For example, when studying the account of Abraham offering his son Isaac as a sacrifice, on a Physical level we learned the importance of faith and trusting God completely. In studying the same story on a spiritual level we discovered that Abraham represents God the father and Isaac represents The Son Jesus; and this account is a foreshadowing of how God would offer his son as a sacrifice. (remarkably, Jesus was crucified at the very same place Abraham brought Isaac).
Taking a deeper look at John 11:43
Keeping all this in mind let's look at John 11. There we find Jesus raising Lazarus back to life. On a Physical level this is a wonderful example of Jesus’ power over death. Now let's take a look from a spiritual level. Let's start in John 11:43 but that in John 11:44 is the verse we're going to focus on. And it reads:
43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”
44 And Lazarus came out, bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
now I want you to try to imagine this, Jesus is calling Lazarus out of the tomb, and that Lazarus comes out all bound for burial now if you can imagine somebody being bound for burial then you will realize that there is no possible way that they can walk on their own. I believe that the angels carried him out.
soudarion soo-dar'-ee-on handkerchief, napkin.
Now church listen very carefully, if we break down this verse we will find four types of Christians.
#1 - THE DEAD CHRISTIAN
“The man who had died an had come forth,”
The first type of a Christian we find is “the dead Christian”, interestingly enough, the dead Christian isn't a Christian at all. Jesus was talking to the dead Christians in Revelation 3:1 “I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.
When Jesus says, “they have a name that you are alive” he means they call themselves Christians (Christian means one who follow Christ) but in reality they “are spiritually dead” because they don't follow Christ in their hearts. they call themselves Christians, but in reality they became Christians for all the wrong reasons.
There are many dead Christians out there today, but that Jesus offers them hope. He ended his conversation with the dead Christians in revelation 3 by saying if they could overcome their sin he would make sure their name was in the (lambs book of life) and would confess their names before the Father and his angels. But Church how does one overcome?
Let's look for the answer in 1John 5:5 and it reads.
5 And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
What is the ones who wins the battle over the world, haven't you ever heard of worldly reaches? When you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that is faith. You haven't seen the Father nor the Son, but you believe sight unseen. That is why you pray to the Father, in Jesus name, for the name of Jesus recognizes that He is the Savior, and that He is also the only way to the Father. That can only come by faith. Jesus Christ is our credentials before the throne of God, for He is our advocate before the Father. God is Spirit, God is light and God is love.
Now let's look at the answer at becoming a better Christian in 1John 5:1; And it reads.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children too.
When you believe on Jesus Christ, and that He is the Son of God, then you believe on the Father also. John is saying that the one begat the other and you can't believe on one without believing on the other. They are the same entity only two different offices. We must also show compassion towards one another, what Jesus is saying is that we should show love and kindness towards our fellow brothers and sisters.
#2 – THE BOUND CHRISTIAN “bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth.”
The second type of Christian we find is “the bound Christian” this is a Christian who is alive in Christ, but one who is bound by their sin. In Romans 6:16 it is exactly the verse we're looking for, and it reads.
16 Don’t you realize that what ever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval.
Paul is saying that it is your choice who you choose to be your master. The choice is between Satan and the destruction that will follow from your obedience that you have been given while serving him.
The other choice is your obedience to our Heavenly Father and your obedience to His Word and serving His righteousness. When you walk with Christ you have eternal life for your soul.
Christ paid the price so that you can make that choice and those that know and understand the choice will serve righteousness.
John 8:34 Jesus replied, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin
John 15:10 When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love.
We can follow sinful ways or we can follow God righteousness. The first leads to breaking fellowship with God, the second leads to a wonderful relationship with him. So how does the bound Christian become free? First, he applies 1John 1:9 to his life: and it reads.
1John 1:9 if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free
So surely this verse reads that we must become better Christians so that we can be freed from sin.
In Psalm 25:4 it reads
Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow.
We ask God to teach us his ways, to help us follow his command's. Yes, there will be times when we stumble, but we don't have to be slaves to sin. We can be slaves to righteousness and follow God's ways. When this happens we can rejoice the way Paul did when in Romans 6: 17:18 he said:
“Thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin you became obedience from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”
When we confess our sins, our heavenly Father will forgive us all of our sins. When there is forgiveness by God there is no sin act recorded in heaven where it matters. There is no fallen brother after repentance, and when one brings it up to hold it against you, that is blasphemy against the very blood of Christ.
That is the beauty and power that is in the blood of Christ. Don't ever forget it, and when anyone would throw any repented sin back in your face, get away from them, they are in darkness, for the father of darkness is the accuser, Satan himself, and they have become a tool in Satan's hands. Friend, repent, and go about your business, as a child of God who has all the promises and believes.
#3 - THE FREE CHRISTIAN “Jesus said to them, unbind him,”
The third type of Christians the “free Christian”. The free Christian is alive in Christ, and is free from sin and that allows him to enjoy fellowship with God. His life is full of blessings. So what's missing? Just one thing: the free Christian is keeping his blessings to himself.
Let me explain, first look at John 21:17 and this was the time when Jesus was talking to Peter. And it reads.
John 21:17 “Do you love me? And Peter said to him,’ Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, feed my sheep”.
What Jesus is saying in this verse is: “if you love me serve others” this stands in sharp contrast to the world which puts its emphasis on serving ourselves. In other words Jesus was saying to Peter that we should also be helping others and not just ourselves. We are all blessed with some sort of gift. Some are good at encouraging others, some are able to teach, and still others have the gift of compassion. And some of you may not even know that a gift is even as small as a smile it can bring warmth to someone's heart. There are many other gifts as well and as you study them you'll notice that all the gifts that God gives us are designed to serve others.
And that brings us to the fourth and final type of Christian...
#4 - THE COMPLETE CHRISTIAN “and let him go.”
The fourth and final type of Christian we find is the “Complete Christian”. We call him or her complete because he or she is alive in Christ, freed from sin, he or she have a wonderful relationship with God, and is a blessing to everyone around him or her Let’s Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 5:16
Matthew 5:16 “let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your father who is in heaven.”
What this means is we should live our lives in a way that when people see us they see Jesus. When we took the name Christian we took all the blessings that go along with it. Forgiveness from sin, freedom from sin, fellowship with God and the honor of representing the living God to the dying world.
So I say to you, that to be a Christian you'll have to be a changed person not only in your walk with Christ Jesus, but also in your heart. Because, if you truly love Jesus with all your mind, body, spirit, you will not look to hurt him. And I as your pastor say be that Christian.