Have you been changed by the cross (Joseph of Arimathea)

Have you been changed by the cross

(Joseph of Arimathea)

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:

Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's children.

Jesus Is Buried

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

I love studying the characters around the cross and what happened on the cross of Calvary

the things that happened on the cross they affected the people around the cross

the cross had a profound effect on people

how he died affected the people that watched him die

he did not die like any other man he laid his life down he choose the moment and said into thy hands I commend my spirit and he said it with a loud voice after he had bled out and suffered and been scourged and beaten and

when he was on the cross nature responded as her creator died the earth quaked and the rocks rent and darkness covered the land even the earth responded to his death

that roman centurion and they that were with him watching him on the cross feared greatly and said surely this was the son of god

it unsettled people it unsettled his enemies and it unsettled his disciples

the man I want to focus on that changed when he saw my blessed Lord die on that cross was a man named Joseph of Arimathea

We do not know for sure were arimathea was most sa it is rama the birthplace of samuel and it means city of the disciples

now I reckon it is significant that the lords life on Earth began with a Joseph and ended with one

one Joseph wrapped him in swaddling close and laid him in a manger and another wrapped him in grave clothes and laid him in a tomb

one of them took care of him as a baby and one of them took care of his body one protected his life from the roman government and one protected his body from the roman government

one went into hiding because of his birth and one came out of hiding because of his death

IF you ask people what do you know about the cross?

Friend how the cross changed Joseph seems kinda boring thank you

Jesus died on it it is a necklace a piece of jewelry.

What happened there ?

Do you really know what happened there ?

If you ever get ahold of the significance of the cross if you ever see what happened there was your doing through the help of the holy spirit it will change you.

As it changed these men.

I think at times we get it but we do not get it.

The people that saw it in person were forever changed

I like what one preacher said you can't be a charistian and be a lot of things but you can't be a christian and have nothing change.

To behold our saviour take his last breathe and to cry with a loud my god my god why hast thou forsaken me

The only time he does not address him as father he gave up his relationship with the father so we could have a father.

To see the rocks rent to see the darkness cover the land to feel the earthquake under you

IF we have not changed than we have not really grasped the significance of it.

Let me ask you has the cross changed you like it changed Joseph?

Joseph of Arimathea was completely changed by the cross. Has the cross changed you?

How was he able to go from being a secret disciple to a bold crusader for Christ?

It Changed his Personality

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple:

Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: .

And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.

He was a rich man

Thank the Lord just because you are rich doesn't mean you cannot be his disciple we are the rich of the bible we are the rich church of laodicea and we live in the richest country in the world.

Most of the time people do not consider themselves rich

Rev_3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;

Minimalizam is a new hobby

Paul told the corinthians they were rich yet if you study the culture and the lifestyle you would not consider them to be rich. They did not have cars air conditioners planes. They lived a harder life than the walphare recipients of our country.

Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

Not only was he rich

He was a disciple of Jesus before he saw him die on the cross

But he was a secret disciple

He was a member of the sanhedrin the people that made a deal with judas 70 jewish elders that decided what punishments people could have and their power was limited before the roman government that is why they had to take him to pilate to put him to death. The stoned stephen

Threatened the apostles. Lead by caiaphas the chief priests were usually the ones that communicated the desire of their group

Sought false witnesses

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.

What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,

Saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

He was there

But he did not consent he sat there in silence

(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

A secret disciple two of them one was nicodemus both members of the sanhedrin

He was one that waited for the kingdom of God he was looking forward to that day when the Lord

the one thing that he wanted to see more than anything was when the lord would rule this world

that means in the heart of Joseph there was a discontent for the bondage and sickness and misery and corruption of his time and an unquenchable longing for the reign of righteousness, peace and joy

he would look at it and say one day the Lord will reign and straighten it all out

all his earthly ambitions were tied up in Jesus Christ

And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:

He was honorable good and just rich and had the respect of his peers He was jesus disciple waiting for the kingdom of God

And no one knew about the Jesus thing.

That is how some of us were how some of us are

Joseph of arimathea goes to huisache baptist church

he is a representative of a large part of the membership and we have all been him from time to time

Your neighbors would say he is a good guy

I can trust him because he is a respectable member of the community. But If you asked them if they knew Jesus or were a follower of Jesus they would say I am not sure I do not think so when other people mention things that are inconsistent with jesus he never says anything.

But he really doesn't say anything he just sits there quietly well does he look angry no hurt now is he usually quiet no he has an opinion about everything else.

I wonder why he never says anything ?

But all that changed when he saw Jesus die on the cross

His personality completely changed

Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

Begged besought

No more secrets. IF He did that for me I cant keep the secret any longer.

