Read John 11:33-44.

In His supernatural intervention to raise Lazarus from the dead, Jesus proclaimed His Gospel with three actions.

First, Scripture tells us that Jesus groaned or wept (see John 11:35). There is no equivalence in English to the Greek word used. It’s an expression of violent displeasure. In this moment, Jesus was angry and indignant over what sin had done to humanity. Of course, the root cause of death is sin: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Only those who have been washed by the blood of Jesus Christ will escape eternal death in hell—the destination of all who reject His offer of grace and forgiveness.

Second, Jesus asked the people there to participate in the miracle, instructing them to “[t]ake away the stone” (John 11:39). You might wonder, “Couldn’t Jesus, who could raise the dead with a word, move the stone Himself?” My friend, have you noticed throughout the signs in John’s gospel that Jesus always used something or someone as He performed a miracle? In Cana of Galilee, He told the servants to fill the jars with water. In the feeding of the five thousand, He used a little boy’s lunch. In the healing of the blind man, He used clay. You see, whatever and whenever God is working in your life, you still have to act. Even in salvation, which is by grace alone through faith alone and ultimately a gift from God, you still have to respond—you have to accept God’s free gift.

Third, Jesus called Lazarus by name (see John 11:43). Jesus particularly called Lazarus into life once again, just as He calls each one of us out of our spiritual death into eternal life. But when Lazarus responded and came out, he was hampered by his graveclothes. In the Middle East, people were wrapped in burial cloth of linen. Lazarus’ body was tied up in his graveclothes—he could only shuffle out. So Jesus gave the people watching another task: “Take off the grave clothes and let him go” (v. 44). This is a tangible picture of what happens to all of us spiritually when the Holy Spirit of God breathes into us and quickens our dead spirit. We walk around with the graveclothes of our past, which hinder us from growing in Christ and being effective for Him. They must be loosed in Jesus’ name, and we must serve one another to loosen them, by pointing one another to the freedom of the Gospel.

Prayer: Lord, I know You have power over even death. Because You have secured my salvation, I know that death is just the door to Your face. As I walk the path You have planned for me, may I work to remove what hinders me from running the race of faith—what hinders me from pleasing You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’” (John 11:43).

Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef’s sermon Evidence of the Exclusivity of Jesus: Death to Life: LISTEN NOW

Check out more from Dr. Michael Youssef, here!