Danny’s Shed Your Grave Clothes

Shed Your Grave Clothes

Have you ever thought about being a dangerous man or a dangerous woman for the Lord? I have. I have read about brothers and sisters smuggling Bibles into countries, risking a prison term or even death if they were caught.
Think about the faith these brothers and sisters put forth, they are risking their lives to further God’s word, the gospel. These brothers and sisters are dangerous to those who oppose Jesus Christ.
I had been praying for all of our brothers and sisters on this earth that place themselves in harms way for the word of God. Then I read about a man in the Gospel of John.
This man is named Lazarus. By all accounts Lazarus was a normal guy. He was the brother of Mary. This was the same Mary that anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair (John 11:2).
Lazarus had gotten sick and the sisters had sent for Jesus (John 11:3). Jesus’ response was, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it” John 11:4. It is always important to remember that what ever we do is for the glory of God, not to feed our ego.
By the time Jesus made His way to Lazarus, Lazarus had been dead for four days and was in a tomb.
Jesus told them to, “take away the stone “that covered the entrance to the tomb” (John 11:39). This is when they told Jesus that Lazarus had been dead for four days and, “Lord, by this time there is a stench,” (John 11:39.
Lazarus, being dead for four days was smelling pretty bad, he stank!! I stopped reading for a few moments and thought about what was happening within scripture here. Then I thought about Isaiah 64:6, “All our righteousness is as filthy rags.”
Before we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we were spiritually dead, dead and stinking. We, on our own, had no hope of recovering from spiritual death. Our only hope for life was, and is, through our Lord Jesus Christ. This was Lazarus’ only hope for life as well.
Jesus made it very clear in John 14:6 when He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” No one can have eternal life except through Jesus Christ. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are spiritually dead.
Lazarus is dead has been dead for four days. He stinks. The tomb is opened and Jesus prays. Then, with a loud voice, Jesus said, “Lazarus, come forth!” Once again I stopped reading for a few moments to think about what was happening within scripture.
Jesus called Lazarus by name to live! (If Jesus had just said, “Come forth: would all of the dead within the sound of His voice become alive? Just a thought.) Jesus called Lazarus by name to live. This is the very same Jesus that calls you and me to eternal life. If you are saved, it is because Jesus called to you with a loud voice to “Come forth” and become spiritually alive! Praise God!

Continued:

Bro Dan