COURAGE FROM DEEP CONVICTION!

COURAGE FROM DEEP CONVICTION!

 

Luke 23:46-54

46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

51(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

Joseph of Arimathaea was a counselor according to verse 50. He was a bouleutes (bool-yoo-tace'); an adviser, or member of the Jewish Sanhedrin. He had not agreed with the verdict and condemnation of Jesus. He was a good man and a just man. He waited for the kingdom of God which meant he was watching for Messiah to appear. His actions indicate that he found Him.

It took great courage to request the body of Jesus. It indicated that he was an associate of Jesus and possibly guilty of the same sedition that sent Jesus to the cross. He placed himself in mortal jeopardy to honor Jesus. It was a manly deed that came from deep conviction.

Joseph took the body down. He had to touch it, handle it, carry it, wash it and wrap it in linen. Along with Nicodemus he had to rub the body down with spices and lay it in a tomb while the Sabbath drew on! The importance of this seemingly unimportant remark in verse 54 meant that he would be unclean and disqualified to participate in the Passover celebration.

Num 9:6

6 And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the Passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day:

Joseph placed himself in mortal danger. He spent not only energy but money to anoint the body of Jesus. He made himself ceremonially unclean and deprived himself of something highly valued by the Jews. Why did he do such a thing? The simple answer is the one given by the Roman soldier standing by who said: “Certainly this was a righteous man.” The deeper answer was that Joseph and Nicodemus had found their Messiah.

Dear Lord, let me be courageous today and not shrink from the hard things that may be required of me. AMEN