Key Lessons From The Burial Of Jesus Christ Series

Key Lessons from the Burial of Jesus Christ

John 19:38-42

Sermon by Rick Crandall

Grayson Baptist Church - July 18, 2018

(Revised June 27, 2020)

MESSAGE:

*In tonight's Scripture God's Word tells us about the burial of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Usually when we think about Jesus, we think about the Christmas story, or the Lord's miracles, His wonderful teaching, His death on the cross, and His glorious resurrection on the first Easter Sunday.

*Think for a moment about that first Easter morning. What picture comes to mind? -- Probably the empty tomb with the stone rolled away. We almost never think about that heavy stone being rolled into place. We almost never think about the Lord's burial. But God has some important lessons for us from the burial of Jesus Christ.

*The Bible doesn't give us many of the details, but vs. 38-40 tell us that after Jesus died:

38. . . Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.

39. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.

40. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

*Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus buried the lifeless body of Jesus Christ. Why? -- Because He had died on the cross for our sins. John 19:30 tells us that "when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit."

*Many people believe that Jesus really didn't die on the cross. Michael Luke explained that "they say that Jesus merely passed out from the torture, pain, and the exhaustion of the crucifixion. So, when they took Him down from the cross, He only seemed dead. They literally believe that Jesus was buried alive. Then after 3 days, He was revived by the cool air of the tomb, and walked out under His own power.

*Of course, if you believe that, then you believe Jesus not only survived the crucifixion, but He also untangled himself from heavy, tightly-wound grave cloths, moved the huge stone that sealed the tomb, and overpowered the soldiers guarding the tomb. You also believe that Jesus did all these things without having food and water for three days." (1)

*Jesus was buried because He was dead. A woman once wrote this note to J. Vernon McGee: "On Easter our preacher said that Jesus just swooned on the cross, and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think?"

*Dr. McGee replied, "Dear sister, beat your preacher with a leather whip with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross, hang him in the sun for six hours, run a spear through his heart, embalm him, put him in an airless tomb for three days, and see what happens!" (2)

*Jesus Christ was buried because He died on the cross for our sins. What can we learn from the burial of Christ?

1. FIRST: GOD WANTS TO GIVE US THE COURAGE TO BE COMMITTED.

*God wants to give us the same kind of courage we see in the two men who took charge of the Lord's burial. One of them was Joseph of Arimathea. In vs. 38 Joseph "being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus."

*Joseph of Arimathea was a good man. Mark 15:43 tells us that he was an honorable counselor, who was waiting for the kingdom of God. Luke 23:50-51 says this about Joseph: "And behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. He had not consented to their counsel and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God."

*Joseph of Arimathea was a good and godly man, but up to this point he had been a secret disciple, because he was afraid. He was afraid of the Christ-rejecting Jewish leaders because they could totally ruin Joseph's life if they wanted to.

*Joseph had been afraid, but here he went to Pilate the Governor and boldly pleaded for the body of Jesus. What happened? Why was Joseph so bold? Where did he get his courage?

[1] CHURCH: IT CAME FROM HIS TRUST IN GOD!

*God had a special job for Joseph, and God gave him all the courage he needed to get the job done. Now, we can trust God to give us the courage to do what He wants us to do.