Roll the Stone Away

The Word of God The importance of the Bible. Without it, knowledge would be limited. It sets people free and offers a new life. Matthew 28:1-6 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary visit the sepulcher. A great earthquake occurs. An angel descends, rolls back the stone, and sits on it. The angel’s appearance: countenance like lightning, raiment white as snow. The keepers shake with fear and become as dead men. The angel tells the women not to fear. He knows they seek Jesus, who was crucified. Jesus is not there; He has risen as He said. The angel instructs them to tell the disciples that Jesus is risen and will go before them into Galilee. The Empty Tomb The ladies were seeking Jesus. Their responsibility was to take care of the body after it was delivered to the tomb. Jesus gave up his life; it was not taken from him. Isaiah’s prophecy: Jesus bore the iniquity of us all. God put the iniquity of all mankind on Jesus. Jesus bore the embarrassment, humiliation, rebellion, and unlovingness of sin. Jesus died for future sins. Every sin He died for was future for those born after that day. God accepted the blood of Christ as atonement for sin. Galatians 4: God sent His Son to redeem those under the law so we might receive the adoption of sons. Having Jesus in one’s heart because He died for our sins. Joseph of Arimathea Joseph of Arimathea, a rich man and counselor, was secretly a disciple of Christ. Being a disciple of Christ secretly for fear of the world. Being afraid of ridicule or standing out for one’s faith. Joseph went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body. It was approaching evening, and they needed to take the body off the cross before sundown. Pilate marveled that Jesus was already dead. The legs of the others were broken to hasten their death, but Jesus was already dead. To be sure, they pierced Jesus in the side, and blood and water came out. Every drop of Jesus’ blood was for sin so that people could go free. Joseph went back to the cross to take the body off. Joseph was not alone; Nicodemus showed up. Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, now revealed his belief. Nicodemus brought about a hundred-pound weight of ointments and spices. Joseph and Nicodemus prepared Jesus’ body and wrapped it. They carried the body to a new tomb that Joseph had hewn out. No corpse had ever been in this tomb. The Burial and the Guard Jesus was dead. The penalty for sin is death. Adam was told he would surely die if he ate the forbidden fruit. Jesus Christ became the propitiation for all our sins. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary followed them as they carried Jesus’ body to the tomb. They stooped down to enter the tomb. Humbling oneself before God leads to seeing the light and finding life. They laid Jesus in the tomb and rolled a great stone at the door. Mary and Mary Magdalene witnessed exactly where Jesus was laid and the stone being rolled over the door. The Pharisees and Sadducees were nervous and went to Pilate. They reminded Pilate that Jesus had said He would rise again in three days. The Pharisees, unlike the disciples, seemed to believe Jesus’ prophecy. They feared the disciples would steal the body and claim Jesus had risen. Pilate instructed them to make the tomb as secure as possible. They sealed the stone with Herod’s seal. The Visit to the Sepulchre Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the sepulcher at the end of the Sabbath. They wondered who would move the stone. Doubt and unbelief can keep people from seeing the empty tomb. The world needs to know the truth: Jesus is not dead anymore. At the very moment one begins to seek Jesus, He has already sought them. The tomb was sealed and had a rock in front of the door. Divine help intervenes when it is needed most. Unbelief leads to torment. Hell is full of the wicked, agnostic, and atheist. They could not get past the stone. No one finds God on their own; divine help is needed. If there were another way to heaven, God would not have sent His Son to be crucified. Divine intervention moves the rock of earthly intellect and human understanding, giving faith. Never having been to Jerusalem or seen the tomb. It doesn’t matter if one has seen the tomb; what matters is that Jesus is alive in one’s heart. He is Risen The people of God are too quiet about the truth. The life-giving force for believers is the three words: “He is risen.” The ladies wondered who would move the stone. The Holy Ghost convinces people that they are lost and need a Savior. It is expedient that Jesus went away so the Comforter could come. The Comforter, the Spirit, will guide and lead in all truth and righteousness. If one is not saved through the power of the Holy Spirit, they are not saved. There is only one way to heaven: through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Being born in the Spirit is essential; religion, church membership, and baptism alone do not save. When the Holy Spirit speaks to the heart and invites one to come to Him, that is the moment to bow one’s heart. Jesus gives eternal life, and believers shall never perish. The angels helped the ladies. The guards were hired to keep watch over the tomb. The stone was not holding Jesus in; He came out on His own. The stone was rolled back so that others could see the empty tomb. What is behind the stone of unbelief? It covers the heart and separates one from the truth of Jesus Christ. The ground began to shake. When one gets born again, earthly experiences fade away. Divine intervention takes place, and one’s attention is solely on God. God moves the stone, and unbelief drifts away. The angel of the Lord descended and rolled back the stone. The keepers fell as dead men. Everything that would keep the ladies from knowing the truth about Jesus Christ had been dealt with. When Jesus comes to someone, everything else melts away. The stone had to move. Even the disciples didn’t believe at first because they still had a stone in the way. The Holy Ghost will show up and move the stone so one can see the truth. The truth is that Jesus died for our sins, shed His blood, and is alive. The stone was moved by the angel, and the keepers were no longer a problem. The Truth The only thing needed was the truth. Salvation requires divine intervention; one cannot be saved apart from the Holy Spirit. No one seeks after God on their own. The Holy Spirit moves in one’s life. Each person is given a measure of faith, just enough. The greatest gift is when God moves the stone and gets rid of the keepers. The ladies heard that Jesus was not there. The three words “He is risen” changed their lives. The greatest news is that He is risen. Someone has to help with the stone of unbelief. When the Holy Ghost shows up, one starts paying better attention. When the heart listens instead of the ears, it’s getting close. When one hears Him speak and say, “I’ve come for you. I want to save you,” one will know in their heart that He is alive. He is alive forevermore. The angel said, “I know who you’re looking for. You’re looking for Jesus. He’s not here.” He is risen. The primary difference between all other religions and Christianity is that our Savior is alive. In Revelation, Jesus says, “I am he that was alive and was dead, and am alive forevermore.” The reason to believe is that He now lives within. One needs their own experience to know that He is alive. All that is needed is for some things to be moved out of the way. What better day to be born again than Easter morning? Surrender to Christ and believe.