Christian Zombies

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our sin—it is by grace you have been saved." Ephesians 2:4-5

Hello readers.  Welcome to my heart.  Let's begin. 

The story of Lazarus's resurrection is what made me realize how humorous the Bible can be.  This story is found in John 11.  Even thinking about it cracks me up.  There's reasons why I think it's funny.  Not that Lazarus died, but the different emotions that Jesus went through while trying to get the people around him to understand what He was getting ready to do.  If you haven't read the story, please do.  It's great. 

So, quick parahphrase and context so I'm not just jumping right into it.  So, Jesus is told by Lazarus's sisters that he is sick, who tries to guilt trip Jesus in to responding rapidly.  Jesus waits two days before going to see about Lazarus.  By the time Jesus gets there, Lazarus is dead.  After some dialogue and groaning in the spirit and 21st century skeptics and haters (seriously, read the story), Jesus prays to God and gets ready to raise Lazarus from the dead.  That's where we'll begin.

"When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.   Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” John 11:43-45

In this moment, Jesus has raised Lazarus to from the dead.  Lazarus, who had been literally dead for four days, stepped out of the grave wrapped in grave clothes, or his burial clothes.  And at the ending, Jesus instructs him to take off the grave clothes. Why do you think He did that?  You'd think it was obvious right?  

Of course it was.  I mean, who wants to be confused with the dead?  Who wants to still be looked at as dead?  

WE DO. 

WE being, Christian Zombies.  

Some Christians are proclaiming to be alive in Christ, which is absolutely and positively what it means to declare Christ as your Savior, but still resembling the dead, or still being confused with the dead.  Some Christians are still walking around like they are dead.  We're still acting like the dead.  Still talking like the dead.  Still being seen where the dead flocks to.  Still obsessed with the same things the dead is obsessed with.  Still unloving like the dead.  Still unforgiving like the dead.  Still cold hearted, ruthless, angry, lustful, etc----LIKE THE DEAD.  This Spiritual dead meaning before we were believers and when we were dead in our sin, like Ephesians 2:4-5 explains.  So, we're still walking around with our grave clothes on.  Remember those clothes?  It was what defined you before you gave your life to Christ.  You were formally buried in your sin in those grave clothes and now Christ as risen you from the dead, just like the opening verse says----why do we continue to wear them?  We're free right?  We're, alive right?  Yes you are.  

So take off the grave clothes.

"You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness" Romans 6:18