Take Away the Stone Part 1

Beloved, I feel inspired by the Holy Spirit to write unto you from a new subject entitled “Take away the Stone.” If you remember, “Take…away the stone” was the command given by Jesus (see John 11:39) to those who stood weeping at Lazarus’ grave. Mary and Martha, his sisters, were sorrowing – first because they thought Jesus was too late, and second because they thought that their brother was dead. When you allow yourself to feel that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, can be too late when it comes to deliverance, you develop a stony heart (a heart that has no faith or hope). This will eventually lead to feeling that your deliverance is dead – a deliverance for which you might as well just give up hope. But please allow your Pastor (through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) to encourage you to “take away the stone.”

Precious Ones, when Jesus saw Mary weeping, scripture records that Jesus was “groaning” (repressing indignation) in His Spirit, and that He was troubled (see John 11:32-33). Nothing stirs up our Savior’s indignation (anger) more than when His children doubt whether He can do what he says. Remember, Lazarus was one who had the reputation of being loved greatly by Jesus (see John 11:2). Here lies the answer to why we move Jesus to “groaning” when we doubt Him – He loves us! Should we be so insensitive as to think that Jesus is not hurt when we doubt that He will deliver us? If you can’t see why this angers our Savior, you need to “take away the stone.”

Chosen Ones, Lazarus was already dead. He was beyond all human aid. Yes, Mary and Martha had the capable faith in Jesus that if He had arrived earlier, their brother would not have died (John 11:32). Again, here lies the answer as to why Jesus gets angry when we don’t trust Him – He knows that we have displayed capable faith in the past. Why then should we allow present challenges to shake our confidence in Him? I implore you to “take away the stone.” Don’t emulate Mary and Martha – their faith ended at the grave. At that time, they were about to learn the lesson that “all things are possible to him that believeth” (Mark 9:23). The promise is only to those who believe – those who never give up believing.

I will write more on this subject next week. Until then, know this…

I love you all SO very much.
In His Love,

Pastor William L. McCoy