Which Side Of The Stone Are You On?

Tuesday, August 30, 2011   This is also for today!!

“And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.” (Matthew 27:59-60)

Hey Gang: One of my fondest memories as a child living in the mountains of Pennsylvania was our daily trip to the water hole. The entire community would truck-on down to the water hole and spend most of the day there.

But the one thing that really stands out in my memory was the huge rock that served many purposes, including being a picnic area, a diving board and a place just to lie back and enjoy the sun.

One of the profound things that we noticed about Israel on our first trip was the abundance of stones. Israel is a very stony place. I have also noticed in my reading of the Word that stones play a very significant role in the Bible.

A stone settled the score with Goliath and the Amalekites, Moses struck a stone to produced water for a million or so folks and their animals, and, in our Scripture of the day, we note, “he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb”.

As I thought about this tomb, which we visited several times over the years, and the huge stone, I sense that stone was a stumbling block to many Christians. They see the gigantic stone permanently rolled into place- and that stands in the way of gaining the peace that surpasses all human understanding.

I want you to know you may be in the midst of the greatest battle of your life right now, but the risen Christ is on the move on your behalf, on the other side of the stone. He is writing His story into your situation – a story of resurrection life, bursting forth onto a scene once ruled by death.

Now hear this!! my cherished friends, I have stood at Gordon’s Garden, which many believe is the tomb where they laid Jesus body on that cruel night, and I want you to know there was no stone!!. I stood in the tomb and there is no body!! He is alive and sitting at the right hand of the Father in intercession for you and me. Can you say “Praise God for that??

Blessings,

Gramps