Alive In Christ

Context

I don’t know about you, but I have a blessed week! It has been wonderful. Keshia and I have been able to see God move in our lives over the past couple of weeks in monumental ways. In ways that only God can. There have been highs and lows. There have been times of assurance and times of worry. The times of assurance came from being in tune with Him and the times of worry came from our fleshly selves, but nonetheless, it has been a wonderful week!

I have been thinking about all that God does for us. He does so much! He is working in our lives even when we have no idea that He is. He uses the smallest of details for His glory. It is absolutely amazing to come through the fire, out the other side, and come to realize that the only thing burnt in the midst was the shackles of your burdens. Hallelujah!!!

When it comes to thinking about what all God has done for us, nothing can top the charts but the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus! The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (otherwise known as the Gospel) is the most influential thing in a Christian’s life. Every Christian would acknowledge that the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross for mere humans who despised and rejected Him, is the most eye-opening example of love that this world has ever known. With that being said, I still think the resurrection of Jesus from the dead has been, and always will be, the most influential thing to ever happen this side of eternity.

Think about this for a moment. There were three men who died that day on a cross, and history can prove that many more were crucified before and after that day on a cross. Crucifixion was the severe punishment unto death instituted by the Roman armies at this time to strike fear into the hearts of men, so many died the same way as Jesus died. It was not the cross that made the difference, it was the man upon the cross that made the difference. The other two men that were crucified that day deserved to be there. They broke laws and transgressed against the order of civil government to earn their way to the cross, but Jesus did not commit any crime. Jesus was there on behalf of you and I. He had no sin of His own but bore the sins of the world as he hung there upon the tree. The thing that makes the difference is that the other two men that hung beside Jesus that day are still in the grave, but our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ rose again the third day and is still very much alive.

Now what is the importance of the resurrection? Why is it significant to us today? The resurrection brings every work, every teaching, every miracle, and every claim of divinity by Jesus Christ full circle. Jesus’s ability to overcome what no other can overcome proves that He is truly the Son of God. Why is it that Jesus was able to defeat death and the grave? The wages of sin is death. Death is a result of our sin and Jesus had no sin in His life. He hung on that tree to bare the sins of the world not His own. He took our sin and placed them upon Himself, bore the punishment that we deserved, and took them to the grave, but the fact that He Himself never committed a sin, means that there was nothing to keep Him there. He had the faith to overcome sin, which results in death, therefore, he had the power to overcome death as well. Now what does this mean for us?

Jesus death and resurrection was for us. Listen to this verse:

Romans 4:25 KJV 1900

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

His resurrection brings hope to the Christian. A living hope in a risen savior.

1 Peter 1:3 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

I want to talk to you today about being alive in Christ. When someone is saved, a union takes place. It is a union between a person and God that cannot be severed. Every day I drink a cup of coffee, and when I drink my cup of coffee, I put sugar in it. When I put sugar in my coffee I take a spoon and stir it until it is mixed well and then I drink it. Have you ever tried to separate the sugar from the coffee once it has been mixed together? It cannot be separated from one another. It is a union that has taken place. The sugar has now changed to a liquid and mixed with the coffee and the coffee has been changed by the sugar to now be sweeter and it cannot be disannulled. After you put the sugar in and mix it together, it is there for good. If you try to separate them from one another, you are not only wasting your time, but you are also not going to enjoy your coffee. By the time you realize that it is useless to try and separate the two, the coffee is now cold and you don’t want to drink it anymore. if you come to church on Sunday morning and experience the union you have with Christ and then leave with intentions of trying to separate that union so that you can live the life that you want, you are not going to enjoy the coffee. We have got to start living in the union of God and stop trying to separate ourselves from something that cannot be separated. We are not enjoying life because we are wasting our time and the coffee keeps getting cold.

Romans 6:5 NKJV

5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

It is because of His resurrection that we have the ability to live a better, more fulfilling life.

Romans 6:4 NKJV

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Find John 11:25-26.

