The Resurrection Power of Removing the Stone
EASTER WORSHIP SERVICE: MARCH 31, 2024
Rev. Jason Noh
Opening: Resurrection is the power of facing the reality
What is the significance of the stone being rolled away?
1. Removing the heart of stone.
“She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.” (v.10-11)
“And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.” (v.13)
“‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.’” (Mark 10:33-34)
“Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.” (v.14)
“The problem is not with church with empty pews, but with church with full of empty people.” (Unknown)
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)
2. Removing the stone of anxiety and worry.
“And they were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?’” (v.3)
“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” (1 Corinthians 15:54)
Closing: Living out resurrection faith means facing the challenges without avoiding.
