Approved

 

“Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.” (Mark 15:43 [NIV])

Each of the Gospels in the Bible (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19) tells us about Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish High Council. The High Council created laws for the people of Israel. They passed judgment with the Jewish religious leaders on anyone who broke the laws. Joseph would have been in the meeting with the priests and other religious leaders as they questioned Jesus. These men later took Jesus to Pontius Pilate. Yet, something was different about Joseph.

Not all religious leaders turned their backs on Jesus. A couple listened to what He said, questioned Him, and secretly believed in Him. They became Jesus’ disciples, too. Nicodemus is the first religious leader we read about who became a believer in Jesus (John 3.) The second is Joseph of Arimathea. We discover he was Jesus’ disciple after Jesus died. In the Bible passages noted above, Joseph asked Pilate if he could remove Jesus from the cross and put Him in his own unused tomb. Once Pilate determined from a centurion that Jesus was dead, he gave permission for Joseph to take Jesus’ body off the cross, wrap him in linens, and lay Him in the tomb.

This sounds normal. You may wonder what the big deal is. Why did each of the Gospel writers decide it necessary to record Joseph’s actions toward Jesus’ body? For Jews of the time, touching a dead body was a big deal. Why? Because it caused a person to become unclean, according to God’s laws. A person who touched a dead body had to perform ceremonial cleansing. For seven days after touching a dead body, a Jew is unclean and must perform a specific ceremonial washing as described in Numbers 19:11-13. Remember, Jesus’ arrest and death occurred during Passover week, a holy week. God’s laws required Jewish men to go to the Temple in Jerusalem for this holy week. Since Joseph touched Jesus’ body the night before the Sabbath, he would be unclean and unable to enter the Temple on the Sabbath to celebrate Passover. For Jews, especially Jewish leaders, becoming unclean, more so, choosing to become unclean, was unheard of, especially at Passover. They exerted effort to ensure their ceremonial cleanliness (righteousness).

What would cause Joseph to choose to be unclean according to the religious laws? Joseph counted the cost of acting like a Jew and keeping up the façade next to honoring and respecting Jesus the Messiah. To him, putting on a façade for the Jews was less important than taking care of the body of Jesus, his Savior. Jews could not leave a dead body on a cross over the Sabbath. It would dishonor God and the land He gave them. Joseph chose to honor Jesus and not to seek the approval of people. He chose to honor God. Joseph chose to humble himself let the Jewish people consider him unclean. He allowed the dishonor to fall on himself instead of the Messiah.

One other consideration Joseph may have had is Jesus taught He Himself is the fulfillment of God’s laws. Since Jesus fulfilled the laws, the Jewish people need not offer sacrifices for sins anymore. They did not need to consider ceremonial cleansing since Jesus cleanses all who believe in Him for their salvation. Because of Joseph’s belief in Jesus, he would not be unclean for having touched Jesus’ body. Joseph, by his actions, showed his belief in Jesus as the Son of God. He and Nicodemus went from being secret and peripheral believers to being open and active believers in Jesus, the Son of God.

Why is this a big deal 2000+ years after Jesus’ death and ascension? Joseph sought the approval and respect of the Jewish people and priests. As part of the High Council, he clearly had to keep every law. Joseph, a lawmaker and judge, wanted to be righteous. He wanted to get to heaven when he died on earth. When he listened to and about Jesus, he decided for himself Jesus is the Son of God. We each are at that point now. Jesus has already come to earth and returned to heaven. He became the sacrifice for our sins. He loves each person. Jesus provides cleansing from sins and God’s approval for each person. He gives eternal life with Him in heaven. We can be like Joseph and Nicodemus were. They sought love, respect, and approval from other people. Getting those things from people can never cleanse us from our sins (our wrongdoings). We cannot be good enough or earn our way to heaven. But, we can do like Joseph and Nicodemus did while Jesus was on earth. We can have God’s love, approval, and salvation by believing in His Son, Jesus. Yes, God loves us all the time. That love provided a way for us to be cleansed of our sins. God does not force us to trust in Jesus. He makes it salvation to us and we can decide for ourselves, like the disciples who walked with, heard, and trusted in Jesus while He was alive on earth.

The decision is your own to make. Keep trying to be good enough. Keep seeking love, approval, and respect from other people. You will never be assured of your salvation and place in heaven with God. Alternatively, seek God and His love, trust in Jesus as His Son for your salvation, and be approved by God and have eternal life with Him in heaven. Doing things to look good and trying to be good are not good enough. Joseph and Nicodemus understood that. They knew the religious laws and realized trying to keep them and appear good was not the same as the goodness (righteousness) God gives to each person who believes in Jesus. God gives love, forgiveness, approval, and salvation. Will you believe and accept it?

Stop trying to be "good enough."

Seek God’s approval.

The Cup

 

“And He (Jesus) was saying, ‘Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me, yet not what I will, but what You will.’” (Mark 14:36 [NASB])

 Jesus approached His final Passover. He and His disciples walked to Jerusalem to take part in the festivities and remembrances that week. The Jews recalled the times when I AM (Yahweh God) provided food for them in the wilderness. They remembered when the Spirit of God went from home to home and from one animal stall to another, killing the first-born of each species. Moses told the Jews to put the blood of a sacrificial lamb on their door frame to protect them from God’s judgment. The Spirit bypassed obedient Hebrews when exacting God’s vengeance against Egypt. During that night the Jews prepared for the journey they would begin the next day. They packed their belongings and asked their Egyptian neighbors for their gold, silver, and other assets. During this night, they made unleavened bread for the journey. Jesus traveled to Jerusalem like obedient Jews did to celebrate the Passover and the exodus from Egypt.

 Jesus and His disciples obediently journeyed to Jerusalem to thank God. They prepared and ate a meal together. Jesus knew, though His disciples did not understand fully, that His time had come. Soon He would be arrested and handed over to the Jewish religious leaders and Roman leaders. The purpose for His life on earth had arrived. The purpose for Jesus’ birth as a man was to provide a once-for-all perfect sacrifice for humanity’s sins. For this reason, He purposefully walked to Jerusalem.

 After Jesus celebrated the Passover and began giving its new meaning of the “Lord’s Supper,” He and His disciples walked to the Mount of Olives, where they often prayed and He taught them. During this time, Judas Iscariot prepared to betray Jesus. He took thirty pieces of silver from the Jewish religious leaders and sought a time to betray Jesus. Jesus knew who would betray Him. He realized, because He is 100% divine, He would be given into the hands of men who would crucify Him. The Son, like the Father, knows all things. That He knew His disciple would betray Him weighed heavily on His heart. As the Son of Man (100% God and 100% man), Jesus understood He would experience the pain of being nailed to a cross, having His side pierced by a spear, and gasping for breath. As a man, Jesus probably felt trepidation and needed strength to finish His purpose on earth. His human mind and heart possibly dreaded what He understood must be done. This gives new depth of meaning to John 3:16. God (Father, Son, and Spirit) loves us so much that He willingly sent His Son to earth in the form of a man to die the death of judgment for our each of our sins. Jesus, God with us, came to us and for us, willingly and knowingly living on earth as a man to die a slow death of asphyxiation for each person. He did this so whoever believes in Him as the Son of God, the Messiah, will have eternal life and forgiveness of sins.

 Jesus said in Mark 14, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me, yet not what I will, but what You will.” Jesus called out, “Daddy!” That speaks of a close relationship with the Father. He then states fact; God is Sovereign and can do anything. Anything, like keeping one from death and from the hands of angry, evil, and scared men. Anything, like making a way for His created and rebellious humans to have an eternal relationship with Him. God is the source of all power. Jesus knows the Godhead is all-powerful. He also knows no other way was available to provide redemption from sins. A sin sacrifice was required, and it could not be just anything. This sin sacrifice had to be perfect, without blemish or stain from sin. The only sinless being is the Godhead-Father, Son, and Spirit. God provided the perfect sacrifice through the death of the Son of Man and Son of God, Jesus the Messiah. With this understanding, Jesus made His final statement in this verse. He said, “Not what I will, but what You will.” The humanity of Jesus submitted to the perfect, divine will of the Godhead. He willingly walked to the cross to be crucified, pierced, and to suffocate so humanity could be saved from their sins and death.

