Lazarus Jn 11:39-44 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Lazarus is an excellent type of a lost man who gets saved.  We see conversion in him and his resurrection.  Notice how salvation is seen in Lazarus as Jesus brings him from death to life.

He was dead – Jn 11:39 – before you get saved, you are dead.  You are dead in trespasses and sins [Eph 2:1].  Your body is alive but you are spiritually dead.  No matter what you do to try to impress God to let you into heaven, you cannot give yourself life.  You must be brought to life by Jesus Christ.

He stunk – Jn 11:39 – see Ps 5:4-6.  People get the idea that God loves everybody just the way they are.  He surely loved us enough to give us his Son who died for us [Jn 3:16].  But he abhors wickedness.  And when a wicked man tries to buy God off with a sacrifice, what he does just backfires [Prov 21:27].  That kind of thing is an abomination to God.

He was bound – Jn 11:44 – as Lazarus was bound with his grave clothes, so we are bound by sin.  Prov 5:22-23 shows us that we held with the cords of our sins.  The picture you see is that every time you sin a particular sin, it’s like another cord is placed on you.  The more you sin, the more cords that hold you.  You get so stuck in your sin that you can never get out.

He was quickened – Jn 11:44 – Lazarus came forth.  Whereas he had been dead, now he was alive.  Look at the testimony of the prodigal son in Lk 15:24. He was dead and then he was alive.  When we get saved we pass from death unto life [Jn 5:24]. He that hath the Son hath life.

He was raised – Jn 11:44 – see also Jn 12:9. As Lazarus was raised from the dead so we are raised with Christ.  We are already seated with him in heavenly places [Eph 2:6].  We will also have a physical resurrection at the rapture when Jesus returns [1 Thes 4:16-17].

He was loosed – Jn 11:44 – as Lazarus was loosed from his grave clothes, so we are loosed from the bondage of sin.  See Jn 8:32-36.  Before you are saved you are in bondage to sin.  You must be made free.  And the only one who can free you is the Lord Jesus Christ.  Rom 6:16-18 shows us that we go from being the servants of sin to being the servants of the Lord’s righteousness in liberty [2 Cor 3:17].

He was let go – Jn 11:44 – the idea is that Jesus had something for him to do.  Lazarus had a testimony [Jn 12:10-11].  And the Lord let him go to testify.  Likewise, when we get saved the Lord doesn’t immediately take us to heaven.  He lets us go so that we can testify of the great things he has done for us.  By our testimony God is glorified and others are saved.

Conclusion: Lazarus helps us to understand what condition we were in before we were saved and what happened to us after we were saved.  If you are not saved you cannot get to heaven.  You are dead and bound and Christ must bring you to life.  Trust him today.