Content

Exercise Faith In Christ (vs. 25-26)

Storyline

Lazarus was a man that Jesus loved. Jesus would visit Mary, Martha, and Lazarus pretty regular when He was in the area. Their house is in Bethany, and Jesus would go there from time to time to spend time with them. Then there comes a day when Lazarus is very ill so they send for Jesus to come and heal him. Jesus, knowing the need for this miracle so that others would believe, tarried until Lazarus was dead. He shows up after Lazarus is already in the tomb four days, and tells them to roll the stone away from the door. In verse 43, “And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth”. And out of the mouth of that tomb come Lazarus, still wrapped up in his grave clothes.

The Purpose of the Miracle

Why this miracle? Have you ever wondered that? Why doesn’t Jesus just raise everyone from the grave so that everyone can keep on living? Can we just bring people back from the grave in the name of Jesus? No, we wouldn’t bring them back if we could, and couldn’t if we would. They are in a far better place. So, why this miracle? It is an illustration. It is an illustration of our spiritual life.

Throughout the book of John, there are seven miracles that Jesus performs, from turning the water into wine all the way to the raising of Lazarus, and each one has a point to make about salvation. Look at John 20:30-31:

John 20:30–31 NKJV

30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

The purpose of this miracle, along with the others recorded, is for the building of faith in Christ. So that we would believe in the name of Jesus Christ.

What is death?

Now Lazarus is dead. No questioning that. He has been dead and in the grave for four days. The sad thing is, there are many today, that are dead as well. Not those who are in the grave, but those who are walking about us in everyday life. Their blood is pumping, their mind is operating, their heart is beating, but they are dead. Listen to this verse:

1 Timothy 5:6 NKJV

6 But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.

She is dead while she still yet lives. She is spiritually dead because she has given her heart over to licentiousness.

Jesus raised three people from the dead.

A little girl. She had just died and her body was still warm.

A young man on the way to his funeral. Had been dead long enough for rigor mortis to set in, but nonetheless still raised him from the dead.

Lazarus. Dead four days and already stinking.

Which one was more dead than the other. Neither. Dead is dead. It doesn’t matter whether you are like that little girl, like the young man, or like Lazarus. Dead is still dead. When a little child comes to age of accountability and doesn’t instantly accept Christ, they are like the little girl. When one is a teenager or a young adult, they are like the young man. When one is 50 years old and hasn’t accepted Christ yet, they would be like Lazarus. Now remember, Lazarus was a saved individual, this is an illustration. The fact is, you need to stop comparing yourself to others as far as your degree of death. Some might say, “The child molesters, the murderers, the rapists, they are dead but I don’t do anything like that.” Dead is dead, my friend. There are degrees in corruption, but there are no degrees in death. Anyone and everyone that has not accepted Christ as their savior and put faith in Him, is dead.

Overcoming Death

How would you raise one from the dead? The world uses four principles to try this:

Example

Encouragement

Environment

Education

How does Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead? He speaks. “Lazarus, come forth.” I wasn’t there when this miracle took place, but I bet I can tell you what every person present that day was doing when those words were spoken, they were looking at the mouth of that tomb to see what was going to happen. O, the power of God’s Word.

Philippians 2:16 NKJV

16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

John 6:63 NKJV

63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Experience Freedom Through Christ (vs. 44)

The Awakening

When Jesus speaks, Lazarus awakens. He wakes up.

There are some here today who need to wake up. Jesus is calling. “Come forth”, he says. Come out of the grave. Wake up and come forth. You need to wake up. You have a Holy God calling your name and He is offering life to you, but you got to come out of the grave. You have been sleeping for long enough. It is time to wake up and see life for what it really is. It is time to get started with the purpose that God created you for. It is time to come out of the grave.

The Approaching

Notice when Lazarus gets up, he is still bound, but somehow makes his way to Christ regardless.

These grave clothes are around Lazarus, and he shouldn’t be able to move. He shouldn’t be able to put one foot in front of the other, but Jesus has spoken, and when Jesus speaks, things that normally wouldn’t or couldn’t happen start to happen. It doesn’t matter what has got you bound. It doesn’t matter how deep you are into sin. It doesn’t matter how vested you are in the present life that you have. The Word of Life has spoken and you can move. It may feel like you can’t but I promise you, if you will put forth an effort, you can make it.

