TOMBS & STONES

The next few weeks mark a holy celebration, it's the celebration of our Lord's death and resurrection. This Easter season we are called upon to think of tombs & stones. They make us think about death and hopefully life. In the gospel of Mark chapter 16 there was a problem!!! The problem was a barrier. The women who were coming to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus asked: "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" The stone (barrier) was going to keep the women from doing what they wanted to do.
Stones are still covering tombs today. Our tombs may not be a place in the side of a hill that's covered with a rock, it may be - hardened hearts - unconfessed sin - indifference - bitterness - hatred - complacency. These are self imposed stones that cover our lives and act as barriers that keep God out! They keep God from doing what He wants to do in each of our lives. Tombs contain that which is dead, not living. The women came to ANOINT the DEAD body of Jesus. However, Jesus could not be found among the dead . . . He was risen! The bible also speaks of people that look alive but are dead.


Matthew 23:27-28 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.


So how did the stone get rolled away? ANSWER: God did it! Matthew 28:2 tells us that there was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. And how will the stones get rolled away from our lives? ANSWER: God will do it! We can live in a tomb of the dead, or leave an empty tomb behind and have life.


Romans 6:4, 10-11 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.


Choose Life through Christ this Easter season!

Pastor John J. Dodd