1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:07,120 Matthew 27. We're going to read from verse 2 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:13,240 57. When it was evening, there came 3 00:00:13,240 --> 00:00:17,120 a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph who was a disciple of 4 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,680 Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for 5 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,000 the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be 6 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,400 given to him. And Joseph took the body and 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:29,680 wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own 8 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,240 new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. 9 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,920 And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and 10 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,680 went away. Mary Magdalene and the other 11 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:40,960 Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. 12 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:46,480 The next day, that is, after the day of preparation, the chief 13 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:49,800 priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, 14 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,480 Sir, we remember how that imposter said while he was still 15 00:00:53,480 --> 00:00:56,040 alive, after three days I will rise. 16 00:00:56,480 --> 00:01:01,920 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the 3rd day. 17 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,239 Blessed his disciples, go and steal him away and tell the 18 00:01:05,239 --> 00:01:09,400 people he has risen from the dead and the last fraud will be 19 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,640 worse than the first. Pilate said to them, You have a 20 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,160 guard of soldiers, go make it as secure as you can. 21 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,880 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and 22 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:24,840 setting a guard. Heavenly Father, thank you so 23 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,400 much for your powerful word that's living and active, able 24 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,800 to divide between our souls and our spirits, able to clarify 25 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:36,800 things, able to reveal things, able to heal things, able to 26 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,440 apply things. God, I pray that you would help 27 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:43,520 me as I preach to your precious people, the flock that you love, 28 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:46,120 to point out what you want them to see. 29 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:50,280 That they would be able to eat the good food of the Word, that 30 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:52,040 they would be able to take action because of it. 31 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,760 That they would have deeper devotion because of it, and they 32 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:56,240 will walk in greater freedom because of it. 33 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:58,720 Greater holiness, greater maturity. 34 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,320 And that they would be more equipped to do the work of the 35 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:06,280 ministry, to preach the gospels to all nations and to baptize 36 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,080 everyone, to teach them to obey all that you've commanded. 37 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:14,600 Thank you for your word, Thank you for revelation and light. 38 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,480 In Jesus name we thank you, Amen. 39 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:24,080 We have walked through the crucifixion of our Lord and seen 40 00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:25,800 his sacrifice, seen his suffering. 41 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:28,920 That was all necessary because of my sin. 42 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,200 All necessary because of your sin. 43 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,840 What a savior, what a friend. Jesus cried out with a loud 44 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,560 voice from the cross. Not as a man who is whispering 45 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,880 and suffocating in his final moments, but as a man with great 46 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,760 strength at the end, yelled out it is finished. 47 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:47,080 And then he said, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. 48 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:51,400 And then Jesus gave up his life, still not extracted from him, 49 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:55,960 even in his final moments. Jesus gave up his life for you. 50 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:00,520 And now we have the burial of Jesus. 51 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:06,080 Matthew introduces to us a man named Joseph of Arimathea in 52 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:08,560 verse 57. When it was evening, there came 53 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:12,960 a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph who was also a disciple 54 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:14,440 of Jesus. He's a rich man. 55 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,360 He's a disciple of Jesus. From the other gospels we know 56 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,720 that he is a honored member of the council. 57 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,600 The other gospels also tell us that he had been a disciple of 58 00:03:22,640 --> 00:03:27,000 Jesus in secret for fear of the Jews. 59 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:31,440 So Joseph of Arimathea has taken some heat over the years because 60 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,400 people said he's a disciple in secret. 61 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,760 He's part of the Sanhedrin, that group of guys. 62 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,240 He was not a part of that earlier this morning, but the 63 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,480 group of guys who was punching Jesus in the face and having the 64 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,800 fake trials and ripping out his beard and harassing him and 65 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,280 spitting in his face. Joseph is a part of that group 66 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:52,520 of men. Obviously, he no longer 67 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:54,160 identifies with that group of men. 68 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,840 He is clearly cast his vote finally, thankfully and clearly 69 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,840 today. But Joseph has a lot to lose. 70 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:04,200 He has position, he has reputation, he has authority, he 71 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,960 has influence, he has access. And because of all that, he has 72 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,080 comfort. And that's the thing that most 73 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,680 people are seeking after. I like comfort. 74 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,560 Do you like comfort? It's not wrong to like comfort. 75 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,200 It's only wrong when it becomes a priority above our devotion to 76 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,120 the Lord. So comfort is fine. 77 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:22,520 I like, I'm thankful that we have air conditioning running 78 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:24,280 right now. And as it's going to get warmer 79 00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:26,240 today, we'll still be thankful for our air conditioning. 80 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:28,640 And yet the people in the Blue Zones don't always have air 81 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,160 conditioning. So keep that in mind. 82 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,280 But he had been a disciple of Jesus in secret for fear of the 83 00:04:36,280 --> 00:04:38,440 Jews. So we could focus on the secrecy 84 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,040 that Joseph has had in the past, and we could blame him for it. 85 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:43,040 But Matthew shows us something beautiful here. 86 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:45,840 He shows him. Once Jesus dies, Joseph's 87 00:04:45,840 --> 00:04:48,720 loyalty is fully revealed. He becomes bold. 88 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,320 And when it seems like now is the time to give up on Jesus, if 89 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:55,240 there was ever a time to not follow Jesus, it would be after 90 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:57,720 he's dead. And this is the moment when 91 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,160 Joseph double S down and says I can no longer follow him in 92 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:02,880 secret. Check this out. 93 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:04,880 This is a guy who doesn't wait for the resurrection to follow 94 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:06,920 Jesus. A lot of people are waiting for 95 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,840 the resurrection. And what's wild, even after the 96 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:12,840 resurrection, the disciples still go into hiding. 97 00:05:12,840 --> 00:05:16,120 Remember, they're hiding in the upper room for fear of the Jews. 98 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,520 When the Holy Spirit comes, you've walked with Jesus for 99 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:21,560 three years. You saw him die. 100 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:23,680 Oh no, it's all over. He comes back from the dead. 101 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:27,480 We are so back and you would think they'd be filled with all 102 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:29,120 the boldness that they would ever need. 103 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,760 They walked with him for 40 days and enjoyed the fellowship of 104 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:37,520 the risen Jesus, and then they watched him leave the mountain 105 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:41,720 and fly into heaven. You would think that these guys 106 00:05:41,720 --> 00:05:44,080 would be bold. But now, over the period of 10 107 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:46,480 days, fear of the Jews creeps in again. 108 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:51,960 Really dudes? Seriously, Joseph of Arimathea, 109 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:57,600 Jesus is dead on the cross and Joseph goes I'm all in, I'm all 110 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:02,240 in on Jesus now bro, this might not be the wisest time to make 111 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:03,440 your move. Like you don't have to show your 112 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,080 hand right now. Joseph, his devotion shows up 113 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:08,600 big time. Where are the 11? 114 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,760 Where's Matthew? Why are the disciples not taking 115 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,880 him down from the cross? John tells us of course that 116 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:18,040 they they still are are fearful and worried. 117 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:22,280 But here's Joseph, the once secret disciple becomes the 118 00:06:22,280 --> 00:06:25,480 faithful disciple. His boldness increases when 119 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:27,240 everything else looks most hopeless. 120 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:30,560 That is some faith. That is some endurance. 121 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:32,320 That is some love. That is some devotion. 122 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:35,440 What do you have to gain, Joseph? 123 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:41,640 Have some wisdom, man. He is no fool who gives up what 124 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,840 he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. 