The Other Side of the Stone

The Other Side of the Stone

By David Wilkerson

Joseph took the body . . . and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away" (Matthew 27:59–60, NIV).

Jesus had just been crucified and was now lying in a tomb. As a massive stone was rolled to seal the doorway, everyone had a sad sense of finality. Scripture says a group of women, including Mary Magdalene, was sitting opposite the tomb. Those women must have been heartbroken. I can almost hear the despair in their voices: "What will happen now that Jesus is gone? How do we go on?"

Today we know the end of the story. We know that when Jesus said from the cross, "It is finished," He had conquered sin. We know that with His resurrection He had conquered death. And we know that He did it all for us.But what if we did not know the end of the story, as those women at the tomb? What were the eleven disciples thinking as they hid at a distance behind locked doors (see John 20:19)?

I do not think we can fathom what Jesus' death meant to His passionate followers. They had believed their Master was the hope of the world, the salvation of Israel, the light to the Gentiles. He was the great healer, raising the dead and setting captives free, preaching the good news to the poor. He was the embodiment of the new kingdom He preached about. As they thought back to His words, "It is finished," they must have thought He meant, "It's over. This is the end of the story."
All too often, as Christians endure the trials of life, this is the message they believe. They see no hope beyond their difficult situation. All they can see is a stone permanently rolled into place separating them from hope. Yet they are seeing things from this side of the stone. If only they knew what God is doing for them on the other side of the stone.
Maybe life has presented you with a hard, impassable situation. As you read this do you wonder, “Is God at work in my circumstance? Is Jesus really triumphant — in me? Can He really save me from this situation? I just don’t see a way forward.”

I tell you, God is on the move in your life at this very moment. The stone is being rolled away. Light is breaking forth and your Hope stands there in the doorway: Jesus! He has triumphed over all the powers of darkness and His victory is yours by faith.

Jesus

John 12:32 “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.”

In John chapter 12, Jesus is staying in Bethany at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus because it was near to Jerusalem. It is just six days before Passover, and people are coming from all over the world to celebrate Passover. Crowds came out to Bethany to see Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead. I can just see the crowds milling around Bethany and the house of Lazarus just to get a glimpse of him and Jesus. Jesus has eaten supper with Lazarus, and the house is filled with the perfume that Mary has poured on Jesus’ feet.

John 12:11 says, “The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.” You can sense the anticipation and excitement of the crowd as they hear Jesus is coming. For many who have come from far this may have been their first glimpse of Jesus, the one they had heard so much about. As Jesus arrives, the crowds erupt in shouts of joy and praise, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!' The King of Israel!”  Not only is the multitude shouting, but John records that there was a voice from heaven like thunder that said, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again," referring to His name.

It is in this awesome context that Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” Philippians 2:9-11 says, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” The central message of the early church was Jesus Christ and Him crucified; that there is no other name in heaven and earth by which people may be saved.

In Acts the Jewish leaders ordered Peter and John not to preach or teach at all in the name of Jesus, beat them, and imprisoned them when they continued to boldly proclaim that name.  At the name of Jesus the lame man at the temple walked, and the apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. It was the name of Jesus that brought unity, growth, and blessing to the early church.

As we celebrate Palm Sunday and Easter, let us elevate Jesus not only in church but in our lives. Do not let the world intimidate you from using the name that is above every name.

Andy Clark

Building a Life of Influence

Proverbs 3:3-6
“Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart,
And so find favor and high esteem
In the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.”

Influence is birthed out of trusting and acknowledging God in everything.
Influence is evidenced in mercy and truth (NKJ), love and faithfulness (NIV).
The results are divine guidance, favor with God and man, health, and prosperity.

Peter gives this epitaph of Jesus’ ministry in Acts 10:38:
“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”
We see here that the evidence of God’s favor and anointing power in the life of Jesus was His acts of mercy. These were acts that were born out of the will of God and fulfilled by God’s power. They were evidences to the world of God’s character and His favor.

This favor and influence in the early church was demonstrated through their lives of mercy. Acts 2:46-47 says, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” Acts 4:32 goes on to say, “Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.”

Mercy is one of the key elements in God’s judgment of mankind. Matt 25:34-39 says,
“Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me….. Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

This kind of unabandoned mercy can only be birthed out of trusting and acknowledging God in everything. The results are divine guidance, enablement, favor with God and man, health and prosperity of body, soul and spirit.

Andy Clark

Living in God's Favor

Two weeks ago (2/18) in my devotional “Favored One,” we saw that Mary entered into God’s favor not because of who she was or her performance, but because God imparted His favor upon her. As the angel challenged Mary to rejoice because of God’s favor, we too can rejoice because of God’s favor on us through Jesus Christ.

This week we want to look at the example of Christ and how we can live in God’s favor. Luke 2:51-52 says, “Then He (Jesus) went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Here we see Jesus grew in favor with God. Do you think before this that Jesus had any less favor with God? As God’s son, born of the Spirit, Jesus always had God’s full favor. But what we see at the temple is the beginning of the manifestation of that favor. This increase in favor with God and man was the result of his submission to his parents and God the father.

Through Christ we receive instantaneous favor with God, but it is through submission to God, His Word, and those He has placed over us that we begin to see the manifestation of God’s favor in our lives. In Luke 3:22 at Jesus’ baptism, God openly declares His favor over Jesus, "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." This open declaration of favor comes after years of Jesus walking in submission. In Luke 4:1-2 this favor is put to the test when Jesus is tempted of the devil in the wilderness. Luke 4:14 concludes, “Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.”

When we come to understand the favor that God has given to us and walk in submission to His Spirit, it enables us to overcome the attacks of the enemy through circumstances that we face in life and come out in victory and the power of His might. It is through this process that the favor of God begins to manifest through us and impacts those who are around us. We see the culmination of this when Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah in Luke 4:18-19, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Living in God’s favor enables us to extend God’s favor to others who are bound in sin and oppressed of the devil. Living in God’s favor empowers us to “proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you.” Begin to live in His favor through faith and submission to His Word and Spirit that the glory and the favor of the Lord may rest on you and bring deliverance to those you meet.

Andy Clark