John 11:38-46 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 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.” 45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.  
 
John 11:44c “Unbind him and let him go.”
 
DEATH’S bondage is broken! Do we have any comprehension of the joy that Mary, Martha – Lazarus! – and the other mourners experienced? Were they too shocked to be happy? Were they filled with so much wonder they could not comprehend the man who was four days dead is alive.
    Against all hope, in spite of all doubt, Jesus raised Lazarus. This is God’s grace disrupting death’s penalty. Mary and Martha had faith in the future resurrection, but expressed no expectation in the present. His disciples seemed silent, too, even though they had seen so many miracles. Yet, Jesus called out, and he destroyed death. “Unbind him and let him go.”
    Let’s pray Jesus’ command will release the bonds that hamper our walk with Jesus . Pray you can know how to respond to his promise of a full life (John 10:10). May the Spirit of the risen Christ open our minds. Jesus wanted the people at the tomb to see God’s glory – his power – that will unbind them from death and welcome them into his eternal salvation.
    Of course, Jesus’ will remains the same. Through his Helper, the Holy Spirit, he has granted us eyes to see the glory of God that unbinds us from death into eternal life. Free in Jesus’ resurrection, our grave clothes are gone. He has granted us the glory to be dressed in fine linen, white and clean (Revelation 19:14b).  

Resurrection Truth: Free in Jesus, you are dressed up for eternal life.  

John 11:28-37 And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
 
“Jesus wept.” Oh, this is such great comfort! Have you considered that if the Triune God had not wept over death, Jesus would not have come to give life.
    Can you imagine the incarnate Lord of Life standing in front of a grave? He had surely done this before. Other friends had died. Apparently his earthly father Joseph was dead when Jesus’ ministry began. Jesus had wept before.
    But why would the Resurrection and the Life have wept here? He knows that in a few minutes this grave will open, and his friend will walk out. Why did Jesus weep?
    When we consider Scripture’s revelation of God’s great work to redeem mankind, we can understand Jesus wept for all humanity. He wept because so very much had been lost. After all, Jesus is the eternal God: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1-2)  At the Father’s command and with the Spirit’s power, the Son spoke life into the void. He formed a sparkling universe of extraordinary, perfect beauty. The Resurrection and the Life put eternity into the hearts of man. Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Jesus wants us to know what God has done from beginning to end.
    With a grievous heart Jesus witnessed Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit. How could Jesus deal with death –  the death of God’s holy perfection, the death of peace, the death of humanity’s unity with our Creator?
    He could only tolerate the corrupted creation because he knew his resurrection power would come to redeem the world. Since eternity before time, the Son knew the day would come when mankind would experience once again the life-giving wonder of the Father’s imperative: “Let us make man in our image.” (Genesis 1:26)
    Jesus wept because he loves us.
    Jesus’ love is why Jesus’ walk to the cross is called “passion”. He has a deep passion to awaken his people to witness and know his resurrection power.
    Do you see this power? Do you know it in your life? May it be so.
 
Resurrection Truth: Jesus is alive. He wants you to be alive in Him!