John 11:43-44 "And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth (44) And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go."
Jesus had intentionally waited before going to Bethany. Upon arrival, He had
spoken to Martha and to Mary. They both mentioned the fact that Jesus
could have prevented the death of Lazarus. Also their friends who had come to
comfort them had said Jesus could have healed Lazarus. Looking back, we know
the reason Jesus waited. They were about to experience the elevating power of
the Lord Jesus Christ as He went with them to the tomb. I wonder what the
conversation was like as they walked to the grave. Jesus is still groaning
within Himself. Is He listening as they continue to mourn? Is He groaning
with compassion for Mary and Martha? Is He groaning because Lazarus is going to
be brought back to this sinful world? "Jesus therefore again groaning
in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
(39) Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him
that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been
dead four days." (John 11:38-39)
Lazarus was dead in the tomb. Mary and Martha would have prevented all this
from occurring if they could, but they couldn't. Their friends would have
stopped Lazarus from dying if they could, but they couldn't. They would
have brought him back to life if they could, but they couldn't. The stone is
rolled away by men, but Lazarus is still dead. Life did not return unto
Lazarus until Jesus spoke life into him. Let's think back to the Garden
of Eden. God formed Adam from the dust of the ground, but Adam was not able to
get up and move until God breathed "into Adam" the breath of
life. I bring this into our thoughts now because Adam had no ability to
leave the ground until God gave him life. In like manner, Lazarus had no power
to come out of the grave until Jesus said the words, "Lazarus, come
forth." It was a very personal call and effective. Let me use
Scripture, "Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth."
It has been said, and I fully agree, that if Jesus had just said "Come
forth," every tomb would have been emptied. It was a personal call to
Lazarus.
Only after the call from Jesus was Lazarus able to come out of the grave. He
was still bound with graveclothes when he came out of the tomb. It was then
that Jesus said to those around him, "Loose him, and let him go."
Release him from the graveclothes that have him blinded and restricted in
his movement. Please give prayerful attention to what I am about to
say. There is a direct parallel between what happened to Lazarus and what
occurs when every child of God is brought from being dead in trespasses and
sins to being alive in Christ Jesus. The very personal and effectual call
is made from Christ by the Holy Spirit. When that call is made into our hearts,
we are given Spiritual life. It is not the result of the work of ourselves nor
any other human being. The work of regeneration, or new life, is given purely
and simply and solely by God, the Holy Spirit. How are our
"graveclothes" removed? How are we brought from being
restricted and blinded to seeing and understanding the things of God?
Just as Jesus said to those around Lazarus, "Loose him and let him
go," the preaching of the Gospel brings to light that which Christ has
done for us. The preaching of the Gospel does not give life; rather, the Holy Spirit
empowers the message of Jesus Christ to bring us from darkness to light.
Man has no power to give life, natural or spiritual. God has called men to
proclaim the Gospel, the Good News, of what Christ has already done for us.
Jesus gave Lazarus life. Men gave Lazarus light. Jesus gives us life. The
Gospel gives us light.