 The Father did not leave Jesus to walk to His mortal death alone. In Luke 22:43, Luke tells us, “An angel from heaven appeared to Him (Jesus) and strengthened Him.” The Father realized the mortal flesh was weary and frightened but determined to do His will because of His overabundant love for each person. Luke continued in verse forty-four by saying, “And being in anguish, He (Jesus) prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” [NIV] Jesus prayed for the strength to walk to His death. He prayed for each person to believe in Him. Jesus prayed so fervently that sweat became profuse, like a river of blood flowing from an arterial vein. The angel encouraged, strengthened, and upheld Him for the purpose for which He humbly gave up His place on the throne in heaven. Jesus’ decision was deliberate before He left heaven, while He walked and taught on earth, and as He prepared for Judas’ betrayal, the Jewish religious leaders’ antagonism and unbelief, and Pontius Pilate’s handwashing. This One who died for the sins of each person was betrayed, mocked, tormented, and found unworthy for a governor to be held accountable.

 Considering what Jesus did and said in Mark 14:36 and Luke 22:43, are any of us ever willing to make these statements to God? Have any of us lived out God’s purpose this determinedly? Have we made a genuine sacrifice of ourselves to God’s plans and purposes? With Jesus as our model, I realize few people make this ultimate stand for God. This purpose in life requires a total surrender of heart and will to God’s plans. Jesus understood this profound surrender. To give oneself in total surrender to God means giving the right to oneself-one’s whole heart, mind, body, and spirit-to obey God in His purposes to save every person before he or she mortally dies.

 Just as Abba gave strength to Jesus to walk the road to Calvary, He gives us the strength to walk according to His plans. Those plans may be to help someone with food, offer shelter for someone without a home, or donate to a charitable organization. It may also mean leaving home and country to live where most people have not heard about Jesus and walk with them telling them about Him. Walking with unbelievers often means being willing to sacrifice our lives. The key to each of these tasks and others God asks of believers is God, not us. God created. He sacrificed and redeems. God cleanses. He calls and strengthens. Then, God walks with those who willingly offer to Him what He asks of them. God gives each person what she or he needs to live abundantly in a loving, growing, and eternal relationship with Him.

Jesus didn’t ask for a kiss, but Judas gave it.

He asks us to believe in Him; He paid the price.

 Are you willing to give your all-heart, soul, body, and spirit-to God? He will give you the strength and everything you need to follow Him. All things are possible with God.

Love with a Pure Heart

“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.” (1 Peter 1:22 [NASB])

Peter, when he wrote his letter to the Christians of Asia Minor, which is Turkey today, did not, with the beginning clause, say they could love fervently in their own strength. He understood the sin nature of each person. Peter knew no person was holy, but all are sinners. This means each person could love no other person with the fervency and purity of God without being changed by faith in Jesus Christ. A person loves oneself more than other people. Still, Peter did not say it was impossible to love with a pure heart. Instead, Peter reminded these Christians how they could understand they could love fervently from their hearts.

Peter, in this chapter, appears to give many commands on how to be a Christian and assurances to realize one is a Christian. Yet, if we carefully read the complex sentences of this chapter, we will understand how we can know we have a pure heart with which to love other believers. Going backwards up the verses in the chapter, Peter said believers have their hope, conduct, and faith in God.

How can people realize their hope is in God? From verses twenty to twenty-one, Peter listed ways a person can recognize this in themselves. He said if a person believes in Jesus Christ as the Savior sent from God as planned from the foundation of the world, and that God raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, then you can know your faith and hope are in God. Because this believing person is in a faith relationship with God because of Jesus, the person is being made more into the likeness of Jesus and has the love of God living in him or her.

Notice, within verses seventeen through nineteen, Peter wrote about a second attribute of Christians. Peter said believers conduct themselves in reverent fear of God while on earth because Jesus purified them with something more precious than gold or silver. Christians act and think right because of the reverent fear/awe they have for God, because He is righteous and judges fairly. Jesus purified them with His own blood by dying for their sins. His great love gave the greatest sacrifice. Christian lives should copy Jesus’ love. They can show His love through the power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ. A Christian conducts his or her life in a way that reflects Jesus, His love and sacrifice for God and other believers.

Peter said people can be holy because Jesus, their Savior, is holy (vs. 16). Verses thirteen through sixteen remind the Christians in Asia Minor of the holiness, purification, Jesus gives each person who believes in Him. Believers can, with the Spirit’s help, prepare their minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix their hope completely on the grace Jesus gave to them at His revelation, and conform themselves into the image of Christ. By Jesus, they will be holy in their behavior. Holy behavior is living as Christ lived, in love and service to people. People who live like Jesus, act upon the faith God gave them to believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation and have His Spirit in them to transform them into His image and exuding His attributes. Holy living expresses itself in pure and fervent love.

