“_________ Come Forth!”
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
OPENING: - There are 37 recorded miracles of Jesus in the Bible John 21:25 states “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen”. Now I could run down a rabbit hole and give a list of things associated with the number 37 in the Bible but that really is not of much importance, but I will say this that 3 + 7 = 10 and 10 in the Bible represents Divine Order – the phrase “God said” is found 10 times in Genesis 1 the testimony there are 10 commandments given at Mount Sainai, law, responsibility of God 10 plagues that struck Egypt, therefore I truly believe that the reason only 37 miracle are recorded because it is the Divine Order of God
Of the 37 miracles recorded perhaps the miracle performed by our Lord which most stick out in the mind of most people is the raising of Lazarus from dead who had been dead and buried for four days.
Now there are many many ways I could go with this message on today, but I want to teach today on something God showed me during my studies on this week!
In this account of Lazarus, which is given to us in John’s Gospel alone we need to understand that John stated that his purpose for writing this book was to persuade others John 20:31says, “But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name”. So we see that the Gospel of John was written to convince people that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and to inspire belief in him, ultimately leading to eternal life; its primary purpose is to present Jesus as divine and to evoke faith in his identity as the Messiah. Unlike other gospels, John focuses heavily on the philosophical and theological concepts. Understanding that let us look at this subject __________ Come Forth!
PRAYER
SCRIPTURE: - John 11:1-46.
Vs 1-6 “Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore, his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was”. Understand when a persons named is mentioned in scripture there is something about that person’s character, their actions, their performance or lack of performance that God truly wants us to pay attention to. Here we have named 3 people Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Remember the number 3 in scripture represents fulness, Father, Son, Holy Ghost the Fulness of the Godhead, Past, Present, Future the Fulness of Times, Death, Burial, Resurrection the Fulness of the Gospel, Justification, Sanctification, Glorification is the fulness of Salvation. Martha represents the more traditional religious person that is concerned with rituals and making sure things are done a certain way we sing 3 songs have pray read the scripture then take up the offering, she is committed to the responsibilities of the church life and lives a consecrated and religious life although possibly a little stauncher on responsibility and religiosity than relationship. Mary represents those who are a little more radical, hungry and thirsty for the Word of God longing to be 1 Corinthians 15:58 steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. She goes against traditional religious thinking desiring to seek more of Jesus, her praise and worship is different than what most people are used to, she is not concerned with where are we going to eat after church, she asks who is having service now.
Then there is Lazarus who I believe represents what the Church today is supposed to be when it comes to doing what it was designed to be but as we shall see has died. WATCH THIS: - The name Lazarus comes from or is the masculine name of Eleazar which is a combination of the Hebrew words El (God) and azar (to help) Eleazar therefore means God helpeth or God has helped. In Exodus Chapter 28, Eleazar who was one of the sons of Arron was consecrated into the priesthood. Then in Numbers Chapter 19, Eleazar was made charge of the sacrifices of the children of Israel this was the job of only the Priests that were consecrated to perform this particular duty. So the job of Eleazar was priest Lazarus whose name comes from Eleazar represents the Priest, the Priesthood, the 5-fold ministry – the Prophet, Apostle, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher. Martha is the Traditional church, Mary is the more Radical Kingdom minded church, Lazarus represents the 5-fold Ministry of the Church.
Now Lazarus was sick the Bible didn’t say what kind of sickness he had just that he was sick, but it says vs 4 “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby”. Whatever this sickness was it was so the Son of God might be glorified. So that the Son of God might be glorified means to honor and give weight to the Son of God. The word “glory” means “heavy in weight” and refers to the “weighty importance and shining majesty that accompany God's presence”. I like how the Berean study Bible says it “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it”.
Vs5-6 “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was”. WATCH THIS: - Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus who all represent the church prophetically, Jesus hears that Lazarus is sick, yet He abode two days still in the same place where He was. Ephesians 5:25 says “Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it”. 2 Peter 3:8 says, “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day”. We say it all the time 2000 years ago Christ died, so if He died and rose 2000 years ago and a thousand years is as one day then this is just day two and He is still in the same place where He was, but something happens on day two.
Vs 7 “Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again”. Let go back to where we were. After 2 days (prophetically 2000 years) He said “Let us go again”
Vs 11-14 “These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead”. The disciple’s thought Lazarus was just resting Jesus said he is dead prophetically He is speaking to the church you thought you were just sleeping, you thought you were just resting, you thought nothing was really that bad, but you are dead, O Zion what’s the matter now. Too many of the church today are sleep/dead spiritually having been deceived and are blinded by the Devil being in the darkness of the glorious gospel of Christ 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”.