Notice also that Jesus does not go in to get Lazarus. Lazarus has to come out to Him. Jesus has already died once and will not die again. He has done His part on Calvary and now you must do yours. He is calling, but you have to come forth.

The Annulling

Lazarus still has on his grave clothes and Jesus says, “Loose him”.

I love this part. There are some here today who are still wearing their grave clothes. They have awakened, they have approached Jesus, but they are still wearing parts of their old life. Listen, when we come to Christ, our old life does not instantly vanish away. It takes prayer, it takes dedication, it takes a miracle, but sometimes we hang on to these grave clothes longer than we need to. Lazarus comes out of the grave and instantly starts to remove the grave clothes. When one becomes saved, they instantly start to remove the parts of their old life that does not fit into God’s plan. You are not dead anymore, therefore, you do not need the grave clothes anymore. Jesus is trying to set you free so that you can be the Christian that God needs you to be. Let go of the sin. Let go of those old ragged grave clothes and be free.

John 8:32 NKJV

32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 8:36 NKJV

36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

The purpose of the church is this very thing. We are to unwrap Christians so they can be free in Christ to live as Christ has called them to live.

One demon said to another demon, “If those theology driven Christians ever let Jesus out of the grave, hell help us, all heaven will break loose”.

Enjoy Fellowship With Christ (vs. 12:1-2)

From the Tomb to the Table

Lazarus has gone from the tomb to the table. He is there and Christ is there. They are having a banquet. Can you imagine the fellowship they were having at that table?

Let me explain something to you today. When I invite you to come to Jesus, I am not inviting you to a funeral, I am inviting you to a feast. The bible is full of feasts and suppers. Jesus is saying, “Come and dine. Come and dine”.

Revelation 3:20 NKJV

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Jesus comes in as the guest and becomes the host. My friend, when you come in to Jesus, you are coming in to have fellowship with Him. Come and Dine.

God desires that you would feast from His table! As born again children of the most high God, we have to access to all that He is in this life. We get to feast from His table while still in this life, and boy is the food good. There are cups full of love, saucers full of mercy, plates full of grace, bowls full of righteousness, platters full of faith, glasses full of instruction and much, much more. God is begging you to come and dine. Come and dine with the Master.

Express Fearlessness Because of Christ (vs. 12:9-11)

The Greatest Joke of the Bible

So as they are having fellowship with one another, Mary comes in and washes Jesus’ feet. As this is happening, the chief priests have gathered together to witness not only Christ but Lazarus, the one back from the dead. As they sat and talk about what they are going to do about this man named Jesus who is causing all of this ruckus, they come to the conclusion that they are going to kill Lazarus.

I want you to imagine this for a second. A man believes in Christ, loves Christ, and is raised from the dead by Christ. After all of this, he is threatened with his life by other men because of certain circumstances. I can only imagine the humor in this conversation. I think Lazarus would have said something like this, “Been there, done that, what’s next.”

Lazarus could not be intimidated with death. He has already faced death and triumphed through Jesus Christ. He understood what it meant to have Faith in Christ, Freedom through Christ, Fellowship with Christ, and Fearlessness because of Christ. It is not until a man is unafraid to die, that he is truly ready to live. This man made an impact on many people because of his lifestyle for God. Many came to see him and went away believing in Christ. The greatest witness for Christ and the greatest terror against Christ is the Christian life. If a Christian is living in Christ, they will personify Christ, but if they are living for self, they will personify self.

Commitment

In closing today, I want to reread the beginning verses.

John 11:25–26 NKJV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Have you put your faith in Christ? Have you put off your grave clothes and experiencing a freedom through Christ? Are you regularly having fellowship with Christ? Do you have a fearlessness because of Christ? If any of these things is a problem in your life, come out of your grave and come to Jesus. Remember, you have to come to Him. He is here, He is calling, but you have to come.

Christ resurrection was so that you could have life and have it more abundantly. Would you come?