THE TOMB
Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice
April 8, 2007
Easter Sunday
Trinity Fellowship
Raton,
MARK 15:42-16:19
I WAS LISTENING TO TALK RADIO LAST WEEK, AND HEARD ABOUT A CONTROVERSY REGARDING THE LOST TOMB OF JESUS, A NEW BOOK AND DOCUMENTARY DETAILING A SCIENTIST’S SUPPOSED DISCOVERY OF THE REAL TOMB OF JESUS. NOW, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THIS GUY’S LEVEL OF FAITH IN CHRIST, BUT TO LISTEN TO HIM, HE SCIENTIFICALLY DETAILS THE ARCHEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE LEFT IN THIS TOMB: FIBERS FROM A BURIAL CLOTH, TRACES OF SPICES AND MATERIALS USED TO WRAP A BODY IN; ETC. BUT THE AMAZING THING IS, ACCORDING TO HIM, THERE IS NO DNA TRACE, NOT EVEN MICROSCOPIC TRACE, THAT A HUMAN BEING DETERIORATED IN THIS TOMB, WHICH HE ADMITS IS A SCIENTIFIC IMPOSSIBILITY, GIVEN THE OTHER EVIDENCE HE FOUND IN THIS TOMB.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT’S AS IF WHOEVER HAD BEEN IN THIS TOMB, JUST ONE DAY DECIDED TO GET UP AND WALK AWAY!
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA
NOW IN EXAMINING THE ORIGINS OF JESUS’ TOMB (WHETHER THIS ONE OR ANOTHER ONE), I WANT TO LOOK AT THIS JOSEPH CHARACTER. FIRST OF ALL, THE ONLY THING WE KNOW ABOUT HIM IS FOUND IN ALL FOUR GOSPELS:
*THAT HE WAS A JEW FROM ARIMETHEA (ABOUT 20 MILES NW OF
*THAT HE WAS ONE OF THE FEW SANHEDRIN THAT HAD DISAGREED WITH THE DECISION TO MURDER JESUS
*THAT HE WAS, INDEED, A SECRET FOLLOWER OF JESUS
*THAT HE WENT AND ASKED PILATE PERSONALLY FOR JESUS’ BODY
*THAT THIS WAS HIS TOMB THAT HE HAD MADE FOR HIMSELF (THEREFORE YOU KNOW IT WAS ONE OF THE “TRENDIER, UPSCALE” TOMBS)
*THAT HE AND NICODEMUS WERE EVIDENTLY FRIENDS (THEY PUT JESUS’ BODY IN THE TOMB TOGETHER)
*THAT HE AND NICODEMUS WERE PROBABLY STRONG AND FIT (THEY ROLLED THE STONE OVER THE TOMB)
WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE TO US?
WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA?
1) THAT JESUS TOUCHED LIVES AT EVERY LEVEL OF THE SOCIAL SPECTRUM; THE RICH AND THE POOR; THE IMPORTANT AND THE NOT SO IMPORTANT. (IN MATTHEW 19:23, JESUS SAID IT WAS HARD FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE
THE THIRD WORLD LOOKS AT US IN
2) THAT IF YOU ARE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS THAT HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH MATERIAL WEALTH, YOU MIGHT HAVE A SPECIAL CALLING TO GO TO THOSE WHO OFTEN CAN’T BE REACHED BY OTHER CHRISTIANS. THERE IS GREAT MISSION FIELD OUT THERE AMONG THE INFLUENTIAL AND THOSE THAT ARE BLESSED MATERIALLY IN THIS WORLD. IT’S A DIFFICULT ONE. JOSEPH HAD ACCESS TO PONTIUS TO PILATE HIMSELF! WHO KNOWS WHAT OTHER CONVERSATIONS THEY HAD THAT DAY.
3) THAT PILATE MARVELLED THAT JESUS WAS ALREADY DEAD! NOW HERE’S AN INTERESTING NUGGET. WHAT PILATE IS MARVELLING AT IS THAT CRUCIFIXION IS USUALLY A LONG, AGONIZING PROCESS, SOMETIMES TAKING DAYS FOR THE VICTIM TO DIE.
THE POINT IS, IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR JESUS TO DIE FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD!
AND THEREFORE, IT DOESN’T TAKE A PERSON LONG TO BE SAVED, ONCE THEY ACCEPT JESUS’ DEATH FOR THEIR OWN SINS. BUT SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU GIVE SOMEONE THE NEWS THAT JESUS DIED FOR THEM, THEY WANT TO OVER ANALYZE IT; MULL IT OVER; AGONIZE OVER THE DECIOSN; COME UP WITH AN ENTIRE LIST OF PROCEDURES THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH TO GET TO HEAVEN.
NO! JUST ACCEPT HIM! HE PAID THE PRICE! IT IS FINISHED! IT’S DONE. IT’S THAT FAST!
4) THAT JOSEPH BURIED JESUS IN HIS OWN TOMB! NOW HERE’S THE GOSPEL STORY IN A NUTSHELL! JESUS NOT ONLY PAID THE PRICE FOR OUR SINS, HELAID DOWN IN OUR OWN GRAVE!
IF HE DIED FOR MY SINS, I DON’T HAVE TO!
IF HE LAID DOWN IN MY GRAVE, I DON’T HAVE TO!
AND FINALLY, IF HE ROLLED AWAY THE STONE AND WALKED OUT OF MY GRAVE, I DON’T HAVE TO ROLL AWAY THE STONE! I CAN STILL WALK OUT OF THE TOMB ALSO!
JESUS TOOK MY STRIPES, MY BEATING, MY SINS, MY DEATH, AND FINALLY MY GRAVE, AND IN RETURN HE GAVE ME A VICTORY, A REDEMPTION, A RESURRECTION AND MADE ME A JOINT HEIR WITH HIM!
ALL I HAVE TO DO IS SAY, “YES, LORD; YES, LORD!”
(c) 2007 Richard C. Trice and TriceTunes
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