125 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:51,080 Jim Elliott, a martyred missionary, said that he is no 126 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:55,480 fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot 127 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,640 lose. God has given you certain 128 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:00,640 advantages and certain gifts in your life. 129 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,760 The purpose of all those is to serve Him. 130 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:07,600 Some of those, you were born with them, so they feel so 131 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:09,880 native to you. They feel so common and so 132 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,840 familiar to you. You can think, oh, that's just 133 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,960 me, dear friend, where did you come from? 134 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:19,880 God built you. God designed you. 135 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:21,600 You do have gifts. You do have strengths. 136 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,240 You do have things that came preloaded from birth and yet 137 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,520 they were still loaded. If they were loaded, there had 138 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:30,120 to be a loader. And God is the loader. 139 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,440 He is the gift giver. He is the one who gave you 140 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,560 whatever thing you have, whatever thing you're like, oh, 141 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:38,120 that's just me, right? Right. 142 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,960 And where did you come from? Did you make you? 143 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,960 Of course not. God built you and God built you 144 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:47,200 the way He wanted to build you for His purpose and for His 145 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,000 Kingdom. He uses all things. 146 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,480 He wants to use all things for His purposes. 147 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:57,760 For Joseph, he uses this man's wealth and his prominence. 148 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,760 Joseph is a rich man. Every gospel writer who 149 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,520 references Joseph references that he was a rich man. 150 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:07,000 Why did that matter? Well, prophecy is also plainly 151 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,560 being fulfilled here from Isaiah 53, so we'll get into that 152 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:13,200 later. But also they're pointing out 153 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:15,760 this is who he was, and this was the gift that he had to bring. 154 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,720 You've got gifts to bring. For Joseph, it was his wealth. 155 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:23,600 For Esther, it was her beauty. For Paul, it was his Roman 156 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,200 citizenship, his Jewish training, and his sharp mind. 157 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,680 For a little boy, it was his bread and the fish that he had 158 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:33,320 for lunch. You've got something, but will 159 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,080 you surrender it to the Lord is the question. 160 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:37,679 You've got a lot of somethings. Well, I don't think I've got 161 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:38,799 this. I don't think I've got that. 162 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:41,360 Don't compare. Don't wish for somebody else's 163 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,760 gift, don't wish for somebody else's blessing. 164 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,880 Be faithful with what you've been given and then give it to 165 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,760 the Lord. All I have is this tiny little 166 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:51,960 lunch. The Lord will use it. 167 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:54,640 The Lord will use it and it could go down in history if 168 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:57,520 you'll surrender it to the Lord. But your priority should not be 169 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,320 to go down in history. Your your priority should be to 170 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:03,600 surrender it to the Lord. Lord, I'm genuinely yours. 171 00:09:03,880 --> 00:09:05,720 I'll genuinely be whatever you want me to be. 172 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:07,960 I'll genuinely do whatever you want me to do. 173 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:12,720 There was a long season of life. I haven't prayed it as regularly 174 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:14,920 I should. There's a long season of my life 175 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:16,680 where I would regularly pray the prayer. 176 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:19,520 Lord, I'll do anything you want me to do. 177 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:21,800 I don't care if you want me to clean septic tanks with 178 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,440 teaspoons. I'm yours. 179 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,640 And I meant it. I meant it. 180 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:29,400 I meant it. I meant it and I still mean 181 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:32,040 that. If the Lord want to say no more 182 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:36,000 salt church, no more family, Captain, I want you to just 183 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:37,920 vanish and no one ever hears from you again. 184 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,160 If that pleases you. What else would I want to do 185 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:43,600 anyway? You will be most pleased when 186 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,320 you love the Lord and you're walking to fellowship with him. 187 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:47,040 You'll be most pleased to please him. 188 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:50,880 When you're not most pleased to please him, then you do get in 189 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:52,720 the problem, in the trap of measuring. 190 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:54,720 And what might others think? What might others expect? 191 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,040 What are my dreams? Well, my dream is to please him. 192 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:00,960 And if my dream is to please him, then that's always going to 193 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:05,040 be satisfactory to me. You got gifts. 194 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:07,960 They are here for you to worship with. 195 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:10,560 That is the point of the gifts that God has given you. 196 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,520 Look in verse 58. This man brings his gift, his 197 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,320 strength, his influence. He's an influential man. 198 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:21,320 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 199 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,720 Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 200 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:26,240 We don't know if Pilate would have given the body to just 201 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,600 anyone, asking any other disciple, asking if a fisherman 202 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,400 comes up, if a tax collector who's actually turned against 203 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,360 Rome now and not working for them and come. 204 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:35,960 We don't know what would have happened. 205 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,720 But maybe, maybe Joseph, Joseph's influence is making a 206 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,080 difference in this moment. He knows he's a powerful man. 207 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,520 He's a part of the Sanhedrin. He can come with some 208 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:46,080 prominence. He can come with some influence 209 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:49,120 potentially. We don't exactly know why. 210 00:10:49,520 --> 00:10:52,800 Maybe Pilot is still a bit spooked by the whole occasion 211 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,720 and he's going, yes, that's fine, I'll let you do that. 212 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:58,440 You can honor this Jesus. Not because Pilot is a 213 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,400 compassionate or kind man. He's neither. 214 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:05,840 The pilots in Jerusalem because of Passover, people are going to 215 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,400 know exactly what Joseph is doing. 216 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:08,920 He can't do this in secret anymore. 217 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:11,080 He's done being a secret Christian. 218 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:15,800 You should be done being a secret Christian pilot. 219 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:18,640 Joseph is done being a secret Christian. 220 00:11:18,760 --> 00:11:23,600 He's all in on Jesus. By asking for for the body of 221 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,520 Jesus, Joseph is publicly identifying himself with the 222 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:30,840 crucified Christ. He's willing to sacrifice his 223 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:34,920 reputation, his standing, his future, and maybe his safety 224 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,240 because he wants to honor the Lord Jesus. 225 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:39,280 This is loyalty. This is devotion. 226 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,800 Even when Jesus looks defeated, Joseph's not done with Jesus. 227 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:46,800 I'm still in for Jesus. That has always been the 228 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:51,080 attitude that I've sought to to convey to my own family and my 229 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,720 sons in particular. That's also been the attitude 230 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:55,520 I've always wanted to convey to you as a church. 231 00:11:56,520 --> 00:12:01,040 If it's not Jesus, it's nobody and it is Jesus. 232 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:04,880 But if it ain't Jesus, it's nobody else. 233 00:12:05,680 --> 00:12:08,320 If it's not Jesus, it's nobody else. 234 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:12,120 It's nothing else. It's got to be Jesus and 235 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:18,520 thankfully it is Jesus. I was talking to somebody this 236 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,760 week. If you guys seen the news cycle 237 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:23,840 about, hopefully not because you're not watching the news. 238 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,120 So this is how I had to find out about because people have to 239 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:28,920 call me and tell me stuff. That's the best way to get the 240 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:31,080 news instead of hearing it from the news shows. 241 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:34,400 But the White House released information about the UFOs and 242 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:35,840 all this stuff and all this nonsense. 243 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,560 Short version from your pastor, it's demons. 244 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,080 OK, spoiler alert, it's just demonic. 245 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:43,480 Do you have an explanation for all the details, pastor? 