Most of us have been confronted with situations that are too difficult for us to solve: Who will roll away the stone? Throughout the history of mankind, people have faced gigantic problems, sickness, diseases, and losses that seem impossible to be moved. Often in Biblical history, God’s people came up against impossible situations. Israel faced the Egyptian armies and the Red Sea at the same time. The walls of Jericho were impossible to move. David faced Goliath and the armies of the Philistines.The number of these kinds of situations is overwhelming.
When Jesus came to this world, His actions took into account all of our griefs, troubles and sins.
He knew that we needed a burden bearer, a Savior, and Healer. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. His purpose in coming was farther reaching than the three years that He ministered in and around Galilee. After doing many wonderful works, healing the sick and delivering the oppressed, Jesus entered into Jerusalem.
- The Triumphal Entry was a wonderful time of celebration. Multitudes of people were shouting; “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” They had experienced His power to heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to captives, give sight to the blind, and to set free the oppressed.
- The events ended with Jesus meeting with His disciples for His last Passover with them. Before the meeting, Judas, being deceived by Satan, made a covenant with the chief priest to betray Jesus for 30 silver coins.
- From the upper room, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. While in those final moments of deep prayer, Judas the betrayer led a mob to take Jesus. He was led from the Garden of Gethsemane to the High Priest’s courtyard. It appeared that the radiant day of victory and relief had come to an end.
- Jesus was led to the High Priest and then to Pontius Pilate and to Herod Antipas.
- Ultimately, He was taken back to Pilate who condemned Jesus to death.
- Jesus was taken out to the place of the Skull, which is called Golgotha, and there they crucified Him.
Everything appeared hopelessly lost.
The chief priests, experts in the law, and elders mocked Him, saying: “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! If He is the king of Israel, let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him! He trusted God; let God deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, “I am God’s Son!” (Matthew 27:42-43)
- From the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all of the land.
Matthew 27:46 NKJV And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
Matthew 27:50-51 NKJV And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,
- After Jesus had died, Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus and laid it in his new tomb and rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed, (Matthew 27:57-60). At Pilate’s command, they sealed the stone and set a guard to secure the tomb. From a human standpoint, the stone could not be rolled away.
Often in life we come to those moments, when all hope appears to be lost. We have gone to the last doctor. The paper has been signed and the final note has been played. The door is closed and nothing else can be done.
- A spiritual and physical battle was happening at the same time.
The death of Jesus appeared to be His end and defeat. It appeared that Satan’s plans against the Christ were successful. Judas had been seduced and defeated. The Lord’s disciples had forsaken Him. Jesus the Son of God had been mocked, stripped, and beaten. A crown of thorns and purple robe were a fitting mockery for a defeated king. It appeared that Jesus had been conquered at the cross. Now, he was behind a great stone hidden in the grave.
There are moments in life when real pain causes us to ask: “Where is God when I hurt?” “Can anything be done?” “Can anyone roll away this stone?”
Mark 16:1-3 NKJV Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. 2Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?”
Often we wonder who will roll away the stone for us. We all have many stones in our lives.
- We have the stone of unforgiveness and we ask how can we be freed from the burden of our transgressions and sins?
- We are like the woman with the issue of blood, the blind man who wondered in darkness, or the woman who was bent over and could in no way stand up.
- We have the stone of sickness, disease or broken health and can find no answer.
- We have become so weak that we can hardly move.
- We cannot escape the grief that has gripped our spirit and soul.
- We have stones of broken relationships and impossible situations and conditions.
Like Mary, we wonder: “Who will roll away the stone for us?”
Your progress is stopped and the obstacle before you is too great for you to handle. Your grief has consumed you and your joy was gone. You are limited, frustrated, and hindered. You have reached the end of your road, resources and strength.
“Who will roll away the stone for you?”
Have you ever known in your heart that there was a greater work that God wanted you to do?
- You wanted to worship at the feet of the Lord…but there was a stone in your way.
- You wanted to exalt and praise the glorious Savior…but there was a stone in your way.
- You wanted to enter into His presence…but there was a stone in your way.
Have you ever had a need that was overwhelming your soul?
- You knew that ifyou could enter into the Lord’s presence, the burden would disappear…but there was a stone in your way.
- You knew that Christ could save, heal and deliver…but there was a stone in your way.
- You had confidence that in His presence was pleasure forevermore… but there was a stone in your way.
Have you wept all night in despair? Have you walked the floor needing relief? In frustration, you collapsed on your bed! You could not find the answer.
There was a stone in your way.
The pain in your body and mind was overwhelming. Your losses, weaknesses and lack of answers were weighing heavy on your soul.
There was a stone in your way.
Your peace, joy and hope was gone and there was a stone in your way.
Look back at the garden tomb with me.
There is something we need to see.
When Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome came to the tomb, they were expecting an unmovable stone. Mark 16:4 NIV84 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.
Did you hear that?
They saw that the stone had been rolled away.
God knows that there are things that you cannot do, and problems you cannot solve, so He will roll away the stone. He knows that you cannot forgive your sins, so He will roll away the stone. He knows that you cannot find peace and rest, so He will roll away the stone. He knows that you cannot get rid of the debt that is against you, so He will roll away the stone. The God who forgave still forgives. He will come to your aid. He will do what you cannot do. He will move the stone that you cannot budge.
He still rolls away stones.
When you have done all that you can do and you have not found the answer, He will roll away your stone. When you have pressed as far as you can go and the stone is still in your way, He steps in and moves stones out of the way. When you have cried out in desperation and nothing has changed, He still rolls away stones.
Look up friend for He still rolls away stones.
He still rolls away stones.
