In The House Of MiserySample

You Don’t Need Your Grave Clothes 

On hearing the voice of Jesus calling out to him, Lazarus came out of the tomb, but bound, along with his grave clothes.

Like the Israelites coming out of bondage in Egypt, our regeneration sets us free from bondage to the law, sin, and death. "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1). 

But too many Christians, bound up in legalism and works-based Christianity, are still stumbling around like mummies.

Notice that while Jesus gave life to Lazarus, He told others to take off the burial wrappings. It is our job as Christ's servants to tell Christians of their freedom in Christ. 

Jesus could have unwrapped the grave clothes of Lazarus Himself but He chose not to. He told the people who were standing by to help Lazarus by unwrapping his grave clothes. 

We are unable to save ourselves when we are tied up with our afflictions. This is where the body of Christ comes in.

The “one anothers” (passages where one another, each other is used) occur over 50 times in the New Testament. Thus, paying attention to the body of Christ is obviously important.

It was Spurgeon who said “See, here is a living man in the garments of death! That napkin and other grave-clothes were altogether congruous with death, but they were much out of place when Lazarus began again to live. It is a wretched sight to see a living man wearing his shroud. They are bound hand and foot, so that they are compelled to inaction; we can show them how to work for Jesus. Sometimes these bands are those of sorrow, they are in an awful terror about the past; we have to unbind them by showing that the past is blotted out. They are wrapped about by many a yard of doubt, mistrust, anguish, and remorse. “Loose them, and let them go.” Souls are very often bound with the grave-clothes of prejudice. They used to think so and so before conversion, and they are very apt to carry their dead thoughts into their new life. Go and tell them that things are not what they seem: that old things have passed away, and behold all things have become new.”

We are told in Hebrews 10:24 that we are supposed to “consider how to spur each other on.” This implies an active, engaging and intentional dynamic to Christian community. It does not just happen. We have to be intentional about it. 

Are you still in your grave clothes which is hindering your walk with the Lord? Will you allow someone to set you free?

Quote: If you are worried about the people outside, the most unreasonable thing you can do is remain outside yourself. Christians are Christ's body...every addition to that body enables Him to do more. If you want to help those outside you must add your own little cell to the body of Christ who along can help them. Cutting off a man's fingers would be a odd way of getting him to do more work. - C. S. Lewis

Application question: What are some of the grave clothes that you are still carrying with you? What are you doing about it?

Prayer: Lord, just as Lazarus needed to be freed from his grave clothes, so do we. The vestiges and habits of death still cling to us, bind us, and trip us up. Untie us, heal us, liberate us through your body. Amen.