The Rock That Rolled

Introduction

He is risen!

Strange being back behind the podium after three weeks off...

The message this morning is called The Rock That Rolled. If I were more creative I would have an electric guitar solo played at this point. I want to begin this morning in a strange way, not by drawing your attention to the empty tomb, but to a stone. Mary Magdalene has come to the tomb to finish the burial customs for Jesus’ body. We are told in other gospel accounts that Pilate had had the tomb sealed with a stone and guards posted. I’m sure she is expecting to get them to move the stone for her. Instead, she finds no guards and the stone already rolled away.

Why was the stone rolled away? Was it for Jesus’ benefit? Did he need the stone removed so that he could escape the tomb? No. We can read later in the story how he appeared to the disciples behind locked doors. The stone wasn’t rolled away for his benefit, but for ours. It wasn’t moved to let Jesus out but to let us in. The rock that rolled is the Easter hope that we still announce today, because Jesus is still rolling stones away.

This morning we will look at the characters that surround the Easter story and how their stones, and ours, are rolled away by the resurrection power of Jesus.

The stone of confusion - Mary

Mary must have been the picture of confusion that morning. She arrives at the tomb and her whole world is turned upside down. She’s like a yo-yo on a strong, running to the tomb, running back to the disciples, running to the tomb again. She is so confused that when she sees Jesus later she doesn’t even recognize him, mistaking him for the gardener.

We carry these stones of confusion. Something unexpected invades our life - an unexpected illness, an unexpected death of a loved one, the unexpected derailment of a life dream - and we feel disoriented and unseen. Where is God, and why is he letting this happen? Yet, like with Mary, he’s right there - but we’re unable to recognize him! The rock that rolled tells us that Jesus is with us in our disoriented life and promises to be a rock for us that won’t ever move. We can find our peace and our orientation in him.

The stone of unbelief - Disciples

Mary, and some other women with her, will be the first to see the resurrected Jesus. In their joy they will run back to tell the other disciples that they had seen the Lord. But Luke, in his gospel, tells us that when the disciples heard the news they considered it “an idle tale.” Women were known to be emotional and prone to hysterics, and therefore their word couldn’t be trusted. I think it is kind of cool that those who were seen as least in their society, whose testimony wasn’t admissible in court, were the first to see and tell the good news of the resurrection. But the disciples where blinded by unbelief. And even though Jesus told them multiple times what was going to happen, they couldn’t come to believe that the dead could come back to life.

We also carry stones of unbelief. Maybe there are some here who question that Jesus really did rise from the dead. All I can say to you this morning is that the stone was rolled away that morning so that you can look into the tomb and see the evidence that ISN’T there.

But I think for most of us, our unbelief isn’t about Jesus rising from the dead, but whether Jesus can bring our dead things back to life. We are surrounded by death. The death of hopes and dreams. Dead relationships. And even though we believe in God, we can be gripped by a deadness toward him. The rock that rolled proclaims loudly that there is nothing dead in your life that Jesus cannot raise. He came to seek and save all that is lost.

The stone of false identity - John

When Mary sees the stone over the tomb removed, we read that she went to tell Peter and the other disciples, “the one whom Jesus loved.” It is almost universally accepted that this unnamed disciple is John who wrote this gospel and three letters. “The one whom Jesus loved” is his own self-identity. Isn’t it interesting that this is how he speaks of himself, not by a name given to him, but by his understanding of his relationship with Jesus. In referring to himself this way, he is not saying that Jesus loved him more than the other disciples. I think perhaps he referred to himself this way because he seemed so unlovable in his own eyes. After all, he and his brother James, were nicknamed the “sons of thunder”. They are the ones who asked Jesus if they could call down hellfire on a Samaritan village who didn’t welcome Jesus. I think John knew just how unlovable and unlovely he was. Yet he is the apostle who gave us our most beloved Scripture, that God so loved the world that he gave his only son… And he tells us in no uncertain terms in his first letter that, for all the attributes you can give God, the one that trumps them all is that “God is love”.

Of all the stones we carry around, this one of false identity is perhaps the worst. We allow others to tell us who we are - worthless, loser, slut, stupid. The devil comes and reinforces these identities, whispering over and over in our head that this is who you are. Our culture tries to give us our identity, primarily that we are most defined by our sexuality, what we do in a bed and who with. No doubt that is an important and potentially destructive part of us. But it is not our primary identity. But because we can never live in ways that are inconsistent with how we see ourselves, we follow these false identities into destruction. The rock that rolled screams a greater and more true identity; what is most true of you is that God calls you “beloved”. The empty tomb declares that you were worth dying for, and worth living again for.

