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Take away the stone. John 11:39
D.L. MOODY
Before the act of raising Lazarus could be performed, the disciples had their part to do. Christ could have removed the stone with a word. It would have been very easy for Him to have commanded it to roll away, and it would have obeyed His voice, as the dead Lazarus did when He called him back to life. But the Lord would have His children learn this lesson: that they have something to do toward raising the spiritually dead. The disciples had not only to take away the stone, but after Christ had raised Lazarus, they had to “loose and let him go.”
ERWIN LUTZER
When Jesus was in the world, He was the one who exposed people’s sin and their need for God’s righteousness. It is impossible for people to come to saving faith in Christ unless they are drawn by the Holy Spirit. In fact, Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44). That’s why He says, “It is to your advantage that I go away” (John 16:7). The Spirit is going to convict the world (John 16:8). But let’s remember that we have a part to play in God’s plan of redemption; we are commanded to share the gospel. To use Moody’s analogy: we are to take away the stone. Jesus said He will send the Holy Spirit to believers (John 16:13–16). And when the Spirit is sent to us, it is through us that the world is convicted of its sin. The Holy Spirit does not work in a vacuum. The Spirit uses our obedience to share the gospel, showing the world its need for God.
What stones do we need to remove for someone to believe the gospel? The answer might be different for each person, but we can direct all the people we meet to Christ who can raise them to spiritual life.
PRAYER
Father, because I love you, may I play my part in the lives of others so that they might believe and be saved.REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Do you live as though having the Holy Spirit inside you is superior to having Jesus walk beside you?
What intellectual or relational barrier can you help remove for an unbeliever this week?