better teachers.
A Christian workman will obey not just the rules of his trade union but of Christ, and that will almost certainly make him a better workman.
A Christian employer will not just be concerned with the minimum wage he must pay, or the minimum amenities he has to provide, but will be concerned for the welfare of his employees, and that will almost certainly make him a better employer.
Christian doctors and nurses will never see patients just as another case, but as individuals who need care and concern, and that will almost certainly make them better doctors and nurses.
I have a friend who worked in a hospital ward for elderly ladies, some of whom had not received a visit from anyone for almost 20 years ! My friend, by simple things like giving Christmas cards, and remembering their birthdays, took an interest in their welfare and well being, and says that those ladies were immensely cheered and encouraged by her love and concern.
Very often we do not have to do so very much to show love and concern for others, and yet how easy it is for us to say that we cannot be bothered, they are not our responsibility. Some of the most poignant words in literature can be found in Charles Dickens "A Christmas carol" where Scrooge is being asked for a donation to help the poor. "Are there no poor houses ?" he asks. Oh no, they were no concern of his.
A Christian must cultivate Christ's attitude to life and to mankind. Jesus wept. What a picture of a loving God. The greatest thing that Jesus did was to bring us this good news that God is a God who cares.
Some time ago the Methodist church published a booklet entitled "Sharing in Gods mission", and sub-titled "A program for a living church". In that booklet, various questions were asked which I would like to share with you.
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES OUR CHRISTIANITY MAKE TO OUR DAILY LIVES ?
ARE WE A CARING FELLOWSHIP ?
ARE WE INCREASINGLY INVOLVED IN THE LIFE OF SOCIETY ?
ARE WE AN EFFECTIVE CHRISTIAN PRESENCE THERE ?
WHAT DIFFERENCE DO WE MAKE TO THE COMMUNITY ?
HOW CAN WE BE USED MORE EFFECTIVELY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY ?
Challenging questions indeed.
Being a Christian is not just for an hour or so on Sunday, but is a full time job, 24 hours a day, every day of our lives. Christ does not ask us for just a part of our lives, but for the whole of them. Remember his words, "No man having put his hand to the plough and turning back is fit for the kingdom of God".
Our Christianity must be experienced as a concrete reality, and the place to start is here in the local community. It is here that God’s people can live out that practical love and concern which Jesus showed, and which he tells us is the distinctive mark of a true Christian.
The writer of the Epistle of James says quite clearly, "Believe the word which is able to save you. But be ye doers of the word, not hearers only. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead". Good works do not save us, only Jesus can do that, but the natural outcome of our Christianity is to show forth Gods love for mankind.
We are the physical instrument by which God is working out his will in the world today. The other day I came across a little comment by Teresa of Avila. "Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no feet but yours, no hands but yours. Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ is to look out on a hurting world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless all."
God depends on each one of us to help in his mission. There is only one mission that matters, and that is God’s continuous activity of loving and caring, and reaching out to all that he has made.
The church, and every one of its members, engages in true mission only when it shares in Gods one mission to the world. If we do not serve the neighbourhood, our evangelism will not be a convincing demonstration of Gods love.
Jesus wept. And in the story from John’s gospel because of his love for his friends he raised Lazarus to new life.
In John’s mind the raising of Lazarus became a parable of the new life that one must receive through Jesus Christ.
May that miracle of new life in Christ Jesus become our own experience today. May we each show forth God’s love to those we meet day by day.