Unbound

Unbound

(John 11:17-44)

Yearly Theme:  “Goodness is… Grace”

Series Title:  “Course Correction:  How Jesus Sets Things Right”

March 31^st, 2024 (Easter Sunday)

Something to think about:

How many times have you uttered the words “If only”?

I can honestly say I have said it more often than I should have.  And I’ve thought it more often than I’ve said it.

Many “if only's” go something like this:

If only I had said I love you one more time…

If only we had left a day earlier…

If only he would have just listened…

If only she had gone to the doctor…

If only I had known what I know now…

There is one “if only” that stands out in the Bible that has serious pain and emotion surrounding it.  It’s found in the Gospel of John in the New Testament in the story of the death of Lazarus. 

Jesus and the disciples are about a day’s journey from the small town of Bethany just outside of Jerusalem when they receive a message from Mary and Martha that their brother, Lazarus, is very sick.  Jesus had become very close friends with them, and in their moment of need, they reached out to Jesus for help knowing that He was able to bring healing to their brother.

Rather than go right away to Bethany, we read that Jesus lingers for two more days before leaving.  When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, Martha came out to meet him, but Mary stayed in the house.  Here’s the rest of the story…

Turn in your Bible to:  John 11:17-44

Key Point:  “Jesus conquers death for us, but He requires our participation in the process.”

Though there is much to unpack in Jesus’ words in this passage, there are three specific commands that Jesus speaks that we should take note of:

•  the  aside.

•  , come out!

•  him and let him  !

Something to take home:

John 20:1-10 (NLT),  ¹  Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.  ²  She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³  Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb.  ⁴  They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.  ⁵  He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in.  ⁶  Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside.  He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷  while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings.  ⁸  Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed— ⁹  for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead.  ¹⁰  Then they went home.

Jesus rose from the grave in His own power.

Jesus rolled His own stone away not so He could get out, but so that others could get in and see that He had risen.

Jesus unwrapped His own bindings in such a way that they lay perfectly on the slab that he had been laid, and He even folded the head cloth that covered His face.

Jesus didn’t need the help we do because He is GOD.  However, we need help because we don’t have the strength and power to save ourselves from sin and death.  It requires our full submission and obedience to His will and ways.  And just like Jesus was raised from the dead, we too will be raised from the dead who have surrendered to Him in faith.  As Jesus said:

John 11:25-26 (NLT),  ²⁵  “…I am the resurrection and the life.  Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.  ²⁶  Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die.  Do you believe this…?”

Key Point:  “Jesus conquers death for us, but He requires our participation in the process.”