Quit Worrying About the Stone - Mark 16:2-4

Introduction

We all have come or will come to Christ with some baggage. We have all come with some habits that seem hard to break. We have all come with some experiences that we will never forget both good and bad. We have all come with some proclivities that if we are not extraordinarily careful could sneak up on us at any moment in time.

Romans 3:23 would tell us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God - and church I want to tell you all really does mean all. If some of us in here are honest you’re saved, being constantly sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost but we ain’t got it altogether. If you catch us on the wrong day we might be prone to do something or say something we shouldn’t say sometimes.

I’m reminded of Jesus and His handling of the woman caught in the very act of adultery in John 8. He said He who is without sin ought cast the first stone at her.. The Bible says in verse 9 that one by one from the eldest to the youngest they walked away.

Because sometimes you can judge somebody for their stuff because it was on display… But yours wasn’t on display so you got a whole lot to say and want to throw some rocks at the one whose mess is on display. But God steps in just in the nick of time and says wait a minute - they don’t know your stuff but I do. And if it had not been for the Lord that was on your side…

Body

It is at times the hypocrisy of the church that typically causes others to shy away from coming let alone joining the church. Some folk have been made to feel like I’ve got to dress a certain way, look a certain way, act a certain way, be a certain way to come up in church. When the church of Jesus day was open to lepers, lying tax collectors, people with severe health challenges, the least and the left out.

So sometimes people are led to feel that I’ve got to get myself together before I come to Christ. I’ve got to get rid of this and get rid of that. I’ve got to change this and change that.

The stone at Jesus’ tomb is said to have weighed between 1-2 tons; that is 2000-4000 pounds. The stone was quite heavy but the Bible records in the Gospels of Matthew (27:60) and John (19:38-42) that two men were able to move the stones. It has been noted that it would be a more difficult task to remove the stone. (Stay with me)

The reason why it would be more difficult to remove the stone is because the stone was set inside a groove in the front entrance of the tomb. It was then secured from falling down by a stone wall that stood in front of the tomb.

The tomb was also said to been slightly sloped on an incline.

In addition to such a monstrosity of a stone the Bible tells us in Matthew 27:66 that the stone was sealed with guards around the watch it.

In other words once this stone was put into place the only entity that could likely move it would be God.

The Bible then records for us that Mary and the synoptic Gospels (not Mark) indicate the other women… They came very early in the morning on the first day of the week. Mark’s Gospel indicates they were looking for the body of Jesus to come and anoint him.

So lets get this straight a bunch of women are coming early in the morning to try and move a 1-2 ton or 2000-4000 pound boulder that has been placed on an incline and sealed. Now before the women’s activist groups start calling the church to tell me “pastor they could’ve moved it” let me say men could not move this either. The means in which this tomb has been closed was closed in a means that it was never intended to be reopened.

And there in lies a reality in which this text teaches us - we are often worried about the wrong stuff. They are about to go through the hard work of trying to move a stone in order to get to the body of Jesus of which He has already spoken He won’t be there… only to find that God can handle stones!

And that’s a word for somebody today… You’ve been trying to have a thriving relationship with God, you’ve been thinking about giving your life to Christ, you’ve been thinking about uniting with the local church… But on your way to accomplish those things you can’t get past the stones in your life.

Who shall roll the stone away for us the women asked? You couldn’t roll the stone away if you wanted to.

In fact, that’s why Jesus died. He died so that you would come to Him and not be worried about your stones. I told you we’ve all got some stones but I came to Jesus just as I was… I was weary, wounded and sad. But I found in Him a resting place and He has made me glad.

What I found out about the God that I serve is that the 1-2 ton or 2000-4000 pound boulder might be too much for me to move… But there in lies the problem. I have been plotting, planning, and predicting when and how the stones in my life will be moved. But He didn’t tell me to worry about the stones. He told me come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-29) He said take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

In other words God never intended for you to be worried about the stones. He said let me deal with the stone you just come unto me.

The women are talking among themselves about who is going to move the stone when all they really had to do was come and look for Jesus. He handled the rest!

They got there and the stone was rolled away. And I believe somebody today is looking at some stones in your life. But you’ve come to the right place this morning for me to tell you through the word of God- God can handle the stone. I don’t care how bad it is. I don’t care how dark it is. I don’t care what has happened God can handle it!

I believe I’ll testify for everybody this morning and tell somebody that you’re looking at a bunch of folk who had some stones. We tried and tried to contemplate how to move the stone until we finally came to the realization I can’t move this thing by myself. My momma can’t help me move it. My daddy can’t help me move it. My sister, brother, man, woman, husband, wife can’t help me do it! Only God can do this!