246 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:45,680 No, I do not. And still I stand with 247 00:12:45,680 --> 00:12:48,160 confidence. Before you say it's just demons, 248 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:50,720 Christians, we've dealt with demons for a long time. 249 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,440 They're not a formidable foe. Christ has crushed them and 250 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:56,720 conquered them. But this person was sharing with 251 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:58,400 me. They were saying, by the way, I 252 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:00,080 don't subscribe to anything I'm about to share with you. 253 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:02,280 And if you do, I can live with that. 254 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:04,400 That'll be all right. But this person was saying, 255 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,640 here's what's going on. And the demons have been 256 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:09,080 working. And they're, they're trying to 257 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,560 like create bodies so that they can inhabit because demons want 258 00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:15,280 a body to control. And I'm going, OK. 259 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:17,040 And they're like. And so they're like trying to 260 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:19,960 manufacture human bodies or some sort of body that they can 261 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:22,240 present to the world. And there's these group of 262 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:24,560 pastors apparently who met with some officials. 263 00:13:24,560 --> 00:13:27,000 And like, at this point, you're like, this rabbit hole is kind 264 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:30,400 of going farther, in my opinion. And but these pastors are really 265 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,400 concerned because they're saying these demons are going to 266 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:35,640 present like in the sky. And they're going to have like a 267 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:37,320 being in the sky. And they're going to say, like, 268 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,240 this is Jesus and he's come to return. 269 00:13:39,560 --> 00:13:41,160 And they're saying that many Christians are going to be 270 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,600 deceived by this. And I was like, well, first of 271 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:45,960 all, I think that's a stretch. And I don't think it's going to 272 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:49,280 happen. Second of all, if it does, I 273 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,120 ain't following no Frankenstein demon critter in the sky, it's 274 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:56,240 only Jesus. But Jesus even warned us about 275 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,080 nonsense like this. He says if they say he's out in 276 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:02,280 the fields, do not believe it. And if they say come, he's in 277 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,080 the inner rooms, do not believe it. 278 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:08,920 What are you getting at, Pastor? I just want you to be faithful 279 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:11,800 to the real Jesus. And if you know your Bible, 280 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,720 you'll always know him that you won't have to be worried about 281 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:15,480 any. What if? 282 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:19,160 How will I know if you'll know? It'd be like, what if somebody 283 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,520 else comes into my house? How will I know if it's Natalie 284 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:23,080 or not? I'll know. 285 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:27,120 I'll know. I know her in the biblical sense 286 00:14:27,120 --> 00:14:29,800 as well. I know her all the way. 287 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:32,920 And if you know Christ, you'll know Christ. 288 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,560 Will many people be deceived if some nonsense like that 289 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:37,880 happened? I bet they would, because it'd 290 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,800 be like, wow in the sky. He's saying these things like, I 291 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:43,520 don't know how any of that nonsense could work. 292 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:46,080 The world's weird and it's getting weird fast, even weirder 293 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,960 by the minute. So sure, anything could happen. 294 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:52,040 And yet I just want you to keep your eyes focused on the actual 295 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:57,400 Jesus of the Scriptures to stay devoted and to stay grounded in 296 00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:59,880 the word of God. And if you will stay grounded in 297 00:14:59,880 --> 00:15:03,120 the word of God, you're safe and secure because the book of God 298 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:06,640 is safe for the common man to pick it up, to read it, to 299 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,240 believe it and obey it and be super secure. 300 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,440 God wants that kind of simple faithfulness. 301 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:17,120 You can, you can go to the Forrest Gump University for your 302 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:21,080 theology and you'll be safe. You will, you will land in the 303 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:24,560 eternal Kingdom and you'll go, God is, I'm not a smart man, but 304 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,480 I know how to read and I have basic reading comprehension. 305 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,080 And that will keep me grounded. That will keep me faithful, that 306 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,880 will keep me secure, that will keep me from all kinds of winds 307 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:36,000 of doctrine or all kinds of Christian fads. 308 00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:38,160 Did you know they're Christian fads? 309 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:41,120 There are things that spiral in the body of Christ and they just 310 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:42,920 come back around every few decades. 311 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:45,680 And when it happens again, people think this is an 312 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:47,320 incredible new thing. But for those who have been 313 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:49,400 around for a couple of decades in the body of Christ life, 314 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:52,520 we've seen this before and it'll make its pass through again. 315 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,680 But we've got to just stick faithful with the simple basics. 316 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:57,640 That'll keep us safe, that'll keep us secure. 317 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:00,080 Y'all got to hurry up and listen. 318 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:04,960 This is loyalty. This is devotion from from 319 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,120 Joseph. So what's going on? 320 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:11,080 Remember Jesus crucified on the Friday, He is the Passover lamb, 321 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:14,160 the final and the true Passover lamb, whose sacrifice for the 322 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,440 sins of the world so that the death Angel will Passover you 323 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:19,520 and I and we will be spared and we will enter into the promised 324 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:21,000 land. Remember, the whole Bible's 325 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:22,880 about Jesus. So all that's been preaching 326 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:27,200 about Jesus, but you've got to be ceremonial ceremonially. 327 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:32,000 You know what I'm trying to say? Like I said, Forrest Gump 328 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:36,080 University over here, you've got to be ceremonial. 329 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:39,280 Ceremonial ceremonially. Thank you. 330 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:40,800 There. There was a syllable. 331 00:16:40,800 --> 00:16:45,760 I was missing that word. You've got to be clean to be 332 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:47,400 able to participate in the Passover. 333 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:49,440 The same thing is true for the Sabbath. 334 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:51,480 So the Jewish Sabbath is Saturday. 335 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:55,520 So the day of preparation is Friday, the day before. 336 00:16:55,520 --> 00:16:57,440 So you're preparing. The day of preparation is 337 00:16:57,440 --> 00:16:58,640 Friday. You're getting ready. 338 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:00,720 Hey, we got to get ready for Friday night because Friday 339 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:05,440 night at sunset, Sabbath begins, and Sabbath goes from Friday 340 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:08,920 evening at sunset until Saturday evening at sunset, and that is 341 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:11,160 the Jewish Sabbath. But we've got to do all kinds of 342 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,000 preparations because there's certain things we're not going 343 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:16,400 to do during the Sabbath. So doubly though, because it's 344 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:18,800 Passover and because of the Sabbath, there's all kinds of 345 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:21,640 stuff that we wouldn't do. Touching a dead body is a big 346 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:26,640 no, no. You will be ceremonially unclean 347 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:30,480 if you touch a dead body. What's? 348 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:32,600 What's Joseph doing? He's not going to be able to 349 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,120 participate in the Passover. He's not going to be able to 350 00:17:35,120 --> 00:17:36,840 properly participate in the Sabbath. 351 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,080 Oh my goodness, he's breaking some rules, isn't he? 352 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:44,560 He's willing to give up religious comfort. 353 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:47,440 He's willing to give up social acceptance and personal 354 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:48,640 convenience. Why? 355 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:51,840 Because Joseph has chosen the true Passover lamb. 356 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:58,880 Earlier in the morning, many in the Sanhedrin, they didn't want 357 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:01,200 to, the scripture told us they didn't want to divide, defile 358 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,000 themselves. Remember, they wouldn't even 359 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:04,920 enter into the headquarters where Pilot was. 360 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,280 So Pilot's like, I got to go outside and talk to these guys 361 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,320 because like we, we cannot go inside where Pilot is because we 362 00:18:11,320 --> 00:18:14,880 want to be ceremonially clean, because we're such a man of 363 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,240 holiness as we crucify the Son of God. 364 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:23,640 Joseph's not worried about that. He goes into Pilot's 365 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:26,800 headquarters and meanwhile, while the rest of the Jewish 366 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,760 people, others are gathered at this time of the evening, Jesus 367 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,800 dies. At 3 O clock, Joseph goes to 368 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:34,640 pilot. This is all walking. 369 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:37,720 This is not Uber. This is not any kind of fast 370 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,640 trip back and forth, back and forth. 