A Stone to Remove

And another to include.

produced by static force llc sometimes things don't change.

Transcript

TITLE: A Stone to Remove

SUBTITLE: And A Different One to Add

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2076577/episodes/16972951

#GospelAccordingToTheRock

A Stone to Remove

by Eric Engelmann

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC

I’m going to pray:

Father in Heaven, I pray we receive your faithfulness to us through Jesus Christ, Yeshua Hamashiach.

I received a question during the Spring of 2025. It references a Scripture about Lazarus’ tomb starting in John 11:38

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

Here's the question of this episode: What stone do I/you/we need to move out of the way to enter into or release God's Miracle? 

Before I read more Scripture, let me share a few answers off the top of my head.

First Answer: Forgive. Other Scriptures talk about a "rock of offense". Assess the stone of your unbelieving heart and maybe your priorities. Think in reverse for a minute: If someone is offended at you, you get the sense that you're "not getting through". That's what God experiences. Forgive, and God will forgive you and bring you options you didn't know you had.

Second ANSWER relating more to the text we just read: Move the stone Jesus says is in the way. After He points out the one He wants moved when He wants it.

By the way, the stone at the grave was not an offense. It was a courtesy. Bodies were buried because they decay and it's degrading to the living to watch beasts and decay mutilate bodies.

Before I give a third answer, 

LET'S DO SOME BACKGROUND IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

I want to look at Jesus' view of miracles. His priorities can be different than ours.

I believe JESUS in John chapter 3 TOLD NICODEMUS THERE ARE LEVELS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT'S OPERATION: EARTHLY AND HEAVENLY.

Jesus told Nicodemus a man had to be born again, and Nicodemus said, "How can this be?". Here's Jesus' answer to Nicodemus' question:

John 3:12 "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?"

It's not until the end of John Chapter 3 that Jesus talks about a very heavenly thing:

Verse 35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

It sounds like the wrath of God can keep people from seeing the eternal life God has avaialble.

THAT'S ALL I'M LOOKING AT IN CHAPTER 3

I brought chapter 3 up because I want you to see a pattern. Jesus brings up the Father when other people are talking to Him about things on this earth. 

More background to our "stone removing" question is in John chapter 6

After miraculously feeding five thousand men, Jesus was surrounded by people who wanted to make Him king by force. So, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

The five thousand missed the night where Jesus walked on the sea. The next day some of them looked for Jesus, 

Verse 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”

26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

NOTE: Jesus is saying there are multiple levels of meaning to His miracle. One level is people realize they are eating bread and want to see more miracles. The other could be -- if they have eyes to see -- that the loaves are a sign that there's food that lasts to everlasting life if you allow the Heavenly Father into the picture.

After a long discussion, a bunch of Jesus' followers quit following:

John Chapter 6 verse 66: 

From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

NOTE: The name Simon Peter can mean something like "hearing rock". Peter mentions that Jesus' heavenly Father is God.

That's the end of our background. Now, let's CONTINUE WITH THE JOHN 11 PASSAGE

I'm going to read further about what happened in John 11 after the stone was removed:

Verse 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 

“Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."

NOTE: Jesus has put the miracle He's about to perform in proper perspective. His purpose is not to have a bunch of people come to Him and say, "Perform a miracle! I believe you can do this!" 

Jesus' purpose is for people to see the miracle as a sign that Jesus is sent by His Heavenly Father. Jesus' prayer has put His Heavenly Father into the thought process.

Verse 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

Now that we've read through the rest of John 11, let me give you a Third Answer to the question of the episode:

We not only may need to move a stone -- we may need to include a greater one into our vision. As we forgive, we can look to the rock from which Jesus was quarried and rest in the Father's love and knowing He hears us. He is the heavenly listening rock.

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC