“Our God can take whatever we give Him and put it to use for His glory.”
Sermon Title: THE BORROWED TOMB
Scripture Text: JOHN 19:38-42
Sermon Notes:
JOHN 19:38-42 NIV
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 Jews. 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.
41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.
42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
cameo role: a brief appearance in a movie or play, performed by a famous person
I. JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA: HIS STORY
LUKE 23:50-56 NIV
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man,
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man,
51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.
52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body.
53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.
54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.
55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.
56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
MATTHEW 27:57-61 NIV
57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus.
58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him.
59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
MARK 15:42-47 NIV
42 It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached,
43 Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.
44 Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died.
45 When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.
46 So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.
JOHN 19:38-42 NIV
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 Jews. 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.
41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.
42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
II. JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA: WHY HE WAS IMPORTANT THEOLOGICALLY
1 CORINTHIANS 15:3-4
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures
ISAIAH 53:9 NIV
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
JOHN 21:22 NIV
22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”
“If we are able to see the signature of God in our lives, (then) his sovereignty and his providence will be our comfort.”
God accomplishes His purpose by taking all of the infinite number of attitudes, expressions, acts, and behaviors of free human beings and spiritual beings who make choices and do things and God takes them all and weaves them perfectly into His own purpose … He weaves together all of the infinite behaviors of men and demons with meticulous precision to fulfill exactly His will.” — John MacArthur
III. JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA: WHY HE IS IMPORTANT FOR US
1 CORINTHIANS 10:6 NIV
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.
ROMANS 15:4 NIV
4 For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
Life lessons from a secret disciple:
1. A warning to the strong.
“We’re never as strong as we think we are.”
“There’s gonna come a time where you’re gonna have to live all of the things you’ve taught.”
1 CORINTHIANS 10:12 NIV
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!
2. Encouragement for the Weak
“God wants you to succeed.”
MATTHEW 12:20 NIV
20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.
3. Good news for all of us.
“It’s never too late to make a difference.”
“The only time anybody ever got anointed with … pounds of that stuff was when they were royalty. And these two dear men are saying, in effect, the world may not offer you that kind of respect that a king should have, but we will even in your death. And they bury Him with a burial of a king.” — John MacArthur
“Our God can take whatever we give him and put it to use for his glory.”
What is it, big or small, that God’s asking you to use for his kingdom?