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March 26, 2021 4:00 am
Sometimes you believe boldly about Jesus. Right after the conversion.
There are others who may remain quiet today on Truth for Life. Alastair beg teaches us about a prominent man named Joseph who had to decide whether or not to speak up about his faith prior to the burial of Jesus our lesson today begins in Luke chapter 23 at verse 50. Here we are at the description provided by Luke, the video of Jesus. First of all we should notice that the burial of Jesus state the actual burial of the body of Jesus was by no means a foregone conclusion and this for two main reasons. First of all, and I alluded to this this morning because in Roman law, crucifixion of a criminal was not the end of the humiliation because video was not the right of the condemned. Secondly, it was a foregone conclusion because if you look at the passage properly, you realize that nobody was around to make this request on Jesus behalf who is going to actually ask for the body of Jesus, his friends were gone. And then suddenly and silently out of the shadows marriage is one like Esther whom you will remember came to the kingdom for just this moment in time.
So it is that here arrives on the stage of history, this individual whose secrecy had up to this point been destroying his discipleship. But now he has determined that he's going to step forward generously and boldly and here we find him. Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council a good and upright man, a man from the Judean town of Arimathea what we know. We know that he is from Adam. I fear this Judean time. We know from Matthew's record that he is rich.
Matthew actually says in 2757 that he was a rich man we know here that he was a member of the council. That is, the Sanhedrin, the people who had been responsible for going to pilot and pressing for the death of Jesus. Actually, Mark tells us in Mark 15 that he was not simply a member of the Council, but he was a prominent member of the Council. We also know that he was good and that he was upright, that's what verse 50 says we know that he was a secret disciple, John tells us that his record. Incidentally, I should pause you can find that historian.
Matthew 27 Mark 15 John 19 as well as in Luke 23 and John tells us that he was a secret disciple that he had become a disciple of Jesus, but that he was afraid of the Jews.
We also know that he was waiting here verse 51 he was waiting for the kingdom of God.
And we also know from verse 51 that although he was a member of this Council.
He had not consented to their decision nor their action. The fact of the matter is that he was probably missing from that strategic meeting because we read elsewhere that he acted in unanimity serve the acting unanimity and he wasn't consenting to their action and presume that he wasn't present for the final vote all of that falls under the category of a biographical sketch second and arrow down was simply a bold move because that's what we have in verse 52, a bold move going to pilot. He asked for Jesus body. Mark actually uses the word bold. He said that he went boldly to pilot and of course he did, because fear had previously silenced in fear had previously controlled him and I cast fear to the wind. The steps somehow or another the cross had brought them out in the open. You may find a point of identification with that tonight son that may actually describe you to this point in your life secret disciple believing but afraid really to let anyone know sometimes those closest to something it happened Jesus had said if I be lifted up from the ark, I will draw all men to me and we already saw this morning the centurion found that something distinctive.
It happened at the cross and now here. The same is happening to this individual. And so he makes a daring request asking for the body. Why you asking for the body would have been the obvious question and the obvious answer was because I am committed to this condemned and crucified man.
I've I've failed to stand up with him when he was alive, and I'm not going to miss the chance that he is dying and Mark alone tells us that pilot was surprise you can read this in Mark 1544, 45 Joseph Gardens is can I have the body and violence is what the body you mean to tell me is already dead. Oh yes, says Joseph thence is pilot I need to verify this sense for our friend the centurion.
The centurion comes in and verifies the information.
Remember we said this morning that crucifixion often lasted. Sometimes up to three days so it was a remarkable way in which Jesus life and come to an end. So the parties released and that gives way to urgent activity urgent activity. The pace of this is quite remarkable. Going to pilot.
He asked for Jesus body and the need to get done. We need to remember that is by now the middle of the afternoon on the Friday of Passover week middle of the afternoon.
Jesus died around 3 o'clock member. The darkness came at noon day lasted for three hours the end of the darkness. Jesus said, father, into your hands I commit my spirit and he breathed his last. So that's 3 o'clock we allow a little time is moved on from there. The commencement of the Jewish Sabbath was 6 PM.
Therefore, this individual. If he's going to abide by the Jewish law now is a window of opportunity that is less than three hours. So he is less than three hours to accomplish everything that needs to be done.
If the bill is going to take place is going to have to take place swiftly. Now this chap moves into action. We took the body down. Luke tells is that he wrapped it in linen cloth.