Peter explained this hope, reverent conduct, and holiness given by belief in Jesus Christ enable believers to love each other. These attitudes and actions come from Jesus’ attributes. Since these Christians to whom Peter wrote obeyed the truth and had their souls purified by faith in Jesus, they had available within them the capacity to love brethren sincerely. Pure (holy) and fervent love from their heart occurred because they were born again through Jesus. John reiterated this in 1 John 4:7-14 when he wrote Jesus enables believers to love each other because love comes from God.

John, in 1 John 4:9-10, leads us to understand more about God’s love. He said because of God’s love, He sent His Son into the world “that we might live through Him.” God loves people before they love Him. He showed it by sending His love to all people through Christ. Jesus’ love is not just for believers. His love is for all people. Jesus died for all people. John stated this in John 3:16 when he said, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” [NASB] Jesus loves all people. As His disciples, Christians have this same attribute of love from Jesus. Believers are to love all people. Just as Jesus’ love is pure and fervent, the love each Christian has from God to love other people is pure and fervent.

As children of God, Christians are to love fervently, passionately, and purely. They can do this because their faith in Jesus purified them, made them holy (1 Peter 1:13-16). Just as He is holy, He makes believers holy. Christians live in reverent awe of God, the one who redeemed them with His Son’s own blood as the sacrifice for their sins. Because of this great love of Jesus, they can love others with the love that flows from Him to them through His indwelling Holy Spirit. Christians can love all people because of their hope in God. Because they know God loves them, which they will see when Jesus returns to take them to His kingdom, they can show this unending love they received from Christ to all people. Peter explained each of these three points in 1 Peter 1:22-23.

“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is through the living and enduring word of God.” (1 Peter 1:22-23 [NASB])

Jesus came to the world to save all who would believe in Him. John 3:16 explains that. Jesus’ standard of love is the standard for each person who lives. This love is sincere and fervent and based on holiness, faith, and hope. It comes from the source of love, God. Love is one of God’s attributes. What should the extent of our love be? Jesus’ life and death modeled the answer to that question. He taught His disciples about it. Jesus said in John 15:12-13, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” [NASB] Should anyone read John 15:13 to mean Jesus said to love Christians only, Matthew 22:37-39 records Jesus’ deeper understanding of love. He said in these verses, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus loved and still loves fervently. Nothing can separate people from His love. Jesus loves purely. He is holy and no evil taints His love. Jesus loves completely, to the giving of His life so others can live. He gives each Christian, through His Spirit who dwells in him or her, His superabundant love so they can live out His love by loving each person they meet. Jesus does not restrict His love to certain people because of their skin color, politics, accent, physical attributes, income, health, education, or any human-defining category. God makes each person in His image. Jesus came to love and redeem all of us.

Jesus’ love is fervent, holy, and unending.

Our love for all people should be the same.

Jesus makes it possible for people to love as He loves by their becoming His disciples. Will you accept the redemption for your sins He offers to you? Today is your time to think about how you live life. Do you love all people equally without prejudice and stereotypes? Jesus does. He died for every person who has lived to give unending love and salvation to them. Jesus loves you and died for you. What will you say to Him today?

Glory and Grace

“Father, glorify Your name,” some heard Him say.

A cry from His heart, the Father’s greatness proclaimed.

Sound like thunder; an angel speaking;

Lack of understanding; lack of believing.

A week before His sacrifice, the Savior’s purpose drew near;

His mind in anguish, in His heart, the people He held dear.

For these He gave up His claim of royalty and fame;

For these He took the name Savior for their sin He came.

Not His hour when as man He would want to dash away,

But in the Father’s hour, as the Son, His love to proclaim.

Soul troubled, Father’s glory, Jesus gave His everything

So each person who believed, His love each would receive.

Love more than mere sentiment, more than coins, He gave;

Love most expensive that required a heaven-sent only God could pay.

A love undeserved no mere mortal could ever repay;

Love from God stamped on each believer, “Balance zero, debt is paid.”

Reluctantly we question whether to “give up” our plans

To accept this deep love, this grace, with Him take a stand.

For this purpose, He said, He came to that hour;

For this purpose, we each must choose Him or to cower.

