The Holy Bible is full of awesome episodes of human lives. This story is one of the most spectacular of all. The main story unfolded in a small town called, “The Town of Mary,” or “Bethany.” Bethany means “to go” or “to send.” The town appeared to be a kind of headquarters for Jesus when He was in the vicinity of Jerusalem. Mary, her sister, Martha, and their brother, Lazarus, had become like family to the Lord. The Son of God allowed Himself to become very close to selected persons, and this was seen in His relationship with this family.

Lazarus died suddenly while the Lord and His disciples were a considerable distance away. The sisters were comfortable sending Christ a report of Lazarus’ sickness and they apparently expected Him to hurry back to Bethany to heal Lazarus. Jesus tarried at His location to minister and to perform an even greater miracle than healing a sick body. There were no surprises in Christ’s life. Every expression or event was foreordained in the perfect pattern of a Divine visitation. The same is true in the life of every saint of God if we are led by the Spirit. Tough places are just as important as smooth days.

When Jesus decided it was time to go to Bethany, He told His disciples, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep” (John 11:11b). Christ’s disciples did not understand, so He said, “Lazarus is dead” (John 11:14b). The Lord knew that this was an opportunity and a plan of the Father to reveal His Messiahship. He then stated, “And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him” (John 11:15). Thomas adds a tender response to the Lord’s words, “Let us also go, that we may die with him” (John 11:16b). They all loved this family.

When Jesus arrived four days after the burial, Mary was disappointed and a bit miffed at the Lord. Martha, the steadier of the two sisters, ran to meet Jesus before He even reached their home, but Mary stayed home to pout. The Lord tenderly sent Martha for Mary. Martha secretly told Mary that the Lord was calling for her. Her words were a great expression of the Lord’s mercy, “The Master is come, and calleth for thee” (John 11:18b).

This is where the story turned supernatural. Mary hurried out of her home to go where Jesus was waiting. The Divine plan was that this company of Jews - no doubt very important leaders from Jerusalem – would see the miracle that had been planned by the Father. “The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there” (John 11:31). When Mary was before the Lord, she immediately “fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died” (John 11:32b).

The Lord’s great love and capacity for compassion lives in this awesome event. The Bible says, “He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled” (John 11:33b). Then, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). This was the one single time in the Holy Bible when tears were seen in Jesus’ eyes. It was actually more than tears; He wept or sobbed before the company of Lazarus’ family and Jewish friends. What a picture this paints of God in the very confines of human flesh! In the same story we have our Savior and Lord weeping in human compassion and then acting in supernatural glory.

He never chided Mary for human weakness but simply asked where they had laid or buried him. As these unbelieving Jews saw the incredible love and tenderness of Jesus Christ, they wondered why He had not prevented this death of Lazarus. Some said, “Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died” (John 11:37)

When the Son of God reached the tomb, He 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” (John 11:39). Notice that it was Martha, not Mary, that expressed this doubt. Apparently, Mary was now as strong in her faith as she had been in her grief. The Lord was very careful to guide both the sisters toward the “Miracle in the Making.” He lifted His head up to His Father and prayed a simple but extremely humble prayer.

After His submission to His Father, He called the dead back to life. Earlier He had said to Martha, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this” (John 11:25-26). Jesus was careful to call the name of Lazarus as He cried out into a tomb full of many dead persons. Every word spoken by the Son of God commanded immediate action. If He had not specifically named Lazarus, the entire graveyard would have been emptied.

“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. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him” (John 11:44-45).

The picture ended with “Two Sisters and One Resurrected Brother.” It sure would be grand to follow this great miracle and see how life unfolded in “The Town of Mary.” No doubt great crowds came to see the living testimony of this special family. They came to hear the proof of the priceless visit of “God in the flesh” to an ordinary household just like mine and yours.

The City of God in Heaven is just as real as this earth we live on. It is clear in Scripture that the Father in Heaven created the earth for man and Him to enjoy. In original creation — before sin defiled the earth and man — the Father would step out of His "Pearly White City" and walk in this garden with Adam. Moses, the author of Genesis, told of the wonderful fellowship that God had in His garden with Adam until sin appeared. "And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…" (Genesis 3:8a).

What a story would have continued, but on this occasion sin interrupted a perfect environment. Heaven and earth were so close that the Father and man could have personal fellowship without limitation. The corruption — sorrow, jealousy, anger, and death — all began in this garden that our Father had created so perfectly. The Heavenly city did not change and Satan was cast out with all his renegades. While God’s Son was on earth effecting redemption, He told of watching Satan being expelled from His Father’s presence. He said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from Heaven" (Luke 10:18b).

The earth began a slow but powerful descent into the muck and mire that we presently witness. Satan and those that follow him are responsible for every heartache and destruction that is visible everywhere. Sickness did not exist until sin. No one can doubt that our environment is practically depleted. Every physical upheaval — earthquakes and great storms — are but death pains of societal decay. But a perfect redemptive plan is recorded in the Holy Bible. We call this plan "Prophecy" and the sounds of hope are in the air.

Heaven and earth were originally in close proximity to each other or close enough that the great fellowship between the two could unfold daily. But, a great gulf was created by God to separate a sinful world from a holy Heaven. Today, we call it the Second Heaven. Our world has its own Heaven that is full of stars and other created bodies. The Heavenly kingdom is in the Third Heaven, where the great city of God gleams in its splendor. New Jerusalem that the Son of God created for His Bride probably sits in the suburbs waiting for the wedding day. John saw it and recorded its beauty in Revelation chapters twenty-one and two.

