A Very Expensive Funeral Attended by Two

Hello everyone! Sorry to be a little late writing today. Our reading is taken from John 19:38-42. When I sit down and take the Bible, open it up and read, it seems as though a feeling of peace fills my heart! I hope you will read this short passage with me and thoughtfully let it speak to your heart. Today this is Katrinka writing, and always grateful for the opportunity to share this time with Chris, Michele, and especially you. May God bless us as we let more of His Word into our minds and souls.

In this section of John we have been reading about THE EVENT. Which event? The crucifixion of our Lord and Savior in detailed account, about the event that shook the earth and darkened the day, about the event that took our Lord Jesus into the realms of Death itself. At this point in the sequence of such momentous happeningss, the future looks quite uncertain. How is it possible that the life of Jesus come to this tragic end? His death on the cross was one of humiliation and shame! What does the future hold for his followers?

The funeral. In these few verses today we see the "funeral" that was held for Jesus. Surely the Son of God was buried in a showy, grand manner with loyal disciples all around him. Surely there were many flowers, and expressions of respect and honor for the departed Lord! That is how we would like to see it happen, but, sadly, that is definitely not the case.

Those who attended. Doesn't it seem strange to you that it was not Peter. or John. or James that came to Pilate and asked to have the body of Jesus? After all, they were his best friends, always-present followers, weren't they? But, as Jesus had already predicted, "the sheep would be scattered." Even John who was with Mary at the cross did not come and ask for the body so his mother could bury him! It all seems so tragic and disappointing to me. We cannot judge accurately, but it seems that they had all given up and were quickly moving our of range so that the authorities would not associate them more with Jesus, the crucified. No, instead of loyal friends around him to the end, it was only a couple of "secret believers" who stood up to bury him at the end of Jesus' earthly life.

 Joseph of Arimathea surely had no idea that his act of asking for the body and burying it in his own new tomb would go down in the Word of God for generations of people to read! I ask myself, why was he so brave now? Why didn't he stand up and say that he was a believer in Jesus before, when things were going great for Jesus? His courage failed him then, but now, all of a sudden he stands up to be counted as a follower. Why? Could it be that he was there, watching, listening as the crucifixion took place? Could it be that, as some of the soldiers who were on the job there, he said to himself in the end: " Surely this was the Son of God!" Whatever it was, Joseph was a changed man. He did not allow himself to go into depression and give up on his belief just because Jesus had been killed! Instead he performed a service for our Lord that no one else did -- he honored and took care of Jesus' body! He stepped up and sacrificially gave his new tomb, his love and his service to His Lord when others abandoned him.

Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night, was there too. We read that he was there with Joseph of Arimathea. He had been reluctant to visit with Jesus in the daytime, also out of fear of the Jewsish leaders. And yet at this time he also steps forward boldly, participating in the "funeral" of Jesus, in the special care of his earthly body. His contribution demonstrated great love and respect for Jesus. He brought a mixture of expensive myrrh and aloes, and not just a little bit but a lot -- about 75 pounds worth! This was used to rub all over Jesus'  dead body, to clean, scent and preserve it. He spared no expense and gave of himself to see that Jesus had a decent, Jewish burial.

Hands-on Service. These two men, apparently both quite wealthy, did not bring along their servants to do the work. They did it themselves! By this time Jesus had undergone so much! Beatings, scourgings, spit, thorns scraping his head -- all these along with the actual crucifixion and the spear in the side -- must have left the body of Jesus in quite a horrible state. I can't write this without tears filling my eyes! Still, these two men took the body of Jesus and personally did all that it took. They cleaned it, rubbed it all over with the spices and expensive perfumes. Then, with their own hands, they wrapped Jesus in strips of linen. They did it all according to Jewish burial customs. They placed his body in a clean, new tomb and left. They had done all they could do as mere men.

These two men fulfilled what was written above the cross: "King of the Jews." They took the body of Jesus and honored it in the Jewish way as it should have been done. They honored Jesus with their actions when others honored him with words. Joseph and Nicodemas performed the funeral for Jesus. And I feel sure that when he arose from the dead, they were rejoicing and being glad they had done what they had done! And I feel sure in my own heart that they will be given a place in heaven for their efforts and faith.

How about us? How do you and I honor Jesus? -- in words or in deeds? Actually, our Lord and Messiah deserves both! He deserves our everything and our all! We can honor Him best in real service to His church and to those around us. Thank you, Lord, for letting us know how Jesus was buried. It has some great lessons for us. And let us never forget that partaking of the Lord's Supper can be a continuation of honoring His death for us. Blessings on each of you!