Do your children know that Jesus cried?

Blessed (greatly honoured) are the mourners. (Matt. 5:4)

Some time ago, I told a friend that I often do the children’s message in my church. My friend said, “Oh, I hope that the stories you tell are always happy because children shouldn’t have to feel sad.”

Last August I was very sad. I attended the funeral for my sister’s husband, Len. He was buried and we had a memorial service with his extended family, in which we remembered his life and looked at photos on a big screen that showed us many events in his life with his family and friends.

Jesus’ special friend

Jesus had three special friends: two sisters, named Mary and Martha, and their brother Lazarus. Jesus and his disciples often visited the three siblings in their home, in a town called Bethany.

One day, Lazarus became extremely sick. His sisters sent a messenger to Jesus who was quite far away, saying, “Jesus, please come quickly, your friend Lazarus is very sick and needs you to heal him.”

But Jesus didn’t come right away. He stayed another two days where he was. In the meantime, Lazarus died and many of his friends came to his house to cry and to comfort Mary and Martha. Finally, four days after Lazarus’ death, Jesus arrived.

They brought Jesus to a hillside with a cave that had a huge stone rolled in front of the opening. When Jesus saw Lazarus’ tomb he started to cry bitterly.

Jesus, the Son of God, cried because his friend Lazarus was dead. He cried because so many people have died. He cried because some children die when they are young, because people die of diseases, because people die in wars, he cried because moms and dads die, because old people die. He cried because the world is full of death.

And then he said, “Roll away the stone.”

“Oh no, we can’t do that!” said Martha. “Lazarus has been dead for four days and so his body is starting to stink.”

“Just do it,” ordered Jesus.

And so, the stone was rolled away.

Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Lazarus come out!”

And guess what? There was a shuffling noise and out stumbled Lazarus, all wrapped up in special death clothing.

Jesus said, “Unbind him from those cloths and let him go.”

But then, happiness!

How do you think Mary and Martha and all the friends that were there felt when they saw Lazarus raised from the dead? They cried with joy and laughed together.

Was my friend right, that I shouldn’t have told children the sad story of Lazarus’ death? He would have been right if I hadn’t also told about Lazarus’ resurrection.

Sadness and happiness; happiness and sadness. First one, then the other, and both mixed up all together. Sadness because, like Lazarus, like my brother-in-law, like you and I, all of us will die, sooner or later. But then, happiness! Happiness, because we too will be raised up to have our mourning turned forever into dancing!