John 11:44
“The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of linen, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’”
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, I want us to learn an important lesson from the story of Lazarus, who was raised from the dead.
As we know, Lazarus had died, was buried, and had already begun to decay. But when Jesus arrived at the tomb, He performed an incredible miracle—He brought Lazarus back to life.
When Lazarus came out of the tomb, he was completely alive and well. Yet, Jesus did not stop there. He gave a clear instruction: “Unbind him, and let him go.” This shows us that resurrection—new life—is not enough on its own. True freedom requires being unbound.
Even after Lazarus was raised, the burial cloths that bound his hands, feet, and face were still on him. These cloths symbolized the old life he had left behind, and he could not move freely until they were removed.
What does this mean for us?Salvation is like resurrection. When we believe in Jesus, we are spiritually alive, raised from the dead. But many Christians continue to carry “grave clothes” from their old life—habits, fears, resentments, and weaknesses. These old patterns hold us back until we allow ourselves to be unbound.
Those burial cloths—covering the hands, feet, and face—are like spider webs. They prevent movement, vision, and freedom. Many believers, even after salvation, still struggle with pain, jealousy, anger, bitterness, fear, and worry. They cannot move forward because they refuse to be unbound.
Jesus said: “Unbind him, and let him go.” He did not say, “Unbind yourself.” Freedom often requires accepting help and guidance.
This is why God established the Church:
To provide pastors and spiritual mentors who will feed, guide, and nurture us until we grow and mature.
To help us live in fellowship, because trying to live the Christian life alone is like walking with burial cloths still wrapped around you.
God expects us to bear fruit after salvation. There are responsibilities and works for every believer. But if our hands, feet, and faces are still bound by old habits, how can we fulfill His purpose?
To be truly free:
Accept teaching and correction.
Accept prayer and guidance.
Accept fellowship with other believers.
Read the Word, pray, and serve together.
These actions help us be unbound. Salvation alone is not enough to produce lasting spiritual fruit if we try to walk alone, still carrying the chains of our old life.
Sometimes, even our dreams and visions cannot be fulfilled because our feet are still bound—we cannot move forward. Fear the “burial cloths” as much as you fear death.
If you notice behaviors or habits that conflict with your new life in Christ, now is the time to deal with them. Obey, follow guidance, and take responsibility for working out your salvation. Every believer has a role in this process.
The Lord bless you.
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