INTRODUCTION

Most of us would assume that the Lord laughed at some point during His earthly ministry, yet the scripture never focuses on this point. Rather, the scripture seems to focus on the fact that He was “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
See All...). We know very little of any laughter, yet we do know that He wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35Jesus wept.
See All...). He further lamented over Jerusalem because of their rebellion (Luke 13:34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
See All...). We also know that He sighed at the healing of the deaf man who had a speech impediment (Mark 7:34And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.
See All...). Heaven affords the Lord great rejoicing, yet His earthly ministry was consumed by heartache rather than mirth. This most likely was a result of dealing with the consequences of man’s sin.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): Jesus knew He would take our sins on Him at the cross. That was troubling since He had no sin of His own (John 12:27Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
  See All...; 2 Corinthians 5:21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
  See All...). Yet, He endured the cross and completed what He came to do. We should constantly be mindful to thank Him and be willing to go through sorrows for the glory of God (2 Timothy 4:7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
  See All...).
• (For everyone): What can we learn from the emphasis on the Lord’s sorrow in His earthly ministry? What might be the overriding theme for those who serve the Lord with their lives?
• Why was the Lord’s earthly ministry filled with sorrows? Do the same conditions exist today? Would you be willing to be called a person of sorrows if that meant you walked closer to the Lord because of those sorrows?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to remind you that His sorrows brought us great joy.
• Thank the Lord for bearing your sin and burdens.

HYMN

HALLELUJAH, WHAT A SAVIOUR!

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