Skip to main content

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!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: What is so Great About Grace?

If you were to drive by our house, you would see that Sara loves plants.  Our yard is full of flowers, and Sara lovingly tends every one of them. Which is why I was so afraid when she left town and put me in charge of keeping things alive. She must have been a little concerned, too, because she sent me two videos with specific instructions on how to water, when to water, and what to do.  Honestly, those first two videos helped, but the third one she sent was the one I liked most.  In that one, she said, “Please do your best. I want the yard to look good for the family reunion in two weeks.  However, if something dies, we will dig it out and pretend that it never existed!” That is what grace looks like!  Try your best, do what you can, but if it goes wrong, it will be ok. Sometimes we talk as though grace and effort are opposites.  That is not true.  They are partners. In one place, scripture asks, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone c...
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: Press The Button!

  Consider This:  Press the Button! My favourite TV game show is Jeopardy.  I used to like it even more when my kids were younger, because I could easily beat them and look smart.  These days, after they have grown up and gone to university, it is much more difficult.  However, Jeopardy is still the only game show I will watch. In a book I read, a contestant who did very well on the show shared the secret to his success.  He said (and I am paraphrasing here), “You must press the button before you know the answer.  Everyone on Jeopardy is smart. Everyone knows the answer. The key to winning is to act.  You must jump in and press the button, assuming that your brain will catch up and supply the answer.  If you wait until you are sure, you will be too late!” Press the button! Too often, we hesitate, not because we do not know what to do, but because we do not want to do it.  Sometimes, we fail to act because we are not sure how the situatio...
Post a Comment
Read more