"Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away (Mark 16:2-4,NIV)
When Mary and the other women approached the tomb after Jesus' death, they saw an amazing sight. They expected to see the stone still hiding the tomb, and they needed a way to enter the resting place of their beloved Master. The stone represented a barrier to their goal: to anoint the body of their beloved Master with spices. I’m sure their hearts were still downcast as grief flooded their spirits. "Who will roll away the stone?" they asked one another. These women were obviously not strong enough. Some sources say the stone, which rolled along a carved-out "track" in front of the tomb could have weighed as much as a ton. How could they anoint Jesus' body if the stone blocked the entrance? Imagine the women’s shock when they "looked up" and saw that the stone was gone. Who moved the stone? The gospel of Matthew answers with "an angel of the Lord."
Do you have stones stuck in deep ruts at the entrance of your heart—stones of fear, rebellion, despair, or discouragement? Do they loom so large, you surrender at the thought of even trying to remove them? Or have you tried, only to realize that no amount of heaving or shoving would budge them? The obstacles are not made of stone, but they seem just as massive and powerful—and you feel helpless to remove them. Whatever those stones—or circumstances—are, your enemy has been closing the entrance of your heart and mind, until there is no light remaining. You cannot see a way out... or in. You speculate, "Who will roll this stone away?" You don’t know where to turn, but you know you want the stone removed.
Then you "look up" in faith, and what you see is truly amazing. You see not stones, but pebbles, not darkness, but daylight. There is a huge opening, and maybe you hear a faint divine whisper in your spirit, "I have already rolled the stone away."
Easter is all about removing stones. When those barriers disappear, hope emerges from the other side—new life in Christ. But remember, it is God who specializes in stone removal. Whether you are looking for a way in or a way out, Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Jesus' death and resurrection opened the door to new life. The stones that imprison us or block our path have no power to destroy us. There is only One who can roll away your stones and bring joy, new life, and freedom through Christ.
That's part of the Easter message. And that’s where our hope lies. Keep looking up!
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Publication date: March 28, 2013