Borrowed for a Time
The Burial of Jesus
Matthew 27:57-61
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.
Matthew 28:1-10
1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you. 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. Greetings, he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.
Spring is here and Easter Sunday has arrived – Halleluiah
The grass and flowers come rising from the ground reminding us that our Creator is the giver of life.
Jesus rising from the grave after three days reminds us that our God conquered death so that we all might know eternal life.
How wonderful it is that Jesus did not need a grave in the way we do. Jesus only needed to borrow a grave for three days and then the owner could have it back.
What a thought to know that Jesus had been in your grave before you.
Imagine what that would mean for it’s re-sale value?
But that is in fact what Jesus did.
Jesus just borrowed the grave of Joseph of Arimathea and walked out of it alive.
Jesus was paying the penalty of your sins and my sins.
Gods word demands that sins be paid for in blood and that the wages of sin is death.
Matthew 26:28 NIV
28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Romans 6:23 NIV
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus borrowed a grave so that we might not be held to the grave.
It is our souls that are borrowed from God for God himself breathed eternal life into man when God first breathed life into Adam.
God has lent us this eternal life to carry within us until that which was borrowed is returned to Him.
What are you doing with your borrowed time?
Have you heard the Good News of Salvation that Jesus proclaims?
Have you responded to the message of God by repenting of your sins and making your way to the cross of forgiveness?
Jesus borrowed that grave for all of us so that none of us might have to be entombed by death but that through the gift of life we should escape death and know eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Our Heavenly Father keeps His word and by the living word - Jesus - we are made free from the sinners we once were and are embraced as children of God because of what Jesus accomplished.
Our days are borrowed for a time and our life is a gift of God it is not our own even though we treat it so.
Our God will ask to take back the life that He has lent us. The time that we have borrowed from God is our opportunity to discover the eternal life that is held out to us through Jesus Christ.
This is why Jesus suffered, died and was buried so that our sins would be atoned for once and for all.
We have an opportunity while we live to lend our lives to God through His son Jesus Christ.
Will you lend your life to Jesus? Let Jesus borrow what is left of your life and in so doing make your life an offering to God.
All you need do is to roll away the stone that covers your heart. – Amen.
The Easter Story is all about borrowing. Jesus borrowed the colt of a donkey to ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
Jesus borrowed an upper room to hold the Last Supper.
Finally at His death Jesus borrowed a tomb a new tomb that belonged to a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea.
In reality Jesus owns everything any way since He is the creator of all things but in a manner of speaking Jesus borrowed a grave for three days.
Easter Sunday Jesus rose from the dead and was finished with the grave.
Jesus defeated death during that time in the grave and became the first person to rise from the dead by His own power.
Others had been raised from the dead but they were brought back by Jesus himself.
Lazarus was the most recent person resurrected by Jesus and Lazarus had been dead four days.
Now Jesus may not have needed three days to defeat death but in order to fulfill prophecy he took the three days.
How long will it take you to trust in what Jesus has done? Trust Him today. – Amen.
