THREE UNLIKELY MEN

JAMES MASON AS JOSEPH OF ARIMETHEA
IN "THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST"

#3 THE SUPREME COURT JUDGE

Back in 1973, some liberal American judged created a so-called "right to privacy" which was never written into the United States constitutions. They claimed that such a "right" existed in the "emanations of the penumbra" of the Constitutions, while searching for a rationale to legalize Abortion. That was the United States Supreme Court. 

The Supreme Court of the Jews in Jerusalem during the brief earthly life of Jesus possessed the same "moral flexibility" and were not originalists to the Word of God, as give on Mt. Sinai or the prophets. To these types - lawyers and pharisees all,  this "rebel" Jesus was getting too much in their business and their created religion. He was upsetting their apple carts (and money-changer tables). He was telling folks there was a Kingdom of Heaven and it was nothing like what those corrupt priests and lawyers in the temples and synagogues were forcing on them! Some of the higher echelon of the pharisees had corrupt dealings with the occupying Romans, so they could maintain their power. So, this Jesus had to go.

Scripture tells us that when the Sanhedrin (or the Council of 71 Supreme Judges) had the vote to finally do the deed and execute Jesus, this man did not vote with them - he abstained! These Judges set the rules and order for daily living for the Jews, so theirs was the final word on all religious Jewish matters..even with a Roman governor sitting in Jerusalem! This man who abstained is called a Disciple of Jesus and his name was Joseph of Arimethea. 

The Bible says "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 (Luke 23:50-51). The council which Joseph was a member of was/is the Sanhedrin. The reason I said "is" the Sanhedrin, is because this same group who murdered the Son of God has reconstituted themselves back into the same Council which voted to send Christ to the Cross in AD 33!!!

Joseph is this third unlikely man who was deeply affected by the Death of Jesus. While he abstained from voting to prosecute and then execute the Savior, he is the only one of Jesus' Disciples not to flee like all the others except the young apostle John. Not just that, when the rubber hit the road, Joseph was the one who stepped out in Faith and boldly went to the pagan Roman governor Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, which was still hanging on the Cross! Pilate had ascertained that Jesus was already dead, from one of his soldiers.

Because of his station in life, what what we know now, was a rich metals-trading merchant, Joseph not only had credibility as a Judge on the Council of Jerusalem, but honesty as a trader with both Jew and Gentile. So when as Matthew says in 27:57-58:  Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him".

Just briefly, the rest of the Story says that Joseph and his friends got Jesus off the Cross. He was obviously dead. Then another secret disciple, and a major figure in the Temple among the pharisees - Nicodemus - brought 100 pounds of burial spices and both men boldly showed their commitment to Christ, in front of the entire world!  Both secret disciples did not participate in the kangaroo court and despicable treatment of Jesus by the rest of the Council and the pharisees.But they stood silent as it unfolded, unjustly! Now, in the midst of the most important event in Christianity, as all Jesus' major followers fled in fear, these no -longer - secret Disciples would give up EVERYTHING they were, to lovingly bury the poor, humble Savior, Who didn't even have his own bed, when he was alive!

Joseph of Arimethea also fulfilled the prophesy of Isaiah 53:9b "And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in His death"!!! Can you believe this! Jesus was buried in the brand new tomb of the richest man in Jerusalem! The rest of the story of this wonderful human being is filled with Legend and half-truths. But this much is certain. When the religious leaders heard what Joseph and his sidekick, Nicodemus had done, they were kicked out of the Council!

Historical documents of the time showed that Joseph was briefly imprisoned and then both men ordered to leave Jerusalem. Joseph then joined an evangelistic team led by the original Disciple Philip, which traveled up through the middle of Europe, north of Rome and eventually landed in England!

This is all fantastic and heart warming history to read, but we can learn from what both Nicodemus and Joseph did. Nicodemus was the big religious scholar of Israel who used to come and visit Jesus in the middle of the night. We have John 3:16 because of Nicodemus.

Pre-crucifixion Joseph is a perfect example of most Christians today, who remain silent when the Name of Jesus is blasphemed or when true biblical Christianity is mocked and reviled. Very few of our children, unless we bring them up to be bold, will stand up and be counted about their faith. God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, love and self-control. Therefore, if we bring them up with that in mind, the few of them we raise will indeed testify to Christ,  otherwise most will be silent all the way to the grave! Most will never even get saved, far less spread the gospel to somebody else, because the world has gotten to their souls and minds first!

Pre-crucifixion Joseph is also an example of the coming persecution when very few will be left who are true believers. Over 84% of our young people are losing their faith in the very first year of college. Already, over 67% or 2/3rds of so-called born again Christians believe there is another way to Heaven than Jesus. They obviously was not listening in church where they would have heard John 14:6 many times (I am the Way, the Truth and the Life and no one comes to the Father, except through Me)!

POST- CRUCIFIXION Joseph of Arimethea is a perfect example of not only making a bold statement in of Faith in Christ in a hostile environment, but it is living proof of going above and beyond the Call of Christ! He knew he was risking everything and was going to lose it. He was correct, because he loved Jesus more than the things of this world. Joseph is an example of a person who is allowed the time and opportunity to make things right.

However, many will NEVER have this privilege! Many will die in their sins or their self-deception that they were saved (because they walked the aisle or said a prayer). Many will die like this and go straight away from God for eternity - separated from Him. They will never have the chance to make things right with God!

If you are one of them, or know someone who is, please share the Good News with them now! Not next week but now! Now! Now is the hour of redemption. DO NOT WAIT OR LINGER!!! Do not be like this wonderful Supreme Court Judge Joseph of Arimethea, who both blessed Jesus, and also fulfilled prophesy! That was a one time event. But be a bold disciple of Jesus Christ, to the lost and dying around you, and stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the Cross! 
Amen!

