Loose him and let him go
This is Christian Home Week at FBC Killeen, a week in which we cancel all evening activities to encourage families to concentrate on our most important ministry: Our homes.
The past few days of devotionals, we've seen one of the few families in the gospels, the family of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. As we look towards Thanksgiving, it may be a time of reflection of those who have passed from this life into eternity. It is good to give pause, give thanks and as we saw yesterday, fall at the feet of Jesus in our loss of loved ones, knowing that for believers, we will be reunited with them in glory.
When Lazarus was raised from the dead, it was a symbol of Jesus’ power of resurrection and the power of new life. One day, all believers will be raised up from the dead. It will not matter whether our bodies "stinketh", are decayed, were cremated or were totally eliminated. The resurrection will be God’s work and God’s glory (verses 4 and 40). The hope of the resurrection should strengthen our faith every time we go to the grave or funeral of a believer (verses 15, 42).
Read 2 Corinthians 5:1-9. If we are absent from the body or in other words if we die, where are we, according to verse 8?
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But before our physical death, Jesus also gives us life. When people come to faith, it is as though they have died to their old way of life and born again (read Romans 6:4, 2 Cor. 5:17 , Gal. 2:20 ).
We are to consider ourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God. How does that apply to Lazarus being bound hand and foot with grave clothes, his face wrapped with a cloth?
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If you have been spiritually raised from your sins, from what “grave clothes” should you be loosed from?
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Caiaphas, the High Priest, made a prophetic utterance that revealed the real reason why the Jews were so determined to suppress Christ. They were afraid of Rome
But in fact, one man did die so that the whole world would not perish. It was not the Jewish leaders who put Christ on the cross. It was all the sins of the world and according to the “determined purpose of God.” (Acts 2:23 ).
Pray This Prayer To God:“Our Father in Heaven. Give me faith to believe that you have raised me from spiritual death and that when I face physical death, you will still be with me. Loose me from my sinful nature and help me to walk in the liberty you have given me to live for you. Amen”
