Jesus wept!

(John 11:35)  “Jesus wept.”

It interests me to compare my emotional state this morning to how I felt yesterday. Yesterday as I sat typing out my blog I was at peace but today I feel a little more apprehensive. Why the difference? Today I would like to tackle the emotional state of a Christian and whether or not we should be sensitive to it or not? Should we act upon our emotions? It would be impossible to ignore them as if we were programmed with robot tendencies, so when we pretend to disregard our feeling as unimportant are we walking in obedience to Gods Word. At the end of the day it is about our obedience to God and His Word. Obedience is then our goal, on the other hand does emotion play any part in finding obedience?

Why this topic? - Amongst some reformed theologians I often tend to get the feeling that they like to go out of their way to make as if emotion plays no part in a Christians life, or at least shouldn’t. Comments like, “if you want a warm and fuzzy feeling get a dog”, or something similar. The implication means that we must never be led by our emotions as a Christian. In principle I do not share the same sentiment. Let me explain, but before I do, let me first lay a foundation as it is the correct balance I seek.

We know the Word of God is the final authority as God will never deny himself; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. We would all agree upon that truth! Regardless of how we would dissect different portions of scripture, every Christian would agree that the Bible is the final authority as it has been inspired by God the Holy Spirit and although men were used to pen its context, it could as well of being God penning the Words himself.

Why does the writer of Hebrews tell us that the Lord Jesus is touched with the feelings of our infirmities? “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize {identify or be touch with the similar feelings} with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

I would suggest that the Lords Jesus’ life here on earth was filled with emotion. It is part of a man’s makeup and no! it was not only after the fall that emotions played their part in actuality. How do we know this, the answer is obvious, the Lord Jesus was a man who knew no sin and yet he had emotional experiences.

Let us consider one of those recorded emotional experiences…

Lazarus was now dead and his family wept for him and then Jesus arrives on the scene and this is how it played out; “Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus wept.” (John 11:32-35) – Note; although Mary was extremely respectful as she approached the Lord Jesus (she fell at his feet, she bow to Him acknowledging his authority) it was her tears that the Lord noticed; her emotion had caught His attention. It so gripped Him that he also began to cry. Some have suggested that he cried because she lacked faith and there may be some truth to this but I believe it goes a lot deeper than this. He felt her pain! We see the compassion of our great Saviour towards those in misery and yet He was never overthrown by His emotion.

His sentiment did not get him to lose focus on the issues at hand, He had come to do the will of His Father and that was to lay down his life for sinners. However along the way His life was filled with passion. What can we learn from His great example? Our lives should be filled with compassion for one another, we are instructed to weep with those that weep and to laugh with those that laugh etc. But we are never to lose focus on our task at hand and that is to present the gospel of our great Saviour to a lost and this dying generation.

My conclusion then is that God has given us emotion to emphasis with others for His name sake. Emotions help us to understand our need to call upon our great High Priest in time of need, it would be one thing if we were left alone to struggle with our fears but we now have a High Priest who has in all points been tempted as we are tempted and yet without sin. He has personally experienced everything we go through and on an emotional level, let us never forget His great sacrifice!

But beware of any emotion that looks to take you away from His counsel and His Word; they are traps and lures to deceive.

I say welcome emotion and let them lead us to Him as we seek to be succoured by our great King as He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.

Signing off

Tyrone