Let the Dead Bury Their Dead
Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead. [Matthew 8:22]
This past Resurrection Sunday I was listening to my pastor preach about the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and he quoted Luke 24:1: Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. When he said that the women had brought spices which they had prepared, the Lord gave me a great revelation. Even people who had followed our Lord in the flesh and had witnessed His miracles, and heard Him predict His own death and resurrection still did not believe it would occur. When Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and other women came to the tomb (v. 10), they didn't come to witness and celebrate His resurrection--they came to bury Him! The spices they had brought weren't for Sunday breakfast pancakes--they were for embalming His dead body.
The great revelation? When the world--even your closest friends--think you're dead, and they come to bury you, know that God has something greater for you! As God raised Jesus from the dead when they came to bury Him, God will raise you up when your friends, family, doctor, boss, co-workers, government, or even church members proclaim you dead and come to bury you.
Let me repeat this because it's important: When the world comes to bury you, know that God has given you life in the resurrection of Jesus! Hallelujah!
Now let this sink in.God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. [Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38]
I want you to meditate on this for a moment. Think about how the world focuses on death while we should focus on life. Jesus said: Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.
What did Jesus mean when He made this statement in Matthew 8:22? You'll recall that one of His disciples had asked if He would first allow him to go and bury his father (v. 21). This wasn't a reflection of the Lord being indifferent in light of the death of the man's father. He was simply wondering why this man would rather follow death as the spiritually dead do, than follow life Himself. Let the spiritually dead world dwell on death while we set our sights on life in Christ Jesus.
If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. [Colossians 3:1]
A Confused World
But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. --1 Corinthians 1:27
Has anyone ever been perplexed at your walk in Christ? Has a member of your family or friends ever ridiculed you because of your faith in God? The world laughs in the face of faith, but then when they finally see something miraculous, instead of acknowledging the miracle, they walk around scratching their heads, asking "How'd that happen?" The world is perplexed by the faith of Christians who walk by faith and in the power of God, and all they can do is try to explain it away. Let's see how the women reacted to the discovery of the empty tomb.
And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, two men stood by them in shining garments. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered in the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. [Luke 24:2-7]
Why were the women so perplexed? How is it possible for them not to have believed Jesus when He said of Himself? And they shall scourge him, and put him to death, and the third day he shall rise again. [Luke 18:33] When these women should have been anxiously awaiting His resurrection, they had come to bury Him. How could they not believe? Does this sound familiar at all? Have you tried to speak a word of faith to someone and yes, they nod but it seems that it just went in one ear and out the other? Or even worse, has someone ever ministered faith in the word of God to you and you refused to believe and walk in it?
How could these women have missed such an important proclamation from the Lord? Were they just not listening or did they think He was joking? And His disciples--the remaining eleven "faithful" followers--where were they on Sunday morning? Were they eagerly awaiting word of His resurrection? Nope. According to Mark 16:10, when Mary Magdalene came to the disciples after seeing the resurrected Lord (v. 9), they were in mourning. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
Even worse than mourning over His death, the disciples didn't believe Mary when she told them He was alive! And these were the ones who turned the world upside down--thank God for the Holy Spirit and Pentecost! Instead of acting like followers of Christ, these men (and women) were behaving like spiritual babies. I counted at least three different times within the gospels (except John) that the Lord predicted both His death and resurrection. Their reaction: They were exceeding sorry (Matthew 17:23) and They understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him (Mark 9:32).
The Lord pointedly scolded His disciples for their unbelief--even after having been told on two different occasions that He was risen. Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not which had seen him after he was risen. [Mark 16:14] Just like the disciples, most of the world is so hardened to the deception of the world that they just can't believe-even when one would think it foolish not to believe. In truth, they were simply displaying all the signs of being carnal [1 Corinthians 2:9-16]. Instead of holding fast to His word, looking forward to His resurrection, they chose to mourn and bury Him. Brothers and sisters, the world wants to do the same to you.
