Gateway Church
WHY WAS THE STONE ROLLED AWAY?
When we think of Easter symbols, we think of palm branches, the last supper, the cross, and the empty tomb. On this Resurrection Sunday and a focus on the empty tomb, is there significance to the stone being rolled away? That seems like a silly thought. Of course it was rolled away for Jesus to come out of the tomb. But is there more just for you to know and to benefit?
Locations & Times
Gateway Church Campus
5473 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, USA
Sunday 10:45 AM
John 20 - 1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early,while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. (ESV)
To give us peace.
John 20:2 - Unrest ... Mary feared that grave robbers had come and taken Jesus’ body.
Suddenly, something happened that was far more startling than the arrival of the temple police - Jesus came and stood in their midst.
The locked doors were no deterrent to Jesus, for His glorified resurrection body simply passed through the walls.
Do you need peace today?
-Is your soul troubled by sin?
-Is there regret in your past, unhappiness today, or fear about tomorrow?
John 20:2 - Unrest ... Mary feared that grave robbers had come and taken Jesus’ body.
Suddenly, something happened that was far more startling than the arrival of the temple police - Jesus came and stood in their midst.
The locked doors were no deterrent to Jesus, for His glorified resurrection body simply passed through the walls.
Do you need peace today?
-Is your soul troubled by sin?
-Is there regret in your past, unhappiness today, or fear about tomorrow?
To give us proof.
To reassure them that it was really Him, Jesus showed them both His hands and His side.
But more than just an external testimony, His scars represented an internal truth that God keeps His promises.
The promises of God are described as:
-Never failing ... backed by God’s oath ...fulfilled on schedule
-Confirmed by Christ ... kept by faith ... exceedingly great.
What promise are you looking for from God? ... Do you need God to prove Himself to you?
In much the same way, the stone rolled back from the opening of the tomb where Jesus was buried was evidence to help us see that Jesus was able to rise from the dead.
To reassure them that it was really Him, Jesus showed them both His hands and His side.
But more than just an external testimony, His scars represented an internal truth that God keeps His promises.
The promises of God are described as:
-Never failing ... backed by God’s oath ...fulfilled on schedule
-Confirmed by Christ ... kept by faith ... exceedingly great.
What promise are you looking for from God? ... Do you need God to prove Himself to you?
In much the same way, the stone rolled back from the opening of the tomb where Jesus was buried was evidence to help us see that Jesus was able to rise from the dead.
To give us provision.
Jesus came into a room where the doors were shut and locked.
That’s why the stone was rolled away.
-God came down and rolled the stone away so that we could look in.
-It was rolled away so that the empty tomb could be visible to all.
-What does that provision look like? - Salvation is now possible ... Hope
beyond the grave is now eternally established ... Victory over death and sin is now in place ... Fear is now gone for there is knowledge that evil will not win!
Jesus came into a room where the doors were shut and locked.
That’s why the stone was rolled away.
-God came down and rolled the stone away so that we could look in.
-It was rolled away so that the empty tomb could be visible to all.
-What does that provision look like? - Salvation is now possible ... Hope
beyond the grave is now eternally established ... Victory over death and sin is now in place ... Fear is now gone for there is knowledge that evil will not win!
If I were to ask you to describe Easter without using any words and only using punctuation marks, which punctuation mark would you choose to describe this Easter for yourself?
-Maybe this Easter is a comma for you.
-Perhaps today is a downer - a big bold period.
-But wait – news of an empty tomb ... the period is no longer a period; it’s a question mark.
-Good News! - That same exclamation point for Mary and the disciples can be the same for you today too!
-Maybe this Easter is a comma for you.
-Perhaps today is a downer - a big bold period.
-But wait – news of an empty tomb ... the period is no longer a period; it’s a question mark.
-Good News! - That same exclamation point for Mary and the disciples can be the same for you today too!