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"Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.'
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him,
'Lord, by this time there is a stench,
for he has been dead four days.'"
(John 11:39)
Speaking of stones, the largest physical stone in the world is Ayers Rock (Uluru), located in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is sandstone and rises 1,100 feet above the desert surface. It is an oval shape and the dimensions are 2.2 miles long and 1.5 miles wide.
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When the setting sun shines on this stone, it becomes this brilliant, fiery orange‐red spectacle, something gorgeous to behold.
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Have you ever been to Enchanted Rock near Fredericksburg, TX? I have been a few times and always enjoy climbing to the top. It is perhaps our biggest local rock. It is no tiny pebble, for sure. It is a pink granite mountain 1,825 feet in elevation covering over 1.6 acres.
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Two prominent stones in the Bible are those rolled over the tombs of Jesus and Lazarus. Both were removed, because when God calls the dead to rise and live, no stone can keep in what God commands to come out.
Jesus specializes in impossibilities. Who else before Jesus had ever rolled away a stone from a tomb and had a dead person come out alive? No one, until John 11. What stones, if removed, would bring God more glory and you more favor and opportunities?
The context of today's scripture is that Lazarus (Jesus' friend and brother to Mary and Martha) had recently died. They lived in Bethany, so Jesus made His way there from Jerusalem, just a couple miles away. When Jesus arrived, they were distraught and mourning, as Lazarus had been dead for four days.
Jesus dealt with more than a heavy stone at the mouth of Lazarus' gravesite. When I read this story, I see the following "stones" or obstacles that confronted Jesus: despair, weeping, unbelief, and complaining. There is much in the story that we can relate to. The thing that surprises me the most is the last "stone", where some of the Jews actually took the opportunity to complain about Jesus and say, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?" Do you know people like this? No matter what, they will find an opportunity to complain and toxify the atmosphere. To borrow a phrase from actor Clint Eastwood, you know you have let the old man in when the mouth starts finding fault and complaining.
Jesus' weeping is more shedding a tear instead of the wailing of the Jews; two different Greek words are used. But why did Jesus weep? He grieved for them because of the power that sin has on people's lives, the sting of death, and unbelief.
What Ayers Rock of difficulty are you facing today? Is it a boulder of shame or guilt? I have good news: Jesus is still rolling stones!
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Help children build a lasting foundation.
Point the kids in your life to Jesus with a copy of the Bedtime Devotions with Jesus Bible.
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The DEMIC in PANDEMIC
Pastor Danny wraps up his two-part series on how we as Christians should weather hard times, like the COVID-19 pandemic. He finishes out his PANDEMIC acronym, discussing the last four points--DEMIC.
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