The World Wants to Bury You
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour. [1 Peter 5:8]
The world is obsessed with death and sickness. By just watching the news or reading the newspaper any person can see that the news is dominated by death, poverty, and despair. Half of the television commercials these days are advertisements for drugs that either give you more energy (Altovis), make you feel better (Zoloft), or increase your sexual potency (Viagra). The entertainment industry thrives on glorifying perversion and abominations to God.
I want you to meditate deeply on this Scripture: There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. [Proverbs 16:25]
That scripture rings so true when we look at the world through spiritual eyes. Mary Magdalene and the other women were only doing what they thought was right, but they were focused on death. The disciples only did what any normal person would do at the death of their leaderthey mourned and were focused on death. The Lord said: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. [Isaiah 55:8] Man's ways are carnal and God's are spiritual. To the carnal man, the world is limited to what his senses can detect, while the world of the spiritual man is as infinite as his faith will allow.
The Bible says in Romans 8:6: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. This illustrates the world's perspective--focusing on death, against God's perspectivelife, health, and prosperity [3 John 2].
Let's take the example of the story of Lazarus in John 11. Mary and Martha, Lazarus' sisters had sent word to the Lord that their brother was sick (v. 3). Upon hearing the news, Jesus said to a messenger, This sickness is not unto death; but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. (v. 4). Instead of having faith in His word (this sickness is not unto death), Mary and Martha buried their brother. When Martha came to Jesus outside the city, she said, Lord, if you had been here my brother had not died. But I know that even now whatsoever you will ask of God, God will give it to you. Jesus said to her, Your brother shall rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life. He that believes in me though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? [John 11:21-26]
Although we do not definitively know whether Mary or Martha received the word from Jesus concerning their brother, we can infer they had, but did not believe it. Martha even acknowledged His power (v. 21, 22), but nevertheless, they were operating in the flesh instead of having faith in His word (see the faith of the centurion in Matthew 8:5-13). Even at the tomb, when Jesus told Martha to take away the stone (v. 39) she still didn't believe. Jesus said to her, Said I not to you, that if you would believe, you should see the glory of God? (v. 40).
This is such a strong illustration of how the world operates-and also how many Christians operate as well. While the world wants to bury you when you are seemingly dead, most Christians are blind to this notion. They may believe the word of God, but they don't exercise the faith to walk in it. Thus, we bury ourselves by yielding to man's ways. Although disputed and subject to much deeper truth, I believe Jesus wept (v. 35) because they had used the phrase "Come and see" to refer to someone dead instead of its intended usage--to bring people to the Truth and the Life (v. 34). Yes, He had compassion and love for Lazarus, but He would have had no reason to cry for him knowing the inevitability of his resurrection.
A lesson to take away from this story is that when man sees you dead as they had Lazarus, know that Jesus is on the way to bring life back into you--even if you stinketh.
The World Wants to Choke You
The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. [John 10:10]
Even before burying you, the world with their unbelief will try to choke the life out of you. The parable of the sower in Mark 4:14-20 describes how the word of God can be planted but quickly choked by thorns. But this passage from Matthew 7:6 illustrates this truth in a greater way: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
The world wants to take your faith in God's word and choke it out of you, then trample upon it. However, our fellow Christian brothers and sisters are the greatest culprits of this offense. I asked this question earlier: Have you ever been ridiculed because of your faith? I heard a story of a woman whom was diagnosed with cancer and she refused to receive her death sentence, citing and standing upon the word of God that says: By whose stripes you were healed [1 Peter 2:24]. Upon learning of her refusal to seek further medical treatment, her doctor, family, and friends criticized and ridiculed her because of her faith. She continued to stand upon God's word in spite of these people trying to choke and trample upon her faith. I'm happy to say, the woman's faith stood the test and she is well to this day.
