Weeps & Death Garments

Hello all! I feel as though it’s been a common theme that I write a ton of these and then take a break, and write another. But enough about me, let’s get into this new post ASAP! Today we are going to focus on John Chapter 11 and look at a few key verses. Please take time to read this chapter if you are not familiar with the story.

To summarize, Jesus’ good friend Lazarus is deathly ill and has sent word to Jesus of his current situation. In the process of Jesus’ coming, Lazarus dies and is buried in a tomb. Lazarus was in the tomb and dead for four days by the time Jesus arrives and both of Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary, run to see Jesus. It seems as everything is a loss, and Jesus is left with Mary’s statement, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died!”

Imagine this moment, all your close friends, their family, and your followers are all mourning the death of your dear friend… We find Jesus is in a position that some of us have found ourselves in before.

“35 Jesus wept.” John 11:35

It’s the shortest verse in the whole bible. One that has a few implications even for our own lives. First, We see that Jesus has an immense amount of compassion for everyone in the story. He feels their feeling, pain, and struggle.  He is seeing death and mourning first hand. It’s amazing to remind ourselves that Jesus himself knows the pain and the sadness that comes along with the loss of a loved one. There isn’t any other religion around where God, not only comes down and lives in the flesh, but also knows and lived real sorrow and anguish for the loss of a beloved human being.  He knows the pain, He cares for the family, and He mourns with us.

The second way to see a side of Christ in this verse is one I think is quite amazing. Recently at our study over this chapter one of the other leaders pointed out a key piece of information! In chapter 6 we find Jesus feeds thousands of people which then leads him to his bold statement…

“51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51

In this verse we clearly find that Jesus has defined Himself as the provider of life. That a soul that rests in Him, submits to Him, will always have life in them. You see the implications yet? Jesus, 5 chapters before He weeps, basically says, “If anyone believes in me, they will always have life in them!” He’s weeping because nobody is trusting in His words! Jesus weeps because a lot of us who claim to be Christian don’t believe He is the only provider of true life. We mourn all day long about our shortcomings, yet we don’t surrender them to Him so that He can give us life!

Jesus gives life to every believer who cries on His name! He has the power to take the sorriest excuse for a life, and make it into something living! If He did it with Lazarus, He can do it with you!

“43 After He said this, He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out bound hand and foot with linen strips and with his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him and let him go.” John 11:43-44

The last thing I want to focus on is the last sentence Jesus commands. Loose him and let him go! See as proper Jewish burial would show, Lazarus would have been stuffed with things and wrapped in his burial garments, or as I call them: his Death Garments. Jesus not only commands him to come from the tomb giving him life, but commands that all the things that defined him as a dead man be cast off of him as well. It’s time Beloved that not only do we come out of the tomb by the power of Jesus, but we MUST take off our Death Garments. For some that may be drugs, drinking, sex, pornography, pride, judgment, or any other sin. Jesus longs for us to truly take Him at His word, believe He is the life, and that we are no longer bound by our Death Garments!

Where do you stand today?

Do you believe Jesus is the only way to true Life? Or are you still in the tomb?

For those out of the tomb, are you still tying to wear your Death Garments?

I love you Beloved!