Who Shall Roll Away the Stone?
Mark 16: 1-8
When someone asks a question something about the person asking the question is revealed. This is why, many times, we are all hesitant to ask a question publicly. We know that our question will expose some information about us that we would rather keep to ourselves.
I was part of a brainstorming committee several years ago at a company where I was employed. We would meet each week and brainstorm certain ideas concerning improving production, quality, safety, etc. Our motto was “The only stupid question is the one not asked.” This motto was intended to help all committee members overcome their fear of asking questions during our brainstorming sessions. Now I am not sure this motto is entirely true. I have heard some pretty stupid questions asked or should I say some questions asked without a lot of thought given to them. For example, the lady taking orders at the MacDonald’s drive thru asking me after I had placed my order, “Is that for here or do you want it to go?” Now why would I be ordering at the drive thru if I was going to eat inside the restaurant? Or I heard this question asked recently, “Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways?”
The women in our text today revealed a great deal about their thoughts, emotions, and even their faith when they asked, “Who shall roll away the stone?” This question tells us something about the thinking and attitude of these women as they were going to the tomb of Jesus. First, it expresses that they were concerned about getting inside the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with spices. They desired to show their love and devotion to Christ so they asked, “Who shall roll away the stone?” They knew the stone was too heavy for them to roll away. Also if they knew of the Roman Guards placed at the tomb by Pilate at the request of the Jewish leaders, they may have wondered how they could gain access to the body of Jesus, especially since the tomb had been sealed and guarded.
Secondly, the question reveals to us that the women had no expectation of the resurrection of Christ. They were only saddened by His death and no thoughts of what Jesus had taught them about the resurrection had entered their minds. They were expecting to find the cold, lifeless body of Jesus in the tomb.
Thirdly, the question shows us that the women were in a state of hopelessness. The same Jesus whom they had witness heal the sick, cast out devils, and even raise the dead, now laid in a tomb with a heavy stone sealing His dead body. What hope could they have now after His death? They trusted Him as their Messiah and king. What could He do for them from the grave?
The women here serve to show how hopeless life would be if there had been no resurrection of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15: 17-19, Paul states, “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” Can you imagine how different life would be without the resurrection of Jesus? Paul declares that we would be of all men most miserable. If there is no resurrection of Christ; there is no church; there is no Christianity. The whole Christian faith and doctrine is built upon the resurrection of Jesus. Without the resurrection of Christ Christianity would be just another dead, man-made religion without any power to save or give hope.
Let’s focus on this question asked by the women in our text and its answer and rejoice in the hope of the resurrection of Christ.
I. First the question asked by the women expressed unbelief.
A.The women were so overcome with the death of Christ that they failed to believe what He taught them before His crucifixion and death. In Mark 14: 28 Jesus taught His disciples at the Passover meal that He would shed His blood and His sheep would be scattered but that He would be raised from the dead. It may be true that the women were not present at the Passover meal and had not heard Jesus speak of His resurrection. Yet, He did speak of it plainly on many other occasions. Let me share just a few passages with you where Jesus speaks of His resurrection: Matthew 17:9; 20:19; 24:7; 26:32; 27:63; Mark 8:31; 10:34; 13:8; Luke 18:33; 24:7; John 20:9. I think we can be fairly sure that the women had heard of the predicted resurrection of Jesus. Unbelief had blinded the eyes of these women and all the disciples.
• Unbelief will blind anyone from the truth and evidence concerning the reality of the resurrection of Christ. The writer of Hebrews states this, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6). Also Thomas, one of Christ’s own disciples, had a difficult time believing that Christ had resurrected from the dead. Like all of the disciples, Thomas, naturally could not understand how a dead body could be brought back to life. At least, Thomas and the others, after observing the evidence, believed the truth that Christ had indeed resurrected from the dead.
• There are so many who are unwilling to investigate history and fact in order to find the truth. They are satisfied with natural doubt because it is easy to say there is no truth to the resurrection of Christ, which allows them to ease their own consciences and continue in their own self-righteous ways.
• If a person wants to investigate the validity of the resurrection the evidence is there and it is overwhelming. The sad fact is that many come to see the evidence and respond just as the religious leaders did after they had Christ crucified. They knew Christ had died. They knew the tomb was empty. They knew the opening of the guarded tomb was a miracle in the very presence of the Roman soldiers. They still, in their rebellious, calloused, hearts knowing the truth created a lie for their own selfish causes.
• The evidence overwhelming gives credibility to the resurrection of Christ. Read the book The Case for Easter by Lee Strobel, an atheist, who became a follower of Christ after investigating the historical evidence of the resurrection. Josh McDowell, an atheist, who set out to disprove the resurrection, also became a Christian in the process of investigating the historical evidence of the resurrection. McDowell writes, “A student at the University of Uruguay said to me.”Professor McDowell, why can’t you refute Christianity?" "For a very simple reason," I answered. "I am not able to explain away an event in history--the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
• F.F. Bruce, a professor at Manchester University states, “If the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt.”
• E.M. Blaiklock professor at Auckland University declares, “I claim to be an historian. My approach to Classics is historical. And I tell you that the evidence for the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ is better authenticated than most of the facts of ancient history . . .”
• How much evidence does a person need before committing to the truth? People do not reject the truth of the resurrection because of the lack of evidence, the evidence is there. They reject the truth of the resurrection because of a depraved nature and spiritual blindness. As Isaiah the OT prophet declares, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (53:6). God must come to our rescue by regeneration, whereby he makes us alive to His truth that we may see and believe.
II. Secondly, the question asked by the women expresses hopelessness.
A. The stone had the entrance to the tomb blocked, and the Lord Jesus was on the inside; dead, when He was placed there.
• This was what was on the mind of the women. They had no hope of finding Jesus alive. They were going to anoint His dead body.
• They had hoped that Jesus would reign over them as their righteous king. Now He was dead, they thought. You see the Jewish people had waited centuries for their Messiah to come and deliver them. They had faced oppression and defeat from other nations. Even now, at the time of Christ, the Jews were under Roman control. They had expected Jesus to deliver them by defeating their enemies and establishing His kingdom. With that in the minds of the women and disciples, what kind of hope was left for them now after the crucifixion? Can you imagine the hopelessness we would face if Christ had stayed in the tomb?
• No hope of life after death. No hope of seeing loved ones. No hope of an eternal home in heaven. Death, the final enemy, would defeat us all.
III. Thirdly, the answered question expresses the power of God over sin and death.
A. The women discovered the answer to their question when they arrived at the tomb. The stone had been rolled away.
• Plus an angel gave them some amazing information. He said, “Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him” (v. 6).
• All hope was restored.
• The angel gave the women instructions to go and tell the other disciples that Christ had risen and especially Peter because Peter had just denied the Lord three times during His trial.
• The women quickly fled from the tomb in fear and amazement.
B. The resurrection of Christ restored hope and blessing to His disciples and gives great hope to believers today.
• The resurrection of Christ is a reality. He continues to transform lives now by the power of His resurrection. He alone has the power and authority to save all who will trust in Him. The resurrection gives Him the right to say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except by me.” We can be sure no other creature has the right to make that statement, for no other creature has demonstrated power over death. When Lee Strobel was asked what was the greatest evidence found in convincing him to commit his life to Christ. Lee answered by saying, “When I asked Christ in faith to forgive me and save me He did.”
• In Conclusion: Why haven’t you trusted in Christ? How much more evidence do you need? What will you say to Him in the day you appear before him when He asks why you did not trust His claims as Savior and Lord? Run to Him now for forgiveness and the life only He can give.
