I want to look at one guy in the Bible his name was Lazarus and when Lazarus
died as you saw the Bible says they put him in the tomb I could not bring the
tomb from Jerusalem so I found a cheaper version of it thank you Mike
Melnik and and so when Jesus came to Lazarus tomb the Bible says Lazarus was
dead and not only he was dead but he was covered inside of a tomb and this is
what Jesus says Jesus called up some people if I could have Bryson and Jesus
said he says I want you to open the tomb now the
camera who's the floating camera come over here so that they're live viewers
can see those of you who are not able to see Lazarus is right here he is dead
Lazarus be dead so to close your eyes all right
Jesus stood from a distance and the Bible says now Lazarus is dead
he's gone the fact that he's wrapped up in grave clothes is one thing and Jesus
stood there and he said this he said Lazarus come out and at that moment
Lazarus got raised from the dead now you don't see that right now but I can tell
you one thing come over here and help me Lazarus his
eyes are open like can you breathe he's alive now Lazarus is alive I want you to watch
this his the resurrection was such a big miracle everybody who stood outside were
amazed that he's raised from the dead how many of you know it's a big deal
I want you to come out I want you to come out I want you to see one thing is
that Jesus tells Lazarus to come out what we don't pay what we don't see a
lot of times is that nobody helps him out in his grave clothes he's trying to
come out the crowd is standing there and so and probably these clothes were not
like these there were maybe a little bit lighter but nevertheless I want you to
see this is that he had to come out of the grave with his clothes that were
tying him up and he slowly it's just a struggle the struggle go ahead go ahead
keep going come out Lazar come out come out come out you're doing great you're
doing amazing now I'm gonna give him just a little help with Bryson would you
would you help me to help Lazarus get on his feet so thank you lord all right
Lazarus thank you so much thank you Bryson okay so Lazarus Lazarus came out
thank you Jesus I want you to see this the biggest
miracle such a big deal is the his alive but he doesn't feel that it's a big deal
that he's alive when Lazarus became alive the first thing that happened to
him he got confused what am I doing here why are these people gathered why is
Jesus screaming at me why am I in this clothes who chose this red tie why am I
here I want you to notice this your righteousness is a big deal your rags
are not they're only big deal if you're in them for everyone outside the fact
you're breathing is a huge deal everybody outside stands to say oh my
God he's alive but because you were on the inside you say this sucks
this is bad this is hard the fact that you have a new heart inside of you is
a big deal the fact that you're addicted is not
your name is it written in the Lamb's Book of Life is a big deal the fact that
you're hurting is not now to you it's a big deal because you're here you're
hurting you're suffering you're confused but honestly I want to put it into
perspective of every person that is hurting and struggling right now the
fact you have righteousness inside of you is the biggest deal
it's the biggest celebration I want to tell you something right now I'm not in
any way downplaying power of sin I just don't want to downplay the power of
God I don't want to downplay that the power of sonship and the power of
righteousness I don't want to downplay the power of the forgiveness of sins and
the power of the blood of Jesus on the cross and I want to tell you something
these rags yes they're bad yes they're horrible but the power of death has been
defeated in you already is a big deal it's such a big deal
hallelujah that is a big deal the fact that 2,000
years ago Jesus crushed the head of the serpent that is a big deal the fact that
your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life that is a big deal I know you
still have a cigarette once in a while but the big deal is that you're alive inside
that's why this cigarette doesn't feel comfortable in your mouth
that's why pornography doesn't feel normal that's why sleeping with your
girlfriend doesn't feel right because you're alive
but I want you to see this it's Jesus tells Lazarus not to become
alive he tells him to come out watch this he doesn't send disciples and say
guys Lazarus is there get him out Jesus doesn't go to the tomb himself as says
Lazarus let me help you out he tells a dead man
who is bound come toward me and he was after
Lazarus took steps Lazarus come come
stay here
it was after Lazarus took steps that Jesus sent people to help him become
free I want to tell some of you here today is after God gives you
righteousness he doesn't always bring you freedom but he does ask you to walk
toward him in bondage but I want you to walk to Jesus when you struggle three
things I want you to write it down we have two minutes and then three things
to take home with you number one when you struggle before you get free learn
to overcome use your guilt before you overcome your sin write this down
learn to overcome your guilt before you overcome your sin the process of this
struggle the most powerful part in this struggle is not your sin it's your guilt
guilt is more powerful than sin because sin lasts five twenty fifteen minutes
tops guilt last five years fifty years you overcome your guilt
and that's how you overcome your sin number two you stop seeking God for
freedom you seek God for God after a while you
have to walk forward not so you can get free you have to walk forward so you can
get close to God when you get close to God God will start giving you freedom
don't seek freedom seek God I know it hurts to be bound
it hurts to fall into the same pattern but I want to challenge each one of you
stop using God to get freedom love God to get God freedom will come and lastly
I want you to write this down your problem will be persistent therefore you
must be consistent in your relationship with Jesus how I like to say it your
issue will be persistent therefore your intimacy must be consistent the story
comes from Esther is when Esther had an enemy in the palace she stopped being
invited to the King she had to overcome this feeling I'm not being loved she had
to overcome sense of guilt that's the first point the second thing is when
Esther met the King as I mentioned she didn't ask for freedom
she asked for lunch she wasn't asking for liberty she was asking for lunch she
says let's go on a date even though she needed freedom don't be a person who
uses God to get what you want even if what you want is something that God
really wants from you to holiness and righteousness always come to God and say
God I need your freedom I need your help but I'm here to worship I'm here to love
you the way I am what I got right now is what I'm gonna give you and thirdly
Esther when she asked for lunch with the King the first lunch she didn't tell him
the problem she asked on the first lunch to have a second lunch meaning she said
I'm gonna get this thing consistent I'm not just gonna pray one time and seek God
I will pray consistently because your problem is persistent you must be
consistent