Want to Help With a Miracle?

John 11:38-44

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 "Take away the stone," he said.
"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 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."

The Lazarus passage is so amazing and so full of great moments, interactions, and significance. to preach it all in one sermon would be to do none of those parts justice. What I am thinking you would do for this one would be to focus on HOW the miracle happens. What are the steps. Here is what I see.

Step 1: Jesus tells the people who are there to remove the stone. This is significant. Jesus includes other people in what he is doing. They remove the thing that will stop Lazarus from hearing and responding to Jesus. What obstacles are in the way of people we know? How can we be people who remove obstacles that get in the way of people hearing and responding to Jesus?

Step 2: "Lazarus, Come OUT!" Jesus raises a dead man. You are never so far gone that Jesus cannot reach you and heal you. You are never so hopeless that Jesus cannot change you. This one is kind of a no brainer.

Step 3: Jesus tells people to remove the grave clothes. Lazarus is alive. Jesus has raised him. But he still looks like a dead man. He is still wearing clothes that are not fit for one who is alive. Lazarus needs help fully entering in to the new life Jesus has given him. He needs other people to come help him. What are the places we feel like we are still not healed? What are the things we have always struggled with? We need to let other people in and let them come help us live in the new life that Jesus has given us.

I would cut up strips of linen or fabric and make everyone tie them to their arm at the beginning and not say anything about it for a while. Then I would have everyone think of the place they are stuck in the old life. That is their fabric. They need to get someone else to help them take it off. They can share what that thing is.

Yes? Good Idea?