MATTHEW: THE KING HAS COME, WEEK 188

TITLE: THE PROVIDENTIAL BURIAL OF THE KING

TEXT: MATTHEW 27:57-61

INTRODUCTION: (1) ONE OF THE GLORIOUS ATTRIBUTES OF OUR GREAT GOD IS HIS ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY.

* NOW WHEN I SPEAK OF GOD’S ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGNTY TODAY, I’M SPEAKING OF HIS SUPREME RULERSHIP AND HIS ULTIMATE CONTROL OVER ALL THINGS IN THE UNIVERSE.

** I’M SPEAKING OF GOD’S ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO DO ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE.

*** AND THE QUESTION ALWAYS COMES UP, WHAT RIGHT DOES GOD HAVE TO DO ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE?

**** WELL, BECAUSE HE IS THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE AND WHAT IS IN IT AND SUSTAINS WHAT IS IN IT, AND HE DOES ALL THESE THINGS AS OWNER OF EVERYTHING IN A PERFECT, RIGHTEOUS, GOOD, JUST, WISE AND HOLY WAY.

(2) AND IT’S IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS WRONG, SO HIS GOOD PLEASURE IS ALWAYS GOOD AND BEST.

* REVELATION 4:11 SAYS: (READ IT)

** THROUGH ISAIAH, THE LORD HIMSELF PROCLAIMED IN ISAIAH 46:9&10 (READ V. 9)

V. 10 – “DECLARING THE END FROM THE BEGINNING AND FROM ANCIENT TIMES THINGS WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN DONE.”

*** PAUL REMINDS BELIEVERS THAT THEIR LIVES ARE UNIQUELY DIRECTED BY THEIR HEAVENLY FATHER IN PHILIPPIANS 2:13 WHERE HE SAYS: “FOR IT IS GOD WHO IS AT WORK IN YOU, BOTH TO WILL AND TO WORK FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE.”

**** HE SAYS IN ROMANS 8:28 (READ IT).

(3) AND THEN PAUL KIND OF SUMMARIZES ALL THOSE TRUTHS IN EPHESIANS 1:11 IN THE SIMPLE STATEMENT THAT GOD “WORKS ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL.”

* NOW IT IS FAR BEYOND OUR HUMAN ABILITY TO FATHOM HOW THE INFINITE, ETERNAL MIND OF GOD IS ABLE TO EXECUTE THE GREATEST AS EASILY AS THE LEAST THING HE ORDAINS AND DEVISES.

** BECAUSE OF THAT, IN ORDER TO HAVE EVEN A SMALL GRASP OF THAT PROFOUND GREAT TRUTH, IT IS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD RULES THIS WORLD THROUGH TWO INTERRELATED MEANS: MIRACLES AND PROVIDENCE.

*** SO IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSES, GOD SOMETIMES SUPERNATURALLY INTERRUPTS THE NATURAL PROCESSES THAT HE HIMSELF HAS ORDAINED AND ORDERED.

**** AND IN DOING SO, HE OVERRULES WHAT WE COMMONLY CALL NATURAL LAW, THEREBY ACCOMPLISHING WHAT SCIENTIFICALLY CANNOT BE EXPLAINED.

(4) AND SUCH DIVINE INTERVENTION AND INTERRUPTION IS CALLED A MIRACLE.

* AND THROUGH MIRACLES, GOD INTERRUPTS AND OVERRULES THE OPERATION OF NORMAL AND NATURAL PROCESSES AND EVENTS.

** NOW THE SECOND SUPERNATURAL WAY IN WHICH GOD EXECUTES HIS WILL IS THROUGH DIVINE PROVIDENCE.

*** AND PROVIDENCE REFERS TO GOD’S INDEPENDENT SUPERINTENDENCY OF THE UNIVERSE THROUGH THE OPERATION OF NORMAL AND NATURAL PROCESSES AND HAPPENINGS.

