In the Gospel of John, stones only have 2 roles.
One: to throw at people. As in: the woman caught in adultery in John 8.
As in: Jesus, caught in “blasphemy” (also in John 8, and again in John 10).
In John, the other role for stones: to roll in front of caves of dead people.
Again, only two people are covered: Lazarus. And Jesus.
In John 11, Jesus comes to the cave where Lazarus is buried. In verse 39, in the classic KJV, we read:
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been [dead] four days.
Lord, don’t kiddeth, Martha tells him. Don’t moveth the stone, for he stinketh.
Yes, it’s true, Martha. Death greatly stinketh.
But, when Jesus shows up on the scene, stones have a way of way of falling from people’s hands — and of rolling away. Ending the stench of Death.
I believe in the Resurrection because I believe we were made for more than Dust.
I recently watched Schindler’s List. Hard movie. Not for everyone.
From what we know, Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi Party, goes to Krakow, Poland, when the Nazis take over. He goes there for one primary purpose: to line his pockets. There is an opportunity to make some money at the expense of others, and he takes it.
So he takes over a Jewish business, and uses Jewish slave labor to build a business — and increase his wealth. Schindler is not a moral man. He does not live a moral life.
But then, he makes a mistake. He actually pays attention to the atrocities going on around him. He actually sees the workers in his factory: not as tools for building his wealth, but as … people.
And he chooses to protect and save those he can. Because when you look at people and see their humanity, you are catching a glimpse of the image of God. And when you do that, how can you truly believe that we were simply made to become soil again? If Dust is our destiny, then all that’s left is to figure out what to do with whatever decades we get. But whether it be only 30 years (or less), or as much as 90 (or more), our portion still only amounts to a speck of dust.
I believe in the Resurrection because I believe that even in the worst the world conjures up, oppressed and oppressor see that they - WE - are made for something more than the Grave. And if Jesus defeated death and all of the darkness that would swallow us up — then we are truly freed to live.
I sought to share this in my Easter message. Whether you are sure about the resurrection, or you’re sure it didn’t happen — or you’re just not sure, I encourage you to listen to the message above, where I share why we can have confidence that Jesus is alive, and the difference it makes.
For I believe that the Resurrection of Jesus changes everything.
Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash
