Tombstones

 Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.  John 20:1....."The blessings of salvation began the day Jesus blew the doors off a tomb." Chris Tiegreen

I've been thinking a bit recently about the stone that sealed the tomb of Jesus. Tombstones were meant to be something that separated life from death. Those who had died were placed in a burial tomb and then the tomb was sealed with a large stone. To remove a tombstone was a very difficult thing. The stone was a symbol of the finality of death. Yet, as Tiegreen's above quote shows, Jesus "blew the doors" off of His tomb and in doing so conquered the power of sin and in its greatest form, death.

The stone was rolled away from the tomb of Jesus Christ, but I'm wondering, in our own lives, what "tombstones" may still be remaining that seek to block His life from ever reaching the areas of death that are found there? Where do we need stones to be rolled away that have continued to keep us from His healing grace and life? Stones of unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment. Stones of fear, addiction, confusion. Stones that have formed because of lies we've believed, or forgiveness that we can't really believe He has given us. The tombstones that can accumulate in our hearts and lives are many. We can even begin to "worship" these stones and we don't wish to have them removed. Our tombs have become comfortable, familiar, and we don't want to leave them. We've grown so used to their darkness that we shun the light that comes with Christ. Charles Wesley wrote in his great hymn that his spiritual dungeon flamed with the light of Jesus Christ, that he rose from his spiritual death and went forth and followed Christ. Even the most miserable dungeon, tomb, can become our home if we have been there long enough. Yet He stands before every one of them, and with a Word those stones, even the most massive and seemingly unmoveable, simply roll away. He stands before yours. With one word He'll remove it. Will you have Him speak it?

Whatever your "Tombstone" and however many you may have and how securely the enemy may have sealed it, it cannot stay in place when Christ speaks His life and freedom to it. The tomb that held Him is empty and has been for more than 2000 years. May whatever that has entombed you, as well as the stone that seals you in with it, be rolled aside by the One whom no tombstone can withstand. He stands there, whispering your name, calling you forth. Take that step towards that stone.....and behold as He rolls it away.....and you're free.

Blessings,
Pastor O