*** AND THROUGH GOD’S SOVEREIGN PROVIDENCE, HE IS ABLE TO TAKE THE COUNTLESS NUMBER OF EVENTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, AS WELL AS INNUMERABLE PERSONAL ATTITUDES, AMBITIONS AND ABILITIES THAT EXIST IN THE NATURAL AND DEMONIC WORLDS AND CAUSE THEM ALL TO WORK TOGETHER IN DETAILED PRECISION TO PERFECTLY FULFILL HIS DIVINE WILL.

(5) AND AGAIN THROUGH MIRACLES, GOD INTERRUPTS AND OVERRULES THE OPERATION OF NORMAL AND NATURAL PROCESSES AND EVENTS.

* WHEREAS THROUGH PROVIDENCE HE TAKES THEM AS THEY ARE AND ORCHESTRATES THEM, DIRECTS THEM TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PREDETERMINED WILL.

** THEREFORE, FROM A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE, THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD SEEMS EVEN MORE ASTOUNDING THAN THE MIRACLES OF GOD.

*** FOR IN MIRACLES, GOD SIMPLY REPLACES NATURAL EVENTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES WITH THOSE OF HIS OWN SPECIAL MAKING, USUALLY WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND OFTEN INSTANTANEOUSLY.

**** HOWEVER, PROVIDENCE INVOLVES THE INFINITELY MORE COMPLEX TASK OF TAKING NATURAL EVENTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, AS WELL AS THE LIMITED BUT REAL FREEDOMS OF HUMAN AND DEMONIC MINDS AND WILLS, OVER VAST PERIODS OF TIME, SUPERINTENDING ALL OF THOSE EVENTS IN THE FLAWLESS FULFILLMENT OF HIS FOREORDAINED PLANS.

(6) IN OTHER WORDS, GOD TAKES COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS AND SEEMINGLY RANDOM PLANS, CHOICES, ACTIONS, AND EVENTS AND WORKS THEM ALL TOGETHER IN A DIVINELY-SYNCHRONIZED OR CO-ORDAINED STRATEGY TO PERFORM HIS PREDESTINED, PRE-ORDAINED PLAN.

* AND AS I THINK OF THAT, I SAY WHAT PAUL SAID AT THE END OF THE GREAT DOCTRINAL SECTIONAL OF THE BOOK OF ROMANS IN ROMANS 11:33-36 (READ THEM).

** NOW YOU MIGHT BE THINKING AT THIS POINT, RAY, THAT’S ALL WELL AND GOOD, GREAT TRUTHS, BUT WHAT DOES THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD HAVE TO DO WITH THE BURIAL OF CHRIST AND OUR TEXT TODAY?

*** WELL, MY ANSWER IS A LOT! FOR GOD’S INCREDIBLE AND AMAZING PROVIDENCE IS CLEARLY EVIDENT IN HIS SON’S BURIAL.

**** FOR MATTHEW’S ACCOUNT OF CHRIST’S BURIAL CONVEYS SEVERAL TRUTHS THAT GIVE TESTIMONY TO THE SUPERINTENDENCY, THE PROVIDENTIAL WORK OF GOD.

(7) CHRIST’S BURIAL PROVIDES ITS OWN DEMONSTRATIONS OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN CONTROL. BECAUSE OF THAT I’VE TITLED THE MESSAGE THIS MORNING, “THE PROVIDENTIAL BURIAL OF CHRIST.”

* AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT 3 POINTS. NO. 1 THE COURAGE OF JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, VV. 57&58; NO. 2 THE COMPASSION OF JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA, VV. 59&60; AND NO. 3 THE CONCERN OF THE TWO MARYS, V. 61.

** AND WITHOUT ANY MORE INTRODUCTION, LOOK AT V. 57 WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE COURAGE OF JOSEPH. LOOK AT MATTHEW 27:57 PLEASE.