371 00:18:39,640 --> 00:18:41,760 We don't know what time it is in the evening, but he goes to 372 00:18:41,760 --> 00:18:46,920 Pilot and he asks for the body of Jesus entering into pilot's 373 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,040 headquarters. While others are gathering and 374 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:52,680 eating the dead lambs of Passover, Joseph is with the 375 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,960 true Passover lamb, and he's handling the body of the Lamb of 376 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:59,000 God. What opportunities do you have 377 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:03,480 to be like Joseph? Make it plain for yourself. 378 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:06,200 Where do you have an opportunity to be more loyal, to be more 379 00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:09,040 faithful, to be more sacrificial, to be more devoted, 380 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,360 to be more bold? This is bold. 381 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:14,280 I love the boldness of Joseph, of Arimathea. 382 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:18,400 This is boldness. Where are the 11 apostles of the 383 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,720 lamb right now? Maybe they're around, but the 384 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:23,800 Scripture doesn't name them as being around. 385 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:27,160 We know John was at the cross because Jesus told Mary and John 386 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:29,600 to care for one another. But we don't get the sense that 387 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,280 the disciples are caring for their rabbi, their master, and 388 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:34,160 their Lord. Who? 389 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,360 Peter said You're the Son of God, Peter. 390 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:42,520 Where are you, man? Joseph's got him. 391 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:46,800 What does it cost you to follow Jesus? 392 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,480 I've told you before, if you have not left something to 393 00:19:52,480 --> 00:19:54,880 follow Jesus, then you're not following Jesus. 394 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:59,240 If you have not turned away from something to follow Jesus, then 395 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,880 you are not following Jesus. You cannot follow Jesus and you 396 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:08,320 can only follow Jesus only. So to follow Christ means other 397 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:11,320 things fell off and other things ended and other things stopped. 398 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:14,280 It might be relationships, it might be people, it might be it 399 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,240 certainly will be sins, but there are all kinds of things 400 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:18,920 that Jesus would say give it all up. 401 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:24,160 Not even sinful stuff. The rich young ruler comes to 402 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:28,960 Jesus and goes, come follow me. And he goes, oh, I got all these 403 00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:33,200 mini possessions and he goes away sad because he wouldn't. 404 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,240 He wasn't willing to give up. It wasn't sinful in particular 405 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:40,320 necessarily, but Jesus said it was something that he asked for. 406 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:45,520 What have you left behind? What do you need to leave 407 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:49,000 behind? Joseph's leaving the Sanhedrin, 408 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,080 this power, this prominence, this position, and what's going 409 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:53,480 to happen with this whole Jesus movement? 410 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:56,400 Now Jesus is dead. Where the where's the 11? 411 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:58,880 What's Joseph banking on? What's he counting on for the 412 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,120 future? What's your Sanhedrin, what's 413 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:04,240 your power that the Lord is asking you to surrender to him? 414 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,720 Joseph also gives him his tomb. So Joseph has prepared for his 415 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:09,880 own burial. He's paid someone to dig out a 416 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:11,320 tomb. Most likely, probably not, 417 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:12,680 probably didn't dig it out himself. 418 00:21:13,440 --> 00:21:16,480 So he's paid for his tomb to be created and now he's gone, 419 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:21,800 giving that to Jesus as well. Of course, Jesus just borrowing 420 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:27,000 it. But a tomb could not be used by 421 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:30,280 multiple people. Jewish law would have prevented 422 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,000 that Jewish tradition and customer to stop that. 423 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:37,440 The disciple of Jesus should be able to point to things in their 424 00:21:37,440 --> 00:21:40,320 lives and say, yes, I walked away from that to follow Jesus, 425 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:44,600 not to brag, not to say I've earned something or I've done 426 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,120 something special. The attitude should be, of 427 00:21:47,120 --> 00:21:50,040 course I turned away from that. I got Jesus instead. 428 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:52,240 Of course I walked away from that relationship. 429 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:53,880 Of course I walked away from that sin. 430 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:57,160 Of course I made this thing in my life available to the Lord. 431 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,200 It was always his And when I, when he saved me, I finally 432 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:01,960 realized that was always its purpose. 433 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:05,480 We've told our sons, even when they were younger and, and they 434 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:07,760 were less refined, you might think, Joe Michael, they still 435 00:22:07,760 --> 00:22:09,640 got refinement to go well, don't we all? 436 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,520 But even when a child is less refined, you can start to see 437 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,360 their strengths and you can start to see their weaknesses. 438 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,480 But even a strong willed child, and we've had a couple of those, 439 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,240 we've had a few of those, I don't know where they get it 440 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,520 from. So even if you have a strong 441 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:30,080 willed child, that's not something that you want removed 442 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,400 from that child. That's something that you want 443 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:34,040 guided. And that's something I've told 444 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:36,800 my son, Son, you are strong willed. 445 00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:40,840 You have this strength inside of you and that is to be harnessed 446 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,840 for the Kingdom of God, because you will need to turn against 447 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:47,600 the world and the whole world and the current of the river 448 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,040 will be pulling and you will need that strength to walk in 449 00:22:51,120 --> 00:22:55,000 under the authority of the Lord. There are authorities that you 450 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,200 should disobey, my son. There are social authorities 451 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:01,960 mostly that you should disobey. But all this strength is to be 452 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,240 guided towards the Lord. Do not use this strength against 453 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:07,360 me and Your Mama. That would be devastating for 454 00:23:07,360 --> 00:23:08,880 your life. That would be disobedience to 455 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,200 God. But this strength will be 456 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:13,080 needed. So we don't want to remove that 457 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:14,360 from him. But it does need to be guided. 458 00:23:14,360 --> 00:23:16,600 It doesn't need to be harnessed. And he doesn't need the fear of 459 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:18,720 God in him. A young man, a young girl, they 460 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,680 need the fear of God in them to go, hey, everything you are and 461 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,520 everything you have needs to be cultivated, shaped and 462 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,600 sharpened. This is a sword, but you're 463 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:28,800 foolish with it, and it's not even very sharp. 464 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,720 I need you to train with it and become skillful with it, and 465 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,240 then we will sharpen it even more. 466 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:37,000 And then it can be useful for the Kingdom of God and you can 467 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,080 be dangerous against the devil. That's the purpose of your 468 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:42,000 strength. That's the purpose of your 469 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:46,400 abilities. Of course, everything I have, 470 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:48,760 the disciples should be able to say is available to the Lord. 471 00:23:49,160 --> 00:23:51,200 Some would call it sacrifice, but how could I call it 472 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:53,320 sacrifice? I've gained so much. 473 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:58,360 Paul said it best. He said everything I have, which 474 00:23:58,360 --> 00:24:00,640 was a lot. Paul is so brilliant. 475 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:04,240 The apostle Paul was a brilliant, brilliant man. 476 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,360 We kind of can potentially lump all Jesus's apostles and 477 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:09,280 disciples being like, yeah, we had fishermen in there. 478 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:13,600 Like if they weren't all fishermen, like Peter was not. 479 00:24:14,120 --> 00:24:16,640 Peter was not trained until he got to Jesus. 480 00:24:16,960 --> 00:24:19,600 His training was under Jesus, which is the best training, 481 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,800 obviously. But Paul had a lot of education. 482 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,400 He was very brilliant, very intelligent, spoke multiple 483 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,080 languages. How many anybody know? 484 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:30,400 It was multiple. I want to say 5. 485 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:33,040 I think we, we've been able to determine. 486 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:36,400 Tell me if I'm wrong so I can look it up at some point. 487 00:24:37,360 --> 00:24:39,480 But Paul says everything I've got, everything I am. 488 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:42,880 All my success, all my power, all my authority. 489 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:47,520 I count it as a pile of dung compared to the greatness of 490 00:24:47,520 --> 00:24:49,520 knowing Christ. That's what it is. 491 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:53,120 And he and he showed it all the way through. 492 00:24:53,560 --> 00:24:55,840 All the way through. He's like the prophets even told 493 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:57,000 him. Paul, here's how you're going to 494 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:58,120 be tied up. Here's how you're going to be 495 00:24:58,120 --> 00:24:59,400 LED away. You're going to be killed. 