The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Luke 23:50–24:12 (ESV)

CONTEXT: Allow yourself to emotionally, not just intellectually, engage with the events we have looked into over the past couple of weeks.

The illegal and unjust trials of our Lord. The cruel scourging with the cat of nine tails, the mocking, his beard being ripped off of his face, strangers spitting upon him.

The intense suffering of the cross, agony upon agony. Signs from Heaven as the sun grows dark, the ground trembles, and the veil of the temple is torn in half.

Until suddenly and dramatically - Christ declared, “Father, in that thy hands, I commit my spirit” and we can almost hear it - that final exhale.

It’s over; thousands of years of anticipation of hope die with a single breath.

Everyone felt it - the followers of Christ, those whom he forgave, those whom he healed, those whom he taught… and his mother, his precious mother, embraced now by John, and she feels to her very soul all of the pain that she had dreaded for all these years.

It’s over… He is dead… and all of our hopes with him. Death for them was more than an EVENT; it was a STATE of being.

NOW, When we are caught off guard by death, there is a numbness mingled with adrenaline that floods our body.

We do what must be done - we will process all of the emotions later when there is time…

The first to move was a man named Joseph… see it there in verse 50.

TEXT: Luke 23:50–24:12 (ESV)

50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God.

All four Gospels make mention of this man - Joseph of Arimathea. Outside of the 4 Gospels, we know nothing about him. Some have suggested that he may have played a significant role as a leader in the early church.  

He was Wealthy Matthew 27:57 (ESV) 57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus.  Christ himself warned of the dangers of wealth. That it could make it incredibly difficult for a man to enter into Heaven. Yet, Joseph of Arimathea is evidence that with God all things are possible.  

He was Influential - We read here in Luke 23:50 that he was a member of the ruling council - the Sanhedrin. Remember, this was something like a religious supreme court for the Jews.   So, the decision to hand Christ over to Pilate had not been unanimous. At least one man dissented, probably more. 

He was Righteous - Luke describes Joseph of Arimathea as a good and righteous man, a man who was looking for the coming Kingdom of God.   

He was Silent - In spite of his sincere faith, in spite of his anticipation that the Kingdom was near, in spite of God’s blessing on his life, up to this point, his faith in Jesus Christ had been, for him, a private matter.   We don’t know why. Perhaps it was because he feared losing his rank on the ruling council. Perhaps he knew something of the persecution he and his family would suffer if they went public with their faith in Jesus Christ. Whatever the reason - he was a secret disciple.

But in verse 52, that would change. Perhaps he was convicted and ashamed, remembering the words of Christ -

Matthew 10:33 (ESV)

33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Or, perhaps it was seeing all that Jesus was willing to endure for him. Whatever the reason, what Joseph would do in verse 52 took extreme courage.

52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Whether it was his wealth or his rank on the Sanhedrin, Joseph was able to gain an audience with Pilate. Something the disciples of Jesus, the friends of Jesus, and even the mother of Jesus could not attain.

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Maximum Life is the Media Ministry of Pastor Zach Terry.

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