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An Emotional Man (2)
An Emotional Man (2)
The various emotions Jesus experienced are not for us to say, “See there, Jesus felt the same way I do”. These emotions follow a pattern of “a high priest”, who is “touched with the feelings of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15). With each emotion, Jesus draws us near to Him to know how we should handle those emotions in our own life, like the following…
His Sorrow
Besides Isaiah 53:3 prophesying of this emotion, Jesus showed His sorrow at the death of His friend Lazarus – “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Jesus’ sadness for Lazarus comes not because there was hopelessness (He IS the resurrection, v.25). It is His personal grief in losing someone in death who was close to him. He was experiencing what others did, who would feel the same pain from the death of a loved one (v.33,34). In this moment of emotion, we learn empathy from Jesus as Romans 12:15 says. “Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.”
In Luke 19:41-44, Jesus cries for the ungodly conditions of the city of Jerusalem. The destruction of Jerusalem is soon to come. The loss of life is certain. The wrath of God will be the consequence of their disobedience (Matt 23:34-36). Our Lord is grieving for those lost in sin. His tears are for the spiritual death of the lost without hope. Such an emotion by Christ should cause us to ask, do I weep for a soul whose life is engulfed in sin?
Hebrews 5:7 records another time of sorrow for Jesus. Prior to His crucifixion Jesus showed emotion due to a lost humanity. It was the sorrow for what He was about to endure for the sins of the world. Jesus was about to carry the heaviest burden known to man – the world’s sin. Jesus’ sorrow was for His own death as well. “My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death” (Mark 14:34). A sorrow manifested in sweat as great drops of blood while uttering these words: “My God, My God, why…”
Our God and Lord Jesus Christ grieved because of our lukewarmness, laziness, and withdrawal from righteousness, truth, and His overflowing grace (Ephesians 4:30,31). May our emotion of sorrow be like His.