Imagine the confusion for pilot

Hey were you not one that wanted him to die ?

What changed I saw the cross I saw the cost

Rich people do not beg they buy

But here he is on his knees in his expensive long robes his temple garb his sanhedrin dress on his knees before the roman governor begging

He is out in the open

He is bold

He is on his knees before the roman government who he previously hated

Listen key arts of his personality were changed

Because the cross changes everything.

Next time you are shy next time you are secretly in love with Jesus and not public about it next time you are ashamed to look at the cross.

I remember when the movie came out the passion of the Christ. I broke the rules and I went and saw it. And I sat there and cried.

And when I think about that I say how could I be ashamed?

Quadratus lost his temper and threatened Polycarp: he'd be thrown to wild beasts, he'd be burned at the stake, and so on. Polycarp just told Quadratus that while the proconsul's fire lasts but a little while, the fires of judgment ("reserved for the ungodly," he slyly added) cannot be quenched. Polycarp concluded, "But why do you delay? Come, do what you will."

And when the proconsul yet again pressed him, and said, "Swear by the fortune of Cæsar," he answered, "Since thou art vainly urgent that, as thou sayest, I should swear by the fortune of Cæsar, and pretendest not to know who and what I am, hear me declare with boldness, I am a Christian.

Eighty and six years have I served Christ, nor has He ever done me any harm. How, then, could I blaspheme my King who saved Me?....I bless Thee for deeming me worthy of this day and this hour that I may be among Thy martyrs and drink the cup of my Lord Jesus Christ.

He saw the cross have you?

When you see the cross you are filled with boldness were before you had been shy

The darkest time in history there shined a light in this time of doubt and no faith there was a flicker of faith still found in this man

in a time when it seemed that the whole world hated Jesus Christ and his disciples forsook him and fled and his own family and friends and countrymen would not even give him a drink because it would cost him to much this was the first man to have hsi faith burst into flame and boldly declare were he stood.

What was it seeing the cross

Has the cross changed you?

Do you stand up for Christ at work or are you scared of the Sanhedrin?

is what your peers think about you more important than what Christ thinks about you?

Are you bold? Or are you more concerned with protecting your life?

Would you do what Joseph did after seeing Christ died and risk your life for him? Would you risk your life for his body?

It Changed his Posture luke 23:51-53

He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

waiting to working

this is the first man that did something for Jesus Christ after his death

Joseph the coward the secret disciple saw his Lord die for a coward such as himself

And he wanted to show his love for him his appreciation

And the only thing he could think to do was take care of his body.

Now who takes responsibility for a body ?

Only someone who cares.

who does that ? Someone that loves you no one else cares enough

Most of the time when people are put to death on death row some a loved one can claim their body but most of the time they are not claimed so they are taken to the Captain Joe Byrd Cemetery and buried in the red dirt by prisoners. These bodies are buried in this prison cemetery in Huntsville, where an estimated 3,000 since 1855 now a hundred per year takes about five minutes to bury them.

but not him he took responsibility that his own family his brothers and mother and disciples would not even take

that had no use or love for his body but Joseph did

but the Lord saw Joseph's act of love and recorded it for us

took down the body down from the cross

I have preached lots of funerals watched as people line up to say final farewells they look into the caskets at the body but they only people that touch those bodies are the loved ones.

the only people I ever see touch a body are the ones that really loved the person

How do you think he removed the nails?

How much do you think the body weighed how did he transport it ?

he got a hammer removed the nails removed the crown of thorns washed the blood off his face and back lovingly straightened out his hair took the splinters out

carpenter's hands once held nails wood where now were held by wood

hands broke bread to feed the multitudes were now broken to save multitudes

loosed death grip and healed and held children

fingers wrote in sand were now held by death

the eyes that sparkled with the light of god now stared at nothing

the lips that spoke healing to so many were now swollen and parched

shame sickened him as he worked to remove the nails out of feet that preached the gospel and brought good tidings

why cause he loved him

You know the people that make arrangements for the body and take care of that get the linen pick out the coffin order the flowers bring the clothes they will be buried in to the funeral home you know who doe the work loved ones

The cross activated him and got him working

I grew up around mennonites and remember this old man dying victor stoll at the house when he died I remember his wife after a while she went got a bucket and a sponge wash clothes and she went in washed off his body took off his sick clothes in other room all by herself and you could her her crying o victor I am going to miss you when die body relieves itself I learned that that day she washed him off got his Sunday best dressed him in new pants she made for him and put on turquoise shirt emerald color and combed his hair and she said kids you can come see your dad now

why did she do all that cause she loved him after that she got ice packed him in ice till the funeral the next day

She took care of his body because she loved him it took her from waiting to working

This is the body of Christ how are we caring for it or are we just waiting ?