The stone of regret - Peter

Peter. I love Peter. I feel a kinship with him. He always was the first to stick his foot in his mouth, to speak without thinking. Ever been like that? On the night Jesus was betrayed he told the disciples what was about to happen and that they would all abandon him. But Peter, he’s like “no way Lord.” Even if everyone else abandons you, I will die with you. You may remember that Jesus then told him that before the sun came up the next morning Peter would deny knowing him three times. Sure enough, as Jesus is arrested that night and brought to the high priests home, Peter is hanging around in the courtyard waiting to see what happened. Three times different people came up to him saying, “Hey, don’t you hang with Jesus? Isn’t he your friend?” And three times Peter says, “Jesus who?” And they third time he said it a rooster crows, signalling that dawn had arrived. Luke tells us that at precisely that moment Jesus turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered what Jesus said and left the court yard weeping bitterly.

I can only image the shame and regret that Peter carried with him. But I don’t have to imagine my own shame and regrets. I know them very well. We all carry stones of regret, things we wish we would have done differently, things we wish we could undo or take back. Things we’ve said and done. Of all the stones we carry, our regrets are often the ones that threaten to weigh us down to the point of sinking. We can be buried underneath a mountain of regret. Can there be a do-over? Can what has happened in the past be made right again?

What do you think Peter saw when Jesus looked at him? Disappointment? Condemnation? I told you so? I believe what Peter saw was forgiveness. In one look Jesus communicated “I love you, I forgive you” and that, more than his own failure, was too much to bear. That Jesus would forgive him after all that he had done. Later, before Jesus ascends, he will beautifully restore Peter, but that night the end of Peter’s regrets started with a look.

What do you see when Jesus turns and looks at you? Do you see anger over all the ways you’ve blown it? Do you see deep disappointment, the kind of look your mom or dad used to give you? Do you see rejection? Or can you can the faith this morning to believe that when Jesus looks at you the only thing in his gaze is love and complete forgiveness. The rock that rolled reminds us that Jesus did not come to condemn, but to heal our regrets and to save. Have you accepted his offer of forgiveness?

Rolling stones

There’s a curious interchange at the end of our passage. It finally dawns on Mary that she is seeing and speaking, not to a gardener, but to Jesus. Apparently in her joy she latches hold of him. But Jesus says something that sounds shocking. “Do not hold on to me.” That sounds almost mean. How could she not grab hold of this one who she thought was dead? But Jesus isn’t trying to distance himself from Mary. Jesus wants her to let go of him so that he can take hold of her in a new and transforming way. In a way that doesn’t only embrace her, but everyone.

Jesus doesn’t separate himself from you. The stone is rolled away so that you can draw near, so that you can come and get as close as you want - as close as you dare. But be forewarned: you cannot draw close to Jesus and escape unscathed. His very presence, now come to us in the Holy Spirit, is transformative. He WILL roll your stones away - whatever it is that separates you from him.

The resurrection of Jesus is God’s final word that he will leave on stone unturned to forgive you, restore you, heal you, and love you. No stone will ultimately crush you, block you, drag you down, or separate you from his love. This is the gospel hope of the rock that rolled. The risen One is still rolling stones today. Christ is risen! Amen!

What stone do you need Jesus to roll away today?

Ministry time…

Communion

Jesus gave instruction to his disciples to gather at the table to recall the meaning of his life, his death, and his resurrection. In this moment, we not only remember what Jesus did, but we re-participate in his saving work. And he promised to be with us in this moment in a real way, offering us his very presence. With this being Easter Sunday, we will offer a fuller thanksgiving for his saving acts. Let us being by praying as Jesus taught us:

The Lord’s Prayer

Words of Institution

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ. By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit. By your great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of your Son from the dead and to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. Once we were no people, but now we are your people, declaring your wonderful deeds in Christ, who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always, in the power of your Word and Holy Spirit.

The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread, or touch the bread, or lift the bread.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the cup, or touch the cup, or lift the cup.

When the supper was over he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."

The pastor may raise hands.

On the day you raised him from the dead he was recognized by his disciples in the breaking of the bread, and in the power of your Holy Spirit your Church has continued in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup.

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

The pastor may hold hands, palms down, over the bread and cup.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

The pastor may raise hands.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and for ever.

Amen.

Invitation

This is the table, not of the church, but of the Lord,

It is made ready for those who love God and for those who want to love Him more.

So come, you who have much faith and you who have little;

You who have been here often and you who have not been here long;

You who have tried to follow and you who have failed.  

Come, because it is the Lord who invites you.

It is His will that those who want Him should meet Him here.