Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them,“Loose him, and let him go.”

Loose and liberate those who believe in Christ. Our job is to take away the stone - to do whatever God says for the salvation of others - and then we’re to free them, delivering them from bondage to sin to serve God.

The gospel is about freedom. Christ’s death delivered us, so we are forgiven and given all that we need for holiness. Peter says, “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness in the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Pet 1:3). We are not held by shame and fear, but our LIBERATED hearts love, and the love of brethren help us grow. As a young believer, I had much wrong with me, and I see now how unloving I’ve been to His people – judgmental, harsh, and unconcerned. But, having my own grave clothes removed by others, having them preach Christ to me, and seeing the love of the church has taught me that I’m free from impressing people so that I can serve them sincerely.

He hasn’t called us to condemn and finger point, but to be examples. He says, “We then who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Rom 15:1). He hasn’t called us to hold each other in suspicion, but we’re to minister and pray for each other. John says, “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that” (1 John 5:16-17). How much good could we do, if when a brother falls – into drunkenness, false doctrine, fornication, or the such – if we LOVE him back to the truth by prayer, rather than looking upon him judgmentally? Paul wrote, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Gal 6:1). Grace teaches us to help the weak, rather than kicking them down. We have our grave clothes removed, so we can help instead of feeling superior.

Finally, trouble comes to us so that we can see His glory. He says, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the son of God may be glorified through it”, and, “I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him”, and again, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the gory of God” (John 11:4, 15, 40). He let Lazarus die, not because He didn’t love him, but because He’d do something GREATER, which is raise Him from the dead. In like manner, your brother’s faults and trials are so that YOU can assist, and so that you can experience God’s love, not only by receiving but also by GIVING to others. We learn to meet the needs of His church, as we learn to trust Him for our every need.