“The Stones”
Text: Mark 16:1-8
3-31-2024
In the name of our risen Lord and Savior, dear friends in Christ. Each year as we celebrate that Jesus has risen from the dead, we hear from the Gospel writers about the various people who were eye witnesses of this wondrous truth. That’s important because as humans we rely on this kind of testimony to convince us that it’s really true. But those witnesses were operating off the evidence they had seen. Quite often this is presented by inanimate objects. So, it’s good for us to spend some time examining that evidence which can help us better grasp the rich truth of the Resurrection. For our meditation today, let’s look more closely at the stones. Now, if you saw that in the sermon title you may have thought I was going to preach about the rock-n-roll group by that name. Sorry to disappoint you, but the stones I’m referring to weren’t a band, although the stones I have in mind did do some rockin-n-rollin. But their message is louder than a rock band and far more eloquent!
Before we identify those stones there’s a question we need to answer first that’s probably going through your minds: “Pastor, stones can’t speak. So how can you say they have an eloquent message for us?” Oh really? Well, I’ll have you know that I had a pet rock back when I was a teenager! And guess what? Yeah, you’re right. It couldn’t talk. It just sat there. Now, that was the 1970's, but maybe today... All kidding aside, stones do move and even though they may not use audible words they make noises sometimes and speak messages just by their presence. Let me show you.
Several places in the Old Testament, stones were used as witnesses to covenants, treaties, and sacred events. Do you remember what the 10 Commandments were inscribed upon? Two stone tablets. Why not wood or parchment? Because stones are permanent and so is God’s covenant. Oh, stones can be broken just like those tablets were. But even so, the message carved into them by God cannot be erased. Later, when Israel had entered the Promised Land, they recommitted themselves to their covenant with God. When they did, Joshua set up a large stone at that location and said, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD that He spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” (Joshua 24:27)
Fast forward to the New Testament. When Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphantly on Palm Sunday, the crowds were shouting His praises. The Pharisees got nervous. They feared that the Romans would see this as a riot and crack down on them with violent force. Secretly, they were worried that these people were actually starting to believe that Jesus was the Messiah; something which they rejected. So they urged Him to shut them up by rebuking them. But Jesus responded, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” (Luke 19:40)
Ironically, shortly after that the stones did cry out at two pivotal points during the death and resurrection of Jesus. At the moment when Christ died on the cross, St. Matthew tells us there was a violent earthquake and the rocks split. The earth itself was rumbling and groaning as if in sorrow over the death of its Creator.(Matthew 27:51) When the centurion who was at the foot of the cross witnessed the earthquake, he was in awe and put human words to their message saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” But not only that, Matthew tells us that when this happened the tombs of some of the saints broke open and they rose from the dead. Those stones were telling a message of Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the devil.
Then, the rocks remained silent until Sunday morning. The dead body of Jesus had been laid in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea which was carved out of the rock in a nearby graveyard. Over the entrance to the tomb a large stone was rolled. The Jewish leaders asked Pilate to put his seal on that stone and post a guard to make sure that no one would try to tamper with it. They did it because they remembered that Jesus had said He would rise again after 3 days. If they had believed who Jesus really was they would have seen how foolish it was to think that a stone and a wax seal could prevent His resurrection. Early on Sunday morning, there was another violent earthquake. This time the earth was crying out the good news that Christ had arisen. An angel rolled back the stone that covered the entrance in order to show that the tomb was empty. Jesus was alive and the stones that had been His grave were witness to it.
It’s interesting to note that when the women came to the tomb wanting to anoint the dead body of Jesus, they were alarmed by what they saw and heard. The empty tomb spoke volumes to them and the angel there put that into words, announcing that Jesus was alive. But St. Mark tells us that the ladies were so filled with trembling and astonishment that they “said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” When they did find their voices and told the disciples what they had witnessed, those men were also frozen in silence. Thankfully, not for long. Soon, they would cry out the message of the stones at the empty tomb, telling the world that Jesus had arisen.
My daughter, Rebekah, used to teach a Lutheran day school in Illinois. And she had some really cute stories to tell about the funny things her 1st grade class used to tell her. One time they were memorizing the 3rd Commandment and the meaning from the Catechism. A little boy named Bryson became confused. He said, “Teacher, I thought God wants us to tell other people the good news about Jesus?!?” Rebekah replied, “Why yes, we are. What makes you think we’re not?” Bryson said, “Well, in the meaning it says we’re supposed to hold God’s Word secret.” She had to correct him and explain that it says to “hold it sacred.” Ah, out of the mouths of babes!
I share that story as a reminder of what we are to do with the wondrous news of Christ’s Resurrection. Like the women at the tomb, when the realization of what happened on that first Easter morning really sinks in, we too may be stunned with amazement. And yes, at times we may be filled with fear that prevents us from sharing it. But like the tomb of Jesus, we cannot remain sealed and silent. Rather, like with those stones, the good news must come bursting forth from our hearts and mouths. We can’t hold in the truth that our Savior is alive. He has defeated sin, death, and the devil for us. As His living stones, we are His vocal witnesses and we can’t help but cry out the greatest message the world has ever known. That’s why we joyously say, “Alleluia! Christ has risen!” {He has risen indeed! Alleluia!} Amen.
Soli Deo Gloria!