The Christ Who Feels Our Pain

The Christ Who Feels Our Pain

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.…

John 11:33-35

If we are to understand Christ, we must understand what moves Him. Our text today concludes with the memorable words, ‘Jesus wept.’ If we want to understand this, we need to look at the context. We read, ‘When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled….’ What was Christ seeing? He was seeing His friends mourning and grieving. He then mourned and grieved with them. He felt their pain. Understand, this did not alter at all the overarching plan and purpose of God. It was in the plan and purpose of God for Lazarus to die. It fell within God’s Agenda and His Schedule. Christ was well aware that it was. Having said that, Christ is truly human and utterly sympathetic. Christ felt their pain. If we are going to understand Christ, we need to understand this. Christ feels our pain. Being God, He is fully aware that the Decree of God is such that certain things will come to pass. When those things do come to pass it will inevitably cause us pain. Christ is utterly sympathetic to our pain. He ‘weeps with those who weep.’ Hence, ‘Jesus wept.’ An utterly sympathetic Christ is an endearing Christ. As He shows us this element of His Character, He draws us unto Himself. Today, let us dwell upon this Christ Who feels our pain. He does not stand apart from us, but stands with us and by us. He weeps when we weep, and feels our pain.

Our Kind and Loving Savior,
We rejoice that You are utterly sympathetic to our pain.
We praise You that You draw near to us, lay Your Hand upon us
and weep with us as we weep.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning