John 11:39 Jesus said,
take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him who died, said to Him, Lord, by
this time he stinks. For it is the fourth day.
Mary rightfully says it stinks,
because death has an odor, as the anointing and life of Christ and the Holy
spirit have a fragrance, death has a clinging offensive odor, that speaks of
decay and uncleanness.
This is just like you and I
before we are washed clean by the saving grace of our lord Jesus, and all the
corruption and death is washed from us.
He
then commanded the stone to be removed from the mouth of the tomb, thus it is
with us he commands the tomb of our hearts to be opened and although we are
dead in our sin he still looks in and commands us to “Come forth “
Come
Fourth.
Jesus
knew without doubting that Lazarus would not remain dead but would rise, so why
was it necessary to make such an almost obvious statement as “
Come fourth”
The
reasons are two fold. The first being that the people that were in mourning
just like many today, and needed to hear something that they could understand.
Truly Jesus could have quietly walked up to the still form of Lazarus and simply
whispered to him. For Lazarus the effect would have been the same but no Jesus
did not whisper or quietly urge life from Death. Then as now on the on lookers
needed there attention caught and grabbed, they needed to hear and see to have
their faith quickened. In a world full of things seeking for their attention as
now something had to break in on their reality.
So
Jesus shouted not a request but a command that would echo and reverberate
through eternity, for the onlookers to release them from the prison of their
unbelief, and for the generations to come, to still know the truth of these
words and this miracle.
Come
fourth these words carry the resurrection power of the almighty. When a soul is
in darkness, Jesus still commands all of eternity to bow the knee and let the
captive go free
These
words carry the resurrection power that rose Jesus
from the tomb, that created the world in 6 days and that still have the same
power to rest us from the grip of sin and death.
When
we call upon the name of the Lord, Jesus still comes to save us and give us
life eternally.
This
is the calling power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that calls the dead to new
life.
It
is the power of God for salvation, and it will bring life
Finally Lazarus walks
from the tomb, still bound in the bindings that wrap the dead, but now inside
them he was alive.
As with us when the
Life of Christ explodes in our hearts. We may be still physically shrouded in
what used to be. We look the same, but something inside us has changed.
But Jesus did not just
raise Lazarus from the Grave; he does not just raise us from the grave, or
recondition or polish up our old life.
NO
LAZARUS WAS DEAD
He was in
the Grave for 4 Days, that’s why he left it so long so there would be no doubt.
HE WAS
DEAD IT WAS OVER FOR THAT LIFE.
SO JESUS
DID THEN AS HE DOES NOW HE GIVES NEW LIFE.
2Co 5:17 If any one is in Christ he is a new
creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
This is what Jesus came for, this is why he
paid such an incredible price, and this is why he laid down his life for you
and me.
So we could walk free from our old lives, and
the sin that separates us from God and through the remission of Sin become a
new creation.
We are not to remain bound, but free, not dead but alive in
Christ, a new life alive in Him
In Jesus name “
Come Forth”
John 11/ 25 Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Romans 10 /13 all that call upon him will
be saved
If you cannot say the words of Martha, if
you do not know that Jesus is the son of God and can give you life and life
abundantly.
If you do not know Jesus as your lord and
saviour, and do not know this new life. Jesus is calling you to
Come forth.
If today you have heard
this message and you can say like Martha I know Jesus is the son of God and I
know him as my Lord and saviour, I Know I am born again then this message is
still relevant.
Because as Christians
Jesus commands us to Come Forth out of the chains and shackles of our own limitations.
Come Fourth out of the prison of our own narrow perspective of who we are into
the eternal horizon of Gods promise and destiny. We are Gods children,
inheritors of the promise and kingdom.
Come fourth into what God has called you
to be.