2 Samuel 17:1-29
John 19:23-42
Psalm 119:129-152
Proverbs 16:12-13
John 19:38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.
It is good to see that Nicodemus became a follower of Jesus. When he meets with Jesus at night it does not say that anything changed for him. But here he is showing that he does believe. I find it interesting that the two men who followed Jesus in secret when he was alive come out publicly after he died and those who followed him publicly when he was alive went into hiding, which we will read tomorrow. I am sure it had to do with the fact that they were rich and the only ones who had the means to take care of the body but what else. Could it have been guilt, anger, sorrow or something else? Either way they stepped up when they were needed to do so. I find it comforting that even those who were not all vocal and in your face about following Jesus were able to serve Him when they were called to. Their faith was testified to with their actions when they were called upon. Their actions were a reflection of what was in their hearts. Sometimes our fear makes us hold back our faith but there will come a time that we will be called to step up and when we are what we do is what will speak to the truth of our hearts and only by faith will we be able to act and overcome the fear.
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