John 11:38-44 ESV
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Jesus calls us to come out. The call is individual. Each is called and must answer. Each must decide between the darkness and the light. Darkness is everywhere, but the light shines in the darkness and reaches into the darkest corners. His voice can be heard in the most remote crevice. No one is forgotten in the offer of grace. He comes to the world and into our world. He stands at our door and says, "Come out!" He takes away the stone of our imprisonment. We now have a choice.
He does not enter the cave. He calls and Lazarus must come. The kingdom of heaven draws near to everyone, but entering requires a response on our part.
We emerge with the wrappings of the grave. In His light the removal of the wrappings begins and is replaced with the covering of His righteousness.
He has rolled away the stone of our graves by rolling away the stone of His grave. The stone of stumbling has been removed. The milstone of our inprisonment has been thrown into the sea. The judgement for our sin is no longer attached around our necks. We are free to stand straight and look around a new world of freedom.
He is the way. We are free to follow.
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