.Vs 17 “Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already”. Now this is interesting because first he was in the grave the place for dead bodies, broke or discarded objects are left to rot and decompose. It is sad but it seems the church has been lain in the grave left to rot and decompose. Seemingly powerless and ineffective in the world today, when the church tries to make a stand or have its voice heard it is muffled and told it is spreading hate and out of touch with the times.
Then we have the #4 he was in the grave four days already, #4 which means Biblically the Hebrew word “Moed” which is translated seasons, appointed times, divine appointments it is derived from the Bible on the fourth day of creation week God completed the material universe and brought into existence the sun, the moon, and the stars. Their purpose was not only to give off light but also to divide the day from the night on earth becoming the basic demarcation of time marking off the days, years, and seasons. WATCH THIS: - When did Jesus come and find Lazarus in the grave after He waited 2 days – WHY – because He had to come at the appointed time. Matthew 24:36 says “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” that is the ultimate appointed time.
Now I want to drop down to Vs 33-37 “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died”.
Remember Mary represents the non-traditional church the more radical, kingdom minded church and she is weeping because her brother is dead (prophetically she is weeping representing those that our crying out what is wrong with the church today, where are the Watchmen that are to blow the trumpet and warn the people of the danger that is approaching, where are the true Watchmen that care for the souls of the people and are not worried about titles and money popularity or big houses, where are the Shepherds that will feed and defend the sheep and not be ravening wolves in sheep’s clothing) - the Jews following her (represent the apostate church) they are weeping simply out of habit, tradition, custom, and form they are not weeping because of relationship concern, compassion, or love and this is the reason that Jesus groaned and wept not because Lazarus was dead He knew what He was about to do but because the people acted out of form and habit not out of relationship much like a lot of the church today that has a form of godliness but denies the power of God. Sure, they can quote scripture, sure they are theologically strong but there is no substance, no relationship, no change – WHY: - because the 5-fold ministry is dead – sure there are the titles like Lazarus still had the title of her brother, because she said “if you would have been here my brother would not have died” but the function was dead. There are a lot of people today that have a title, position, robe, staff, hat, and a bunch of ecclesiastical garb but no function, no life.
Vs 38 “Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it”. He groaned at their lack of relationship, faith, loyalty, trust, compassion, and understanding they were Jews they knew this; they had been taught this all their lives and to be so far-removed caused Jesus to groan I himself. Then they come to the grave the place where dead bodies, broke or discarded objects are left to rot and decompose. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Understand nothing in the Bible is just mentioned just to be mentioned there is always a purpose Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter”.
It was a cave: - Understand caves were used as shelters from enemies and for taboo practices, caves symbolize isolation, spiritual forces, and the devil. They can also represent a space of resistance and a place for hiding. This cave is where Lazarus was buried, Lazarus who represents the priest, the priesthood, the 5-fold ministry prophetically this cave is hiding the church of today, the priests, the 5-fold ministry that are to be proclaiming the unadulterated Word of God. The ones that are to be standing in the gap performing the duties and ministry of reconciliation, but instead are hiding in the cave performing taboo practices of self-gratification and other taboo practices.
and a stone lay upon it: - This cave has a stone that lay upon it. WATCH THIS: - The True Stone is Jesus Matthew 21:42 says “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes”. Well this stone that lay upon the cave is not Jesus but represents the Devil and how he tries to hinder and block the Word of God from being preached to the people, the spirit of darkness that has blinded the people with deception, obscurity, apostacy, mediocrity, attitudes of pride, competition, power, position, lack of morality 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 says, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them”.
Vs 39-44 “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go”.
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone – take away the falseness, take away all the fake stuff, take away all that has been blinding and hindering the truth from coming forth. It is time for the church to take away the stone of deception, stop having a form of godliness.
by this time he stinketh for to long there has been this mess going on and the church is beginning to stink.
if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God but if we will just believe and trust God, turn from our wicked ways and seek His face we shall see the glory of God manifest in the church again.
We just need to hear Him say Lazarus – Church Come Forth – the church that was dead, the ministry that had been dead and buried must come forth out of the cave out of the place of decomposition and rot and be loosed of all the things that has it bound, loose of inhibitions, loose of apostacy, loose of mediocrity.
SUMMARY
Remember Lazarus is the masculine name of Eleazar which means God helped, who is a consecrated priest of God who is to perform duties in the Tabernacle of the Lord. Prophetically Lazarus represents the church who is a Royal Priesthood the 5-fold ministry called to perform the duties of reconciliation but had become sick and Jesus said, Lazarus was DEAD. Jesus raised Lazarus to newness of Life and freed him from the bondage of the grave clothes and Lazarus became a living witness for the Lord.
It's time for the church to Come Forth.
WATCH THIS: - Let’s make this personal 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's”.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
