Text: John 11:38-39
Topic: Take Away The Stone.
38 "Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 "Take away the stone," He said, "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days" John 11:38-39.
Lazarus, the man buried in the tomb or cave, was the brother of Mary Magdalene and Martha. The family believed in Jesus and Jesus was a friend of the family. So when Lazarus fell ill they sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick". Jesus told the disciples that the sickness was for God's glory and He stayed there for two more days and arrived after Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. After weeping, Jesus was deeply moved as He came to the tomb, with a stone laid across the entrance.
Before Jesus came to save the world, we were all like dead men, dead in our transgressions and sins, (Eph 2:1, 2:5, Col 2:13). The world was like a cave with a stone laid across the entrance with bad odor of sin. Jesus came and took away our sins (stone), with all the horrible odor and nailed them to the cross and gave us life. The odor was so terrible that the Father turned His face from Him, and Jesus cried with a loud voice, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?" (Matt 27:46). That was the power of God's Grace. "....it is by His Grace we have been saved" Eph 2:5.
Throughout Jesus' ministry on earth, He was always deeply moved to raise the dead, to heal the sick, to deliver the possessed and the oppressed, and to preach the good news, "When He saw the crowd, He had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd" Matt 9:46.
In the same way, as Jesus was told that, "the one you love is sick", so, 'God so loved the world' that He sent His one and only Son to save us. God was deeply moved as all of us completely went astray. Despite the death of Christ on the cross for us to have life, not everyone has that life. The reason is, 'Unbelief', that is, they have refused to take away the stones that have been laid across their tombs (their hearts). No matter how loud they are called, they will not hear. When Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus, He did not command the stone to roll away. He told those who were standing there with Him to "Take away the stone". Stone signifies an insurmountable obstacle.
The dead are ignorant. Jesus has sent us to take away the stones that have blocked some people from coming out of their tombs (ignorance). There are different types of tombs in which the devil has buried many people and laid across the entrance of their hearts, stones to block their hearts from hearing and believing the Word of God. These people who have been buried, have no power of their own to come out, no matter how you shout or beat them.
The different types of tombs are: drunkenness, drugs, occult, sexual immorality, murder, adultery, fornication, lies telling, slander, orgies (indiscriminate group sexual activity), debauchery, jealousy, impurity, greed, lust, idolatry, perversion, Witchcraft, hatred, discord, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions (quarrels), factions (strife), envy, homosexual offenders, unatural sexual relationship (lesbianism and sex with animals), etc, (Gal 5:19- 21, 1Cor 6:19, Rom 1:26). The odors in these tombs are terrible. Jesus has sent us; whom He has called out of such tombs to take away the stones from the lost. People who were naturally alive took away the stone that laid across Lazarus' tomb; so also, those who are spiritually alive in Jesus, have been commissioned to take away the stones from the lost, by preaching the Word to them, to repent and receive the Lord Jesus into their lives and have life to the full.
Eventhough there is an odor in them, Jesus will call them out of their various tombs and they will be clean with no odor. Martha, the dead man's sister, tried to discourage the taking away of the stone when she said, "by this time there is a bad odor". Yes, no matter how sinful someone is no one should discourage you from preaching the good news to anybody, for the Lord says, "come now, and let us reason together said the Lord: though your sins be like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" Isaiah 1:18. It is the spirit of the Lord that convicts the sinner as God pleases. Our assignment is to take away the stones through preaching of the Word of God.
There are people in church whose stones have not been taken away. The stones are hiding their odor; but if you go close to them you will perceive the odor, which is sin. They have heard the word several times. How long will they keep hiding behind the stones? Let the physical death or rapture not meet them behind the stone. Like other believers, I have been sent by Jesus to preach this good news to you and take away that stone from your tomb, which I am doing right now. If you listen to Martha, you are doomed.
There are other types of stones too that have been laid across the lives of believers. These are temptations. God has assured us in Psalms 92:11-12 , "For He shall command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone". You can only benefit from this promise, "If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you" John 15:7.
Many believers are forfeiting this promise because of disobedience. When you fall into any temptation, the accuser of brethren, the devil, will have the right to accuse you and lay a stone (attack) on your finances, your health, your business, your progress, your promotion etc. In this situation, you, the believer, will have to take away the stone, which is: confessing your sins to the Lord, ask for forgiveness and repent genuinely. Remember, you don't have to continue in sin for Grace to abound. If you continue, there is no more sacrifice for sin.
What about unbelievers who prosper? They will be forever destroyed ( Psalm 92:7).
Therefore Brothers in Christ, assess your relationship in Christ and make necessary adjustments.