WHO WILL ROLL AWAY THE STONE?

                                                                           

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP

 WHO WILL ROLL AWAY THE STONE? 

(Mark 16:3) And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” 

Have you been trying lately to gain entrance to somewhere in life you’ve been wanting to go but it’s like a big stone is blocking the door?  That’s how the women felt on resurrection morning.  Jesus had been crucified and laid in a tomb but they wanted to give Him a proper burial with the anointing of spices.  They had a willing heart and the materials on hand but one big problem kept shutting them out.  So they asked…who will roll away the stone?   

Maybe that’s how you’ve been feeling recently.  You are willing as your heart could be.  You have everything on hand as far as resources are concerned.  But it’s that one big heavy thing that is obstructing your progress.  So what do you do?  Well, do what the women did: 

-STEP OUT IN FAITH:  The text says “they came to the tomb”.  That means they got moving toward their goal instead of their goal dropping into their lap.  In this life of faith we cooperate with God by doing our part in response to His leading in our lives.  Remember Peter?  He had to get out of the boat before he could float!  (Mat 14:28-29) And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  Maybe God is waiting for you to do that part of faith that needs to be done.  (Heb 11:6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 

-LOOK UP:  In the next verse it says they “looked up” (v. 4).  To have that stone roll away from our lives we must look up to Jesus for it is He alone that has the power to effect change.  (John 12:21) Then they came to Philip…saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”  When things don’t go our way it’s easy to count the cracks on the sidewalk instead of the clouds in the sky!  (Luke 21:28) Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”  When you look up to Jesus, things start looking up!   

Well, what happened in the rest of the story of the women at the tomb?  The next verse says it all:  (Mark 16:4) But when they looked up, they saw that THE STONE HAD BEEN ROLLED AWAY—for it was very large.  God took care of the problem and they walked right through that door!  Isn’t that great how the Lord goes before us and takes care of the problems we face?  No need to worry. No need to strive.  God has it all figured out from the very beginning.  (John 6:6) But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.  HE IS RISEN!  And your door will be opening soon! 

Louie

 

WHEN A CHRISTIAN REJECTS THE FAITH

                                                                            

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP 

WHEN A CHRISTIAN REJECTS THE FAITH 

(Mark 16:14) Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table… 

This is one of the saddest verses in the Bible.  It says Jesus appeared to the eleven.  That means one was missing.  And we know who that was…Judas.  In our churches we have empty seats that used to hold people of faith who no longer walk with the Lord.  They have rejected the Christian faith and have walked out into the night from the light they once knew.  So how does it all begin and what should we do when someone turns away from the Lord? 

 

The first thing we notice is a progression.  Demas in the Bible is a good example.  He is only mentioned three times in the New Testament but notice how he advances in the wrong direction:  (Phile 1:24) as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow laborers…(Col 4:14) Luke the beloved physician and Demas greet you…(2 Tim 4:10) for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed…  First Demas is a fellow laborer.  Then he only sends greetings.  Finally he has forsaken Paul and has gone back into the world and has departed.  Does this describe someone in your life?

 

My best friend and best man in my wedding did the same thing.  He taught a home Bible I attended when I was in college.  He then graduated from Bible college and seminary and had a wonderful calling to the ministry.  But soon he had an affair and left his wife and I then lost all contact with him and for many years now he has never surfaced to reclaim his faith.

 

The big question is did these know Christ and then reject the faith?  Or did they never know the Lord to begin with?  Well, only God knows!  (2 Tim 2:19)…The Lord knows those who are His…  So since we don’t know what should we do? 

 

-PRAY:  The best thing we can do is keep praying for them.  If they are truly the Lord’s they will come back.  (Luke 15:20) “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

 

-BELIEVE:  Since they don’t have faith anymore then we must have faith for them.  God can change the hardest of hearts!  (Eze 36:26) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

 

-AVOID GUILT:  Many of us feel guilt because we think we could of done something to prevent them from slipping away from the Lord.  Christian parents are especially susceptible to this.  But remember they made a choice out of their own free will.  (Rom 8:1) There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…

 

Louie