I Was the Dead Man

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This is a message given on Easter Sunday that recounts the resurrection stories of Jesus, Lazarus and Pastor Les.

Written Excerpts:

I WAS THE DEAD MAN

Rev. 1:18 “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hell and of death.” (See also Jn. 11:40-44; Eph. 2:4-6)

Introduction:

For my message today, I thought I would bring a very different kind of sermon from what I normally give. I want to tell you three stories that are based on the Bible passages that were read earlier in the service. I have tried to imagine what we might hear if we could have a conversation with Jesus and with Lazarus based on the texts that were read.

Imagine you are getting acquainted with someone for the first time and they are trying to identify themselves by placing themselves in the context of an event or story that you’re already familiar with. For example, if you were to meet George Beverly Shea for the first time he might say, “Do you remember Billy Graham? Well, I was the man that led the congregational songs for his crusades.”

So, for today, I am going to use my imagination a little and try to tell the stories of Jesus, Lazarus and me. For all of us can say the same thing: “I was the dead man.”

Jesus

Hello, John. You have been a long time servant of mine, but I know you’re having trouble recognizing me right now. I look quite a bit different now than I did the last time you saw me. John, I am sure that you remember all the events that took place in Judea and Jerusalem when I, your Master, Rabbi, and Lord, was teaching around the villages and towns of Judea. You remember the places we went and the miracles I performed.

You have literally spent your entire life writing about me and telling other people about me, but now I look drastically different.  Now, that I have been back in heaven with God the Father, and have been glorified with Him, my appearance is not very much like it was then. The vision you’re having of me now is intimidating, and frightening, yet it is glorious. Don’t be afraid, John. I am the same person you ate with and talked with and traveled with. I am the same Jesus.

I’m sure that you remember the events at the end of my earthly ministry when the religious rulers at the Temple had me arrested and tried for blasphemy because I said that I was the Christ, the Son of God. I know that all those memories are still vivid in your mind as those events unfolded so rapidly. You and all the other disciples were scattered and disoriented and didn’t know what to do or where to go.

The suffering and agony that I went through was almost more than any human being can bear. But I willing gave my life because there was a world that needed rescued and redeemed. In a much shorter time than normal, I died on that day on the cross. I was placed in a tomb with the expectation by my enemies that it would be the end. They thought it would be the last time they would see me. I was left in the tomb by my friends and disciples with the fear that it was the end. But, on the third day I rose again, victorious over death; just like I said that I would! I came out of the grave even before the stone was rolled away. The Father sent angels to move the stone just so everyone could see I was no longer there.

Yes, John, I am living now. I was the dead man, but I am alive forevermore!!!

Lazarus

Oh, hello. My name is Lazarus. I am the brother of Mary and Martha from Bethany, just outside of Jerusalem. All three of us were very close friends with the well-known prophet from Nazareth, called Jesus. Many people referred to him as Jesus – the Christ, because they truly believed that he was the “Anointed One,” the Messiah of God.

Probably the one event that most people remember about me was the time that I became very, very sick. My sisters sent word for Jesus to come quickly, because they didn’t think I had long to live and they wanted the miracle worker to come and heal me. Jesus didn’t come that day or the next day. I couldn’t hold on any longer. My life and breath slowly slipped away.

My body was placed in a tomb and, as I understand it, I laid there for four days. Four days, mind you! Of course, I wasn’t aware of what was going on. My family and friends filled me in on the details later, but Jesus finally showed up after I had been in the grave for four days.

I can tell you this. At some point I suddenly started breathing again and I regained consciousness. I felt my body responding to a voice calling to me from outside the grave. There was no way that I could stay in that cold dark place. The voice of God was calling me out of the grave back into the world of life.

Yes, my new friend, I can tell you my name is Lazarus. I was the dead man, but now I am alive; I’m alive!

You know, the most amazing thing about it all is this. You would think that everyone would be happy that Jesus could raise someone back to life from the dead. You would think that everyone would be happy for me to be alive again. Well, if you thought that, you’d be wrong. You see, Jesus had enemies that were already trying to think of ways to bring his ministry, his power and his influence to an end.

Well, as word began to spread like wildfire that Jesus had brought me back to life from the dead, the same people that hated Jesus and wanted to find a way to kill him were actually conspiring and plotting to kill me as well. Can you imagine that? They wanted to kill me just because I kept telling people “I was the dead man, but now I’m alive.”

Lester

For my third and final story, I introduce myself. My name is Lester. I grew up in the rural area of northwestern Pennsylvania. In many respects my life was just like most other people. I was raised in a good home with loving parents. I had the privilege of having two parents who loved the Lord Jesus Christ and they made sure that I attended church services regularly (that always meant “every time the doors were open”).

Because I was in church every time the doors were open, I heard a “ton” of good preaching while I was growing up. I really can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a desire deep in my heart to be a good person and to follow God. But I had a problem. The older I got, the more I realized that there was something else in my heart that was fighting against God and His way. I was constantly struggling with desires deep within that did not want God’s will or God’s way.

The Apostle Paul describes my condition very accurately in Ephesians 2 where he writes, “You were dead in your trespasses and sins.” I was constantly stumbling and yielding to temptations when I had intended to live right. I knew there were attitudes and traits in my heart that was contrary to God’s Word and commands. I was controlled by lust, greed, and all kinds of sinful passions. I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to get away from my parents and the church and go do my own thing and live my own life.

I was dead in my sins. I was dead to God’s Spirit. I was dead to the way of truth and righteousness, but one January night during a winter youth revival I felt the Holy Spirit calling me once again to surrender to Christ.“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which he loved me, even when I was dead in my trespasses, he made me alive with Christ… and he made me sit together in heavenly places with Christ.”

Hallelujah! I was the dead man, but now I am alive! I was lost, but now I am found! I was blind, but now I see, I was doomed for hell, but now I have a home waiting in heaven! I used to want my own will and my own way, but now I want God’s will and I want God’s way. Praise God!

Conclusion:

You know who Jesus is. He was the dead man but today He is alive forever!

You know who Lazarus is. He was the dead man but Jesus brought him back to life.

You know who I am. I was dead in my trespasses and sins, but Jesus rescued me, He saved me, He gave me spiritual life!

You too can have a resurrected life. God can and will do the same for you that he has done for millions of others! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!