I. THE COURAGE, (READ V. 57)

A. NOW NORMALLY WHEN A CRUCIFIXION VICTIM DIED, HE WOULD NORMALLY BE THROWN IN A COMMON GRAVE FOR CRIMINALS.

* FOR THE ROMANS HAD ABSOLUTELY NO RESPECT FOR THE CORPSES OF CROSS VICTIMS, SO THEY OFTEN WERE THROWN INTO A GRAVE LEFT OPEN TO SCAVENGER ANIMALS AND BIRDS.

** IN FACT, SOMETIMES THE BODIES WERE SIMPLY CAST ONTO A BURNING GARBAGE DUMP, SUCH AS THE ONE THAT CONTINUALLY SMOLDERED IN THE HINNON VALLEY (GEHENNA) JUST SOUTH OF JERUSALEM.

*** NOW GET THIS, PROVIDENTIALLY OUR GREAT GOD WOULD USE THE HYPOCRISY OF THE JEWISH LEADERS AND THE COURAGE OF JOSEPH TO GIVE JESUS A BURIAL, FIT FOR A KING, AND TO FULFILL PROPHECY.

**** LET ME EXPLAIN. IN DEUTERONOMY 21:22&23 IT SAYS: V. 22 - “AND IF A MAN HAS COMMITTED A SIN WORTHY OF DEATH, AND HE IS PUT TO DEATH, AND YOU HANG HIM ON A TREE.”

V. 23 – “HIS CORPSE SHALL NOT HANG ALL NIGHT ON THE TREE, BUT YOU SHALL SURELY BURY HIM ON THE SAME DAY (FOR HE WHO IS HANGED IS ACCURSED OF GOD), SO THAT YOU DO NOT DEFILE YOUR LAND WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD GIVES YOU AS AN INHERITANCE.”

1. NOW THE MOSAIC LAW REQUIRED THAT THE CORPSE OF AN EXECUTED CRIMINAL NOT BE LEFT HANGING “ALL NIGHT ON THE TREE.”

* AND USING THIS SCRIPTURE, AND ADDING WHAT JOHN SAID IN JOHN 19:31, THE JEWS WANTED THE BODY OF JESUS AND THE TWO THIEVES ON EITHER SIDE OF HIM TAKEN DOWN SO NOT TO DEFILE THE SABBATH, REMEMBER IT WAS FRIDAY.

** AND HERE’S HOW IT PROVIDENTIALLY ALL COMES TOGETHER, HANG IN HERE WITH ME, I NEED TO EXPLAIN A FEW MORE THINGS BEFORE I TRY TO PULL IT ALL TOGETHER.

*** NOW THE FIRST PART OF V. 57 OF OUR TEXT SAYS “AND WHEN IT WAS EVENING”.

**** AND TO THE JEWS THERE WERE TECHNICALLY TWO EVENING PERIODS. THE FIRST EVENING PERIOD BEGAN AT 3:00 P.M., AND THE SECOND AT 6:00 P.M. WHEN TECHNICALLY THAT SABBATH BEGAN AT SUNSET.

2. NOW I BELIEVE THE PHRASE “WHEN IT WAS EVENING” REFERS TO THE FIRST EVENING PERIOD FROM 3:00 P.M., THE BEGINNING OF THE EVENING.

* FOR ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 27:46-50, IT WAS THE NINTH HOUR OR 3 P.M. THAT JESUS SPOKE HIS LAST WORDS FROM THE CROSS AND “YIELDED UP HIS SPIRIT”.

** AND FOR TWO REASONS IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT JESUS DIE AND BE TAKEN DOWN BEFORE THE SECOND EVENING THAT STARTED AT 6:00 P.M.

*** FIRST, BECAUSE THE SABBATH BEGAN AT 6:00 P.M. THAT DAY, JESUS HAD TO BE TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS BEFORE THEN AND PREPARED FOR BURIAL IN ORDER NOT TO PROFANE THE SABBATH.