Isn’t that just like God to put you in a situation where you’ve got a 1-2 ton or 2000-4000 pound boulder in your life that no matter how hard you try you just can’t get it out the way. The song would put it this way: have you any rivers that seem uncrossable? And have you any mountains that you cannot tunnel through? Have you any afflictions that seem to be incurable? Out of all that the doctors tried to do.... God specializes in things that man say are impossible and incurable and He will do what no other power can do.

The women were smart enough to know that they had to get past the boulder to see Jesus but they weren’t quite smart enough to realize that He would do the work for Him if they came to Him.

And I’ve rose this morning to tell somebody… I don’t care what the stone is. It might be sickness, it might be drugs, it might be a-a-a-a-a-alochol, it might be lust, it might be the love of money but whatever it is - the resurrection has proven that God don’t have no problem with stones.

And sometimes… if you’ve got a car like mine - when you put the car in reverse a message will pop up and say something like caution: objects are closer than they appear and you’re parking somewhere and then get out and see how much room you got to keep going back a little further.

And that stone in your life might be telling you that you are close enough and you can’t go any further unless you remove it. But I believe this morning God is telling somebody come closer and don’t let the stone get in your way. God says quit worrying about the stone I got the stone.

That’s what I love about the Resurrection of Jesus! The Resurrection let me know a stone will not stop God. In fact John 20:19 indicates that Jesus went through doors that were shut. In other words then shut doors can’t stop God, stones can’t stop God. And since shut doors can’t stop God and stones can’t stop God; shut doors and stones can’t stop you!

You’ve got to ask the Savior to help you! Comfort strengthen and keep you. He is willing to aid you - He will carry you through.

Why can Jesus deal with your stones? Because He has been licensed and commissioned by God to take all of your sins away. In fact, I ought to just pause and tell you Jesus drove some nails through your stones.

When He took the nails in His hands and nails in His feet that signified all of your issues, all of your struggles, all of your mess-ups that should have been boulders and barriers that prohibited you from relationship with God; they were broken by the blood.

Because it reaches to the highest mountain, and it flows to the lowest valley. The blood of Jesus will never loose its power. There is a fountain filled with blood. Drawn from Emmanuels veins. And the stones of sinners plunge no matter how big or heavy they are beneath the flood and all the guilty stains are washed away because of the blood.

He can deal with your stones because they marched Him up Calvary’s mountain. Put nails in His hands. Nails in His feet. A crown of thorns on His head. Pierced Him in His side. Gave Him vinegar to drink. The beat Him and mocked Him all night long. They said He saved others but He cannot save Himself. Isaiah said it this way (53) He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.

He died. Didn’t He die. But if He stopped there I’d have to deal with my own stones and no matter how hard I try to move that thing - I just can’t do it. I’m so glad He didn’t stop there. They placed Him in a borrowed mans tomb - oh yes they did. I told you they rolled it in on an incline and sealed it because it was never intended to be opened again.

All day Saturday there was no activity. It doesn’t look good… It looks grim.

But early Sunday morning! Early Sunday morning! He got up… with all power in His hands. He came up out of that tomb. And God called an angel to roll the stone away. Showing that He’s got the power, He’s got the authority, He’s God enough to deal with your stones.

In fact, what I know about God He’ll leave no stone unturned in your life. And when He removes the stone He’ll give you peace because He’s the prince of peace. He’ll give you joy unspeakable and full of Glory. He’ll roll the stone away, He’ll erase your past and put it under the blood! Because God has got all power over your stones and my stones!

Is there anything too hard for God? No! Won’t he make a way out of no way! Is He able? Say yes, say yes, say yes!

Quit worrying about your stones! Put it all in His hands! He can handle it and that’s a fact. He’ll turn a 2-4 ton boulder into gravel. And then even the gravel will disappear. And you’ll be able to say things I used to do - I don’t do no more. Because I gave God my life and my stones! He’s the stone that the builders rejected. He’s the rose of Sharon. He’s the lily of the valley. He’s the bright and morning star! He’s my all and all in all! He’s my everything! I’m trading my stones for Jesus!

I don’t know how He’ll roll the stone away but I know He’ll do it! You don’t have to know how or when! Just trust Him that since God rolled the stone away before on Easter Sunday morning - He’ll do it again until there is no stone left unturned!

Who am I preaching to? You got some stones and you need to come down to this altar right now and say Lord, I’m forgetting about the stones. I want you and I’m giving you the stones. Today is the day I quit worrying about the stones! I’ve been carrying stones too long - on Resurrection Sunday I’m giving you the stone because you can move them no matter how heavy!

I’m not worrying about the stones! I’ve got to see Jesus!