496 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:00,400 They're going to cut your head off. 497 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:02,160 And Paul's like, yeah, it's all good. 498 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:05,680 I'm looking forward to the crown that I'm going to get from it 499 00:25:06,960 --> 00:25:08,280 all. Joseph is that kind of man. 500 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:11,680 Joseph is the man who found the treasure in the field. 501 00:25:13,360 --> 00:25:15,520 When you find a treasure in the field and nobody knows that it's 502 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:18,280 buried in the field, you might look like a fool celebrating all 503 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:22,320 by yourself. But you know what's there even 504 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:26,400 if it's buried. Somebody Googling right now. 505 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:39,800 Siri, shut up. Joseph knows what he's got. 506 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:43,720 He found the treasure in the field, which is Jesus. 507 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:47,280 Joseph buries the treasure, Jesus. 508 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:51,680 He sells everything that he has his power, and Joseph's treasure 509 00:25:51,680 --> 00:25:53,320 is going to be resurrected in three days. 510 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:58,440 He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he 511 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:04,440 cannot lose. Verse 59 And Joseph took the 512 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:07,520 body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud. 513 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:09,680 We actually know that Joseph is not alone here. 514 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,880 The book of John tells us that Nicodemus is with him. 515 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:19,440 Remember that Nicodemus John 316 Nicodemus Nicodemus also came to 516 00:26:19,440 --> 00:26:23,240 Jesus in secret for fear of the Jews. 517 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:25,000 He came to him out. Can I meet with you at night, 518 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:28,400 sending a message? Can we come talk privately? 519 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:31,320 Jesus, what's going on? I think you're the one. 520 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:34,240 But ma'am, I don't know what to make of all of it. 521 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:38,160 Jesus, who wasn't super gentle. Nicodemus, you're supposed to be 522 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:40,000 a leader of Israel, and you don't understand these things. 523 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:43,960 Correcting him with firmness. I expect more. 524 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,360 I expect better. You ought to recognize me. 525 00:26:48,120 --> 00:26:51,000 It's me, the one that you're supposed to be waiting for. 526 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:53,920 Nicodemus, you must be born again. 527 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:56,560 And Nicodemus goes, what do you mean? 528 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:00,120 Can a man be born a second time? Can a man go into his mother and 529 00:27:00,120 --> 00:27:02,640 be born? No, Nicodemus, that which is 530 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:05,360 born of the flesh is of the flesh, but that which is born of 531 00:27:05,360 --> 00:27:09,200 the spirit is of the spirit. You're born once out of your 532 00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,520 Mama. The second time you must be born 533 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:13,920 again. You're born out of the Holy 534 00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:15,920 Spirit. That is the new birth. 535 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:20,520 It's that Nicodemus that joins Joseph here. 536 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:24,360 Nicodemus is also saying I'm done with the Sanhedrin, I'm out 537 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:28,080 on them and I'm all in on Jesus, but they're all in on the dead 538 00:27:28,120 --> 00:27:30,680 Jesus. What do they believe? 539 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:32,440 I don't know. I don't know if they're really 540 00:27:32,440 --> 00:27:34,280 expecting the resurrection. I'm not sure. 541 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:38,080 But I love them for it and I'm thankful for it and they're 542 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,400 fulfilling the prophecies. I don't think they're doing it 543 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:43,880 on purpose. I think it's the foreknowledge 544 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:46,720 of God told us what would happen, and these men are 545 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:49,480 walking out what seemed right and good to them in that day. 546 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:52,560 And the Lord prophesied it through the prophet Isaiah that 547 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:53,760 this is how it was going to happen. 548 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:59,600 So now Nicodemus comes. Nicodemus brings costly spices 549 00:27:59,840 --> 00:28:02,440 to honor the crucified Christ and to care for his body. 550 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:07,080 Joseph and Nicodemus, both men who had reason to be cautious, 551 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:10,640 now publicly identify with Jesus when it looks like there is 552 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:14,400 nothing left to gain. This is real faith being brought 553 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:17,480 into the light. They had come quietly before, 554 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:19,560 but now their loyalty is going public. 555 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:24,280 Jesus looks defeated, and they are more willing than ever to 556 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:27,320 honor him. This is what Christian baptism 557 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:30,040 is all about. I want to publicly identify. 558 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:34,600 I want to publicly declare. I want to publicly say I'm 559 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,360 identifying with the Lord Jesus Christ. 560 00:28:37,120 --> 00:28:40,240 I love him, He saved me and now I follow him. 561 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:45,160 Usually crucified men would be left on the cross to decompose 562 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:50,240 as a warning and as a threat. Deuteronomy told the Jews and 563 00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:52,440 gave Moses, the Lord gave Moses as a law. 564 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:56,240 If any man is killed and hung on a tree, he has to be taken down 565 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:59,160 before sundown because he's a he's cursed by God. 566 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:04,520 So maybe that's their motive is here as well as like we want to 567 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:07,280 take care of Jesus. But often times the the Romans 568 00:29:07,280 --> 00:29:09,440 don't care about any of that. The Romans would often leave 569 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,360 people on the cross like it's just extra work for them. 570 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:14,240 Let these bodies decompose. The birds just come pick it. 571 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:16,920 I mean, it's a it's a horrific and filthy thing. 572 00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:19,560 So you don't just have to hear this guy dying on the roadside 573 00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:20,960 or wherever they've crucified him. 574 00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:23,800 But no one's allowed to touch him and the Romans just leave 575 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:25,160 him up there and you're not going to tell. 576 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:30,200 This was a most likely an awful criminal in many cases. 577 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,120 Sometimes if the Romans removed them they would throw them into 578 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:40,760 a mass common grave, but many were left to be devoured by wild 579 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:42,240 animals. Here. 580 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:43,680 What do we have? Nothing like that. 581 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:48,440 Instead, Joseph and Nicodemus. They took the body and they 582 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:50,800 wrapped it in a clean linen shroud. 583 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:56,800 Linen was expensive. Jesus died the death of a 584 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:00,320 criminal, but these two men would not let their Savior be 585 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,160 thrown away like garbage. They were going to honor Him and 586 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:05,240 care for his body. Scripture fulfilled again, 587 00:30:05,360 --> 00:30:09,240 Matthew meticulously shows Isaiah 53, nine. 588 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,960 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in 589 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:17,280 his death, although he had done no violence and there was no 590 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:19,680 deceit in his mouth. So his death with the wicked 591 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:24,320 being he's dying with men on the cross and a rich man in his 592 00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:26,320 death He's placed in the rich man's tomb. 593 00:30:27,600 --> 00:30:29,280 Just another reminder about prophecy. 594 00:30:29,560 --> 00:30:32,240 It's always easier to interpret it after it happened. 595 00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:35,400 I always give you that reminder because I know end times is an 596 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:38,000 exciting subject. You should be excited about the 597 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,320 return of the Lord. But again, all the verses that 598 00:30:41,800 --> 00:30:44,600 how would how would you and I have applied that Would you have 599 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:48,040 been able to read Isaiah 53 nine and go he's going to die on a 600 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:51,840 cross between two sinners and then a rich man will bury him in 601 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:54,240 his own tomb. I don't believe that you would 602 00:30:54,240 --> 00:30:56,400 have been to come to that precise of a conclusion. 603 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:01,440 That's my suspicion about the return of the Lord as well, that 604 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,040 some of our conclusions aren't can't be as precise as we may 605 00:31:04,040 --> 00:31:08,840 think. His body sees no decay. 606 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:11,840 That's another prophecy fulfilled from the Psalms. 607 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,040 And remember, Jesus didn't have to make any of this happen by 608 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:17,640 micromanaging his disciples. Hey guys, make sure after I die 609 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:18,960 this happens, this happens, this happened. 610 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:20,680 So all scripture can be fulfilled. 