**** SECOND OF ALL, JESUS HAD TO BE BURIED BEFORE THE END OF THAT DAY TO FULFILL PROVIDENTIALLY THE PROPHECY BY JESUS IN MATTHEW 12:40, MATTHEW 16:21 AND MATTHEW 26:61 THAT HE WOULD RISE AFTER PART OF 3 DAYS, OR JUST AS JONAH WAS 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, SO SHALL THE SON OF MAN BE 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH.

3. AND JESUS WOULD BE IN THE HEART OF THE EARTH PART OF 3 DAYS, FRIDAY BEFORE THE SABBATH, SATURDAY, THE SABBATH, AND RISING ON SUNDAY, THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.

* SO THAT IS PROPHECY NO. 1 PROVIDENTIALLY FULFILLED “WHEN IT WAS EVENING”.

** PROPHECY NUMBERS 2 AND NO. 3&4 WERE FULFILLED BY THE UNGODLY HYPOCRISY OF THE JEWISH LEADERS IN THEIR INSISTENCE THAT JESUS’ BODY BE TAKEN DOWN BEFORE THE SABBATH.

*** AND I SAY HYPOCRISY, FOR THEY HAD NO PROBLEM ABOUT MURDERING THE LORD OF THE SABBATH, YET THEY WERE METICULOUS IN NOT WANTING TO DEFILE THE SABBATH.

**** NOW BECAUSE THE ROMANS WOULD NOT PERMIT A CRUCIFIED MAN TO BE TAKEN DOWN BEFORE HE WAS DEAD, THE SOLDIERS WOULD HAVE TO BREAK THE LEGS OF CROSS VICTIMS, TO SPEED UP DEATH THROUGH SUFFOCATION.

4. BUT JESUS WAS ALREADY DEAD, SO THEY DIDN’T HAVE TO BREAK HIS LEGS, BUT PERFORMED WHAT ALFRED EDERSHEIM CALLED THE DEATH STROKE TO REMOVE ALL DOUBT THAT DEATH OCCURRED.

* AND THE DEATH STROKE WAS JABBING A SPEAR INTO THE HEART.

** NOW TWO PROPHECIES PROVIDENTIALLY ARE FULFILLED HERE, NO. 1 PSALM 34:20 “HE KEEPETH ALL HIS BONES; NOT ONE OF THEM IS BROKEN.”

*** AND CHRIST’S BONES OR LEGS WERE NOT BROKEN. AND THE ROMANS WOULD NOT HAVE KNOWN THAT PSALM AND, IN ANY CASE, WOULD NOT HAVE FULFILLED IT PURPOSELY.

**** THEY FULFILLED THE PREDICTION FREELY, BUT BY DOING THAT, PROVIDENTIALLY THEY DID WHAT GOD HAD ORDAINED.

5. NO. 2 – PROPHECY WAS ALSO FULFILLED BY THE SPEAR WOUND BY THE SOLDIER TALKED ABOUT IN JOHN 19:34, AND THE PROPHECY WAS GIVEN IN ZECHARIAH 12:10 “THEY SHALL LOOK ON HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.”

* AND PROVIDENTIALLY ALTHOUGH IT IS RECORDED THAT THE SOLDIERS ALREADY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT JESUS WAS DEAD IN JOHN 19:33, HE HAD NO HUMAN REASON TO ADMINISTER THE DEATH STROKE WITH THE SPEAR.

** BUT HE UNWITTINGLY DID SO IN FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S WORD, AND THE RESULTING WOUND WAS SO DEEP THAT JESUS COULD TELL THOMAS IN JOHN 20:27 TO PLACE HIS HAND INTO IT.

*** SO PROVIDENTIALLY AS PROPHESIED, NO BONE IN JESUS’ BODY WAS BROKEN AND HIS SIDE WAS PIERCED AND ALL BECAUSE OF THE HYPOCRISY OF THE JEWISH LEADERS.