Jesus made no preparation for his body or were he would be buried

he left it up to man to take care of his body

He knew he would

Isa_53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Joseph of arimathea did just that if it was not for this man

he would have stayed on the cross until the birds consumed his flesh or been thrown in the dump

but the Lord would not suffer his holy one to see corruption and part of that was Joseph

because he loved him he was one of the only ones at his funeral couple of women and nicodemus and joseph of arimathea not even his own brothers were there

were were the crowds and the people he healed ? They forsook him and fled

you want to show the Lord love take care of his body

let me ask you have you learned how to love from the Lord ?

You know how you show it by giving a cup of water to the little ones

by caring for his body

when last time you found a sick church member and took their nails out ?

just here to take the nails out

do you realize he took a hundred pound weight of myrrh and put it on him as he wrapped his body in linen

72 pounds of spices and wrapped it in

Refutes the shroud of turin linen and wrapped

evidence wrapping the body lee strobel level

he just sat there and said noting he just waited for someone else to take the lead

he did not take extreme ownership

Now he did

Once you have seen the cross you will get to work

Because once you see that you know everybody needs what was done there and you know how serious it is.

let me ask you has seen the cross changed your posture?

have you went from waiting to working?

Are you taking care of the body of Christ?

Have you taken ownership and stood up?

Have you taken any risks for the body?

It Changed his Perspective

And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

He hewed it out how long do you think that took ?

in Halley's Bible handbook they say that general christian cordon found this tomb in the late 1800s and it is 7.5 feet tall and 14 feet deep and 10 feet wide enough room in the front for a company of women and an angel in an adjoining grave there was a body found with this inscription buried near his lord “Onesimus, Deacon of the Church of the Witnesses of the Resurrection.”

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Was this his past time ?

Who does this ?

Most people here do not own a tomb

I am thinking that this man was not a young man.

At any rate, thought a lot about death maybe it was upon him and he was going to die soon

he might have been sick I think he might have been ready to die because the only people I know that have a tomb have a grave and a burial plan are people that are older and getting ready and thinking that they might be needing it soon so they go to the funeral home and by a prearranged funeral plan and pick out their coffin

young men do not do this

and to do it is not a cheap undertaking seen funeral o for 12000 bucks and that was a good deal and they had the guts to tell them what a good deal they were getting

furthermore what kind of man hews his own tomb out ?

That would be like me going down to the cemetery buying a plot and digging my own grave those preparations are made very close to death

you know what I did the week before bro Barnes died I went with his wife to the funeral home and picked out a casket

I do not know any one that dug their own grave or made their own coffin but Joseph did

he had the tomb and he had the linen

and I get the feeling it was something he needed

Maybe he was just someone that took careful preparations for the future

And the future he was preparing for was pretty bleak.

but you know what he did, he took that and gave it to Jesus

and you know what he did he gave him his own tomb

He learned how to give that day by watching the lord die

When he saw the Lord die it changed his perspective on the future

No longer was his Job the most important thing it was the body of Christ He gave up that position with the sanhedrin for this

No longer was the most important thing the future of his body but the future of the Lord's body.

I do not have to worry about it any longer my sin is paid for He saw and ps 22 fulfilled

And all I have been doing to prepare for the future I am going to put that all in christ.

You know a lot of us are preparing for a bleak future

We are saving all our money so we can have something to eat and watch TV comfortably when we get old.

He said forget that my future is in christ and he gave it to the Lord.

Because what I do for his body is more important than what happens to my body.

I could tell you about the mother of prime minister of England who as a baby got lost in a snowstorm and they found her frozen body the next day naked in the snow rolled her over and the baby boy was alive wrapped in her closes shielded by her body but not even touch my lords love

pocketbook

what was important to no longer important

Bible illustration put a picture of grave on your desk and say my earlthy destination

But after spending time at the cross

Now I say put a picture of reve 21:1-5 on my desk and say my eternal destination

Let me ask you how has the cross changed your perspective?

What is more important your retirement or you are eternal destination?

have you made more preparation for the end of your life then for the rest of your life?

Is your future completely wrapped up in Jesus Christ? Or something else?

If you're here and you're not saved you know why Christ died on the cross because your sins nailed him there

Because he took responsibility for what you did and paid for it.

As we think about this the cross changed him and three specific ways

It change his personality

It changed his posture

And it changed his perspective

I want to invite you to spend some time at the cross this morning and receive the change that you need.