“Who Will Roll the Stone Away?”

By Hanna Cheryan Varghese

            Who will roll the stone away?  That’s the concern of the women who go to the tomb of Jesus, on Easter morning, to anoint the dead body of the One who was supposed to be Messiah.  How in the world are they going to access the tomb in order to anoint?  How are they going to get help to access Jesus?  Who is going to help them?  Despite the predicament, the women continue on their way. 

            We all know the story.  When they arrive, they have no need of help because the stone is already rolled away.  They don’t need help accessing Jesus because Jesus has come to access them.  Jesus is raised and doesn’t remain in the cold tomb of death, because He comes to be God’s first fruit of a new creation and a new life through the eternal presence of God in Jesus to all who believe.

            I can’t help but wonder what emotions flooded the hearts and minds of the women when they received the good news that Jesus is Risen!  (He is Risen indeed!)  In the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark, we hear that the women “went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”(Mark 16:8 – NRSV)  Terror and amazement at the same time, gripped them in a grasp that no human strength could overcome.  Oh, what confusion must have taken hold of them.  They must have had thoughts such as, “Is it true?  If this is true, He is Messiah! Is it a hoax?  What should we say?  What shall we do?  Oh… if only the stone had remained in place, life could go on as it always has!”

            If the stone remained in place, life and faith would go on as it always has.  But God has rolled the stone away and life can never be the same.  This is God’s doing and this is God’s promise.  How often do we find ourselves rolling the stone back into place?  How often do we try our best to keep the stone covering new life?  How often, in our day to day, do we live as if  God never rolled that stone away?

            This Easter, live in the truth, live in the power, live in the authority of God’s promise to roll the stone away!!  We can’t change what God has done, so let’s live in His Risen presence.   Praise God!!

                                                A Blessed and Powerful Easter to all

Pastor Dan
Contact Pastor Dan at: pastor@mtzionelca.com