Resurrection is about more than just coming back to life; it’s about being set free. Although Lazarus walked out of the tomb, he remained bound in his grave clothes until Jesus commanded the community to “unbind him.” Pastor Travis explores why we cannot always free ourselves from the shame, fear, and old patterns that cling …
When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” – John 11:43-44
Lazarus comes out of the tomb still wrapped in grave clothes.
He’s alive. He’s breathing. He’s walking. But he’s still bound up in the cloths they used to bury him.
And Jesus says to the people standing there: “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Unbind him.
I’ve been thinking about that word. Unbind.
Because resurrection isn’t just about coming back to life. It’s about being set free.
Lazarus was raised from the dead, but he still needed to be unbound. He still needed someone to unwrap the grave clothes. He still needed help to be fully free.
And I think that’s true for us too.
Grace raises us. Grace brings us out of the tomb. Grace gives us new life.
But we still need to be unbound. We still need to let go of the things that keep us wrapped up. The shame. The fear. The old patterns. The lies we’ve believed about ourselves.
And here’s the thing: we can’t unbind ourselves. We need each other.
Jesus doesn’t say to Lazarus, “Unbind yourself.” He says to the community, “Unbind him.”
We need each other to be fully free. We need people who will help us unwrap the grave clothes. Who will help us let go of what’s keeping us bound.
So here’s my question: What are you still bound up in? What grave clothes are you still wearing?
And who can help you unbind?
Maybe it’s shame about your past. Maybe it’s fear about your future. Maybe it’s a story you’ve been telling yourself about who you are and what you’re capable of.
Grace has raised you. You’re out of the tomb. You’re alive.
Now it’s time to be unbound. To let go. To be fully free.
And you don’t have to do it alone. We’re here. We’ll help you unwrap the grave clothes.
That’s what resurrection looks like. Not just coming back to life. But being set free.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Travis
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