Martel is is that he went and bought the linen cloth. Okay to redo the body down. He bought the linen cloth actually marks as he bought the linen closet. Each of the body down understand how reporters work going. You several ditty this or did he. That doesn't really matter way in which he did. First, is not the main things in the plain things in the body would have to be washed. None of them mentioned that perhaps all taken for granted because Jewish law amended that the body would be washed before it was embalmed and then were told in John that it was wrapped the linen cloths were wrapped together with some 75 pounds of spices and then the body was placed in a newly cut to and then a big storm was rolled in front of the entrance and then Joseph went home first tee so doesn't say that. No, I just made that part up. But what I'm trying to get across is this was like all in an afternoon's work. While I wrote another phrase down in my notes I wrote I wrote down he didn't act alone clearly denies alone. We know there's at least one person within and will come to him in just a moment like presumably there were others. He was a rich man. He was a prominent member of the Council. He was the kind of chapter would've had influence and you can imagine them getting his servants together and say now, let's just divvy up these various bits and pieces by the one helper. We know for sure is our friend Nicodemus and this is just so lovely.
I love this in John chapter 19 and in verse 39 the way just creeps into the text with pilot permission. He came into the body away and then he was accompanied by Nicodemus home since the reader Nicodemus Nicodemus for 417 chapters and John says it was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night just in case anyone is forgotten or gets it mixed up with any other Nicodemus.
Well, you know, birds of a feather flock together down the there was a man called Nicodemus who went to Jesus by night, under the cover of darkness secretly, quietly asking his questions. Discovering this glorious dancer, the wind blows can tell about it in the work of God is the work of the spirit is unique and wonderful Nicodemus, and he walks out of the text in John three, and we wonder to where here in John 19 he steps back. He can understand why the two. These jobs would hang out together when you both of them scaredy cats.
Both of them influential in their own way. Both of them believing in Jesus. Both of them somehow or another just not managing to pluck up the courage to let everybody know, and I imagine them getting together and saying well. We can definitely honor him in his death.
Can we Nicodemus Nicodemus says yes and so Luke along with Matthew and with Mark mentions also the presence of the women and find he's very careful to make sure that we know that these ladies were present in Mark's gospel. It's very brief. Mary Magdalena and Mary the mother of Jesus saw where they had put him well. John's gospel says that the troops approximately 75 pounds of spices and mix them with the linen cloths and bombing the body and then Luke tells us that the saw the tomb, they saw how the body was placed in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfect so the commentator trying to resolve this potential difficulty says to me as I read clearly they didn't see everything that took place in the tomb. I mainly saw the body went into the tomb, they saw the Nicodemus and Joseph were taken care of that by the obviously couldn't have seen all the business with the spices, otherwise they wouldn't have gone immediately to prepare the spices in the perfect I thought about that for a minute and then I said no. I reject that idea completely. I think it is more probable that they saw exactly what to place in the two and he saw Joseph of Arimathea prominent member of the Council and Nicodemus high flyer to fiddling around with this embalming process and the knowledge one another and they said men can do this there making a complete mess of the thing. Don't let Santa thing done sand into the letters get annoyed, but why don't we just slip often will come back immediately after the Sabbath, and will do this properly I would not just be like ladies and when it just be like two men tomato Royal hash of the process. Of course, will have to wait for a while to figure whether that is fact or fiction, will answer all of the material really there.
That's all that's there so what do we learn from this. Let me tell you what I've been trying to learn hope to learn. I'm reminded that the good news touches both the rich and the poor. Certainly, the emphasis in the gospel of Luke has been that Jesus comes for the least and the last in the left that he has a unique concern for the poor and that would be a mark of those who bear the good news, but sometimes people get hung out on that notion, it becomes almost a crusade which leaves behind anybody who doesn't fit the category of folks in the Scriptures are wonderful and reminding.
Is it just the right time. The good news is no respecter of persons, and that it is is needful for a rich man called Joseph to find Christ as his Savior as it is for the woman at the well whose life is been devastated by multiple relationship, find love and the 1 Right Pl.
It teaches me to that God's providence is at work all the time and everywhere he was preparing Joseph for this very moment and fight Joseph secrecy, which was all his own secrecy. It wasn't that God made Joseph secretive it was and that God made Joseph fearful. Joseph was fearful Joseph was secret by personality. I didn't of his fledgling fate. That's how he wants and he had been other than that then he would already have been in full flow and usefulness and involvement long before this was a very fragmented was the way he wants that his steps had been ordered because even our foolishness and even our ineptitude and even our secrecy and even our fearfulness guarding the mystery of his Providence is working all these things together for the good of those who love him and will been called according to his and it was God's express purpose that is special servant Joseph, having missed so many opportunities would be present on this day for this opportunity.
