Matthew 27:57-66 57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 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. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
Dave Foster
Vineyard Church Concord
Observation: Lord, I want to have the kind of faithfulness and devotion of the “Mary’s”. They followed and waited with You, even after Your death. To be with You even in the silence, disappointment and grief of the grave, such was their love and devotion.
Action: I will spend more focused time this week, waiting with You, because to be with You and “to hear Your voice changes everything.”
I love the closeness of these disciples–the Marys and Joseph of Arimathea. They didn’t run away, their following was still close despite the turning away of some of the others. I want to be that kind of follower.
PS: Dave, I love track #8 from ‘Iron’. I too hear His voice much better when He stills my soul.
“Be still”. Print out this devotion and carry it with me through the day.
Ponder today’s reading throughout my day.
OBSERVATION: I see the way the powers-that-be want/need to contain the wild power that You are and have, Jesus.
ACTION: I will let my mind and heart dream bigger. You cannot be contained.
I see that that the chief priests and pharisees called Jesus “the deceiver” and tried to stop the influence of His “deceit” even after He died. Today I will ask Jesus to help me live out His truth as I interact with my family and students.
Observation: Next to the religious rulers the rich received or at least seemed to feel the highest challenge from Jesus. The rich young ruler could not see a fair exchange in giving up his financial investment for the relational and spiritual investment Jesus offered him. Joseph being one of the “sages” of the sanhedrin has a different perspective on what is his. He is one waiting for the Kingdom of God. His perspective is different than the rich young man. The things he has he holds differently for a different purpose. “Coming out” as a disciple and walking right up to Pilate no less probably cost him his reputation, position and financial future. He does this at a point when no one thinks backing Jesus has a prayer. He has his values in the right place, kingdom focused, covenant driven.
Action: I want intentionally to live with all I have ready for the kingdom come and covenant driven even when following Jesus looks like the losing proposition.
Lord sweet Lord,
May wait be fueled by longing,
May pursuit my only craving,
May longing remain holy,
Inheritance my sustenance.
Amen.
Joseph, Mary, and Mary… When all appears ‘over’, when all appears lost, with hearts broken and beyond disappointed, their love and loyalty compelled them to just be with Jesus. In spite of the way the outcome appeared to them that night, their love just wanted to be with him.
I want to daily practice that kind of being with Jesus.