**** AND HERE’S PROPHECY NO. 4. I ALLUDED EARLIER THAT NORMALLY CROSS VICTIMS WERE THROWN INTO A COMMON GRACE OR WERE ALLOWED TO ROT.

6. BUT CHRIST’S GRACE WAS FIT FOR A KING, BECAUSE AS WE GO BACK TO MATTHEW 27:57 IT SAYS THAT JOSEPH WAS A “RICH MAN”.

* AND AS WE’LL SEE, BECAUSE OF THAT, HE BURIED CHRIST IN HIS OWN GRAVE AND FULFILLED MORE PROPHECY IN ISAIAH 53:9 WHICH SAYS: (READ IT).

** AND BELOVED WITHOUT MATTHEW’S ACCOUNT OF JOSEPH BEING A RICH MAN, WE WOULDN’T UNDERSTAND THE PROPHECY OF ISAIAH 53:9 FULLY, WITH THE RICH IN HIS DEATH.

*** AND PROVIDENTIALLY OUR ALMIGHTY GOD PULLS ALL THESE THINGS TOGETHER IN WHAT WE NORMALLY BYPASS, THE BURIAL OF CHRIST.

**** NOW TWO QUICK THINGS BEFORE I MOVE ON TO V. 58.

7. NO. 1 JOSEPH MENTIONED HERE IN V. 57 WAS FROM ARIMATHEA, A TOWN ABOUT 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF JERUSALEM.

* AND NO. 2, JOSEPH HAD BECOME A DISCIPLE, A FOLLOWER, A TRUE BELIEVER IN JESUS, AND THE FRUIT OF THAT WILL BE MANIFEST IN V. 58 WHERE WE’LL SEE THE COURAGE OF JOSEPH. LOOK AT V. 58 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 58. NOW THE COURAGE OF JOSEPH AND FRUIT OF HIS BEING A TRUE DISCIPLE OF JESUS IS CLEARLY SEEN BY HIM GOING TO PILATE IN V. 58.

* FOR HE GOES TO PILATE DIRECTLY TO ASK FOR THE BODY OF JESUS AND PILATE WILL ACTUALLY TURN THE BODY OF JESUS OVER TO HIM, WHICH COMMUNICATES JOSEPH MUST HAVE BEEN A PRETTY INFLUENTIAL PERSON.

** AND HE WAS. HE WAS A RICH MAN ACCORDING TO V. 57. HE WAS A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE JEWISH COUNCIL, THE SANHEDRIN ACCORDING TO MARK 15:43.

*** IN FACT, MARK 15:43 GIVES US SEVERAL DETAILS ABOUT JOSEPH WHERE IT SAYS: “JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA CAME, A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, A MAN WHO WAS HIMSELF WAITING FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD; AND HE GATHERED UP COURAGE AND WENT IN BEFORE PILATE, AND ASKED FOR THE BODY OF JESUS.”

**** NOW JOSEPH, A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE SANHEDRIN, A BIG SHOT ON THE COUNCIL, WHO WAS RICH, WAS A MAN WAITING FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HE GATHERED UP THE COURAGE TO GO AND ASK FOR THE BODY OF JESUS.

1. BEYOND THAT ACCORDING TO LUKE 23:51, JOSEPH HAD NOT CONSENTED TO THE COUNSEL AND DEED OF THE SANHEDRIN IN CONDEMNING JESUS TO DEATH.

* AND THEN ACCORDING TO JOHN 19:38, JOSEPH WAS A SECRET DISCIPLE OF JESUS FOR FEAR OF THE JEWS.

** NOW HOW CAN ONE BE A SECRET DISCIPLE OF JESUS AND STILL BE A DISCIPLE OF JESUS? WELL, ONE CAN BE A SECRET DISCIPLE FOR ONLY SO LONG, FOR IF HE’S A TRUE DISCIPLE, HE WILL COME OUT OF THE CLOSET.

