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Click Here to read Mark 15:42-47

 

What have you discovered? Let’s pay attention to Joseph’s actions.

 

Who is Joseph? (v.43)

    1. A respected member of the council. 

    2. Someone looking for the kingdom of God.

Being a respected member of the council, Joseph did not publicly express his faith in Jesus because of the peer pressure of the members in the council.  He kept his faith in secret before Jesus died on the cross.

 

What did he do after Jesus died on the cross? 

  1. He went to Pilate and ask for the body of Jesus (v.43)

  2. He brought linen shroud, took Jesus down from the cross, wrapped Jesus with the liene shroud, laid Jesus in a tomb and rolled a stone against the entrance. (v.46)

 

What have we learned?

When Joseph was confronted with the sacrifice of Jesus, he took initiative and became a man of faith and action.  He asked for Jesus’s body, and proceeded to bury Jesus with honor.  People can change when they are confronted with the sacrificial love of Jesus.  The criminal on the cross beside Jesus confessed his sins. Joseph of Arimathea publicly displayed his honour to Jesus even though he was a respected member of the council. 

 

How can you respond?

How does Jesus’s death remind you of his love?  How would you act differently this year? Even though we are staying home most of our time, you can still take courage and initiative to share God’s love with others, eg. call your grandparents and chat over the phone, send a message to a friend whom you haven’t talked to for awhile, write a “how are you doing?” note to your neighbour.  For Joseph of Arimathea, when the opportunity to honour Jesus arrived he stepped out and acted accordingly. What opportunities await you to show honour to Jesus this week? 

 

“I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

 

Pray

Pray and let God know your response after reading today’s Bible passage.  During this time of social distancing, we would also like to invite you to pray for the followings: 

    1. Your friends and family who are affected by this.

    2. The frontline care personnel and their families. 

    3. God’s protection and healing on the families affected by this virus.