Scripture: Luke 24:1-11
Introduction
What do you do when the very essence of life has been sucked out of you with one despicable, low blow? This is the situation the followers of Christ found themselves in after the crucifixion. One-day life with Christ was excellent, the next day, complete horror. Jesus was now stuck in a grave behind a huge stone, which no single man could possibly move. Sometimes, life is seemingly unfair, and we seemingly unprepared to deal with the massive stones that are blocking our deliverance.
Stones Have Great Symbolism
They represent that which is immovable. They also conjure images of that which is durable and formidable. Finally, they represent a certain permanence. They also can be very intimidating.
When they rolled the stone in front of the tomb, the followers of Jesus must’ve all given up hope and finally resolved….this is it.
This is where many of us find ourselves today. There are huge stones, and it seems like Jesus is no longer available to us.
Everyone Has At Least One Very Large Stone That They Need Moved
In fact, the Gospels tell us that the women (Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James and Salome) came to embalm Jesus with spices. Even though they heard Jesus say that he would rise on the third day, they did not expect him to be anywhere but in that grave.
Perhaps, their perspective was somewhat warped, or their equilibrium was off. Still, this group accepted that the stone sealed a reality that even Jesus was not going to change. Therefore the best they could do is just accept the reality: there was no longer a reason to hope for better.
Likewise, everybody here is probably struggling to believe that their stones can be and will be moved.
See, when huge stones set into our life, it seems impossible to keep hope alive. Like those women, we come to church every week preparing to anoint dead things. I know it sounds crazy, but c’mon we all have anointed dead things before:
We ask for a relationship, seeking to anoint the inappropriate behaviors in which we might engage, as in times past.
We ask God to bless us with more money to get out of debt, trying to anoint our selfishness and greed, which is really the problem.
We ask for God to open doors for a career path, trying to anoint the fact that once we get promoted, we will stop coming to church.
We ask God to give us more faith, seeking to anoint the fact that we are afraid to go through struggles.
We seek opportunities to minister, attempting to anoint our rebellious, un-teachable, and un-submitted spirit.
The dead being among the dead is more customary than we might think. It is a sign that we have not allowed Jesus to make His way into our problem. Death behaviors are a sign that we are not taking God at His word.
The reality is this, set back will set you up for crazy! That’s why all of our emotions and intellect start to go out of whack as we fight off anger, anxiety, doubt, disillusionment, and disappointment.
Perhaps The Problem Was Not The Size Of The Stone But The Size Of Their Faith
From our human perspective, once a stone is moved into place, our minds become sealed, and we submit to the massiveness of it.
From a heavenly perspective, our stone presents an opportunity for God to do the unthinkable. Provide you the salvation that you are seeking.
The truth is, no matter how big the problem, God is bigger. Tell yourself, say [your name], God is bigger than your problem. He is bigger than debt, physical pain, emotional trauma, and workplace politics…!
What God desires from us, is a more kingdom-minded perspective on the problem. The Angels asked the women: Why do you seek the living among the dead? In other words:
Where is your expectancy?
If Jesus said that God would lift him up on the third day, then why are you seeking him in a grave?
People come to church every week without a sense of expectancy.
You Will Never Find The Breakthrough You Need If You Stay In A Grave
There ain’t nothing in the grave but death, but in the kingdom, there is life!
The only reason we feel comfortable living life with the same dead emotional outlook, dead perspectives, and dead thinking is the lack of faith. Believers know everything in the kingdom moves on faith:
You can only be saved by faith (Eph 2:8)
Made whole and holy by faith (Matt 15:28)
In the book of life by faith (Rev 21:27)
Without faith, it is it impossible for us to please God (Heb 11:6)
The Only Way That Stone Is Going To Move Out Of Your Way Is By Faith!
Jesus died knowing and believing that everything the Father told him shall come to pass! Look at your neighbor and say, “it shall come to pass.” You have to believe it like you believe you have the winning lottery ticket – that God is going to move that thing out of your way.
What faith is NOT (four types of bad faith):
Negative faith (Doubt). Like Thomas, who did not believe Christ had risen, we feel there is no hope. Jesus says, “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” Mark 11:24
Impatient faith. (No endurance). Some grow weary. They say that stone has been in my way for three days. Paul says, “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season, we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Gal 6:9
Dysfunctional faith (Anxious). Some worry whether it shall be. God says, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end, it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” Hab 2:3
Perverted faith (Scared). We are afraid that God will disappoint. Paul reminds, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Tim 1:7
What is faith that can move mountains?
With faith, only the size of a mustard seed, Jesus says, not only can we move stones, we can even move the mountains that make them.
The key revelation is that with faith, nothing will be impossible for you. In other words, faith itself creates new possibilities that did not exist before. You might be stuck in life starring at a stone and a grave, but until you can see and feel the breaking of day, daybreak will never be a reality you will experience.
Moreover, faith is both the substance of hope and the evidence of the invisible. Therefore, faith itself is all of the evidence I need that the stone in my life is about to be rolled away. (Heb 11:1)
Believe It, Jesus Still Moves Stones
Allow your faith to be the breeding ground for hope and expectancy.
So no matter how large, he still moves stones!
As the angel declared – Jesus is no longer interested in the grave HE HAS RISEN!
Because he has risen, so shall I rise above the obstacles in my life.
When Christ was resurrected, he did not just move the problem, he moved the person!
Therefore, my next level, my breakthrough is right around the corner. God is waiting for my faith to see what he has already done.
Tell three people, he’s already done it! When the women came to the tomb to anoint the dead, they were perplexed to find out that God had already done it! Know that it’s already done. God made a way of escape for you before you even knew you were in trouble.
Jeremiah 29:11 declares, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace [good] and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope [an expected end].”
I can feel the breaking of the day because I believe God is going to move me and the stone.
How will God perform the unthinkable? How shall he move this stone out of my life?
Like he did with Christ, By his own spirit. (Zech 4:6)
This is why he sent Christ to us, to prove to us all that the very same power that created all things will do its most beautiful work in us through salvation.
My hope is the Lord because He still moves stones.