Roll Away the Stone

 

[The following is a manuscript of my meditation delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning at dawn for our Easter Sunrise service on the 20th of April, 2025.  This service was held outside and not recorded or streamed.]

Some of the women who had followed Jesus and His disciples from Galilee watched as He was crucified and died on the cross.  These included Mary, His mother, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James the younger and Joseph, and Salome.  Joseph of Arimathea secured Jesus' body from Pilate, wrapped it in linen cloths, and laid it in a new hewn tomb just before sunset, Friday afternoon.  Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene followed Joseph to see where Jesus was laid and saw the huge stone rolled in place to seal the tomb.

Then came the Sabbath, when no labor is allowed and no work can be done.  Saturday evening saw the end of the Sabbath, when labor could be resumed.  And then came Sunday, the first day of the new week, and the first opportunity for anyone to visit the tomb.

Sunday was also the third day of the crucifixion, counting Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  Did anyone remember what Jesus had told them about that third day?

Please listen to the report the Apostle Mark recorded for us describing what happened on that Sunday long ago.  I’ll be reading the 16th chapter of the Apostle Mark’s Gospel account, from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

1 Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.

5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid His body. 7 Now go and tell His disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died.”

8 The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.

9 After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw Him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom He had cast out seven demons. 10 She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. 11 But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they didn’t believe her.

12 Afterward He appeared in a different form to two of His followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. 13 They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.

14 Still later He appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen Him after He had been raised from the dead.

15 And then He told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. 17 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in My name, and they will speak in new languages. 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”

19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 20 And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.

--Mark 16 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, Thursday night we stood by and helplessly watched as Your Son was arrested.  We were scared that they might take us into custody, too, so we fled, leaving Jesus on His own, denying that we even knew Him.  Friday we were horrified to see Him being crucified.  Many of us hid in rooms in the city, still afraid of what the Romans and temple guards might do to us if they caught us.  And then Jesus took His last breath on the cross, and was buried.  But this morning, this beautiful morning, Father, we can rejoice, for You have resurrected our Lord Jesus!  You raised Him bodily from the grave so that He could defeat death.  And You and Jesus did it all just for us!  Your Son suffered, and You had to stand by and watch, just so we might enjoy everlasting life in paradise with You both… if we only believe in Him and follow His voice.  We believe, Lord Jesus.  We believe that You are the one true Son of God, and we believe that You rose bodily from the grave.  This morning we celebrate that glorious day.  Bless us Lord, and help us prepare ourselves for Your return.  Help us to better serve You and to never falter in our belief and faith.  In Your sweet name, Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.

It’s Sunday morning, the day following the Sabbath.  Just two days ago, in our way of reckoning, Jesus died on the cross.  His body was wrapped in linen cloths and placed in a freshly hewn tomb.  And then everything stopped in observance of the Sabbath.

But now the Sabbath is past, the dew is fresh on the grass, the sun is slowing making its appearance in the east.  And Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome have come to the tomb of our Lord, to anoint His body with fragrant oils and spices, purchased just after sunset last night.

The Mary’s were among those who had traveled with Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.  Another Mary, the mother of Jesus, also came and they all watched Him take His last breath and die on the cross.  What a horrible thing for a mother to see!

So now these three women are walking to the tomb just as the sun peeks above the eastern horizon.  Friday afternoon they watched as the tomb was sealed by having a huge stone placed across the entrance.  So now, as they walked, they were trying to figure out how they were going to roll that stone away so they could enter the tomb and anoint their Lord’s body.  The three of them couldn’t possibly do it on their own.  Would someone be there to help, maybe a gardener?  Why didn’t they think of this before heading out, and maybe asking one or two of the men to go along with them?

But to their surprise, the tomb was already standing open, with the stone off to the side.  They received another surprise when they entered the tomb.  Instead of the body of Jesus, they found a man dressed in a white robe, an angel, sitting rather nonchalantly off to the right.

“Don’t be alarmed”, he said.  “I know you’re looking for Jesus, but He’s not here.  He has already risen from the dead, like He told you He would.  Now go and tell the rest of His disciples that He will meet up with you all back in Galilee.”

They did as told and ran to the tell the eleven the great news, but no one believed them.  Even when the two disciples who encountered the risen Jesus while on the road to Emmaus reported this amazing event to the eleven, they were not believed either.  Only when Jesus Himself suddenly appeared in their midst did His stubborn followers believe.  Before ascending back into heaven and the right hand of God, Jesus gave His disciples, including us, our mission while we live.  “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”

As the women were walking to the tomb, they fully expected to find a huge impediment keeping them from accomplishing the task before them.  They had seen the hewn boulder set in front of the tomb, blocking the entrance.  No way the three of them could budge it.  How were they going to carry out their mission?

But lo and behold, when they got to the tomb, the stone had already been rolled aside!  God removed what had been keeping the women from doing what they set out to do.  Of course, once they got inside they discovered they couldn’t anoint their Lord’s body after all, even with the stone removed, because…  There was no body to anoint!  Jesus had already risen and left the grave.  Nonetheless, their original problem had been solved for them.

What heavy stone is blocking us?  What huge impediment is keeping us from carrying out our mission, the task Jesus gave us?  Are we afraid – afraid of what others may think or say when we express our faith, afraid of how they might react?  Is fear or embarrassment our boulder?  Or is it we’re just too timid, too shy, especially when it comes to approaching a stranger?  Or maybe we think we just won’t know what to say or do to try and preach the Good News, the Gospel?  What is the huge, heavy stone that we can’t seem to roll away from blocking our path?

Just as those three women found out, God can and will roll that stone away for us.  All we have to do is ask.  Just pray and ask for strength, for courage, for the will to do our Lord’s will, and God will do the rest.  Remember: we have the greatest power in the universe right here inside us.  We have God’s own Holy Spirit within us.  He will move any stone that gets in our way.  Just trust in God, in His Son Jesus, and in His Holy Spirit and our way will be open and clear.

So let’s get out there and tell others the wonderful news that Jesus the Christ has risen from the dead and lives again!  Hallelujah!  He is risen!  Christ has risen!

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer, Master…  You came as our Messiah, our Savior.  But You died on the cross, and for a moment the world lost hope.  Then You rose from the grave, just as You said You would, once again alive and full of life!  You conquered death and promised we would share in that victory if we would only believe in You and accept You as Lord.  As the sun rises on us this morning, just as it did on You so long ago, that promise remains our expected and anticipated hope.

Dear Lord, may our faith remain strong and not waiver during our struggles and trials in this present age.  May we continue to see You, our living Lord, always at our side.  And may we be completely prepared for Your return, which You also promised.  May we fully grasp what You told us before, and what You are whispering now in our hearts.  May we serve You, with all that is in us.  This we pray, in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Master and Savior.

And now, Father God, hear us as we pray to You as Your Son Jesus taught us…  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.