*** AND JOSEPH DOES. FOR THE WORLD HAD TURNED AGAINST JESUS AT THIS POINT, EVEN HIS DISCIPLES HAD FORSOOK AND FLED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHO HAD COME BACK.

**** BUT NOW JOSEPH STEPS UP TO THE PLATE, HE STEPS IT UP WHEN OTHERS WERE DENYING AND HIDING, JOSEPH PROCLAIMED HIS FAITH, HE WAS WILLING TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH JESUS.

2. THIS WAS FAITH AT IT’S BEST. FOR THIS WAS A CAREER ENDING MOVE. IT WOULD HAVE ENDED HIS CAREER ON THE SANHEDRIN, FOR THEY WANTED JESUS DEAD AND HATED HIM.

* HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN EXCOMMUNICATED FROM THE SYNAGOGUE AND OSTRACIZED FROM HIS FAMILY, WHICH BOTH WOULD BE COSTLY BOTH EMOTIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY, BUT JOSEPH A DISCIPLE OF JESUS WOULD COME FORWARD, STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND HIT A HOME RUN.

** AND PROVIDENTIALLY HE WOULD BE USED BY GOD TO GIVE JESUS A PROPER BURIAL.

*** AND CONSIDER THIS BEFORE I MOVE ON TO OUR 2’D POINT TODAY. THE LORD HAD SOVEREIGNLY CAUSED THE JEWISH LEADERS TO DO THEIR PART IN DEMANDING THAT THE BODIES BE TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSSES BEFORE THE END OF THE DAY.

**** HE HAD CAUSED PILATE TO GRANT THAT PERMISSION, AND CAUSED JOSEPH’S REQUEST FOR THE BODY.

3. THEN THE LORD CAUSED JOSEPH TO PREPARE AND INTER JESUS’ BODY BEFORE THE SABBATH STARTED.

* AND ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE FREELY DID WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO, BUT IN DOING THAT FULFILLED PROPHECY, REMINDING US AGAIN, WHAT GOD ORDAINS IN ETERNITY, MAN FREELY CHOOSES IN TIME.

** WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

*** AND WITH THAT IN MIND, WE’LL QUICKLY LOOK AT OUR LAST TWO POINTS TODAY, BEGINNING WITH THE COMPASSION OF JOSEPH, LOOK AT V. 59 PLEASE.

II. THE COMPASSION, (READ V. 59)

A. NOW OUT OF COMPASSION AND LOVE FOR HIS LORD, JOSEPH TAKES THE BLOODY BODY OF JESUS DOWN FROM THE CROSS, AND WRAPS IT IN A CLEAN LINEN CLOTH.

* AND THE QUESTION COMES UP AT THIS POINT, HOW DID HE DO THAT ALONE, HOW DID HE TAKE THE BODY OF JESUS?

** WELL, HE HAD HELP. FOR NICODEMUS WHO WAS A PROMINENT TEACHER IN ISRAEL, A PHARISEE, AND ALSO A RULER OF THE JEWS HELPED JOSEPH WITH THE BODY ACCORDING TO JOHN 19:39&40.

*** WHICH SUGGESTS TO US THAT AT SOME POINT NICODEMUS ALSO BECAME A DISCIPLE OF JESUS, MAYBE SOON AFTER JESUS TALKED WITH HIM IN JOHN 3, WHEN JESUS TOLD HIM THAT HE WOULD AS THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP LIKE THE SERPENT THAT MOSES LIFTED UP TO SAVE THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WHO LOOK AT IT AND BELIEVE.

**** AND NOW NICODEMUS SAW JESUS LIFTED UP, ON A CROSS, AND SAW JESUS AS HIS MEANS OF SALVATION AT SOME POINT, AND NOW HELPS TAKE AND PREPARE THE BODY OF JESUS FOR BURIAL.

