John 11:38-44 – Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.  ”Take away the stone,” he said...

The Delay – The disciples and Lazarus’ sisters were confused about why the Lord took so long.  They wondered why he did not come heal Lazarus before he died.  The Lord had a reason – he wanted to show his followers that he was more than a prophet, more than a healer or miracle worker, that he was LIFE itself, the Resurrection and the Life. This was shown more clearly by the fact that Lazarus was already dead for four days, after the time that Jews believed the soul left the dead body.  Similarly, we sometimes cannot understand why the Lord takes time to answer our prayers, including our prayers for his to save the lost (who are dead in a spiritual sense).  But the Lord picks the right moment so that we can learn more about him and his project. 

The Signs - This principle applies to Jesus’ miracles – then and now.  The Lord does not want merely to show off his power; he is not concerned to prove himself to skeptics with sensational displays or signs.  Instead, the miracles and wonders are each designed to teach us – the whole Body – valuable spiritual lessons about God’s character and his project.  There are still more lessons to be seen in the raising of Lazarus. 

Remove the stone – Jesus ordered those nearby to remove the stone so he could perform the miracle; to set the stage or create the opportunity for the Lord’s power to operate.  Today he instructs us to create opportunities for him to bring life to those around us – we do this by sharing our faith, inviting people to church, etc.  We need to remove the stones that keep all those around us trapped in spiritual death and darkness.  This is the part we do.  The Lord does the rest.  This is how we should think of evangelism, God gives us a task, a part to play, in bringing the lost to new life in Him.  Ultimately, the most important part is the Lord’s (raising to life, new birth).  Our role essentially is to create the situation where the person can hear the Lord’s voice calling, where the Lord can bring the person forth from death to life.

Called in a loud voice - We notice that in the gospels Jesus often calls people by NAME.  He desires each one to have a personal experience with him, to know that he knows their needs, history, and their future.  We also notice that Jesus often healed people with a WORD.  His words, the revelation that he speaks into our inner being, is what ignites the fire of our spiritual life, producing his Work in us.  Even today, people need to be able to hear the revelation, to hear the Lord calling their name.  This happens in many contexts, but the most likely place for it to happen is in a church service or evangelistic meeting where spiritual gifts are operating, where God is showing ahead of time the needs and identifying traits of the visitors who will be present. 

Wrapped in strips of linen – The miracle is complete: the man who was dead has responded to the Lord’s voice and is walking forth from the darkness of the tomb.  Even still, the strips of linen that they used back in those days to prepare dead bodies – somewhat like a mummy – were still all around him.  These linen strips were restricting the movements of his hands, feet, and covering his face.  Today, when a person first comes to the Lord, they come with their lives full of bad habits, worldly practices, corrupted attitudes, all things pertaining to DEATH.  Removal of the grave clothes is a symbol of sanctification, the part of salvation that is a continual PROCESS.  Lazarus was alive, which illustrates the feature of salvation that occurs at the instant of conversion.  At the same time, Lazarus needed to be freed from his death clothes, which illustrates the feature of salvation that is a process, the ever-increasing sanctification of the true believer. 

Hands, feet, and face – Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  Our spiritual lives should reflect our progress in journeying along the Way (to eternity), which is illustrated by our spiritual walk, and by Lazarus’ “feet.”  He needed his feet to be loosed so he could walk freely, just like a new believer needs to learn to walk on the Way.  Similarly, when we receive Jesus as our Life, it affects everything we do, signified by the works of our hands.  Lazarus needed his hands freed; we need to get rid of the sins that hinder us from serving the Lord (freeing our hands).  Finally, Jesus is the Truth; we need our eyes opened to see by his light (revelation), and we need our mouths to spread his Word.  Lazarus needed his face unwrapped; so do we.

Remove his grave clothes – This is the second task that Jesus gives to others in the story.  It relates to our participation in the Body, where we encourage and edify one another so that new believers can grow in grace and sanctification.  Notice the first task was to remove the stone, related to our role in evangelism.  The second task is to remove the grave clothes, to help the new Christians learn the Lord’s ways and to forsake the ways of the world – and this takes place in the Body, the church. 

Let him go – Jesus did not come to bind us up with rules and rituals, but rather to set us free.  We should be careful in teaching new believers that we do not teach them a simple set of rules or laws to follow.  Instead, they need to learn that Jesus is the source of LIFE, and that we need to live according to his will.  Jesus came to set us free.  “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36.  At the same time, this “freedom” is not about silly external things.  It is not the freedom to be worldly, nor the freedom to be completely uninhibited in worship services, or the freedom to drift away from God.  It is the freedom to walk in the Way, freedom to serve the Lord with the works of our hands, and the freedom to see the light and share it with others.  This is how we walk in freedom.  “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.” Psalm 119:45.