This Third Heaven is my subject today. The Bible tells us that Jesus came down from Heaven to be born into our world. He said it Himself, "And no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but he that came down from Heaven, even the Son of man which is in Heaven" (John 3:13). It was His dwelling place for eternity, but He was willing to come down to us to redeem man and His earth. The headquarters of the Heavenly host of angels is in Heaven. He told His disciples that they would see angels ascending and descending unto Him from Heaven. They are still ascending and descending to minister for those that are His disciples.

Heaven is the treasure trove of the saints of God. We do not lay up our treasure here on earth. Jesus told the rich young ruler to give up everything, sell it all, and follow Him. His words are beautiful, "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come and follow me" (Matthew 19:21).

Why are the multitudes willing to keep to themselves earthly treasures and store them up for their family to fight over while almost nothing is being sent on ahead as "treasure in Heaven?" If your treasures are in this world, they will soon be obliterated in the cleansing of this earth.

This "Pearly White City" that is called Heavenly Jerusalem is, without question, breathtaking to behold. Apostle Paul was caught up to view the city and returned without words to describe it. He said it was unlawful for Him to repeat what He had beheld. John saw the New Jerusalem prepared for the saints, but gave no description of the Holy City itself.

The Psalmist David spoke of the Son of God and His returning for the saints. He described Him with beautiful words and then told us He would come out of the ivory palaces of Heavenly Jerusalem. Here are His words, "All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the "Ivory Palaces," whereby they have made thee glad" (Psalm 45:8, emphasis added). Three songs later He spoke of the city, "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge" (Psalm 48:1-3).

Its time to quit living for this passing world and its empty promises. Heaven is the homeland. The great promises of the Lord are intimately connected to a New Heaven and a New Earth all renewed and joined together again. Sin will never interrupt the harmony of our future. The one door into this grand day is Jesus Christ, God’s only Son. Surrender to His grace and live the holy life He has prepared for you in His righteousness. Soon, all things He has prepared and promised will be ours to enjoy forever.

The greatest joy on the face of this earth is to be free from the powers of sin. In fact, there is no lasting peace or deep satisfaction as long as the flesh life is bound in sin and guilt. The nature of sin is a peace destroyer, a body depleter, and a mind disturber. In every instance the nature of sin or the action of sin is death at work in your mortal body. Sin leaves no life untouched, no soul unmarred, and no captive without marks. Sin has Hell as its companion and misery as its comforter. The greatest need in our believer’s world is to get sick of sin, sick enough to cry out to God for purity and cleansing.

Do you think that I’m making too much about the darkness and sorrows of sin? Then, listen to Apostle Paul, the great teacher of our New Testament covenant. “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:6-8).

You cannot even think sin without the death that it represents working in your helpless body. Sin absolutely destroys every person in whom it reigns as king, and it refuses to be anything but king. It will rule unless the divine blood of the Son of God destroys it.

Every person is either a sinner or a saint. You cannot be both at the same time. I am absolutely sick of our religious world demanding that sin can reign in the life of a saint of God. Every book of the Bible proves the fallacy of such contrary theology. Such an idea is loved by a worldly church and a worldly ministry, but is wreaking havoc in the religious community. Such apostate thinking is reducing Biblical Christianity to the same level as pagan religions. A new survey of 3,500 people – all church affiliated – revealed that 70% (7 out of 10) of these persons believed that Jesus Christ is only one of the many ways to God and Heaven.

If saints are nothing but sinners in disguise, then we are no better or no different than the rest of the religions. I am determined to affect the church world with a higher truth and the absolute promise from the cross of a suffering Savior. There is freedom in Jesus Christ from the powers of sin. Apostle Paul almost screamed in his letter to the Roman church. “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Romans 6:11-12).

A sinner is a sinner and a saint is a saint. The new covenant, which we call the New Testament, continually affirms this truth over and over. To the Hebrews the Apostle Paul stated, “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:26). I heard the great preacher, Stephen Olford, elaborate on this text with the same emphasis that I preach. The Blood of Jesus Christ does not cover sin; it cleanses sin, breaks its hellish powers, and sets the sinner free.

We can sin and may sin, but if and when we sin, a real saint will run to the High Priest of their salvation and weep bitter tears of sorrow and repentance. The apostle whom “Christ loveth” and who leaned in great devotion on His breast said, “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:1-2).

Thank God for this provision because you will need it, but it is not an excuse to live in habitual sin or to practice sin. While the blessed Redeemer knows our frailty and possibilities, He also carefully reveals the power of the saving and sanctifying Blood. We may sin, but we do not camp out in the courts of sin. We get up, grow up, put on the nature of our Savior, and go on unto perfection. This Holy Ghost anointed proclamation of the Apostle Paul settles the issue of continuing in sin, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God” (Hebrews 6:1).

The original Methodists preached “Second Work Sanctification” and the original Baptists preached “Lordship Surrender.” Both gave the same end results of this teaching equally. As the believer walked in grace, consecrated themselves, and lived in the Scripture and on their knees; they became mature saints. Not by works, but by grace. Not by legalism, but by the living power of the resurrection. The saints that labored to win the lost were determined that the lost became more than religious. They preached righteousness in Christ that transformed. Sin was not tolerated, but defeated.

In Jesus Christ there is freedom from sin and all its destructive powers. It is not our flesh that wins, but His abundant grace. Read carefully! “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh” (II Corinthians 4:7, 10-11).

Shout it, “I am free!”