611 00:31:21,080 --> 00:31:24,920 Jesus is remarkably at ease, especially looking at 612 00:31:24,920 --> 00:31:28,040 knuckleheads right up to his last few minutes when they're 613 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:30,920 still getting it wrong. And even at his last meal with 614 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:33,680 them, he comes in and he sees that no one has washed anyone's 615 00:31:33,680 --> 00:31:39,760 feet. And he goes, OK, let me teach 616 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:43,880 the boys again. Like I would think as a leader, 617 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:46,360 if I'm getting ready to, even if I still don't, even if I don't 618 00:31:46,360 --> 00:31:49,200 have to die, if I'm like resigning from my company as CEO 619 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:51,920 and I'm appointing someone else and I'm never going to come back 620 00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,120 again. Like I would hope at that last 621 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:57,800 meeting, I would look around and see mastery and excellence, 622 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,240 right? I would hope, like everybody is 623 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:07,000 so squared away and this thing is in awesome hands and Jesus is 624 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:08,080 looking at these twelve. Wow. 625 00:32:14,520 --> 00:32:20,120 I mean, that's crazy. They got this, Jesus, another 626 00:32:20,120 --> 00:32:21,440 three years would be really good. 627 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:27,560 Another 30 would be even better. I, I don't, I don't know if, if 628 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:30,600 we're really there yet. Of course he knows he's coming 629 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:33,720 back in three days and he knows he's going to be there for 40. 630 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:36,760 And then he knows that he's going to send the Holy Spirit 631 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,200 and he knows his plan is perfect. 632 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:44,280 His plan is enough because the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus. 633 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:48,960 The Holy Spirit's just like Jesus and you and I are sitting 634 00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:52,160 here today because of those 11 who were then faithful. 635 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:01,200 So Jesus doesn't have to micromanage his disciples. 636 00:33:01,200 --> 00:33:03,400 He doesn't have to say, please make sure this prophecy gets 637 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:06,480 fulfilled. No, we praise God who sees the 638 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:09,600 beginning from the end. Man does what man freely does, 639 00:33:09,600 --> 00:33:12,000 and God fulfills every word that he has spoken. 640 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:17,080 Verse 60 And he laid this body, He laid it in his own new tomb, 641 00:33:17,080 --> 00:33:19,560 which he had cut in the rock, and he rolled a great stone to 642 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:21,720 the entrance of the tomb and went away. 643 00:33:22,440 --> 00:33:25,200 Joseph gives Jesus the best. He gives them his own tomb. 644 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:26,880 This was costly, this was personal. 645 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:31,760 What does that look like for you? 646 00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:33,840 What do you have reserved for yourself? 647 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:39,040 That's, that's mine, that's mine, that's mine, Lord, that's 648 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:42,080 for me, Lord and Lord's going. Could I have it? 649 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:46,320 Is there anything you're keeping for yourself that the Lord is 650 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:51,200 still asking for? Spoiler alert, the answer's yes. 651 00:33:52,480 --> 00:33:55,520 The Lord's always going to call you to deeper surrender, more 652 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:59,760 maturity, and further growth. So now there's a stone in front 653 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:02,360 of Jesus. But of course, man can't really 654 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:04,600 put anything in God's way. The stone will be rolled away. 655 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,560 God will reveal openly that nothing can stop His plan. 656 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:10,639 If death itself cannot beat Jesus, then this boulder is not 657 00:34:10,639 --> 00:34:14,480 going to be a problem. Verse 61, Mary Magdalene and the 658 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:17,159 other Mary where they're sitting opposite the tomb. 659 00:34:17,679 --> 00:34:22,719 So this other Mary is one of the mothers of one of the James's. 660 00:34:23,239 --> 00:34:28,960 So we've got of the 12 disciples, there's 2 James and 661 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:31,120 there's James the Greater and James the Lesser, as they're 662 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:35,280 often called, probably the mother of James the Lesser as we 663 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:36,960 put all of our context clues together. 664 00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:42,560 Not the brother of Jesus who is not one of the 12, another 665 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:44,360 James, lots of James's to keep up with. 666 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:47,960 That's the James who's the pastor, ends up being the pastor 667 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:51,840 in the Church of Jerusalem. So these women, though they 668 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:56,719 stay, they're watching, they're grieving, they're near the body 669 00:34:56,840 --> 00:35:00,000 of the Lord as they go through a great test. 670 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:04,160 There are great, there are great tests to your faith. 671 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:07,160 There are great tests to your faithfulness. 672 00:35:09,280 --> 00:35:15,960 Joseph is being tested. We see how Joseph responds. 673 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:19,440 We see how the women respond. How do you respond when things 674 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:22,400 don't go your way? That is the measurement of my 675 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:26,480 maturity. That is the quick test to tell 676 00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,440 me exactly where I'm at, not how much knowledge do you have, John 677 00:35:29,440 --> 00:35:31,800 Michael? How do you respond when things 678 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:34,440 don't go your way? The way you wanted them to go, 679 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:36,720 the way you prayed for him to go, the way you were trusting 680 00:35:36,720 --> 00:35:39,760 for them to go in the timeline that you thought they were going 681 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:43,440 to go. We're finding out where you're 682 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:47,240 really at in this moment, John Michael, what happens in your 683 00:35:47,240 --> 00:35:49,680 heart when your prayers are not answered in the way that you had 684 00:35:49,680 --> 00:35:51,920 hoped or in the timeline that you expected? 685 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:53,840 What happens to your faithfulness? 686 00:35:53,840 --> 00:35:56,600 What happens to your obedience? What happens to your walk with 687 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:58,720 the Lord? We saw what happened with Judas. 688 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:01,120 I'm out of here. This is not what I thought it 689 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:02,440 was going to be. This is not what I signed up 690 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:04,080 for. I thought our plan looked 691 00:36:04,080 --> 00:36:06,120 different. I had a different Savior in 692 00:36:06,120 --> 00:36:10,760 mind, so no thanks. Let me see what I can get out of 693 00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:13,840 this. Let me line my pockets while I 694 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:16,760 destroy my soul. Do you think the Lord is being 695 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:19,960 cruel to you? Or do you actually know that God 696 00:36:19,960 --> 00:36:22,760 is truly good and that the bad things that are happening in 697 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:26,120 your life happened because the world is broken, the devil is 698 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:29,200 bad, and sowing and reaping exists. 699 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:31,400 There are consequences for my actions. 700 00:36:31,400 --> 00:36:34,360 There are consequences for your actions, even decades long. 701 00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:38,480 There are consequences decades long, and God is still good, and 702 00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:41,640 God still loves you, and he's still with you, and he's still 703 00:36:41,640 --> 00:36:44,240 forgiving. And also consequences can ask, 704 00:36:44,240 --> 00:36:47,440 can last decades. Ask David, the man after God's 705 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:51,240 own heart. And God loves David, and God 706 00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:54,560 loves you, and sowing and reaping is still a thing. 707 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:58,720 Whatever a man sows that shall he also reap. 708 00:36:58,720 --> 00:37:04,840 God will not be mocked. Many Christians become 709 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:09,120 shipwrecks, and they seem to be shocked when their lives go 710 00:37:09,120 --> 00:37:11,680 through storms. And it ought not be that way. 711 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:13,320 We ought to suffer better than anybody. 712 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:17,720 We ought to suffer well. For some reason, many Christians 713 00:37:17,720 --> 00:37:20,840 think that they'll never have storms, but it's because they 714 00:37:20,840 --> 00:37:22,680 misunderstand the goodness of God. 715 00:37:22,840 --> 00:37:26,400 They think every single thing that happens to them is what God 716 00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:30,400 wanted to happen to them. But we know that that cannot be 717 00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:33,160 true. Does God want you to sin? 718 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,680 Say no. Do you ever sin? 719 00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:41,320 Say yes. Wait a second, I thought God was 720 00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:43,720 sovereign? Of course God is sovereign. 721 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:49,760 God rules and reigns with all authority everywhere and he is 722 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:53,120 established and built things to function in the way that he is 723 00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:57,320 chosen for them to function. And that gives me the ability to 724 00:37:57,320 --> 00:38:01,560 make stupid decisions, not pre programmed, not orchestrated by 725 00:38:01,560 --> 00:38:04,160 him. Don't good things sometimes come 726 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:05,800 out of that? Oh, I'm so glad you brought that 727 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:08,000 up. Yes, they do, because God is 728 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:10,240 good. That is the principle of 729 00:38:10,240 --> 00:38:13,160 resurrection. When Joe Michael creates death 730 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:16,320 in his life with his sin, with his stupidity, with the 731 00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:18,320 brokenness of the world, not even things that I've done 732 00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:22,000 wrong, just things that happen, tragedies that happen. 733 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:24,720 Can God bring good out of them? Of course he can. 734 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:26,960 But that's the principle of resurrection. 735 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:29,800 It's not that God did the bad thing to create the good thing. 736 00:38:30,160 --> 00:38:33,560 If that was the case, why would why would there not be bad 737 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:37,360 things in heaven? Come on, Forrest Gump Seminary 738 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:40,760 here, simple stuff. Why are there going to be no 739 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:45,120 tears in heaven if tears are somehow such an important part 740 00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:48,320 of my sanctification? Why will there be no sickness 741 00:38:48,320 --> 00:38:50,520 and disease and tragedy in heaven? 742 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:55,560 If it is such an important teaching tool of the Master and 743 00:38:55,560 --> 00:38:56,960 it's such an important sanctification? 744 00:38:56,960 --> 00:38:58,280 Does he use it? Can he use it? 745 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:01,000 Yes and yes, of course. And of course, full agreement. 746 00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:03,880 But does he create it? Your pastor will always found 747 00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:06,840 the pulpit on the subject. God is good and the devil is 748 00:39:06,840 --> 00:39:08,640 bad. And a 7 year old knows the 749 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:12,040 definitions of those two words. Christians ought to as well. 750 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:16,920 We have a neighbor in our neighborhood. 