Eastside Missionary Baptist Church

Lazarus
Three Kinds of Men
(Brief Review of John 11:1-38)
My prayer and hope God will open our eyes and ears to His Word in a powerful way!   We need God the Holy Spirit to come. Why? Because:   I may preach truth but only the Holy Spirit can impart truth.   Oh, we need something brought down and not just work up.   I want more than a good service I want the good LORD!  Jesus’ presence always makes the difference. In the passage of Holy Scripture, I am about to read we will see the three kinds of people in God’s economy. Three types of individuals  God sees when He looks at people.  
Text: John 11:38-48   &   John 12:10-11
Introduction: In this passage of scripture, we see Lazarus in 3 different ways. We see Lazarus Dead, Defeated, and Dynamic.  This trinity of analogy is displayed throughout the Bible.
Example: The Moses and the Children of Israel -
In Egypt (Dead) In Wilderness (Defeated)  Canaan (Dynamic) 
Example: Paul also talked about three classes of people recognized by God in I Corinthians 2:14-16, 3:1-4. He called them: 
The Natural Man (Dead)  The Carnal Man (Defeated)
The Spiritual Man (Dynamic)  Here we have the same picture. 
The Natural Man is a Dead Man; The Carnal Man is a Defeated; and The Spiritual Man is a Dynamic Man.   Lazarus, as a Dynamic man, became a threat to the false religions and the Devil’s people of his day.  I want us to see the three kinds of people in God’s economy - The Dead, The Defeated, and The Dynamic. Everyone here today will be in one of these categories. Let’s examine which category we are in today.
I.  LAZARUS IS A DEAD MAN
There was only One Thing wrong with Lazarus, but as a result, there was Not One Thing Right with him! He was Dead.   There are No degrees of death.   Dead is Dead!
A.) You Can Be Dead While You Occupy Your Seat Right Now.     
I Timothy 5:6, Ephesians 2:1 
Example: Luke 9:59-60  “Let the dead bury their dead.”
B.) You Can Know If You Are a Dead Man. Dead people have:  
John 6:70-71
(1.) No Appetite (2.) No Activity   (3.) No Awareness (4.)No Allegiance   
C.) What Do Dead People (Lazarus) Need?
(1.) What Lazarus Did Not Need.
a. Not an Example to Follow  (Deacon)
b. Not just Encouragement (Psychiatrist)
c. Not a Change of Environment (Social Worker)
d. Not Education (Professor)
(2) What Lazarus Needed Was Life.  Lazarus lacked life but most of all he lacked the Life Giver Jesus Christ.   John 10:10,11:25, 14:6,12:32 Salvation is not a performance, it is a person!  Jesus!  Lazarus was not able to perform anything, he was dead! Salvation is not a goal to achieve, it is a gift to be received.
D.) Notice What Happened to Lazarus John 11:43 
II. LAZARUS IS A DEFEATED MAN John 11:44 
A.) How Did Lazarus Come Forth? Remember Lazarus was bound hand and foot!   (1.)  Hop?   (2.)  Roll? (3.) Float?  The Bible does not say how Lazarus came forth, but one thing for sure, he came forth alive from the grave.
B.) Lazarus Was Bound Hand, Foot, Face, and Head. 
The former life defeats some and prevents them from serving. ( I Corinthians 5:18) Lazarus’s graveclothes were the relics of his deadness. They were absolutely irrelevant to his new life. 
C.) The Old Graveclothes of Our Past Must Be Put Off from Us. 
Hebrews 12:1  Note the story in: Acts 20:9-12  
D.) God’s People and God’s Church Is in The Loosing Business.   
John 11:44   We are commanded by Jesus to loose those in bondage and let them go free.  John 8:32,8:36, I John 1:9, Romans 8:2
III. LAZARUS IS A DYNAMIC MAN
Until you are Alive, and Free you cannot Live Dynamically. John 12:10-11   Lazarus the dynamic soul winner!
A.) Being Dynamic Means Being Deliberate in our Message : By Telling Our Testimony.
Can you say by reason of you many believe on Jesus? Can people say that about you? Example: John 1:37  Example: II Kings 7:1-20  Four leprous men camp of the Syrians II Kings 7:9  
B.) Being Dynamic Means Being Determine in our Mandate: By Making an Impact 
1. By being Dangerous to the future of false religions
What is wrong with Christians today is that no one wants to kill them anymore!  Example: John the Baptist, Stephen, Paul, The Dark Ages, etc. II Timothy 3:12, Matthew 5:10 
2. By being Disturbing to the Frame of Mind of Lost Leaders 
Acts 17:6  
C.) Being Dynamic Means Being Diligent in following our Master:  Every True Follower of Jesus Christ Works to See folks Saved.     Matthew 4:19, Acts 1:8 
Andrew Murry said, “There are only two types of Christians- Soul Winners and Back Sliders.” David was Back Slider who got right with God:  Psalm 51:12-15
1 person dies in North America every 11 seconds; 3 out of 4 dice without Christ. 78% report, “If someone wanted to tell me what she or he believed about Christianity, I would be willing to listen.”
Our Church’s Model for Ministry
1.)   Biblical and Passionate Preaching and Teaching
2.)   Powerful and Meaningful Worship
3.)   Dynamic and Delightful Evangelistic Outreach
4.) Humble and Helpful Servant Service in Church and in Community
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The mission is the guiding compass of the church. It gives us direction and points everyone in that direction. Our Mission:
Love God, Love People, 
Share Jesus and Make Disciples
Our mission statement may sound simple, but to us, it guides everything we do and flows from the mission of Jesus himself as he described in the Great Commandment in Matt. 22:37-39 and the Great Commission in Matt. 28:19-20.
Conclusion: If you are not Dynamic, you are Defeated or Dead.   Which kind of person are you?  Jesus is crying out to every man, woman, boy and girl to “Come Forth”!    Can it be said of you right now “by reason of him many went away and believed on Jesus.”      Come Forth, Be Free, and Go Tell!