Jesus as the Suffering Servant

I want to invite you to open your Bibles with me to John chapter 11. For those of you who are new to Community Church—and I'm so glad you're here—we've begun this year-long sermon series called "Just Jesus," where we simply want to see Him, hear Him, love Him, and live Him in 2025. That's what it's all about, right? Just focusing on Jesus. This month, we've been looking at Jesus as the Sacrifice, and today we're seeing Him as the suffering servant. And I've been thinking about this all week—my aim today is to show you how Jesus actually descends to us in love and what that means for us as a church community. But before I dive in, I want to tell you a story from my own life. When I was in high school, around my freshman year, I woke up one morning to voices coming from our dining room. The voice I heard—it was my older brother Matt who had just passed away a few weeks back from cancer. He was a firefighter and EMT, a first responder, and he had stopped by our house really early that morning. He came specifically because he wanted to tell me first-hand that my two best friends had been in a horrible car accident on their way home from work. One of my friends wasn't wearing a seat belt, and as they went over the bank towards the river, my one fiend that was in the passenger seat was ejected through the windshield. I'll share the rest of that story with you at the end of the sermon. But I want to just say this… Let's read John chapter 11 together, and I want you to find with me verse 35. It's the shortest verse in the Bible, but man, it might be one of the most powerful: are you ready… John 11. Verse 35 says… ”Jesus wept.” Two words. That's it. But these two words show us something incredible about who God is and how He responds to our suffering.

Think about this with me for a minute. Jesus was there at the beginning. He spoke and stars exploded into existence. He formed every mountain, every ocean. Genesis 1:31 tells us He looked at everything He had made and called it "very good." It was perfect. Just the way He designed it. And now, He's standing here, looking at death. Looking at what sin and brokenness have done to His creation. It's like watching something you made with your own hands being torn apart. I remember when I was in 7th grade, I was going through a tough time as a kid. We didn’t have money, my mom was always working 2 to three jobs, and she had bought me a balloon for valentines day. And I was so excited to get home and hug my mom and thank you for thinking of me and show her my balloon… but as I was waiting for the bus to pick me up, some kid ran past me with a pencil and just popped my balloon. I was devastated. And I cried and cried and cried.. because that balloon meant the world to me. The world was created through Christ. And the world meant the world to him and here he is, standing before what sin does, it brings death and separation… and he’s seeing it not from a far heavenly place, but up front and personal. Death was never supposed to be part of the story. And seeing this—this gap between what He created and what it's become— snd I just imagine him sitting there and his heart breaking over what the world has become. It just breaks his heart. And You know what gets me? Jesus knew He was about to raise Lazarus. He knew what was going to happen next. But He didn't rush to the miracle. He paused. He felt. And He wept. I think sometimes we rush past people's pain because we're uncomfortable with it. We want to fix it or offer quick solutions. "Hey, it'll be OK." "God has a plan." But look at Jesus—He doesn't do that. He steps right into the middle of their grief. And we know this is true of his nature and character, because look at what Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted." Not sending thoughts and prayers from a distance. He's close. He's right there in it with Mary and Martha as they're crying over their brother. He closes the gap of separation. And I want you to hear this today—when you're hurting, Jesus doesn't look away. He doesn't stand at a distance. He comes right to where you are. He sits with you. He weeps with you. He’s there with you. In your suffering, suffering with you. I remember at my last assignment I've sat with countless people who had lost loved ones through cancer... and as a young pastor, I remember being there in those moments just praying, "God help me... God I don't know what to do... Father, I don't have any of the answers. And I didn't have the solutions either. In these moments, all I could do was sit there with them. And sometimes, that's the most Christ-like thing we can do—is just be present with people in their pain. And walk with others in their circumstances. And thats just not a pastoral thing to do, but a Christian truth. As a Christians and a living sanctuary of God’s presence, you’re called to just being the presence of Jesus into others situations. This is what Jesus does. He descends into our pain with love. And He calls us to do the same for each other. Not to fix each other's problems, but to be present. To weep with those who weep. But when Jesus gets the news about Lazarus being sick, He does two things that seem really strange at first. First, He makes a proclamation. in John 11:4. Jesus says, "Lazarus's sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.”

And then—this is the part that always gets me—He delays. Really? Yes. He delays. The text even tells us specifically that He loved Lazarus and his sisters, and yet He delayed. That doesn't make sense to us, does it? When someone we love is hurting, our instinct is to rush to them, to try to fix things as quickly as possible. When I think about this delay, I'm struck by how counterintuitive it is to our human understanding of love. We equate love with immediate action, don't we? If we love someone, we rush to their side. We try to fix things as quickly as possible. But Jesus shows us a different dimension of love here. A love that sometimes waits for the right time. A love that sees beyond our immediate relief to our ultimate good. Think about it: If Jesus had gone immediately and healed Lazarus before he died, it would have been another amazing healing. But by waiting until Lazarus had been dead for four days—when everyone knew there was no hope left—Jesus was about to demonstrate something far more powerful. And here's what really gets me: Even though Jesus knew the disciples were afraid, even though they reminded Him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?" Jesus went anyway. For me, the truth that Love compelled Him to walk straight into danger. This is the heart of the suffering servant. He doesn't choose the safe path. He chooses the path that serves others, even when it costs Him personally. How often do we play it safe instead of following love's call? How often do we avoid discomfort, avoid risk, avoid the messy situations where people are hurting? The path of Jesus is the descending way of love - not rising above pain, but entering right into the middle of it. And that's what He calls us to as well.