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? [Isaiah 53:1]
There are a number of occasions in the Bible where people tried to steal a person's blessing. In Mark 10: 46-52, a blind man by the name of Bartimaeus was sitting by the highway leading to Jericho when he heard that Jesus was coming near. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace. But he cried the more a great deal, Son of David, have mercy on me. You see what people will try to do when the Word comes near you? Bartimaeus knew that Jesus could heal him (v. 51), but the devil used bystanders to try to steal his healing. Has anyone ever tried to discourage you from seeking the Great Physician for healing?
Another example of the world trying to choke the word occurs with Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue. In Mark 5:21-22, Jairus comes to the Lord and tells him that his daughter is at the point of death, and asks Him to come and heal her. While Jesus made His way through the crowd of people, the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus and was healed. When He was finished ministering to her, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further? [Mark 5:35] Knowing this person was trying to steal Jairus' faith, the Lord immediately encouraged him, Be not afraid, only believe.
Not only did Jairus have to deal with the word chokers earlier, but when they arrived at his house, he heard the wailing and crying of the people inside. When Jesus said to them, Why do you make this ado, and weep? The damsel is not dead, but sleeps. And they laughed him to scorn. (v. 39-40) They ridiculed Jesus with their unbelief. Knowing that their unbelief would affect Jairus and his wife's faith, the Lord kicked them out of the house before healing the girl (v. 40). Even in the presence of the Son of God, people didn't believe. This is why we must be very careful when we proclaim our faith, lest the hearers trample upon it. And when they do, stand firm as Jesus has instructed us: Be not afraid, only believe.
The ear that hears the reproof of life abides among the wise. [Proverbs 15:31]
The World Wants to Destroy You
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. [Hosea 4:60]
This is the part where I get angry. I am so incredibly fed up and tired of the poison being preached by the world. The news delivers arrows of death, disease, despair, and poverty. The entertainment industry's goal is to glorify perversion and pride instead of purity and humility. The world embraces immorality and vilifies and puts down righteousness. Schools are teaching our kids that we're nothing but highly-evolved apes and then we wonder why tragedies such as Columbine occur. The world pounds fear, death, disease, perversion, and poverty into our hearts and we take it--and even worse, most believe it!
The medical profession, whose greatest commandment is "First do no harm", spread their poison of doom by dispensing sentences of death and disease, and then treat symptoms only with drugs that will harm other parts of your body, or they want to cut you open and remove whatever is wrong. Doctors don't cure--they treat. Only Jesus cures. And parents, upon the first instance of their children misbehaving or even displaying an unusual level of energy, believe the lies of the world that say they should be medicated, which only serves to make matters much worse--especially when they come down from the drug. We are a medicated society. The world has a pill for everything, and everything requires a pill. The drug companies and health insurance providers are getting filthy rich while people are continuing to contract and die from deadly diseases. The U.S. isn't the healthiest society in the world--it's the most medicated.
There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. [Proverbs 16:25]
Now, please don't think I'm totally against doctors or medicine. In fact, I thank God for doctors and medicine, because until we get to the point where we're walking in supernatural health, we need them. Amen. However, the Bible says that Jesus died and rose again so we could walk in supernatural health--completely free from sickness, both physical and psychological (Matthew 8: 16-17; Matthew 13:15; Psalm 107:20; Psalm 105:37; Isaiah 53:5; 3 John 2; 2 Timothy 1:7, 1 Peter 2:24; James 5:15, et al.).
Currently, I am walking in supernatural health--other than my eyesight, and this will change. I will not tolerate anything less than what Christ died to give me. When I was born again, the Lord healed me of lactose intolerance, chronic kidney infections, and a ruptured disk in my lower back.
