Main Text:  John 11:38-39

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."

NKJV

There are two stones mentioned in the Bible, besides the five that

David picked up going after Goliath, two stones that sit in the way of victory

and blessing for every one of us.  To

receive all that God has for us, these stones need to first be rolled away.

The first stone is mentioned in the text we just looked at.  This passage, along with several verses

before and after it, tell the story of Lazarus and his resurrection.

John 11:1-37

11 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her

sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil

and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the

sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is

sick." 4 When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of

God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." 5 Now Jesus loved

Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick,

He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to

the disciples, "Let us go to Judea

again." 8 The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews

sought to stone You, and are You going there again?" 9 Jesus answered,

"Are there not twelve hours in the day? If

anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this

world.  10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in

him."  11 These things He

said, and after that He said to them, "Our

friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." 12 Then His

disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well." 13 However, Jesus

spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in

sleep. 14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus

is dead.  15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you

may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him." 16 Then Thomas,

who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go,

that we may die with Him."

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four

days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the

Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning

their brother. 20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming,

went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said

to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22

But even

now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." 23 Jesus said to

her, "Your brother will rise again." 24

Martha

said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the

last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I

am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he

shall live.  26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you

believe this?" 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are

the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." 28 And when she

had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister,

saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." 29 As soon as she

heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had

not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31

Then the