1st December 2024
Alex Buabeng-Korsah
Theme: HEROES OF HIS BODY
THEME SCRIPTURE: "And after these things Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked of Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took away his body." John 19:38 ASV
PREPARATORY QUESTION
- Where were Jesus' public disciples when He was on the cross?
Finally, Jesus gave up the ghost. Who will bury His body? The Pharisees who orchestrated His death are not ready to bury Him. Pilate, whose soldiers carried out this barbaric act, seems to have no business with the burial of Jesus' body. All His public disciples have fled. What a dark hour.
It is when the clouds are thick and the challenge seems formidable that God's light comes through.
In that same hour when Jesus bowed His head, there arose a secret disciple of Christ, revealing his true love and heroism. Joseph of Arimathaea fulfilled the scriptures, and peradventure, he did not realize it. The scriptures had said that the Christ (or Messiah) would make His grave with the rich (Isa 53:9). The prophecy took on flesh when rich Joseph of Arimathaea stepped on the scene.
The body of Christ needed to be preserved. Nicodemus brought out 100lb of myrrh and aloes, and Joseph brought his newly hewed tomb. When everybody had distanced themselves from His body, these two boldly stepped forward. Love carried His body, sweet spices scented the air, a newly hewed tomb received Him, and angels mounted guard.
Beloved, there are more private disciples of Christ than we know of today. These sit in the courtrooms, legislatures, classrooms, and boardrooms of our nations and corporations. They have resolved in their hearts to do the Master's will. The time is coming when the Lord will use them to fulfill His plan in our nations and communities, and the time is now. Precious one, are you the Joseph of Arimathaea of our time? The body of Christ and the gospel of our Lord Jesus need to be preserved. At such a time as this, you can't afford to be a private disciple anymore but to step forward in heroism and love.
Let us rise up and mount the cross of Christ in the hearts of men and invest in the spread of the gospel. The more the gospel spreads, the more souls are brought into the body of our Lord, thereby preserving it. The more the gospel spreads, the more we provide hope to the next generation, leaving the greatest legacy of all time.
Do you have a newly hewed tomb? The body of Christ requires it. Or aloes or myrrh? The Lord's body and the gospel can be preserved by them. It is your turn to advance the cause of the gospel and preserve His body.
O, child of God, reader of today’s devotional, that you will exclaim with deep conviction, “It is my turn to preserve His body.”
Remain blessed.
FURTHER READING: John 3:1-15
Call to Salvation: Today is your day if you have not received salvation by turning over your life to Jesus Christ. Click here to do so.
QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU MEDITATE ON THE WORD
- How well does the world know that you are a serious disciple of Christ?
- How much are you contributing to the spread of the gospel this year?
PRAYER
Precious Father, thank you for bringing me into the body of our Lord Jesus. In you, Lord, I live and move and have my being. As the gospel was brought to me, it is my responsibility to make it available to those who do not know Christ. I accept this honorable responsibility. With your help, I am able to invest my time, resources, and strength in the advancement of the gospel. In Jesus' precious name. Hallelujah!
ONE YEAR BIBLE READING
Esther 9, Esther 10, Jonah 1, Hebrews 6, Hebrews 7
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