To the Tomb: The Humble Tomb

The Significance of Christ's Burial

Bible Passage: John 19:31–42

Summary: In this passage, we explore the burial of Jesus after His crucifixion, emphasizing the significance of proper burial rituals in Jewish culture and how they foreshadow the victory over death. The actions of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus highlight a profound respect for the body of Christ, illustrating the depth of their faith and the fulfillment of scripture, pointing toward the transformative events that would follow.

Application: Through this sermon, the audience can grasp the reality of death, both in physical terms and in their struggles with sin. By understanding the burial of Jesus, they can find hope and assurance that even in the darkest moments of life, God is at work. This encourages believers to embrace life, love deeply, and prepare for eternal hope through Christ.

Teaching: The burial of Jesus is not merely an act of grief but a powerful testament to God's plan for redemption. It teaches that death is not the end and that God provides healing and restoration through Christ's redemptive work. The burial signifies a transition from death into the promise of resurrection, inviting believers to reflect on their own mortality and the resurrection promise God offers.

How this passage could point to Christ: Christ's burial is crucial as it fulfills the prophetic words about the Messiah, pointing to His eventual victory over death. In the larger narrative of Scripture, His burial emphasizes the truth that Jesus fully entered into human experience, including death, paving the way for our resurrection and eternal life through Him.

Big Idea: The burial of Jesus affirms the truth that God uses our lowest moments to set the stage for His greatest victories, transforming our understanding of death and paving the way for resurrection and hope in our lives.

Recommended Study: As you prepare, consider utilizing Logos to explore the theological implications of burial practices in Jewish culture, as this will shed light on Joseph of Arimathea's bold actions. You might also study the parallels between Jesus’ burial and Old Testament promises regarding the Messiah, which could help in illustrating the continuity of scripture. Finally, examining the resurrection narratives could provide a deeper insight into how the burial sets a foundation for the transformative power of Christ’s victory over death.

Good morning,

Well...here we are. Jesus has been placed on the cross, He has given up His Spirit, and now preparations are to be made for what to do with him.

Remember the chaotic scene we have examined, every lashing, every ridicule, now just silence. We read in the other Gospel accounts of darkness, earth quakes, and the veil being torn in two as Jesus hung on the cross. But for today, we are going to look at John’s account. Remember, John’s purpose in writing is for others to know who Jesus was, and to show His deity. While other accounts may leave out some prophetic points, John wanted to ensure he covers them all.

John 19:31–42 NIV

Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Big Idea: The burial of Jesus proves to us that God uses our lowest moments to set the stage for His greatest victories, transforming our understanding of death and paving the way for resurrection and hope in our lives.

1. Sovereignty in Death

John 19:31–34 NIV

Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.

There is so much more here than meets the eye.

Preparation Day- The day the lambs are slaughtered for Passover

Jesus died on the same day

Legs were broken to hasten death. Romans would typically leave bodies for up to eight days. This was a long and agonizing death by suffocation.

Due to it being Passover, the Jews requested the bodies be taken down by sunset, Sunset signaled a new day.

The irony here is that they were so focused on ritual purity that they missed the Messiah hanging before them.

We see the soveringty in the death of Christ. no bone would be broken, he was a perfect unblemished lamb, as we see laid out in in Exodus 12:5.

Exodus 12:5 NIV

The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.

1 John 2:2 NIV

He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Perhaps you could emphasize how even in a moment of perceived defeat, God's sovereignty reigns supreme. The removal of Jesus' body from the cross shows human intent to minimize His death as a disruption to customs, yet God's plan for salvation is unfolding. Jesus' unbroken bones fulfill prophecy and testify to His identity as the true Passover Lamb. This can encourage believers to trust in God's providence even when circumstances seem dire, knowing that He can transform what appears to be defeat into divine victory.

2. Testimony in Truth

John 19:35–37 NIV

The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

Every part of Jesus’ death calls to the truth of who He is. John inserts this bit of testimony to again hammer home his point of Christ’ deity.

Psalm 34:20 NIV

he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

Zechariah 12:10 NIV

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

You might explore the compelling testimony of John, who bears witness to the events of Jesus' death and burial. This serves as a reminder that the burial is not just a peripheral detail but a crucial affirmation of Christ's identity and mission. John’s eyewitness account can inspire your congregation to become steadfast witnesses of Christ, understanding and sharing how His death and burial fulfill the promises of Scripture, thus anchoring their faith in the historical and prophetic truths of the Gospel.

3. Faith in Action

John 19:38–42 NIV

Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Joseph is a great example for us, as well as Nicodemus

Rich, members of the Sanhedrin, good and righteous, disciple of Jesus, but in secret

This moment was huge in his life, it was his time to show the world where he stood

Typically the bodies were only released to family

Again Jesus was a humble man, no real home, he travelled, had little of nothing.

It took those who believed in Him to take care of His body.

This would have been a dangerous thing for them to do. But the life and death of Christ has transformed them.

We are to show our faith, even in the ‘burial moments’ of our lives.

Our faith is shown through action, and at our lowest moments

Christ promises to be with us then, and to care for us, just as his friends cared for him

Unlikely friends, not the 12

Consider explaining how the courageous actions of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus demonstrate a bold declaration of faith. Their care for Jesus' body signifies honor and respect amid vulnerability, embodying the transformational impact of Jesus' life and death. These acts of devotion can encourage the audience to live out their faith boldly, even in 'burial moments' of their lives, knowing that through Christ, death brings the promise of resurrection life and hope beyond the grave.

Conclusion

He is always at work. Even in our most dire moments we see Him at work. For the 12, for his family, for all His followers, this seemed like the end. Their world has come crashing down. He is in a borrowed Tomb, but the faith shown by these two men gives us the hope to faith through trouble. The risked a lot to take care of Christ. And in the end, their actions are remembered. We can easily forget where our strength comes from. And we can become wrapped up in thoughts of the Tomb, but three days later, something incredible is going to happen. I hope you will join us to celebrate that.