Dear church it is my pleasure to stand before you this morning, as we are remembering the day our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified for our transgression. Firstly I would like to pray, so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened. My heart desire today is for you to take this Easter service with a different approach with the other Easter services you might have attends. I want you to come out with something tangible and remarkable, like what Joseph of Arimathea did.
Dear church for you and me to have this tangible and remarkable thing, we have got to put on the armour of God, so that we may be able to stand against the whiles of the devil. Church our SALVATION is based on what happened at the cross at Calvary .If we all agree to it, we can truly say that we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Dear church I would like to take you to the cross at Calvary, so that we can analyze the characters of people who were at the Calvary, and see if we can copy anything from them. We are going to read from Luke 23:26 to 36.
ON THE WAY TO THE CALVARY
They seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid on him the cross to carry behind Jesus. This man carried the cross of salvation not knowing that he was carrying the cross of salvation. I can liken this man to someone who has been invited to church, and could not turn down the invitation. If there is anyone like this man in this church at this moment, let me tell you dear friend, you are not very far away from Salvation .You ought to give the more earnest heed to what I am going to say, lest at any time you may let them slip and lose Salvation.
There were some who followed for the sake of following. Jesus said to these people. ”Daughters of Jerusalem do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for children “. I can liken these people to those who come to church and do nothing in the church. They never take any active part in the church, they have not repent of there and some even do not tithe. Dear friend, behold the days are coming, when you will be calling for mountain to fall on you so that you can be covered.
AT THE CALVARY
Here we see soldiers casting lots to divide the garments of our Lord Jesus Christ. I can liken these soldiers into two groups of people. Firstly those who think that at the church is a place to show of their wealth and fashions. Let me remind these people if they are any here. We should adorn ourselves modestly and sensibly in seemingly apparel not with gold, pearls and costly attire, but buy good deeds. Second group is for those who fight for church positions. For someone to be God’s steward he must be blameless, He must not be arrogant or quick tempered, a drunkard or violent, or greedy for gain, but hospitable, lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy and self controlled. He must held firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine.
THE PENITENT ROBBER
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Jesus Christ saying.” Are you not Christ “ Save yourself and us!” But the other robber rebuked him saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly: for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” This robber did what God want us to do, to know our errors, asks Jesus to clean us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That is the reason why this robber, hear these sweet words from Jesus. “Truly, I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise”.
THE CENTURION
“Certainly this man was innocent!” The centurion reminds me of Romans 14: 11 “ For it is written, As I live. saith the lord a very knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. This centurion, in his heart believeth unto righteousness, and with his mouth made confession unto salvation.
THE BURIAL
Listen! listen very careful this is the core of my message. “Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate, and asks for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock hewn tomb, where no one had ever been laid.”
May I pray once again, that the God of our Lord Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation. Lord Jesus, let you church understand this sermon and get something out of it. For Joseph of Arimathea to have courage, to go and ask for the body of Jesus, I think he must have got the following points in his mind.
1) There fore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. Hebrews 2:1. Dear church we heard that Joseph, was looking for the kingdom of God. I think the teachings of Jesus were still ringing in his mind. If any man comes after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. I think Joseph of Arimathea must have paid closer attention to this teaching. Dear church let us do like what Joseph did, he was not afraid of Pilate and the council. He went on and asked for the body of Jesus so that he can give it a descent burial. Church let us get the word of God, which is Jesus Christ and put it in our hearts.
2) Joseph of Arimathea did not just hear the word but put it into practices. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. Dear church let us be doers of the word, so that we don’t deceive ourselves.
3) Joseph was not ashamed of Jesus Christ that he was crucified, but he went on and asked for the body of Jesus Christ. He presses on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ. Let us look at John 1:1.In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. In him was life, and the life was light of man.”” Joseph of Arimathea knew about this, that is why he took the courage to go and ask for the body of Jesus, because he knew that He was the light and life. Dear church let us take the word of God, which is Jesus Christ and lay it in our hearts, so that we might not sin against God. The other thing is that, if we take the word into our hearts, it will give us life and understanding, according to Psalm 119:130 The entrance of they word giveth light and understanding to the simple. May God bless you all in the name of Jesus Christ? Amen.
