After Jesus breathed His last breath, it was 3 pm on Friday. People had three hours before they started the Sabbath at 6 pm, so they had to bury Jesus' body before then because when the Sabbath started, no one was allowed to do any work. Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked Jesus' body to be buried. When Pilate heard from his soldier that Jesus was dead, he gave Jesus' body to Joseph to be buried. 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. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joseph, the half-brother of Jesus, saw where Jesus was laid (Mark 15:42-47).
Interestingly, Joseph, who was part of the Council or the Sanhedrin, and Nicodemus, a Pharisee who secretly spoke to Jesus at night (John 3:1-2), went and asked for Jesus' body to be buried (John 19:38-39). According to John 19:38, Joseph was a secret believer of Jesus for fear of the Jews. However, when they saw Jesus was dead, both took the courage to get the body of Christ and buried it. When we read the death and burial of Jesus, we see the seriousness of sin. Sin can only bring death into something good. It was sin that separated us from God. It was our sin that our Heavenly Father forsook our Lord Jesus on the cross. The reason sin is so potent is that sin is the opposite of God's holiness. God cannot tolerate sin in His presence. Every time we sin, the Spirit of God who lives in us grieves, which is why we cannot continue sinning. Sin destroys what is good in us, no matter how small.
Although Jesus' death was horrible, painful, and sad, it was part of God's plan to save us from sin. Jesus' death brought us forgiveness and life. So it is true that we grieve that our Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross, but we are also thankful for saving us. Every time we see a cross, we need to remind ourselves that God loves us. The cross is not a lucky charm or an amulet that can protect us. It is the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives in us, that protects and blesses us. He doesn't stay on the cross. Our Lord Jesus is alive today, and we will discuss this more tomorrow.
Ask yourself these questions for application: (Think through carefully and meditate on the questions while answering these questions, and let the Spirit of God speaks to you) Why did Jesus die on the cross? How do I know that Jesus loves me? How should I live my life knowing that Jesus died for my sin?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, I am forgiven of my sins and have a relationship with you because of the death of my Lord Jesus. Thank you, Jesus, for your willingness to die for my sin. Please help me treasure my salvation by living for you and repenting from my sins. In Your name Jesus, I pray. Amen.