Today I want us to look at Lazarus being raised from the dead...

  ...and how God gave him a second chance...a second life.  John 11:39-45 (NKJV) Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." Let’s look again at the ancient burial traditions of the Jews.  

When Lazarus died: His feet would have been bound at the ankles. His arms would have been tied to his body with linen strips. Then his body would have been wrapped in about 100lbs of grave clothes. The grave clothes would have been to protect and preserve the body. Some scholars believe the head would have been wrapped so much that it would have been a foot wide. The symbolism here is amazing to me of how Christians can remain in bondage even after Jesus has set them free. The ankles being tied is an indication to me that the devil wants to restrict where you go. There is a big problem if you want to go to church or on a missions trip but no problem if you want to go to a bar. The arms being tied would be a restriction of being able to minister for the Lord...it would be okay to embrace sin and substance but not the things of God. One hundred pounds of grave clothes...how many of us see Christians weighed down with the cares of this life and cannot get free?

The binding of the grave clothes would be the enemy keeping you isolated from the Spirit or the Word penetrating your heart. The clothes around the head indicates what a thick head we can have when it comes to getting right with God. Jesus is saying to you what He said to Lazarus: John 11:43 44 (NIV)  “When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." Today could be your day...be free!