Many people have also turned to religion to make themselves feel good, but religion has done nothing but teach us how to be phonies. Religion won't help you, my brothers and sisters--only the power of God as reflected in having a relationship with our Lord and Savior will. As Christians, we have been chosen out of this world (John 15:19). Yes, we have to live here, but our citizenship is in heaven. The word of God is our handbook for life and the body of Christ needs to come to this knowledge or the verse from Hosea 4:60 will continue. The Bible says: Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances after the commandments and doctrines of men? [Colossians 2:20-22]
Because of our hardness of heart and unbelief, it's easier to believe what the world preaches than what the word of God says. It's not for lack of intellectual knowledge--the world has plenty of that. It's the knowledge of God's word and His promises to us. Many people who take the name of Christ have no clue what the Bible says. This is a faithful saying, "In Christ, we are healed; we will live forever; He wants us to prosper; and we are free from sin and bondage of the devil." When will we stop believing what the world says and turn back to God and trust in what He has already said?
Jesus probably made his sharpest rebuke in the Bible to Peter in Matthew 16:23: Get behind me, Satan. You are an offense unto me. For you savour not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. By discarding the word of God for the lies of the devil through the world, we are an offense to Him. Our Lord Jesus endured being rejected by the ones He came to save; He was tortured and hung on a cross so that by His death and resurrection, we could live in victory. We have been given the most important thing to keep us alive, well, and victorious--the living word of God. Know that the devil wants to destroy you. Take back what the enemy has stolen from you regarding health, freedom, and prosperity. Use the word of God to make you more than conquerors through Christ Jesus.
You Are Victorious
And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it. [Colossians 2:15]
Regardless of what the world says or does, the Christian is victorious. The Bible says: For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid. Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar. [Romans 3:3-4] When Jesus rose from the dead, His disciples didn't believe it. Did their unbelief make His resurrection false? Did the fact that the women came to bury Jesus instead of seeking to find Him alive disprove He rose from the grave? Just because some anthropology professor didn't witness the Lord's resurrection, does it make it untrue? Does yours or someone else's unbelief in the scriptures that say we are healed, holy, free from sin, and we will live forever make them untrue? To all questions, the answer is no.
In my opinion, the ultimate purpose for the Lord remaining here for forty days was to prove openly that He had risen in victory over death and the grave. It was an open display--with teaching and miracles witnessed by at least 500 people. In the same context, we as Christians need to make a public show of the victory we have in Christ--not in a boastful way, but in a way that leads others to the knowledge that God's word is true. Living by faith in the word of God, we become witnesses to His resurrection because His Spirit dwells within us (Acts 1:8). In addition to being true, what is promised to one is promised to all for God is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11; Acts 2:39). Some religious denominations teach that miracles, healings, prophecy, and other works of God were only for the early Church--just to get them started. This is not true and in direct contradiction to Scripture.
The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. [Proverbs 15:24]
The devil will continue to use the world to preach the poison of death, sickness, and poverty, but we must counteract this with our testimonies, our way of life in Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says in Revelation 12:11: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Miracles occur every day, but most of us don't hear about it either because we don't seek it or our church doesn't walk in this power. Certainly, we won't hear about it from the media. I am aware of several people, one of whom being my mom, whom the Lord healed of cancer. I've seen people come from wheelchairs, growths removed instantly, and people delivered from demon spirits. My pastor, Bill Daniel is a walking miracle himself. After being given a death sentence 20 years ago by a doctor who told him he had leukemia, he is alive and whole by the healing power of God. Bill was telling me the other day about an awesome miracle the Lord performed through his ministry. A man who had only one kidney came to his revival service to be healed. He'd lost his other kidney due to disease and the other was quickly deteriorating and forced him to have dialysis treatments. The week after Pastor Daniel prayed for him to be healed, the man went to his dialysis treatment and suddenly had the urge to use the bathroom, which was impossible because of his condition. Instead of going forward with the treatment, the doctor suggested some tests be done including X-rays. What did the tests reveal? The Lord had given him two brand new kidneys. I've heard testimonies of the dead being raised, people receiving new limbs, and other similar miracles. Brothers and sisters, God is still alive and is performing miracles each and every day.
