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A Faith that Lives

                All four gospel writers record what he did.
                “As evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body… Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb” (Mark 15:42b-46).
                What we are not told is why he did it. 
                Why come forward after Jesus was dead?  Everyone else had either run away in fear or left in despair, so why bother?  He had hidden until now.  Why not keep hiding?
                Maybe he felt guilty.  He did not stand up enough for Jesus when he was alive, so he figured he would do something now that he was gone. 
                Maybe the cross changed him.  Hearing Jesus’ words, seeing the darkness, feeling the earthquake and witnessing his death certainly changed the mind of a soldier that day.  He ended up saying, “Surely this man was the son of God!” (Mark 15: 39).  Maybe a similar thought motivated Joseph.
                Maybe this line says more than we realize: “[He] was waiting for the kingdom of God” (verse 43).  That is in the past tense because the story is being told after the fact, but the meaning is, “Joseph was – at that moment still – waiting for the kingdom!”  Present tense! 
                What if Joseph had not given up yet?   What if, despite what had happened, he still believed that God was going to do something?  What if he took charge of the burial, not because he thought the promise was dead, but still to come?  
                Imagine his surprise when he got the message that Sunday morning!  Imagine how he must have felt when he looked around his now empty tomb!  I think he would have been glad that he took a risk and did what he could do.
                Remember this:  What looks like the end may actually be the beginning of something even better.  Nothing is hopeless when God is involved.
                Joseph of Arimathea would testify to that truth!

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