Day 13

Challenge: The Tomb

Jesus has given His life for humanity. The disciples are scattered in hiding. Jesus’ once large crowds are nowhere to be found. His lifeless body is taken down from the cross and given to Joseph. Joseph was an influential religious leader of the Sanhedrin, and this position gave him access to Pilate. Had Joseph not gone to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, he would have been ripped off the cross and thrown into a mass grave at the bottom of Golgotha. He not only rescues the body of Christ but offers up the tomb he had purchased for him and his family.

At the time he probably didn’t know his actions meant that much. He respected Jesus and didn’t approve of what had happened in the last 48 hours. He wanted Jesus to have a proper burial and not be treated like common trash. He had no idea that this tomb would be where the greatest miracle in human history would occur. He had no idea how his simple obedience would set the stage for the victory that would give all of us a way back home. We never know what our acts of compassion and obedience can lead to.

Matthew 27:57–66
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

REFLECTION:
Why do you think the disciples aren’t there when Jesus is removed from the cross?

At what point do you think Joseph knew the significance of his actions in giving Jesus’ body a place to lay?

Can you think of an action you have done that you thought didn’t really mean that much but ended up being something great for the Kingdom of the Lord?


PRAYER
Spend time some time thanking the Lord that he does big things with our small acts of obedience. Also, spend some time praying for the Lord to open your eyes and heart for simple steps of obedience that will lead to a big Kingdom impact.