SATURDAY GUEST WRITER: LYNN MOSHER

THE HAMMER THAT DRIPPED BLOOD....

Standing over the blistering heat of the fire, as sweat trails down his dirty face, the smith fans the blazing flames with his bellows. As he finishes the hammer he is working on, he gives it a thorough check, making sure it will meet the critical eye of the centurion. As a smith for the Roman army, all his work goes into the hands of the soldiers.

LYNN MOSHER (WEBSITE HERE)

After the centurion picks up the ready tools from the smith and approves them, he sets out to deliver them to his soldiers. On his way, he gives the hammer to one of the best soldiers under his command. The soldier’s use of the hammer this day? Crucifixion duty. 


The soldier has endured the burden of this duty before. He hates this gruesome task. 


Under the strain of this assignment, he ambles his way to skull hill, better known as Golgotha, where he joins the centurion and the other three soldiers already there. Standing there chatting with them, he hears that three prisoners are coming to be crucified. One of the prisoners is his charge. 


He waits.


Standing there, he realizes that what he is about to do is the antithesis of the weather: it is one of those breathtaking, spring days that warms and rejuvenates the soul. Rivulets of white stream across the azure sky. A gentle breeze distills the fragrance of the flowering blossoms into the air.


Yet, impending gloom hangs in the air. 


A large, jeering crowd, intermingled with a great many mourners, moves toward the hill on the Via Dolorosa. Three men bent under the weight of their own crossbeam trudge their way up the hill. A short distance behind them is another man, whipped beyond recognition, stumbling with agonized effort every step of the way. So disfigured and injured that another man carries his crossbeam for him.


This bloodied mess of a man now stands before the soldier. He wonders: Who is this man? What could he possibly have done to deserve this horrible beating? Surely, he wasn’t a soldier for he wears no hobnailed boots; he’s merely an ordinary sandaled man. 


Sweat beads up on the soldier’s forehead. His heart races. His tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth.


The other soldiers, now finished crucifying their two prisoners, help tie the soldier’s prisoner to the crossbeam while the soldier readies his nail-spikes and his hammer. He bends down, steadies the nail in one hand and draws back his hammer in the other hand. 


But before he can bring it down on the nail, he glances over at the prisoner. Peering at him, through the streaks of blood covering his face from the thorny crown twisted onto his head, are eyes of piercing kindness he has never seen before. 


The centurion yells the soldier’s name, startling him. “Get on with it!” 


The soldier turns his head away to focus on the nail. He forces himself to do the job he was ordered to do. His stomach churns and he feels like retching. 


Completing the nailing of this man to the crossbeam, he looks down to see that he is splattered with blood and his hammer drips with the red life of the man.


The other soldiers fasten the man to the upright beam and the crucifixion is finished. The soldier looks up as he hears the man say, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”


The soldier realizes now who this man is. Jesus. This is Jesus, the one everyone is talking about. Forgive? How can He forgive me for this horrid act?


He spins around as he hears the religious teachers and priests mocking this man on the cross. “He saved others, but he can’t even save himself! The King of Israel, is he? If he comes down from the cross right now, we will believe him! Let God rescue him now if he wants him, if he is the Son of God.”


One of the other criminals hanging next to this man Jesus says, “If You are the Christ, then save Yourself and us.”


But the other criminal rebukes him, “Don’t you even fear God as you’re dying? We surely deserve to die for what we’ve done, but this man? He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Turning to Jesus, he says, “Remember me when you enter your Kingdom.”


“Today, you will be with Me in Paradise.” Bowing His head, Jesus says, “It is finished! Father, I commit My Spirit to You.” And He breathes out His last breath.


“Surely, this was a righteous man,” says the centurion, shaking his head, and then solemnly orders the soldier to stand guard. 


Stand guard? I just want to get out of here. What have I done? So distraught that he cannot bear to look up at the naked body of this man on the cross, he lowers his eyes to the ground. He notices the bloody hammer still in his hand. He throws it down and backs away in horror. 


Shame overwhelms him. He falls to his knees in regret. 


Another soldier picks up the hammer and tries to give it to him. “Here’s your hammer” is met only with silence and a stare. He won’t touch it.


The next morning, the centurion finds the soldier dead.


~The hammer that dripped blood? Had my name engraved on it. 


“Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever;
One day He’s coming – O glorious day!”


PRAYER: Thank You, Lord, for without Your suffering and death on the cross, I would have no resurrection joy! In my joy, I agonized over this post. I know you understand why. AMEN 

Lynn

SEE, FEEL, TRUST.....SATURDAY MEDITATION

ORIGINAL PUBLISHED IN YESTERDAY'S CHRISTIAN iPOST

One of my favorite movies of all time is “Seven Days in Utopia” (2011). It is not just a movie about golf but chockfull of life applications. One of them was the simple acronym – SFT! Here the grizzled old golf pro played by Robert Duvall was mentoring his young protégé played by Lucas Black and teaching him about Focus.

From the Word of God, we know Focus is the hallmark of a good disciple of Christ. Lack of focus is when we take our eyes off Him and look both inward at ourselves and/or circumstances. This is destructive as we can become full of ourselves; if we get caught up in the world around us and not the Word IN us.

SFT stands for See, Feel and Touch. What does this have to do with this period in the church calendar, which many observe as Lent? What does this have to do with a tradition where we deny ourselves in a meaningful way?

Jesus said we must deny.....................

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