Leave Your Graveyard Clothes In The Graveyard

John 19:38-42

John 20:1-10

Topic: Leaving your graveyard clothes in the graveyard

In these passage of scriptures, we read about Mary Magdalene, and the other women going to the sepulcher to anoint the body of Jesus Christ. About 3 days earlier, Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross on Calvary’s hill, and he was laid to rest and buried in a sepulcher that is known as Joseph’s “borrowed tomb.” But when Mary Magdalene and the other women arrived at the sepulcher, they noticed that the stone was rolled away from the entrance of the sepulcher, for God had sent an angel to roll the stone away. And the scriptures says that Peter, John, Mary, and the other women had went into the sepulcher and saw that the body of Jesus Christ was not there, for Jesus Christ had risen from the dead just as he said he would.

Now, the stone was not rolled away from the entrance of the sepulcher by the angel for Jesus’ sake, for Jesus could have thought the stone away, and the stone would have moved. Jesus could have spoken to the stone, and the stone would have moved. Jesus could have just touch the stone, and the stone would have moved. Better yet, Jesus could have walked right through the stone out of the sepulcher because Jesus Christ has all power to do anything. But the stone was not moved for Jesus Christ sake, but it was moved for Mary, the other women, Peter and John’s sake The stone was moved for their sake so they could go into the sepulcher and see that Jesus Christ was no longer dead, but that He has risen from the dead, and that He is alive forever more. And because Jesus is alive today, salvation is available. Because Jesus is alive today, eternal life is available. Because Jesus is alive today, deliverance is available. Because Jesus is alive today, forgiveness of sin is available. There is a song that says, “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fears are gone. Because I know who holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives!”

Yes, the stone was rolled away from the sepulcher so that Mary and the other women, Peter and John could go in and see that the body of Jesus Christ is no longer in the tomb, but they may see that Jesus Christ has indeed risen from the dead by the Almighty God.

But guess what? Even though this incident took place over 2000 years ago, God is still rolling back stones. God is still able to roll some stones out of our lives. In order for us to be able to move forward in our lives, there are some stones that need to be rolled away in our lives.

For example, in order for us to move forward in our lives, and to receive the blessings that God has for you, the stone of unforgiveness must be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives and to receive the blessing that God has for us, the stone of bitterness must be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives, and to receive the blessing that God has for us, the stone of confusion must be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives, and to receive the blessing that God has for you, the stone of depression must be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives, and to receive the blessing that God has for us, the stones of hate, racism, bigotry, prejudices must be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives, and to receive the blessings that God has for us, the stones of jealousy, envy, and disobedience must be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives and to receive the blessings that God has for us, the stones of falsehood, deceit, malicious gossip, and slander must be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives, and to receive the blessings that God has for us, there are some stones of uncontrolled anger, lust, and negative attitudes that must to be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives, and to receive the blessing that God has for us, there are some stones of foolishness must be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives, and to receive the blessing that God has for us, there are stones of drug addiction and alcohol addiction that must be rolled away.

In order for us to move forward in our lives, and to receive the blessing that God has for us, there are some stones of pride, fear, unbelief and doubts that must be rolled away.