Life in our own strength with our own design and purposes

Can lead us through darkness, sin-stain, roads never certain.

With fear, trepidation, anxiety, and pain

We walk life alone instead of calling His name.

Our pride, our sin, our pushing and shoving Him away

Causes us to falter, to fall, to question the way.

Yet, life full and certain, darkness chased away

Comes with humility, repentance, accepting His pain.

His pain chosen freely because of the Father’s love;

His love given freely, He came down from above.

A love so extreme, for each person so certain

Because He’s Creator, Savior, the breaker of sin’s curse.

How can we fathom a love so great and free

When we never knew, never gave, could not conceive?

It’s more than a statement, more than a lavish, extreme gift.

It came through a Life’s blood, puncture, and anguish.

What greater love can we deem of such great a depth,

Than what Jesus said, a life for a life, a breath for breath?

Still our life for another’s isn’t enough to redeem;

Only Jesus’ life offered can a person make clean.

Cleaned from the stain of a person’s wrong choices.

Washed from the darkness of guilt that haunts us.

Better breathing anew with light for the dark way;

Jesus’ death gives new life, guidance, protection each day.

A death of one sin-free, no need to endure pain,

Yet, He chose because of love to provide a way

For people travel-weary, guilt-laden, sin-stained,

To live with God, be released, proclaim His great name.

This kind of love, once-given, no remittance required

Comes from depth of heart only God can provide.

We receive what’s undeserved, unable to remit;

We give what we have, a grateful heart, love, and obedience.

This depth of love is grace, undeserved and free

For the sin-stained person who turns, repents, and believes.

Jesus, the Son of God, come down because of love

Saves from sin, redeems from death, renews us within.

Grace so much greater than all our sin,

Once given, never rescinded, gives new heart within.

Love only God could provide in such unfathomable depth.

Jesus, His purpose, to that hour, God He glorified to His last breath.

Though unable to offer love at the depth of His grace,

We show our love, His love, with our obedience.

Whether lifted up or cast down by troubles and trials,

As Jesus’ followers, our voices lifted, God glorified.

Oft considered foolish and weak by people refusing to believe,

God’s people, Jesus’ followers, allow His wisdom to be seen.

What’s folly to one man, for others is wise.

What’s weakness in stance is God’s greatness in other’s eyes.

God’s grace given, His love perfect and free

Came through the Son’s death upon crossed-tree.

A love shown with His life at greatest of price,

Requires nothing of us but faith, confession; our heart and life.

He will swallow up death for all time,

And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces,

And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth;

For the Lord has spoken.

And it will be said in that day,

‘Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us.

This is the LORD for whom we have waited;

Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.’  Isaiah 25:8-9 [NASB])

 

(For more, read John 12:27-50, John 15:13, & 1 Corinthians 1:18-31)

"Twas the Night After Christmas

‘Twas the night after Christmas.

When candles and flick’ring lights went out,

Presents unwrapped and carols sung,

No one gaily dancing about.

Trees’ piney branches drop needles;

Winter wreaths and flowers droop.

Cinnamon candles still alight.

Mothers make second day soup.

Conversations tell of wishes met,

Children’s racing dreams came true.

Paper and boxes lie empty

Revealing the special day is through.

In the corner one thing lingers

Wrapped merrily with vibrant bow.

Not one person has beheld it,

That the kindly Giver did bestow.

Hidden among the shredded paper

Lay the gift desired above all;

This gift so often forgotten

Yet most important though unheeded its call.

Nothing shiny, nor newly bought,

But a precious gift given free,

The breath of heaven come down

As the gift given for those who believe.

Neither under the green fir tree,

Nor atop the grandest of thrones,

This present of Holy Father

Born in the humblest of abodes.

The child born that holy Christmas night

Laid under the star’s shining gleam

Lived and died within humanity’s vision

Raised up willingly on a tree.

How fitting we yearly put up a tree

Place a star for each to remember

The stripped tree on which He hung

And died for all to enter.

With this gift no paper remains;

No day after blues, no gift unclaimed.

With this gift, joyful carols still peal

Laughter and joy eternal remain.

Candles and lights shine brightly still

While nature lives yet to proclaim

The glories of God on the throne;

His mercy washes out the stain.

‘Twas the joyous night after Christmas

Gaiety danced because of His love.

Laughter echoed, whispers shouted

Each telling of His love from above.

--Gail M. Suratt Davis