God's wonderful in the way he works. I've learned here also that these proceedings continue to fulfill the words of prophecy of Isaiah 5353 nine and there he was, says of the suffering servant with the rich in his death. These tombs, these carved out areas. Some of you been in Jerusalem.
They were often reused. Once the body and decomposed. They would then take it away after about a year they would gather it up and they would put it, essentially in it in a burning zone, and and a form of information would take place and and so the tomb could be reused may be reused on multiple occasions by the rich wouldn't reuse the tomb's Christ to had nothing and nobody didn't have much of a chance of any kind of decent burial but his father saw that he was put in this lovely place, albeit briefly, but nevertheless properly to final things by way of observation.
I tried to learn from this passage that not everyone arrives as quickly as others do at the place of bold discipleship and they did stay in the gestation period is aware between coming to a convinced belief in the Savior ship of Jesus and the preparedness to nail his colors to the maxed and nautical terms was longer than we may be prepared to suggest as being possible, but then finally, surely the passage is a reminder to us that no one can remain a secret disciple indefinitely. Nobody can remain a secret disciple indefinitely. Eventually, circumstances will conspire to demanding that we stand up for what we believe and we take our stand with whom we've determined to follow and Joseph is in the company of one other individual on the pages of human history in respect to this is the there are two people here who within a 24 hour. Essentially, are immortalized in human history. One is Joseph the artist pilot and the reason that they are both known in the pages of history.
And second, certainly in the biblical record is simply because of their reaction to Jesus. Both of them apparently thought that they could delay their response to Jesus pilot was a pontificate or pilot was a procrastinator pilot was trying to put it off trying to send the decision away to someone else go to Herod come back later. I don't know about this. I don't know about that I can wash my hands of this and Joseph from another perspective operated in much the same way there will be a time when I get to it.
I'll get to it later. I will file let somebody know someday in the apparently thought they could delay their response indefinitely.
But the events of life over to them in the question, which was uppermost on pilots mind and on his lips and Mark 15 what shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ that was a question they both had to face. That was the question they both face the both made their choice and eternity will review the choice they made. So there is no other place to finish except to say perhaps tonight young man young girl, perhaps tonight is the night when the secrets of your heart will be revealed way back in Luke chapter 2 when Zechariah takes the baby in his arms and he speaks over him and he says you know let your servant depart in peace because my eyes have seen your salvation, and he says this child will be on the rising and falling of many in Israel, he will be able cause the division between people and then he essentially says on by means of him, the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. That's exactly what happened here for Joseph of Arimathea. Suddenly when he saw the cross. He said that said, I can be in secret any longer.
I will go to pilot. I will ask for the body. I'll do whatever it takes. I have failed to honor him in his life, but I will not fail to honor him in his death is or somebody here tonight and you believe in your heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead and then saying that you believe that the reason that God raised Jesus from the dead was because God was accepting the sacrifice for sin that Jesus had offered and furthermore you believe that that was a necessary sacrifice, not just for the sins of men and women before your sins and that you have come to Christ in the silence of your heart and mind. Perhaps on a journey that YouTube on your own. Perhaps in your bedroom. Perhaps somewhere just out walking and and you said, Lord Jesus.
I believe in you. I trust in you, but only you and Jesus know because somehow or another used use can get a I want to give you the opportunity tonight dictate what you believe in your high and make it really users by saying with my mouth.
Jesus is my Lord, because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the day you will be seen, and you need to be. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear to openly declared that Jesus is Lord, is a defining moment in the life of every believer from today's message on Truth for Life with Alistair Begg.
If you are ready to openly declare Jesus as Lord in your life now in your little uncertain how to go about that we have a video that is online that we think will help you go to Truth for Life.org/the story will find a video that explains God's plan of salvation and clarifies for you what it means to trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins, God's saving grace is nothing we can earn on our own.
It's a free gift given to those who believe again. Visit TruthforLife.org/story now is a reminder Easter is just a little more than a week away. If you have not yet ordered our recommended book the cross in four words you want to do that today. This is an ideal book to read during the Easter season, particularly as you reflect on Jesus sacrifice on the cross on our behalf. Let me mention if you struggle having to answer questions from friends who ask why did Jesus have to die.
This is a great book that will help you clearly answer that question. Request your copy today when you donate to support the Bible teaching you hear on this program you can get through our mobile app or a Truth for Life.org/donate or call 888-588-7884 Bob Lapine. We hope you will have the opportunity to worship at your local church this weekend and then join us again Monday as we learn about some of the common objections to the historical resurrection of Christ. The Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life. Learning is for Living