This is where compassion and empathy come in. Think about it - when Jesus wept with Mary and Martha over Lazarus, He wasn't just putting on a show. He genuinely entered their grief. The God who created the universe allowed Himself to feel the weight of human sorrow. Look at what Hebrews reminds us.. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” That verse has always amazed me. Jesus isn't some distant God who doesn't get what we're going through. He's been there. He knows what it's like to be human, to face temptation, to feel pain, to experience loss. And yet, he still descends into our hurt. Maybe like Mary and Martha at the time we desire for him to be there.. but he still shows up. There's one truth I've held near my heart as a Christian and as a pastor: Listen, The world will never fully understand what we do and why we do it. There's no way the world can completely empathize with our calling to walk obedient lives to Jesus Christ and to be led by the Holy Spirit. But here's what should set us apart - within the fellowship of the church, we should be able to empathize with one another. The world might not understand our faith, but we as a family of faith should be able to walk alongside each other through both joy and pain. And that's hard... because we all have different levels of pain. We all have had different experiences of hurt. And that makes it challenging to bring people from all different backgrounds, ethnicities, and cultures into one place and say, "love Jesus.”

So how do we do that.. how does that begin right here at Community church and then how do we descend into the lives of others with a love like Jesus, Well first it begins with being people of compassion. Compassion is more than just a feeling. It’s more than just seeing someone struggle and thinking, Oh, that’s tough. I feel bad for them. No, real compassion moves us. It pushes us to do something. Listen, Once we have learned to see with compassion, we cannot help but hear the invitation Jesus gives us to reach out. Think about Jesus. Over and over in Scripture, we see this phrase: "Jesus was moved with compassion." And every time we see that, what happens next? He acts. He heals. He feeds. He touches. He restores.

Theres a moment in Matthew chapter 4 where Jesus is having a terrible day. Why? Because His cousin John the Baptist has just been beheaded, so He goes away to a private place to mourn. And then, guess what.. the crowd follows Jesus, and they don’t go away, they stay. And then guess what.. they stay longer, and longer. Its like this people that are over at your house and your like.,.. when are you going to leave? They stay so long… that they are in badly need of a dinner. And so, Jesus sees them through the lens not of hate, or anger, or get out out of here.. he sees them through he lens of compassion. Look at it… When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now, this is so good... do you know what this word compassion is called in Greek? It's called "splagchnizomai," which means to be moved from within one's bowels. To be moved from deep within… kind of like, a gut feeling. And so, I tell Alicia all the time... when I fart in front of her, that's my compassion coming out from deep within my gut. Hahaha. But seriously - for the ancients, the guts were where the most intense and intimate emotions were located, the center from which both love and hate grew. Today we talk about the heart as the center of our feelings; they talked about their guts. This Greek word is related real closely with the Hebrew word for compassion, "rachamim." But instead of the "guts," the Hebrew word refers to the "womb" of Yahweh. So, get this… Compassion is such a deep and powerful emotion in Jesus that it can only be described as a movement within the womb of God—which is the place of utmost growth, creativity, and love. When something hits in a deep place like the womb of God, you know that something is about to happen. Because Wombs bring forth new life. When Jesus was moved with compassion, it wasn't just a feeling. It was something that stirred in the very core of His being, something that compelled Him to action. Compassion invites us not to isolate or insulate ourselves but to reach out. It asks us to go where it hurts and to enter into the brokenness, fear, and confusion of other people.

