38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[e] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
The first thing that stands out to me is how both Joseph and Nicodemus were so afraid of what people would think of them, they kept their relationship with Jesus secret. The second thing is how much they both changed. Their love for Jesus overcame their fear of what others would think of them.
I ponder: Are there areas in my life where I keep my relationship with Jesus secret out of fear of what others might think? As I ask the Lord to show me my heart, I realize that sometimes the answer is yes. I’m going to put a sticky note on my mirror as a reminder, “It’s not about me.”
Lord, let my love for you grow so that my first thought is of You, not of what others think of me.
Leslyn Musch, Pastor
Lighthouse Regional Church – Concord
What strikes me was that he asked Pilate for the body. He had compassion on Jesus after His death–wanted to see Him buried with respect. Loved Him, honored Him, wanted to take care of Him–in spite of the fact that he was afraid of the Jewish leaders, he and Nicodemus risked it. And where were all the others that loved Him and followed Him?? Why were they not at His side wanting to take care of His body!
And what about me? What I am doing or not doing to take care of His Body now? Today I will ask Him where He wants me to be more involved (more intentional?) in taking care of His Body.
I hear from the passages before about Nicodemus (where he visited Jesus secretly at night and argued for fair treatment of him) that he must have struggled with his own beliefs as a Pharisee and how Jesus’ teaching must have touched him. This must have been a difficult wall for him to get through. But he must have gotten through it, since when the time came he was there. Like Sue said, where were all the others?
I pray that God would help me get through my walls now so that I can be there when he needs me.
“It’s not about me” keeps ringing in my heart and I pray it will bring me to focus on Him daily for the rest of my life.
Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus.
Wow. Here is a guy who spent a whole lot of time concealing the fact that he followed Jesus. He and Nicodemus both. But when the end came, and it really came down to life or death, they were willing to put everything on the line. They exposed themselves in the very hour that it wasn’t popular with anyone. The religious cast had been opposed from the beginning.. but now not only the common people had deserted and cried for Jesus’ death, but his closest friends had run away. (Peter even publicly denounced him!)
Where does this leave me? Especially in a time where being a true follower of Jesus is unpopular, both with the religious elite and the common people. Where following Jesus auto labels you as a bigot, a hater, closed minded, and foolish among secular peers. Do I and will I have the guts to ask for his body publicly? Do I and will I have the guts to live in a manner that truely glorifies and reflects His heart when it is so much easier to pull a Peter and blend in?
This is a difficult path.
Jesus’ body was prepared in accordance with Jewish customs and traditions. Convenience and the Sabbath dictated that they place the body in a nearby garden in a tomb that no one had been laid in. Wait, a tomb that no body had been laid in? In a garden?
Life began in the garden. Here at site of the death of our Lord and Savior, an unused tomb was in a garden. His physical body was placed in the seat of life in the garden. Death had not been present there, and was not present there. Life was present in the garden and it eagerly awaited the Savior’s return with the keys to Death and Life. The story has come full circle. The second Adam has given us life and life more abundantly.
love it . . . life begins in the garden
I know there are certain groups of people I don’t mention Jesus as much as I do with others. I know in my heart the reason is that I want them to see Jesus in me before they know about my love for Him so I don’t get clumped into the category of “all those Christians” that have slurred condemnation on them. BUT!!! I need to check my heart and see if I am secretly visiting Him in secret to avoid conflict or does He really show through me in what I say and do. It isn’t about me but do I make it about Him!
Need to do some thinking on this. Great questions Leslyn. Thanks and have a wonderful day celebrating the One Who rose that we could live with Him eternally.
These two men certainly found themselves in a difficult social position. It is an inspiring story to see them step it up when they really needed to and that … “Their love for Jesus overcame their fear of what others would think of them.” I hear God passing that challenge on to me in times when I tend toward being shy – maybe I need at post it too!