When the world wants to keep you down and trample on your faith, remember what the Lord did for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the book of Daniel. What would their friends or families have done when they heard them say? If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning of the fiery furnace and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. [Daniel 3:17] If it were possible, Brother Know-it-All would have pulled them to the side and said, "Listen, this is your life here. I know you want to believe God will deliver you from this, but sometimes it just doesn't work."
Fortunately, all three of them were men of faith and because of their faith and obedience, they were delivered from certain death. The awesome truth in this story occurs in verses 24-25 as it illustrates the fact that He will never leave you, nor forsake youregardless of what the world wants to do to you (Hebrews 13:5). Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spoke, and said unto his counselors, Did we not cast three men bound in the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Because of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we have victory over the devil and his lies. The rest of the world will try to choke you, destroy you, and then bury you, but if you trust in Jesus to rescue you from the fire, or bring you back from certain death, He will do it. Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [1 Corinthians 15:54, 55, 57]
Much of the dissent concerning the word of God concerns physical healing. The Scriptures are so very plain concerning physical healing as well as spiritual healing. Throughout His entire ministry, Jesus healed every person who had faith enough to seek it and believe Him. Matthew 12:15 and Mark 6:53-56 are but two illustrations that the Lord healed each and every person who came to Him. The only person He ever refused to heal, He healed her anyway (the Syrophenician woman's daughter in Mark 7:24-30). There's an important point concerning healing that I want to address specifically. Mark 6:55-56 says: And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment. And as many as touched him were made whole.
The point? These people came from great distances and wherever they heard Jesus was, they came to be healed. People and their families made great efforts to be healed. This was faith in action and the Scriptures reflect the result of faith. He healed them all. If only people today would exercise such great faith. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. [Hebrews 13: 8] I was listening to a message by R.W. Shambach some time back and he was talking about a conversation he had with a fellow Christian--one who did not believe that it is God's will to heal everyone. His friend asked this question: "If it's God's will for everyone to be healed, then why isn't everyone healed?"
Shambach answered him much like the Lord would--with another question: "Do you believe that it's God's will for everyone to be saved?"
The man nodded in agreement and Shambach continued, "Well, then why isn't everyone saved?"
I had a similar conversation with a pastor friend of mine. I was telling him of some wonderful miracle healings I had witnessed through a certain ministry. He shook his head and said, "Why don't these healing ministers go up to Baptist Hospital and clear out the children's ward?"
Although I did not respond the way I wanted to at the time, my response now would be, "Why don't the parents of these children seek God for healing like they did in the Bible?"
Jesus rarely initiated healing for anyone, and when He did, it was done with their consent and faith or the faith of someone else like in the case of the centurion (Matthew 8:5-13). There were leper colonies in Israel at the time. Did the Lord travel to these colonies and clear them out? No, but when lepers came to Him, He healed them. Healing takes faith, brothers and sisters. That's why the Bible says in Luke 11:9 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. [Hosea 4:60]
As the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 4:14) I am not trying shame or come down on anyone with these things I've written. But by the mercies of God, I'm simply trying to lead you into the truth of God's word. Because of our lack of knowledge, we're unknowingly giving the devil permission to destroy us through sin, disease, poverty, and depression. Satan has had his filthy hands on you for long enough--it's time for you to put him in his rightful place and out of your life (James 4:7).
The solution to this dilemma? Make the word of God and your faith of great effect by living, walking, and believing in everything Jesus died to give you. Don't allow your lack of knowledge of God to destroy you. From the time we were born, the world has programmed us to walk in belief of what our senses detect. To become Spiritually minded, we must re-program our minds with the word of God so that faith becomes more of a reality than what we see or feel (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 5:7) The Bible says: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. [Hebrews 11:1]
Draw on His power by renewing your mind through prayerful study of the Scriptures, so when the devil tries to destroy you, you have the mighty two-edged sword to defeat any attack. The entire word of God is true and is available for you to utilize by faith. But without faith, it is impossible to please him. For he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. [Hebrews 11:6]
