Easter morning

As Ken was reading the story of the resurrection to the kids this morning, I was reminded of a sermon I heard about Easter a few years ago.  We've all heard how, as the Savior was resurrected, the ground shook, the guards fainted and an angel of the Lord rolled the stone away.  Inside, the women were able to see that Jesus was gone.  But here's a thought I had never really pondered...  Why did the angel roll the stone away?  It certainly wasn't so Jesus could get out of the tomb.  He is GOD!  He could have moved the stone himself, to say the least.  So it must have been for a different reason.  The Bible doesn't say why, but I think it may have been so we could see.  We needed to see the empty tomb.  We needed to see that death had been defeated, that Jesus was who He said He was and that He had risen just as He said He would.  Could He have risen and come out of the tomb without the angel moving the stone?  I believe, yes.  But, just as Thomas did, we doubt.  We needed to see.  And God, in His goodness and knowing our frailty, let us see.  The tomb was empty!   The tomb is still empty!  Jesus has risen, is alive and is preparing a place for all who believe.  Praise the Lord, He has Risen!