Removing the Biggest Stone

Part 7 of a Lenten Message Series titled Journey of Stones

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already removed from the tomb. ² So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him.  ³ So Peter and the other disciple left, and they were going to the tomb. ⁴ The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead, faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first; ⁵ and he stooped to look in, and saw the linen wrappings lying there; however he did not go in. ⁶ So Simon Peter also came, following him, and he entered the tomb; and he looked at the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings but folded up in a place by itself. ⁸ So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb also entered then, and he saw and believed. ⁹ For they did not yet understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

¹¹ But Mary was standing outside the tomb, weeping; so as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb; ¹² and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.¹³ And they said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they put Him. ¹⁴ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and yet she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus *said to her,  Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?  Thinking that He was the gardener, she said to Him, Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you put Him, and I will take Him away.  ¹⁶ Jesus said to her,  Mary!  She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, Rabboni! (which means, Teacher). ¹⁷ Jesus said to her,  Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.  ¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and announced to the disciples, I have seen the Lord, and that He had said these things to her. John 20:1-18 (NASB)

The BIG Idea

 

The Stone covering the entrance of the tomb of Jesus presented a large obstacle. We will face a lot of obstacles in life, but death is the largest obstacle we will face. Jesus is the source of life and transformation, demonstrated through the Resurrection of Jesus. Believers experience of being raised to life through Christ changes how they live out their faith in their work, relationships, and everyday actions. Easter is the ultimate loophole to a life of grace and freedom!

 

The Stone presented a large obstacle.

 

Mary s life had been full of large obstacles.

 

The stone was a barrier for Mary that she was completely incapable of moving by herself.

 

This is the ultimate message of Easter! We could not remove our sins by ourselves. God did this for us through His Son, no questions asked!

 

The biggest stone in life was removed by Jesus.

 

The Savior and Creator of the world has chosen to love us!

 

ILLUSTRATION: W.C. Fields, the famous vaudeville comedian, was a notorious atheist. One evening before his performance, an assistant came into Field s dressing room and caught Fields reading the Bible. Embarrassed, Fields slammed the Bible shut and said, Just looking for loopholes.

 

Easter is the ultimate loophole to a life of grace and freedom!

 

Easter is meant to transform our lives each day!