Compassion is love in action. It’s seeing someone in pain and saying, I can't just stand here—I have to step in. It’s more than pity. It’s more than sympathy. It’s a deep, gut-level response that leads to movement. But here’s the thing—compassion, on its own, isn’t always enough.it cant just b e compassion… Because sometimes, we can feel compassion for someone, but still not fully understand what they’re going through. That’s where empathy comes in. Empathy takes compassion a step further. It’s not just feeling for someone—it’s feeling with them. It’s stepping into their shoes, seeing the world through their eyes, and walking with them through their pain. Most often when there are disagreement within the church, its never because I stepped into their shoes, but I stand in mine. But Jesus doesn’t do that.. what does he do.. He steps into their life. Now, hold that thought because we need to ask something… are compassion and empathy the same thing? Well,. No…. Compassion is when you see someone hurting, and your heart goes out to them. It’s that deep feeling of concern that moves you to help. But empathy? Empathy goes deeper. Compassion says, I see your pain, and I want to help. Empathy says, I feel your pain, and I’m with you in it. See the difference? Compassion is like standing on the edge of someone’s struggle, reaching out a hand to pull them up. Empathy is climbing down into the struggle with them and saying, You’re not alone. Here’s an example: Let’s say someone in our church is grieving the loss of a loved one. Compassion will make you bring them a meal, send them a card, or say, I’m so sorry for your loss. And that’s good—that’s important. THAT’S A START… But empathy? Empathy sits with them in their grief. It doesn’t rush to fix things or offer clichés. It listens. It cries with them. It walks through the pain alongside them. And that’s exactly what Jesus does for Mary and Martha… he weeps. He stops and feels their pain with them. He enters into their sorrow. He suffers with them. What empathy does is connect us to one another so that we know we're not alone when we struggle. Empathy couples us together and helps us walk this faithful life in unity. I love how Brené Brown puts it: "Empathy has no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It's simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of 'You're not alone.’" Isn't that exactly what Jesus teaches us? He tells us, "My presence is with you. You're not alone.” Remember, in the Matthew account, Jesus says, he looks upon the crows and has compassion on them.. they were like sheep without a shepherd. In the ordinal language it means, they were - confused and helpless. Its like being kicked down, and when y9ou try to get up, you’re kicked down gain.. thats what Jesus saw in that crows…they were people who were confused and being helpless. And What greater message than this: "I, Jesus, the Nazarene, from the town of the least of these, through the line of David, the least of Jesse's brothers - I see you, and My presence is with you. You're not alone.” Church!!!!!!!! That’s our calling too. Compassion is like taking the spiritual fruit of kindness - being friendly, generous, and considerate - coupling it with empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another - and that leads us to living out compassion, which literally means "to suffer with" another. "I know what you're going through. You're not alone. You see, compassion changes the way we live for God and for one another. There is no right or wrong way when it comes to compassion. Just be present to bring presence. We, Just show up. I want you to hear this… at community church… I want our vibe and culture to be like this.. what we want at community church is… ….the privilege of relationships within our community. Isn’t that one of our primary purposes as a Christ follower.. is to carry the very presence of Christ in our lives, shouldn't we be carrying Him to others so that He can manifest Himself within us and through us? Meeting the needs of our community and our neighbors is the key that unlocks many more opportunities to love, to be a friend, and to be there. And listen, The only wrong way to show compassion is not showing compassion at all.

As Peter comes up…… That morning, when my brother told me about the accident, my heart sank. I couldn’t process it. I remember feeling frozen—like the world had just stopped moving. But what I’ll never forget is what my brother did next. He didn’t just tell me the news and leave. He didn’t try to fix it with words or tell me everything was going to be okay. He sat with me. He stayed. He let me feel it. He let me grieve. And then he drove me an hour away to the hospital to see my friend who had gone through the windshield…. Thank God… both of them lived… and the story is so deep, that all I can say that it was only by His grace that both of them were alive. And, church—that’s what Jesus does for us as a suffering servant. In John 11, when Jesus arrives at the home of Mary and Martha, He knows the outcome. He knows He’s about to raise Lazarus from the dead. But before He does that, He stops. He enters into their pain. He weeps with them. And then he goes with them to the tomb… Because that’s what love does. Love doesn’t rush past suffering. Love doesn’t try to fix everything with quick words. Love descends. It steps into the hurt. It sits in the sorrow. And if Jesus, the Son of God, is willing to descend into our suffering—then shouldn’t we be willing to do the same for each other? Compassion and empathy—they aren’t just nice ideas. They are the very heartbeat of Jesus. They are how we love like Him. And that’s our calling as a church. To be with people in their pain. To descend into their struggles the way Jesus descends into ours. To bring His presence simply by showing up. So as we move into this time of worship and communion, I want you to ask yourself—who in your life needs you to be with them right now? Who needs you to not just feel compassion for them, but to have empathy with them. Maybe its the person across the row from you? Maybe it someone else in this congregation… "Beyond sympathy, beyond pity - Christ calls us to compassionate presence.” And it begins right here…

I want to try something the Lord laid on my heart last week.. … It’s going to take compassion and empathy. It’s going to take us stepping outside of ourselves and comfort zones for just a moment. Here’s what I want us to do. This side of the room, I want you to line up over here. And this side, I want you to line up over here. Go ahead and move now—I’ll explain more in a moment. (Wait for movement.)

As you can see, we’ve placed communion elements on both sides. I want each of you to pick up a cup and a piece of bread. And then, I want you to walk right here—to the middle, between the altars. But here’s the key—when you get here, you’re not taking communion for yourself. You’re giving it. When you meet someone in the middle, I want you to look them in the eyes—really see them. And as you exchange the bread and the cup, I want you to say these words to each other: “The bread, broken for you. The blood, shed for you.” This moment isn’t just about you and Jesus. It’s about us—the body of Christ, walking together, standing together, carrying one another. So let’s move. Let’s respond. Let’s share in the love of Christ together. You may begin. *