Tabor Baptist Church

Introduction

• Certain topics on the news are repeated:
  • Corruption
  • Women in society
• What does the Bible say about such subjects?
  • It does not shy away from the truth and the realities of human life
• The crucifixion/Easter story sadly shows human nature at its worse
  • Corrupt religious leadership people
    • People looked up to - bribing Judas, twisting truth, bring false accusation that the very Son of God would suffer the death penalty
  • Corrupt leaders like Pilate
    • Prepared to condemn an innocent man to save his career
• We see some surprising truths:
  • Women at the cross after the disciples had fled
  • Women sympathisers on the road to calvary
  • Women were the first to see the risen Lord Jesus Christ
  • Women that worshipped Jesus
    • Jesus treated with women with dignity and love - compared to how people treated women at the time
  • Joseph of Arimathea
    • Of all that were consenting to Jesus' death - there was a secret believer
• Overview:
  • The women
  • Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea (v50-53)

• He was a religious leader
  • He was part of the highest [Jewish] court in the land
  • He was a prominent member of the council
  • He was a good and just man
  • He did not consent to the death of Jesus Christ
• He was not perfect - he was fearful
  • He was a secret disciple of the Lord Jesus as he feared the Jews
    • Are there are secret believers amongst us?
    • Frightened about what others, family, colleagues might say?
  • What Joseph of Arimathea was about to do was very public
  • We have a baptism on 7th May - a public declaration of the salvation of God
• He was a good and just man (v50)
  • The Bible says there is no-one good - all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
  • The centurion uses the same word of Jesus - "a righteous Man"
  • How can this be?
    • We are all sinners in the sight of God
    • Only Jesus Christ is perfect, spotless and without sin
    • He was utterly righteous - he obeyed the law fully and rightly
• He was righteous by grace
  • He had the imputed righteousness of Christ
    • His sin had been nailed to the cross and he had received Jesus' righteousness
  • He had righteousness imparted by God
    • The Spirit of God was living in him
  • There were those who were righteous - awaiting the righteousness of God
    • Luke 1:6 - John the Baptist's parents
      * God had a remnant among an apostate nation
    • Luke 2:25 - Simeon
    • Luke 2:37 - Anna
  • Example of Church in Skewen
  • How would God describe us this morning?
    • Would we say 'I am just a sinner'?
    • Yet for those who trust in Jesus Christ - we trust in Jesus righteousness
    • We can only be just and good by the grace of God
• He was a rich man
  • He had great wealth
    • 1 Cor 1:26ff
      • The Bible says that not many who are rich are called
      • James tells us it is the poor who are called to be rich in grace
    • Riches tend to make you proud
    • Riches tend to have a hold over you
  • He was not going to serve his riches but gave up something precious to him - his tomb
    • He was fulfilling Scripture - Isa 53:9
  • He had gone to Pilate to ask for the body
    • None of His bones were broken but a spear placed in His side - as prophesied in the Psalms
      • He had given up His spirit
• He loved Jesus Christ
  • Do you?
  • If you do, what are you prepared to do for Him?
  • 1 Cor 15:58
  • What is your response to the one who died and rose again?
  • Take up your cross and follow Him
  • Believe in Him today

The Women (v55-56)

• They were watching
  • They did not go to the wrong tomb - they observed where He had been laid
• They were eye witnesses
• They want to do something for Jesus
  • Within the 3-hour window before the Sabbath begins - they begin to prepare spices
  • They rest on the Sabbath day - because it was given as a blessing to man
• They went on the first day of the week with their spices (24:1)
• They order of events can be a bit confusing - you need to look at the other gospels
  • Mary Magdalene came first
  • Peter and John rush to the tomb
  • The women have an encounter with the angels whilst waiting for Peter and John to arrive
    • Jesus is risen
• They are dedicated
  • They held onto Jesus
  • The men were unbelieving as their sorrow had clouded their minds
    • God was gracious - each one would come to believe
  • Jesus had overcome death and sin on the cross
    • He is raised with a glorified body
• What is your response this morning?
  • Many people today do not believe the doctrine of the resurrection
    • Do you believe?
  • Do you believe in a God who cannot do the impossible?
    • With God all things are possible
• Believe and follow Him

Closing Remarks

• Luke 9:23
  • We must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus
  • Die to self and gain everlasting life