In The Word
Read: Luke 23:44-56
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the entire land until the ninth hour, 45 because the sun stopped shining; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” And having said this, He died. 47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “This man was in fact innocent.” 48 And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, after watching what had happened, began to return home, beating their chests. 49 And all His acquaintances and the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.
Jesus Is Buried
50 And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man 51 (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God— 52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. 54 It was a preparation day, and a Sabbath was about to begin. 55 Now the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 And then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes.
And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Matthew, Mark, and Luke record that when Yeshua died, tremendous physical marvels took place: the sky became dark for three hours, an earthquake occurred that split rocks, the thick temple veil was torn from top to bottom, and dead bodies came to life that walked in the city. Those around the cross that witnessed Yeshua’s death and these marvelous signs were greatly impacted. Joseph of Arimathea, a religious leader and secret follower of Yeshua, asked to have Yeshua’s body to properly bury in his personal tomb before the Sabbath.
Joseph of Arimathea listened to Yeshua’s teachings and had either seen or heard of Yeshua’s many miracles. He decided to follow Yeshua, but did it secretly “for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38). To follow Yeshua would have likely cost Joseph his position as a religious leader, access to the Temple to worship God, his reputation, and much more.
Are you following Yeshua secretly? Or only revealing your faith among people who will not ridicule or reject you? Not to display your faith in Yeshua boldly to everyone is to be ashamed of Yeshua. And Yeshua warned, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him” (Luke 9:26). There is the very likely high cost of rejection by man to follow Yeshua, but it is nowhere near the cost of shame by Yeshua. Choose today to unashamedly stand for Yeshua, who lived and died for you without shame.