John 11:39 – 41 – Jesus said, “Roll away the stone”.
This is the place many of us fall short, what do you mean roll away the stone? Not everyone can tear off a roof and let their friend down at the feet of Jesus. Not all of the disciples were willing to walk on water. Of all the disciples only John mustered the courage to show up at the cross. When faith demands action many stop right there. What if the body still stinks? What if I sink when I step out of the boat? What if the Romans arrest me if I show up at the cross? All of us have been there and none of us wants to look stupid. It is always easier to let someone else step out but maybe you are supposed to be that someone. Someone has to preach, someone has to use their boat for Jesus to preach from, someone has to open their house for ministry, somebody has to roll away the stone. This is the place where the natural meets the supernatural, this is the place of miracles. Here is how Johanne Brenz describes rolling away the stone:
“The beginning of the works of God as they seem foolish, so also they seem childish. For notice, the one who was about to resurrect a dead man gives a command to remove the stone. As if he was not able to move the stone from the mouth of the tomb by the same power of the word, or as if he was not able to bring the living man out through the stone. Certainly it is greater to bring a dead person back to life than to draw the person through a stone. Why, therefore, does he perform what is greater while entrusting lesser matters to be performed by others?’
The Lord simply wants us to be involved in the miracle power of God for ourselves. He didn’t choose angels to preach the gospel, He chose a fisherman. He didn’t choose a priest or a scribe to write the New Testament, he chose a Pharisee from Tarsus. He didn’t choose an apostle to preach the first resurrection message, He chose a former lady of the night to have that privilege. So don’t worry about stinking, sinking, or even failing; all of those things are in God’s hands. All we are to do is respond no matter what it looks like when He tells us to roll away the stone.
