2.07.2006

in death, but for the glory of God

Sermon ideas coming at me fast and furious. Will find time maybe to flesh some of these out some day. This one's on a minor, though one could argue not-so-minor and I'd give you the credit for the argument. Unless you made the argument just to be contrary. In which case I'd say, "You're just being contrary" and then give you the brush-off.

In any case: JoeofA, the tomb-owner.

The details we know about him are far more than one would think. He is one of the few characters mentioned across all four gospels. Matt says he was a rich man "who himself also had become a disciple of Jesus". Mark says he was a "prominent member of the Council" who "himself was waiting for the kingdom of God". Luke called him a "good and righteous man" who "had not consented to their plan" to presumably kill Jesus. John says he was a secret disciple.

This was a man with everything to lose. Not only did he sacrifice his expensive burial tomb for the Lord, but he risked his reputation and livelihood. Mark says "he gathered up courage" to ask Pilate for the Lord's body. Imagine him with everything to lose, everything to lose, and he didn't even realize the resurrection was coming. All he knew at that moment was that the One he had been following was (seemingly) defeated. And all he knew was that all he could give at that moment was his everything, it was the least he could do, give his everything.

JoeofA goes down like SimonofC, disicples famous at the last, famous for saying I don't know if this is the end of all things, but even if it is all I have He can have. Walks of model faith both of them. Again, for another day.

No comments: