Unbind Him, and Let Him Go! (John 11:44)

Jesus performed many miracles, but there was one that involved a very dear friend, Lazarus. It was a difficult roller-coaster of emotions for the family during the time Lazarus found himself deathly ill.

You see Mary and Martha of Bethany were Lazarus' sisters and when they had no other alternative but to call on Jesus because Lazarus was dying, they did. They sent for Him because they believed that Jesus could heal him, but even though He loved Lazarus, Jesus delayed His coming to His friend's bedside by two days.

I'm sure this was a disappointment to Mary and Martha as Jesus was their only hope, but Jesus delayed for a reason. Jesus said that it was for His glory, for the sake of the disciples' faith, and also for the faith of those who would be witnesses to Lazarus' resurrection after four days of being in the grave.

Yes, Jesus came, He wept with family and friends; yes, He went to the grave, called out for Lazarus to "come out"! And we know that Lazarus indeed rose from the grave.

But what we often miss is what Jesus didn't do but ordered those gathered around Lazarus to do instead. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but He commanded everyone else to "unbind him, and let him go".

As Christians gathered around those brought to new life in Christ, we too, may miss the command to "make disciples of all nations" as the Great Commission commands us to do. It's God's work to save them, but He left the leading and teaching up to us to do for these souls that have been raised from the grave unto new life in Jesus Christ.

Discipleship can be a difficult, time-consuming work, but it is also a blessing to see layer after layer come off until you see the new person that was wrapped up under the grave clothes of sin and ignorance.

Jesus gives new life as He saves people from the grave, but you and I are to then "unbind" under the work of discipleship and "let [them] go" in service to God.

I pray you don't miss this very important work and take the time to help those who can't themselves unwrap the grave clothes they may still be wearing because no one else has taken the time.

Jesus said, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:19-20

Unbind Him, and Let Him Go to God's glory!

Pastor Raul