751 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:22,000 How many years ago was it thinking about? 752 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:23,760 We have a neighbor in our neighborhood. 753 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:26,880 Most, most folks do. Greg. 754 00:39:28,640 --> 00:39:32,440 Yeah, How many years ago did that tragedy happen to him? 755 00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:37,160 Yeah, six years ago. Anyway, we, a guy moved into our 756 00:39:37,160 --> 00:39:40,760 neighborhood, amputee, quadruple amputee. 757 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:44,000 And, you know, we got to meet him. 758 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:46,680 Hey, man, nice to meet you. And he's got a great sense of 759 00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:48,400 humor. Like I was, I don't know what I 760 00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:50,200 was doing with him when they helping him with something. 761 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:51,400 I was like I said, can I give you a hand? 762 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:55,680 He said, I'll take two. And it's like, that's my best. 763 00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:57,320 Yeah. Walked right into that one. 764 00:39:58,480 --> 00:40:01,760 But he, he went into the hospital, you know, six years 765 00:40:01,760 --> 00:40:04,600 ago or so and he was sick to know what's going on. 766 00:40:04,600 --> 00:40:07,840 He went unconscious and he woke up and they had to amputate. 767 00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:10,000 He woke up with no arms and no legs. 768 00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:13,080 And they had to do that to save his life. 769 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:14,720 There was this whole complicated thing in it. 770 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:18,280 And people go, why would God do that? 771 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:21,160 My friend? God didn't do that. 772 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:23,760 The world is broken because of sin. 773 00:40:24,240 --> 00:40:27,520 If Adam had never sinned, do you think God would have just said, 774 00:40:27,560 --> 00:40:32,280 I want Greg to lose his limbs? No, how do we know? 775 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:36,160 Well, we also look at Jesus. Jesus is perfect theology, and 776 00:40:36,160 --> 00:40:38,120 we can always know what the Father wants as we look at the 777 00:40:38,120 --> 00:40:41,360 life and ministry of Jesus. So we just ask ourselves, how 778 00:40:41,360 --> 00:40:44,040 many people did Jesus amputate? How many got? 779 00:40:44,040 --> 00:40:46,840 How many eyes did he gouge out? How many hands did he cut off? 780 00:40:47,400 --> 00:40:49,000 He talked about doing that figuratively. 781 00:40:49,480 --> 00:40:51,480 You should be willing to crucify sin in your life. 782 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:53,680 You should be willing to follow Jesus to the point that it feels 783 00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:56,240 like you're gouging your eye out, that it feels like you're 784 00:40:56,240 --> 00:41:00,360 cutting your hand off. Has God done good things in 785 00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:01,960 Greg's life? He absolutely has. 786 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:04,240 But that's the principle of resurrection. 787 00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:07,080 You can see the bad things in your life, but I don't want you 788 00:41:07,080 --> 00:41:10,720 to have the faulty logic that says I'm so glad that happened. 789 00:41:10,720 --> 00:41:15,240 Because, dear friend, you're glad that God is good and you're 790 00:41:15,240 --> 00:41:17,560 glad that He produced resurrection out of what the 791 00:41:17,560 --> 00:41:20,080 enemy meant for evil. The Lord has turned it for good. 792 00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:22,080 You'll see it all through the Scriptures. 793 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:25,280 God sees the beginning from the end, because yes, He is 794 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:31,560 sovereign, but He is also good. God does not want you to sin, 795 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:34,000 but that also happens. So do you blame God when you 796 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:35,760 sin? Of course you don't. 797 00:41:36,280 --> 00:41:39,640 God is good and God is for us. God is moving on our behalf. 798 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:44,000 I don't want you to turn away when things go dark, when it 799 00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:47,080 seems like your life is in the tomb, if it seems like Jesus is 800 00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:49,720 in the tomb, no matter what it seems like or feels like to you. 801 00:41:50,040 --> 00:41:52,640 I don't want you to have the kind of Christianity that 802 00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:55,280 falters because I can't believe it's raining on me. 803 00:41:55,720 --> 00:41:58,480 I'm a Christian. Why would there be rain and wind 804 00:41:58,480 --> 00:42:02,440 and floods coming against me the way the rain and the storm, it 805 00:42:02,440 --> 00:42:05,840 comes against everybody. But if you're built on the rock, 806 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:09,360 you'll be there when the storm is gone. 807 00:42:10,200 --> 00:42:14,320 That's the difference. We're not living for temporary 808 00:42:14,880 --> 00:42:16,800 motives, we're living for eternal motives. 809 00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:20,040 And that changes how we can endure everything. 810 00:42:20,920 --> 00:42:24,640 God is moving on our behalf even when we cannot see it and cannot 811 00:42:24,640 --> 00:42:27,440 feel it. He is working in this broken 812 00:42:27,440 --> 00:42:29,400 world. He is not weak, He is not 813 00:42:29,400 --> 00:42:32,000 limited. But sin is broken things, the 814 00:42:32,000 --> 00:42:34,840 curse is damaged things. There are consequences in a 815 00:42:34,840 --> 00:42:38,760 fallen world, but thankfully greater is He who is in you then 816 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:40,760 He who is in this broken and fallen world. 817 00:42:41,480 --> 00:42:44,760 So Jesus is a healer, Jesus is a restorer. 818 00:42:46,120 --> 00:42:50,000 Jesus is a savior. So what happens to your loyalty 819 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:53,880 and your devotion in dark times, even when all your hope is 820 00:42:53,880 --> 00:42:58,000 sealed behind a stone? Stay faithful, stay near Jesus. 821 00:42:58,240 --> 00:43:01,760 Give up other things and other places and other people for the 822 00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:05,920 one who matters most. The loyalty of Christians to 823 00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:09,000 their Savior should be total. It should be complete. 824 00:43:10,080 --> 00:43:12,600 God loves us with a jealous love. 825 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:14,440 We should also love Him with a jealous love. 826 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:16,840 You should be jealous for the glory of Jesus. 827 00:43:20,360 --> 00:43:23,000 When we talk about jealousy, we don't mean you want His glory. 828 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:26,360 We mean you should be eager for nothing else to get credit 829 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:28,360 except for Him. That's why you would never 830 00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:30,520 worship some sort of Frankenstein demon critter in 831 00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:33,320 the sky. People listening on the podcast 832 00:43:33,320 --> 00:43:36,440 have no idea what we're making reference to because that came 833 00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:40,440 before the sermon. I said it during the sermon. 834 00:43:40,440 --> 00:43:43,480 I thought it was pre. Oh, it was in. 835 00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:46,600 I don't know. Either way, people listening 836 00:43:46,600 --> 00:43:49,360 online don't worship any Frankenstein demon critters in 837 00:43:49,360 --> 00:43:52,800 the sky. Now you're also secure. 838 00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:57,280 You should be jealous for Jesus honor. 839 00:43:57,640 --> 00:44:01,600 But how do you get to that place to actually care about him and 840 00:44:01,600 --> 00:44:03,040 to actually be jealous for his honor? 841 00:44:03,240 --> 00:44:06,880 By knowing the scriptures and by knowing your God through prayer. 842 00:44:09,200 --> 00:44:12,480 If you do not know the Word of God, you will be tossed around 843 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:16,040 by winds of doctrine, by fads, by Christian trends, by the news 844 00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:20,480 cycle, by your frustrations, by your own heart sickness, by your 845 00:44:20,480 --> 00:44:23,680 own disappointment. Hope deferred makes the heart 846 00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:26,800 sick. Anybody feel like man? 847 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:31,520 That's been my life first. But a desire fulfilled is the 848 00:44:31,520 --> 00:44:36,000 tree of life. Where do we go in those dark 849 00:44:36,000 --> 00:44:39,800 moments, though? You need a real walk with the 850 00:44:39,800 --> 00:44:41,720 Lord. Not a little bit of Bible 851 00:44:41,720 --> 00:44:44,240 awareness, not a little bit of reverence, not a little bit of 852 00:44:44,240 --> 00:44:48,400 affection for Jesus, but a living walk where Christ truly 853 00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:50,600 is your life. So you're always anchored. 854 00:44:51,200 --> 00:44:53,360 The storm is blowing other ships into the rocks. 855 00:44:53,880 --> 00:44:56,680 But if you really are walking with God because you know His 856 00:44:56,680 --> 00:45:00,720 Word and because you're walking with Him in prayer, what a 857 00:45:00,720 --> 00:45:05,320 stabilizing force it is for you. Life will have ups and downs, 858 00:45:05,760 --> 00:45:07,920 but your walk with God does not have to. 859 00:45:08,760 --> 00:45:12,080 I'll say it again, your life will have ups and downs, but 860 00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:13,760 your walk with God does not have to. 861 00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:18,440 My life has had ups and downs, ups and downs, but I can tell 862 00:45:18,440 --> 00:45:20,880 you, year after year, my marriage with Natalie has gotten 863 00:45:20,880 --> 00:45:24,200 better and stronger. My life has had ups and downs, 864 00:45:24,200 --> 00:45:26,560 but our marriage, our relationship, our fellowship, 865 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:30,120 year by year has gotten stronger and stronger. 866 00:45:30,480 --> 00:45:34,280 Life still gets a vote, but this is so good, this is so secure. 867 00:45:34,480 --> 00:45:37,400 What a blessing, what a gift, what a foundation that becomes. 868 00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:41,000 How much more your walk with Christ, your life has ups and 869 00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:42,240 downs. I didn't say your life doesn't 870 00:45:42,240 --> 00:45:43,800 have ups and downs. Of course it does. 871 00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:46,960 But your walk with the Lord can be continued growth. 872 00:45:47,760 --> 00:45:50,880 It can be continued faithfulness, it can be, it can 873 00:45:50,880 --> 00:45:55,240 be increasing glory. Glory to glory was His plan for 874 00:45:55,240 --> 00:46:00,200 you. Verse 62, the next day, that is 875 00:46:00,200 --> 00:46:02,440 the day after preparation. So now we're on the Sabbath, 876 00:46:02,440 --> 00:46:06,520 we're on Saturday, the chief priest and the Pharisees 877 00:46:06,520 --> 00:46:08,920 gathered before Pilate. Sir, we remember how that 878 00:46:08,920 --> 00:46:12,040 imposter said while he was still alive, after three days I will 879 00:46:12,040 --> 00:46:14,680 rise. Therefore order the tomb be made 880 00:46:14,680 --> 00:46:17,920 secure until the 3rd day, lest his disciples go and steal him 881 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:21,040 away and tell the people he has risen from the dead and the 882 00:46:21,040 --> 00:46:24,080 fraud and the last fraud will be worse than the first. 