Matthew 27: 57-66. Jesus is really death. Palm Sunday.
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Matthew 27: 57-66. Jesus is really death. Palm Sunday.
It is evening, Jesus is death, very dead. (From the John 20:32-35 we hear that Jesus side is pierced, no bones broken). Last week we talked about Simon of Cyrene, today we meet another personJoseph from Arimathea, (the place has not been found, and may have had other names before and is associated with Ramah, Maps PPT 3).
But who is Joseph? Good question, Matthew describes him as rich, and a disciple of Jesus. Mark adds: in Mark 15: 43 that he is a respected member of the council the Sanhedrin, and he was looking for the kingdom of God, Mark adds that he is bold in asking for Jesus body, Luke 23: 50-51 adds that Joseph was a good and righteous man and that he had not consent to their decision he was looking for the kingdom of God… John adds that Joseph had been a secret disciple because of the fear of the Jews, but now boldly asks for Jesus body and what will the Jews think about that? John also adds Nicodemus to the story, but you can read that.
Joseph a rich man, a disciple, in an unlikely place in the council, a man looking for the kingdom of God and not power and other privileges he’s eyes seems to be open… He followed Jesus.
I think there is things we can learn from Joseph. His eyes were open, he looked for God’s kingdom, he was described by Matthew as a disciple of Jesus. His riches did not own him, he was bold when needed, He was the one to go get Jesus body, not one of the 11 disciples.
Before laying Jesus in the tomb Joseph wraps Jesus in line, Joseph honors Jesus body, (others crucified may be eaten by dogs). He also laid him in his own expensive tomb. (As Is 53:9 had prophesied). PPT
An objection to the resurrection Sometimes people says: well Jesus did not die, he just prepended, to be death, and then got out of the tomb himself after resting. That is less likely that Jesus rose form the death, He could not carry is cross due to the scourging, he got his side pieced, and more soldiers checked if he was dead, because they would get his sentence if they let him go. Therefore, if they let him go, they would die instead, Jesus is death, and in a tomb, with wounds a pierced side, wrapped in linen not able to breath, no Jesus was dead.
As Joseph rolled a great stone to close the entrance to the tomb, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, (An Interesting nick name – she is also called the mother of James, she has supported Jesus in his ministry along time from the time in Gallia). But more important what are they doing at spying on Joseph? Or they are sitting opposite the tomb. Well next week we will see what the woman does…
Jesus followers are preparing Jesus body for death there does not seem to be any preparation for him to rise, have they all forgot what he said? That he would rise on the 3 day.
Again, in a form of irony the ones that killed Jesus are more aware of what Jesus said, they remember that Jesus said he would rise again… They don’t believe but they remember… Therefore, they go pester Pilate again, and say they need some soldiers to guard the tomb, not because Jesus will rise from death but so his disciples don’t come steal his body… (I was thinking about that, if they wanted that story spread Joseph could have just taken the body and hid it somewhere ells.) The fault in they argumentation is that the disciples are not waiting for Jesus to rise they have forgotten what Jesus said, and they did not understand what he meant when he said it. And at the moment the disciples seem afraid it was Joseph, not Peter or some of the other 10 that laid Jesus in the tomb.
But the tomb is sealed, soldiers are posted, there is now no way, that someone can steal Jesus body, or Jesus if he was not death, push the stone way and opening the seal and defeating the guard of Soldiers. No, Jesus is in the tomb, it is sealed, no one is getting in or out.
Well, that will change… But at the moment Jesus is dead.
Your life felt like that? All hope is gone?
What you put your hope and trust in did not hold? Money, relationships, job, power, sex, safety, comfort, health, drugs alcohol, religious deeds? Praise of man?
You may have been confused, dazed, surprised, why is this happening? Why did my idol fail? Why did my God die? It is a difficult place to be in, your world is shaken. Sometimes it is the best think that can happen, Gods grace reaching you, not that it is easy, but it helps us see that what we have put our hope and trust in could not last… Or idol is broken, and now we have the change to see the true God, what God really is like, not our perception but who God really is… We talked at the bible study it was like Jesus had to die, the view the disciples had of Jesus was not correct, and still after his rises it still is not, are you going now to restore the kingdom to Israel, hello, this is much bigger than you, this for all nations, that takes time and persecution, visions before the disciples share Jesus with none Jews.
Palm Sunday, Hosanna save us, Friday, kill him… Where is Jesus in your life? Last week was a sermon about how bad we are and our need for God to provide a savior for us, and how blaming God for being evil, does not really make sense, sins we are the guilty ones. But what does Jesus’ life, death, and him staying on the cross, saying in the tomb, what picture do you get in your hard and mind that Jesus would do that, so you and I could be set free from sin, Satan, wrath of God, and be reconciled to God? Adopted as children in to the family of God? What picture of God does that create in you? And does it lead to worship? A heart and mind that what’s to love God with it all. A life build on the solid rock of Jesus life and teaching?
Have you laid down your idols? It is a daily task, take up your cross daily, and follow Jesus, denying our self and living for Jesus. Are we bold? Or afraid and of what? Is there an idol there? That is hindering us from being free in Christ. Death is not only bad, sin killed is good, to give life, Jesus is the great example, he died, for others sin, to give life and freedom, ability to worship and come to God,
What is our response? To forget, to remember to reject? Or by grace, stay in Christ, and live in him… living a life of worship and service as he did, to his glory and the father’s glory in the Power of the Holy Spirt.