As we read the account surrounding the resurrection of Lazarus, we find a wealth of facts applicable to us today. Let us first consider the condition of Lazarus... A. LAZARUS IS DEAD In verse 14 of this chapter we hear Jesus proclaim, "Lazarus is dead." Death, of course, is a state of being 'without' life. Such is the case of man without Christ. In Col 2:13 we learn, "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,..." In Eph 2:1 "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,..." Without Christ, who is the Life, we are without true life. In verse 38 we find Lazarus in a cave and a stone lay upon it. The cave is a good representation of being in darkness. Jesus said in John 3:19 "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." When we are spiritually dead, we are literally in darkness to the truth of what life is. When in darkness, we cannot see. Luke 11:34 "Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness."and we "walk around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him."1 Jo.2:11. In verse 39 Jesus' command is to "take away the stone". It could be said, remove the barriers or hinderances to the light. The first problem encountered is found in 2 Cor. 4:3-4, "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." Consider some of the hinderance to seeing the light... Unbelief, failure to accept the work of Christ that we may have life. Rom 10:9 "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Religion, the man-made rules and regulations that engulf the organized religious system of our day. It has caused more people to turn away. Col 2:20-22 "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings." Self-justification, I am just a good as they are. In many cases the attitude and character of unbelievers and legalists are better than some professing Christians. Mat 23:23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former." Denominations. Many denominations feel theirs is the only right one and the only way to be saved. There is only one way. Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." Many are the barriers to the light and as Lazarus of himself could not remove the stone, neither can we. We cannot save ourselves, but Jesus can. When the people obeyed the Lord the stone was rolled away. B. TAKE AWAY THE STONE Heb 12:1-2, " ...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,"When the stone of unbelief is removed, we can be redeemed, experience new birth. Paul says he could do all things through Christ which strengthens him. In Christ hinderances to the abundant life can be removed. John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."Christ was a victor over His circumstances. If we allow our situations and circumstances to control us we will experience defeat. It is only in Christ that we can remove the stone of circumstances and walk in the Light. C. LAZARUS COME FORTH In verse 43 the Lord issued a command, Lazarus, COME FORTH. God call everyone individually.Mat 11:28-29 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."Rev 22:17 "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." Jesus called Lazarus by name. He calls each one of us by name but unfortunately, not everyone hears or wants to hear. Mat 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen." Verse 44a says , "he that was dead came forth," In John 6:45 we read, "It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me." There is an old sayings, "There are none so blind as he who will not see." There are many who chose not to see. How? by not listening. If we obey His call, we too will come forth to new life. John 11:25-26 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"Two facts are stated here: "though he were dead, yet shall he live" You may be dead (spiritually, unregenerated) but in believing by faith, you can live (spiritually, regenerated). "whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die" As a believer, having experienced new birth, we must continue to trust and obey and we never die, be in darkness. Verse 44b now deals with the one "coming forth" in new life. Lazarus came forth alive out of the grave, but it wasn't easy. Why? The Word says he was, "bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin."As we have seen, the stone was a barrier to life. Here we see that grave clothes and napkin are a barrier in life. Where the stone hinders access of light, the grave clothes and napkin hinders our progress and how we view truth. The grave clothes were bindings that hindered his walk. Satan is a professional at binding us. In Luke 13:11-16 we read of a woman who had an infirmity and Jesus recognized to problem. "And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" There are many forms of "grave clothes" that bind us today. Religious Tradition.Traditions that have been perpetuated since the reformation have hindered the progress of Christian growth. Mat 15:3 Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?" Mat 15:7-9 "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'" Liberal, False Teachers. Paul, as he wrote to young Timothy said in 2 Tim 4:3 "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." Not only were the teachers not right, notice that because of "grave clothes" the hearers were not right as well. 2 Cor 11:14-15a " And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;" Satan's priority is to hinder God's people and lessen their effectiveness and cause them to loose their testimony. In verse 44c, Jesus tell the people to loose him and let him go. The Word instructs us to help and encourage each other. Rom 14:1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. Gal 6:1-2 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. In Christ we can be loosed from Satan's bindings and as Christians, be ready to assist others that they may growth in faith. CONCLUSION In verse 45 we see that "many...believed on Him." The result of having the stone removed is new life in Christ. The result of having the grave clothes removed is that many will believe in Christ. When the hinderances in our life are removed or overcome, we can claim the victory that Jesus accomplished for us. 1 John 5:4-5 "...for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." If you are still in a cave, the stone can be rolled away by heeding the Lord's call, COME FORTH. If you are encumbered with religious grave clothes, you can be LOOSED and LET GO. Whatever your need, Christ is the answer. Trust Him today. Back|Home