I have several books by Max Lucado. I love the way he uses personal circumstances and events to instill the truths of scripture and then make application for the reader. In one of his books, He Still Moves Stones, Lucado revealed how he had read Matthew’s account of the resurrection at least a hundred times. And then on the one hundred and first time he saw something he hadn’t seen before – and a truth he embraced.
In Matthew’s account, a violent earthquake took place, and an angel came and rolled the stone away from the tomb in which Jesus had been laid, sitting on it (Matthew 28:2). The other gospels indicate no earthquake and only describe the women finding the stone rolled away as they returned for the final burial preparations. Why would he make such a point? Interestingly, Matthew is the only one of the gospel writers that mentions an earthquake the moment Jesus died on the cross. Matthew’s focus at the tomb, however, wasn’t the earthquake but the stone being rolled away.
The two Mary’s in Matthew’s account had been at Calvary and saw the crucifixion of Jesus. They were the last to leave and the first to arrive at the grave. They weren’t hoping or expecting the tomb to be vacant. All hopes and expectations were dashed three days earlier. So, if it wasn’t hope that led them to the tomb that morning, what was it?
In a word – DEVOTION
Service prompted by devotion is the call of discipleship. They knew a task had to be done and out of devotion to Jesus they were on their way to accomplish it. Peter didn’t offer. Andrew didn’t volunteer. The healed lepers were nowhere to be found. What if the two Mary’s had given up? What if one decided out of frustration, “I’m tired of being the only one who cares. Let someone else do it.” But they didn’t, and as a result they got the thrill of their lives.
So why did the angel move the stone? Many assume it was so Jesus could come out. But hold on – since when did Jesus need any help to exit a tomb or push a rock away? The text indicates that Jesus was already out when the stone was moved. If it wasn’t moved for Jesus, then for whom was it moved? Note the words of the angel in Matthew 28:6, “Come and see the place where he lay.” The point the angel was making was that the stone was moved not for Jesus to come out, but for the women to see in!
And now the personal application: What stone in your life needs to be moved so that you can see the glory of God at work? Could it be a stone of doubt or disbelief? Maybe a stone of worry or anxiousness? Possibly a stone of discouragement or depression? If there is a stone in your life, remember the two Mary’s and their gift of devotion. Because they didn’t give up, the stone was rolled away and they were never the same again. You see, God still sends angels and He still moves stones.
For His Glory,
Pastor Bill