883 00:46:24,720 --> 00:46:27,960 Pilot said you have a guard of soldiers, go make it secure as 884 00:46:27,960 --> 00:46:30,000 you can. So they went and made the tomb 885 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:31,840 secure. Oh, it's secure now. 886 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:38,080 This tomb is secure, everybody. They sealed it with a stone and 887 00:46:38,080 --> 00:46:42,840 they set a guard. So the chief priests and the 888 00:46:42,840 --> 00:46:45,480 Pharisees, they go to Pilate. They've probably heard now about 889 00:46:45,480 --> 00:46:48,760 what their boy Joseph Arimathea of Arimathea has done and what 890 00:46:48,760 --> 00:46:51,040 Nicodemus has done. They're like they were with 891 00:46:51,160 --> 00:46:52,880 Jesus. That explains why they gave us 892 00:46:52,880 --> 00:46:56,160 pushback here and there. And there was they buried him. 893 00:46:56,560 --> 00:46:58,560 The disciples are going to set up to steal his body. 894 00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:01,520 So they're going, we got to go. We got to go to work now. 895 00:47:01,560 --> 00:47:04,320 We got to go meet with Pilate. This is so important to them. 896 00:47:06,160 --> 00:47:08,800 The disciples heard Jesus say that Jesus would be raised. 897 00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:10,880 The religious leaders heard it too. 898 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:13,160 They're more concerned about it than the disciples. 899 00:47:13,160 --> 00:47:15,120 It seems. They call him the deceiver. 900 00:47:15,680 --> 00:47:18,040 These men have prideful hearts. They cannot be reasoned with. 901 00:47:18,240 --> 00:47:20,640 There's no amount of explanation, patience or 902 00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:23,800 evidence or clarity that will provide, that will persuade a 903 00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:25,880 heart that is determined not to believe. 904 00:47:27,200 --> 00:47:29,040 Some hearts have determined not to believe. 905 00:47:29,080 --> 00:47:30,040 Oh no. Do we give up on them? 906 00:47:30,040 --> 00:47:32,520 Of course not. But you do give up arguing with 907 00:47:32,520 --> 00:47:34,960 them. You do give up the the 908 00:47:35,200 --> 00:47:38,200 reasonable dialogue that you have attempted many times and 909 00:47:38,200 --> 00:47:41,920 you labor for them in prayer. Has it come to that? 910 00:47:42,640 --> 00:47:45,560 Pastor Chris Morgan used to say that whatever you I've tried 911 00:47:45,560 --> 00:47:46,440 this. I'll try this, brother. 912 00:47:46,680 --> 00:47:48,720 I guess I should pray about it. Has it come to that? 913 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:52,840 Wow. Oh no, I guess. 914 00:47:52,840 --> 00:47:55,440 I guess it's time to pray. Things are really getting tough 915 00:47:55,440 --> 00:47:58,920 around here. Man, if only I'd started there 916 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:02,520 and not been an idiot and tried to solve things on my own. 917 00:48:04,920 --> 00:48:06,800 These men claim that they're going to prevent some kind of 918 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:09,960 fraud. All they did was help our case. 919 00:48:10,600 --> 00:48:11,760 All they did was help everything. 920 00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:14,040 They put more witnesses there for the resurrection. 921 00:48:15,120 --> 00:48:18,320 Again, they thought that God was going to be useful in their 922 00:48:18,320 --> 00:48:19,720 scheme. Instead, they were useful in 923 00:48:19,720 --> 00:48:21,960 his. The devil is always afraid of 924 00:48:21,960 --> 00:48:23,760 Jesus, by the way, even in his death. 925 00:48:24,720 --> 00:48:26,960 So they seal the stone and they post the guard. 926 00:48:27,440 --> 00:48:29,520 And of course, now Jesus is really stuck, right? 927 00:48:29,720 --> 00:48:32,040 There's a big rock. They use a clay seal. 928 00:48:32,040 --> 00:48:34,240 So they would put a big lump of clay around it, maybe around the 929 00:48:34,240 --> 00:48:35,920 whole thing, and then they would seal it. 930 00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:39,320 So it would like be big time illegal to break the seal of, 931 00:48:39,400 --> 00:48:42,680 you know, of the Romans. And there's trained soldiers. 932 00:48:42,680 --> 00:48:45,240 So there's a Roman guard here present that pilot made 933 00:48:45,240 --> 00:48:47,200 available. The Lord of Glory was going to 934 00:48:47,200 --> 00:48:51,680 rise from the dead, but now he's really stuck, man versus God. 935 00:48:51,800 --> 00:48:54,960 What an epic showdown. No, of course not. 936 00:48:54,960 --> 00:48:59,920 This is foolishness, and even the foolishness of God is wiser 937 00:48:59,920 --> 00:49:02,720 than the wisdom of man. Nothing will stop your God, 938 00:49:02,720 --> 00:49:05,720 Christian, Nothing ever has, and nothing ever will. 939 00:49:06,080 --> 00:49:11,440 Be bold and be joyful for him. And when you face those that are 940 00:49:11,440 --> 00:49:14,480 full of unbelief, pray for them and tell them why you have the 941 00:49:14,480 --> 00:49:15,840 hope that you have inside of you. 942 00:49:16,640 --> 00:49:19,000 And let me remind you, you do not have the hope within you 943 00:49:19,200 --> 00:49:21,120 because you studied the Shroud of Turin. 944 00:49:21,880 --> 00:49:24,800 You have hope because God placed that hope within you. 945 00:49:24,960 --> 00:49:27,480 He brought light, He brought revelation, and He brought 946 00:49:27,480 --> 00:49:29,480 freedom. You're allowed to look into the 947 00:49:29,480 --> 00:49:31,720 shroud if you'd like to. It's interesting. 948 00:49:33,080 --> 00:49:34,480 But that's not what brought you to Christ. 949 00:49:34,480 --> 00:49:39,760 And we're closing. So what are you supposed to do 950 00:49:39,760 --> 00:49:40,880 today? You're supposed to keep 951 00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:44,480 believing your God. Believe that nothing can stop 952 00:49:44,480 --> 00:49:47,240 him. And remember that your faith 953 00:49:47,240 --> 00:49:50,400 matters. Your faith has to engage with 954 00:49:50,400 --> 00:49:53,040 the Lord. Everything that the Lord wants 955 00:49:53,040 --> 00:49:55,240 to happen does not automatically happen. 956 00:49:56,600 --> 00:49:59,720 Do you have evidence of that? Good grief, yes, I do. 957 00:50:01,080 --> 00:50:05,520 Go read your whole Bible. Let me ask you something. 958 00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:08,800 When the Israelites marched around the walls of Jericho and 959 00:50:08,800 --> 00:50:13,160 they shouted, was it their shout and the reverberations of their 960 00:50:13,160 --> 00:50:16,640 voice that hit the wall and then somehow made those walls 961 00:50:16,640 --> 00:50:19,280 crumble? It wasn't. 962 00:50:19,760 --> 00:50:22,240 What was it that made the walls of Jericho fall down? 963 00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:24,880 It was the power of God though, right? 964 00:50:25,440 --> 00:50:28,560 God made the walls fall down. It was like the Lord shoved the 965 00:50:28,560 --> 00:50:33,600 walls into the ground. Would those walls have come down 966 00:50:34,160 --> 00:50:37,760 if the people of Israel had not marched around and obeyed the 967 00:50:37,760 --> 00:50:39,960 Lord? Of course not. 968 00:50:40,520 --> 00:50:41,960 Over and over. You see this pattern in 969 00:50:41,960 --> 00:50:43,480 Scripture. Can the Lord do anything He 970 00:50:43,480 --> 00:50:44,880 wants? Yes. 971 00:50:45,360 --> 00:50:47,640 Has the Lord chosen to interact with our faith? 972 00:50:47,920 --> 00:50:53,640 Of course, absolutely he has. Jesus came down off the mountain 973 00:50:53,640 --> 00:50:58,240 of Transfiguration after being talking with Elijah and Moses 974 00:50:58,360 --> 00:51:00,720 about his death, about his crucifixion, about his 975 00:51:00,720 --> 00:51:02,960 departure. He comes down, the disciples had 976 00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:05,960 not been able to drive a demon out of a demon possessed boy. 977 00:51:06,400 --> 00:51:11,120 And he says, Lord, if you can do anything, please help. 978 00:51:11,240 --> 00:51:13,920 And Jesus didn't go, Oh my goodness, yes, I can and I'm 979 00:51:13,920 --> 00:51:16,160 here to help. He corrected the man immediately 980 00:51:16,160 --> 00:51:19,720 and said if you can believe all things are possible for those 981 00:51:19,720 --> 00:51:23,400 who believe instantly. It's no if on me buddy. 982 00:51:23,640 --> 00:51:26,840 Your ifs in the wrong spot. God, if you can help stop that 983 00:51:26,840 --> 00:51:29,440 prayer. Lord, help me believe. 984 00:51:30,280 --> 00:51:32,080 I am struggling with unbelief right now. 985 00:51:32,080 --> 00:51:34,080 Take that prayer to him. I don't have I don't have a 986 00:51:34,080 --> 00:51:36,480 prayer of faith. OK, then take that prayer to him 987 00:51:37,240 --> 00:51:41,760 and let him massage it and work it and reform it and turn it 988 00:51:41,760 --> 00:51:45,360 into a prayer of faith. Like David, like your Psalms, 989 00:51:45,640 --> 00:51:47,680 they start with, Oh God, where are you? 990 00:51:48,240 --> 00:51:51,040 You grind my teeth, you fill my mouth with gravel. 991 00:51:51,200 --> 00:51:53,920 You know, all this doubt, unbelief and fear, and then we 992 00:51:53,920 --> 00:52:00,120 end in gospel proclamation, trusting in the Lord. 993 00:52:01,120 --> 00:52:03,840 If you can believe all things are possible for one who 994 00:52:03,840 --> 00:52:05,960 believes, God will keep his word. 995 00:52:06,160 --> 00:52:09,680 And your faith matters. Your faith counts. 996 00:52:09,960 --> 00:52:12,120 Which is it? Is God going to do what He's 997 00:52:12,120 --> 00:52:14,400 going to do no matter what? Well, I can tell you at the 998 00:52:14,400 --> 00:52:19,080 resurrection that day, Yes, yes, and yes, there are still things 999 00:52:19,080 --> 00:52:21,840 where God will just do in His mercy and in His greatness. 1000 00:52:21,920 --> 00:52:23,800 He's just going to do it no matter what. 1001 00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:27,120 But that is not His normative instruction in your Bible. 1002 00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:30,400 You don't get to pick when He does what He's going to do no 1003 00:52:30,400 --> 00:52:34,240 matter what. His normative instruction is to 1004 00:52:34,240 --> 00:52:35,960 interact with our faith and our obedience. 1005 00:52:38,040 --> 00:52:39,440 Of course, you have a part to play. 1006 00:52:39,640 --> 00:52:42,120 God is powerful. Your God is moving. 1007 00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:45,280 Your God is faithful, and God has chosen to interact with your 1008 00:52:45,280 --> 00:52:47,240 faith. He delights in your trust. 1009 00:52:47,360 --> 00:52:50,960 He delights in your obedience. He delights in your loyalty, and 1010 00:52:50,960 --> 00:52:55,200 he rewards it. So when your hope looks buried, 1011 00:52:56,040 --> 00:52:59,320 when you have stones that seem like they're sealing your life, 1012 00:52:59,880 --> 00:53:03,840 and when the enemy says that it's over, stay loyal to Jesus 1013 00:53:04,040 --> 00:53:07,120 because nothing can stop the Lord Jesus Christ. 1014 00:53:07,240 --> 00:53:10,040 He is the resurrection and he is the life. 1015 00:53:11,400 --> 00:53:15,640 Heavenly Father, thank you that we get to read this story from 1016 00:53:15,640 --> 00:53:18,520 this side of history. We get to look back knowing that 1017 00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:21,480 our King is raised, the victorious king who has already 1018 00:53:21,480 --> 00:53:24,760 won the victory, who has already conquered sin, who has already 1019 00:53:24,760 --> 00:53:28,720 conquered death. In his death, he conquered 1020 00:53:28,720 --> 00:53:32,240 death, and in his resurrection he reigns forever to live. 1021 00:53:32,920 --> 00:53:34,680 He lives forever to reign over us. 1022 00:53:38,040 --> 00:53:43,600 God, I thank you for courage. Pray that you would continue to 1023 00:53:44,200 --> 00:53:47,600 encourage us. Fill us with courage, 1024 00:53:47,760 --> 00:53:51,880 expectation, and faith, not just for ourselves, but for others. 1025 00:53:52,880 --> 00:53:58,880 God, send us as missionaries now that we would carry boldness, 1026 00:53:58,880 --> 00:54:03,040 that we would carry prayers of faith, that we would not only 1027 00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:06,920 see our difficulties and trust you, but we would see the 1028 00:54:06,920 --> 00:54:11,160 difficulties of others, and then we would lead them closer to 1029 00:54:11,160 --> 00:54:15,560 you. God, I pray for those who are 1030 00:54:15,560 --> 00:54:20,520 walking with you that you continue to boldly send them out 1031 00:54:21,280 --> 00:54:24,600 as workers in your harvest. And for those who are not yet in 1032 00:54:24,600 --> 00:54:28,240 the Kingdom, God grant them repentance now that they will 1033 00:54:28,240 --> 00:54:31,000 call upon your name, that they would love you, that they would 1034 00:54:31,000 --> 00:54:32,800 seek you, that they would walk with you, that they would enjoy 1035 00:54:32,800 --> 00:54:36,760 you. Now make us like Joseph of 1036 00:54:36,760 --> 00:54:38,520 Arimathea, make us like Nicodemus. 1037 00:54:39,600 --> 00:54:44,840 Make us like the women, the Marys at the tomb, loving, 1038 00:54:44,840 --> 00:54:48,560 devoted, loyal and faithful. Keep us as close to you as we 1039 00:54:48,560 --> 00:54:56,440 could possibly get. In Jesus name we thank you and 1040 00:54:56,440 --> 00:54:59,040 now the Lord bless you and keep you. 1041 00:54:59,840 --> 00:55:03,480 The Lord make his face shine down upon you and be gracious to 1042 00:55:03,480 --> 00:55:05,760 you. The Lord lift up his countenance 1043 00:55:05,760 --> 00:55:10,640 upon you and give you great peace in Jesus name, Amen.