1. FOR WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS, NICODEMUS BROUGHT ABOUT 100 POUNDS OF SPICES AND PERFUMES WHICH WOULD BE USED WITH THE CLEAN LINEN CLOTH THAT JOSEPH PURCHASED ACCORDING TO MARK 15:46, AND THEY QUICKLY PREPARED THE BODY OF JESUS FOR BURIAL AS WAS THE JEWS CUSTOM, NOT EMBALMING, BUT USING THE SPICES AND PERFUMES WRAPPED IN THE CLEAN LINEN CLOTH.

* AND AS THE BODY IS PREPARED JOSEPH LAYS IT IN HIS OWN NEW TOMB. LOOK AT V. 60 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 60. NOW THE COMPASSION OF JOSEPH IS FURTHER EXPRESSED BY LAYING THE BODY OF JESUS IN HIS OWN NEW TOMB WHICH HE HAD CUT OUT OF ROCK.

* AND IT WAS NEW IN THE SENSE THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN USED UP TO THIS POINT, FOR SOME TOMBS WOULD BE USED FOR SEVERAL BODIES, BUT NO ONE HAD BEEN PLACED IN THIS TOMB BEFORE THIS TIME.

** JOSEPH HAD OBVIOUSLY GONE TO THE EFFORT TO CUT IT OUT OF ROCK FOR HIMSELF, IT WASN’T AN EXISTING CAVE THAT WAS SOMETIMES USED THAT MIGHT HAD DRIPPING WATER AND DECAY FROM IT NATURALLY BEING THERE.

*** BUT WAS A FRESH CUT TOMB. JOSEPH AS A RICH MAN HAD OBVIOUSLY SPARED NO EXPENSE IN MAKING THIS TOMB FOR HIMSELF.

**** BUT FREELY GAVE IT UP FOR HIS SAVIOR, FOR THAT’S WHAT LOVE AND COMPASSION DOES, IT GIVES, IT SACRIFICES FOR THE ONE WHO LOVED US FIRST, READ I JOHN 4:19.

1. AND I REALLY WONDER ABOUT PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY LOVE JESUS AND NEVER SACRIFICE FOR JESUS, ONE OF THE PROOFS OF OUR LOVE FOR JESUS IS GIVING TO HIM OUR TIME, TALENTS AND TREASURE.

* WELL, AFTER JOSEPH PUTS JESUS’ BODY IN HIS OWN TOMB, HE ROLLED A LARGE STONE AGAINST THE ENTRANCE OF THE TOMB AND WENT AWAY.

** AND A LARGE STONE PLACED OVER THE ENTRANCE WAS A MEANS OF SECURING THE TOMB IN ORDER TO PREVENT DESECRATION OF THE BODY BY ANIMALS OR BIRDS AND TO PREVENT GRAVE ROBBERS FROM STEALING THE VALUABLES THAT WERE OFTEN BURIED WITH THE DECEASED.

*** SO JOSEPH AND NICODEMUS OUT OF COMPASSION, GIVE JESUS A BURIAL FIT FOR A KING, WHICH LEADS US TO OUR LAST VERSE TODAY AND OUR LAST POINT, THE CONCERN OF THE MARYS. LOOK AT V. 61 PLEASE.

III. THE CONCERN, (READ V. 61)

A. NOW TWO OF THE WOMEN WHO HAD BEEN AT THE CROSS, MARY MAGDALENE AND THE OTHER MARY, THE MOTHER OF JAMES THE LESS AND JOSEPH ACCORDING TO MARK 15:47, MOST LIKELY FOLLOWED JOSEPH AND NICODEMUS AS THEY CARRIED JESUS’ BODY TO THE TOMB.

* AND NO MOURNING WAS PERMITTED FOR THOSE EXECUTED UNDER ROMAN LAW, SO THEY FOLLOWED IN SILENT GRIEF.

