No More Stones!

Doomscrolling

An old human habit that has a new name.

In the 21st c., it’s endlessly scrolling social media, news sites for information.

Not a new habit. Think of 24 hour news/weather stations.

Before that, scanning the whole newspaper or magazine for information.

It’s not new, but technology has made scrolling the news easier and perhaps more toxic.

We often find ourselves ignoring good news and fixating on the bad.

Again, human behavior to prioritize information so we can plan and react in our best interests.

The bad stuff seems to be things that can do us the most harm so we focus on it.

The problem is that these kind of actions become habits. We see a problem, challenge, obstacle in nearly every encounter.

Our anxiety is ratcheted up. Stress is through the roof.

Everywhere we look we see barriers, obstacles, problems, immovable stones in the news, in people, in ourselves.

This is not a new phenomena. And we even see it on Easter morning.

The women who went to Jesus’ tomb on the first day of the week were doing a 1st c. version.

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Mark 16:1–2 NLT

1 Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb.

These three women had assessed the news - Jesus is dead - and reacted. They reacted with love and devotion, but they didn’t have any hope.

They’re doing a version of doomscrolling. Trying to figure out what to do to move forward:

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Mark 16:3 NLT

3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”

They’re stressed. They saw the stone rolled in front of the entrance to the tomb. It would take several men to move it back.

They could only see the obstacle to doing the right thing. A great, huge rock.

Every day, we get up, get going and start down our list of stones.

Jobs that are insufficient, unsatisfying.

A never-ending list of tasks and responsibilities.

disappointments in ourselves and others.

Maybe just getting out of bed is an obstacle.

All barriers, boulders that seem to refuse to budge.

But God is in the business of removing obstacles.

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Matthew 28:2 NLT

2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it.

It’s important to note that all this talk about big rocks is for our benefit.

Jesus wasn’t limited. He was stuck in the tomb like getting locked in a room.

The stone certainly served a basic physical purpose: To keep out thieves, animals.

But its value to the gospel story is in understanding that the stone represents everything that limits you and I.

With its removal, we’re free to have hope, purpose, a life.

But we’re often like these wonderful women of old. We need to know that the stone is removed. We need to understand what a difference it makes.

To that end, gospel stories all agree on the message:

Don’t be afraid.

Matthew 28:5 NLT

5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

Recognize your expectations:

Luke 24:5 NLT

5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?

Understand the reality:

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Luke 24:6–7 NLT

6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

Come and See:

Matthew 28:6 NLT

6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

Go and Tell:

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Matthew 28:7 NLT

7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

For the stone’s removal to make any difference in our lives, we have to understand and accept that tomb it covered is empty. Jesus is risen from the dead. He gives us victory over brokenness, grief, sin, burdens - every single obstacle in life has been removed or redeemed by Christ’s resurrection.

1 Peter 1:21 NLT

21 Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

What’s the big rock you’re facing on this Easter morning?

Don’t be afraid, but find hope in your resurrected Lord.