John 11:44
“And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Loose him, and let him go.’”.
Lazarus was a well-beloved friend of Jesus, the brother of Mary and Martha. He was one of those believers whom Jesus found great pleasure in spending time with. Following Jesus is always exciting and often challenging as we see in this particular portion of Scripture. God has given us life, but one day we will each experience death and that card was dealt to Jesus’ dear friend Lazarus. He had taken ill and died, but not for long, as Lazarus was raised from the dead some four days later by the power of Jesus Christ Himself.
The miracle, however, was incomplete until Jesus commanded, “Loose him, and let him go.” Though raised from the dead, Lazarus needed to be loosened from the graveclothes which bound him. If you are a believing Christian today, then you too have been raised from the deadness of your past life; but victorious freedom may elude you. Why? Like Lazarus, you’re alive unto God, but bound by your past. Yet, there is no need for that for Jesus says to you, “Loose him, and let him go!”
Satan often tries and succeeds in keeping you defeated by your graveclothes of the past. He has a great memory of your wrong doings, but greater is the memory of our God who remembers your sin no more! (Isaiah 43:25, Psalm 103:12, Hebrews 8:12) He looks at you through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
Today, may you stand in the reality that God has given you life and freedom in Christ – be bound no more by the memory of your sinful past.
– Pastor Jack
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