** AND OBVIOUSLY THEY WERE CONCERNED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WITH THE BODY OF JESUS. THEY WANTED TO SEE WHERE HE WAS TAKEN AND IF HE WAS PROPERLY TAKEN CARE OF.

*** AND MOST LIKELY THEY SAW THAT JESUS’ BODY WAS QUICKLY TAKEN CARE OF WITH SPICES AND PERFUMES, BECAUSE TIME WAS SHORT BEFORE THE SABBATH.

**** AND GUESS WHAT? THEY’LL BE THE FIRST ONES TO THE TOMB ON SUNDAY, AFTER THE SABBATH, TO POSSIBLY FINISH THE JOB OF PREPARING HIS BODY PROPERLY WITH SPICES FOR TIME HAD RUN OUT.

1. AND THE CONCERN OF THESE TWO WOMEN WHO WERE SITTING OPPOSITE THE GRAVE OF JESUS SHOWS THEIR GREAT LOVE FOR JESUS WHO DIED FOR THEM.

* THEY ARE THERE AT THE CROSS, AT THE TOMB, AND THERE ON SUNDAY FIRST OVER ANYONE, BECAUSE THEY LOVE JESUS.

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY (1) 3 QUICK APPLICATIONS. NO. 1 LOVE IS AN ACTION AND OUR LOVE FOR CHRIST IS MEASURED NOT BY OUR TALK, BUT BY THE ACTION OF SACRIFICE.

* AND FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO VERBALLY IDENTIFY WITH JESUS TODAY, IT APPEARS THAT SACRIFICE FOR JESUS IS NOT ONLY NOT THERE, BUT JESUS IS A REAL INCONVENIENCE TO THEIR SCHEDULE.

** THEY’RE BUSY, SO PUT IN ONE SERVICE A WEEK WHEN IT’S NOT TOO INCONVENIENT, FOR JESUS CRAMPS THEIR LIFESTYLE AND THEIR AGENDA.

*** AND OF COURSE, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO COMPLAIN ABOUT GIVING TO THE LORD BECAUSE THEY NEED MONEY FOR A LIFESTYLE THAT MAY BE UNREALISTIC FOR THEIR INCOME.

**** BUT REAL LOVE FOR JESUS IS MANIFEST IN COURAGE, COMPASSION AND CONCERN.

(2) IT IS MANIFEST BY SACRIFICE. AND IF YOU SAY YOU LOVE JESUS TODAY, COUNT THE WAYS. AND YOU MAY SEE THAT YOUR LIFESTYLE BETRAYS YOUR SPEECH.

* NO. 2 MOST OF US HAVE BEEN SECRET DISCIPLES AT TIMES, HAVING THE FEAR OF MAN, BEING ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL. AND THE REALITY IS WE FAIL AND WE ARE CONVICTED IF WE ARE TRUE BELIEVERS.

** MY COUNSEL, GET IT RIGHT LIKE JOSEPH. STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND PUBLICLY IDENTIFY WITH JESUS THE WAY YOU SHOULD. DON’T ALLOW THE FEAR OF MAN TO ENSNARE YOU, BOLDLY COME OUT AT WORK,

SCHOOL, IN YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AS A DISCIPLE OF JESUS.

*** AND THEN APPLICATION NO. 3. BELOVED, REST IN THE PROVIDENCE AND SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD’S DEITY THESE DIFFICULT DAYS OF TERRORISM, WAR AND FEARS.

**** REST IN THE REALIZATION THAT OUR GOD REIGNS! AND THAT NOTHING CAN HAPPEN TO US, EXCEPT IT FIRST PASS THROUGH THE SOVEREIGN LOVING HANDS OF OUR FATHER.

(3) THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS FOR THE CHILD OF GOD, ONLY PROVIDENTIAL ACTS BY OUR SOVEREIGN FAITH, SO APPLY THESE VERSES AS I CLOSE. (READ PS. 62:8, PHIL. 4:6&7 AND THEN PRAY).

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