I didn’t shop for an Easter outfit this year.  I figured I would save the money and apply it to my upcoming ministry trip to South Africa.  Like most Americans, I have plenty of good clothes and shoes.  I did, however, find a T-shirt I couldn’t resist.  It looks great with my jeans and allows me to share my faith on errands and casual outings.  It says, “Rolling stones since 33 AD.”

In John 20:1-3 NLT we find this passage about Easter Sunday morning.  “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.  She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

She later described the situation to someone she perceived as the gardener. She lamented the stone had been rolled away, Jesus was gone, the stone that kept him in the grave had been rolled away, and The grave was empty.

A companion scripture in Romans 8:9-11 NLT says, “ But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God. The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”

One of the most beautiful promises in the Bible is found in these verses.  God by the power of the Holy Spirit can roll away the stone that keeps you captive to sin and death. He can make you alive again. You can come out of the sin that has buried you in a grave of regret, addiction, unforgiveness, shame,  despair, and death.  He is still rolling away stones!

You might say, “Dr. Ann, you don’t understand just how big my stone holding me captive is.”  I may not but God does!  The stone holding Jesus captive in his grave was described as “Megas” in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This term was used suggesting it was much larger than average. Some experts suggest it was 4.5 feet in diameter and likely weighed as much as two tons. As a modern example, 2 tons is about the size of a midsize SUV.  There is nothing too big for the power of God!

The tomb of Jesus was sealed in several ways, in addition to the large stone. Ropes, wax seals, and a Roman guard were requested by the chief priest and Pharisees. They were afraid Jesus’ disciples might steal the body and claim a resurrection on the third day as Jesus had promised. The triple seal representing all earthly authority and dominion could not keep Jesus in the grave. In the Old and New Testaments, the promise of a new life, and resurrection is always associated with the third day.  Overwhelmingly this association is used with Jesus in all the gospels. The “rule of three” is often mentioned in the Bible and on Jesus’ third day we see the agreement of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  All three members of the trinity agree that the penalty for sin and death has been fulfilled.  Hallelujah for the third day!

Perhaps this Easter weekend is your third day. Isn’t it time to walk out of the grave into a new life filled with promise, forgiveness, and adoption?

Romans 8:31-34  NLT, “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?  Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.”

God is still rolling stones since AD 33.  Ask him to roll yours away and come out of your grave!