Death Certificate

Transcript

If you would be so kind to turn with me in your Bibles to Mark chapter 15, verses 42 through 47. Let’s hear from God’s Word.

And when evening had come, since it was the day of preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised to hear that he had already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And Joseph brought a linen shroud and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in the tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

— Mark 15

(ESV)

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid. This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Let’s pray. Father, your Word is true. Your Word stands the test of time. Your Word is divinely inspired. And so, this morning, we come seeking to get out of your Word what you have intended for us. We recognize, Lord, that in order for us to know the truths that are contained in your Word, we must be given the help of the Holy Spirit. And so, in every way this morning, we posture ourselves under the influence of the Holy Spirit and under the authority of your Word. We pray, O Lord and God, that as we’re confronted with the truth concerning the death and burial of our Lord Jesus, that you would convict us, that you would change us, that you would help us to see, as Ryan prayed earlier, who this Jesus is.

The Confirmation of Death

May we get a glorious picture of the Son of God who died for our sins. We pray all these things in Christ’s name. Amen. If you are a follower of Jesus, then it’s pretty safe to assume that you have at least a basic understanding concerning Christ’s crucifixion on the cross, as well as the reality of Jesus’s resurrection from the dead. The cross and the resurrection are absolutely vital for Christians to understand. In fact, so fundamental are these truths to the Christian faith, that if you don’t understand the cross or the resurrection, or if you don’t believe in the actual cross or the actual resurrection, then you can’t possibly be a Christian. It is Christianity 101, that Christ died on the cross for our sins and rose from the grave. But brothers and sisters, there is this most vital piece that sits in between these two massive events that is oftentimes overlooked.

And that is the burial of Jesus Christ. In fact, so important is this event that is emphasized in the Apostles’ Creed. In fact, every week we make reference to the fact that Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, descended into hell, died, and was buried. The reason this is emphasized in the Apostles’ Creed is because the burial of Jesus in every way is the confirmation of the death of Jesus. And this is huge for us. Because one of the arguments concerning the death of Jesus and his miraculous resurrection is that Jesus didn’t actually die on the cross. But that he was only momentarily unconscious. So the confirmation of death through this burial makes a massive distinction between a resuscitated Jesus and a resurrected Jesus. If we only have a resuscitated Jesus, then we don’t have a Savior who actually died. But the scripture is clear.

Christ died for our sins. In fact, if you would just look up a few verses from where we were last week, when Andrew preached in verse 37, it said that Jesus, while he was hanging on the cross, uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. In Matthew 27.50, it says, and Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded his spirit. In Luke 23.46, it says, Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, Father, in your hands, I commit my spirit. And having said this, he breathed his last. And then in John 19.30, he said, it is finished. And then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. In all four gospel accounts, we see that Jesus actually died a physical death. And the reason why this is important for us to know is because our culture and, you know, humanity in general is naturally bent to be skeptical.

Especially when it comes to Jesus’s death and resurrection. And because of humanity’s tendency to be skeptical concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus, the scriptures give with historical precision more than just claims about Jesus. The gospels give us an accurate and historical account with actual names of actual people that can be historically verified and referenced. We can, in the scriptures, do legit fact-checking. In fact, the same methods we use to verify other historical accounts is the same method we use to verify the actual accounts of the scriptures. Therefore, we can trust that when the scripture says that Jesus died, that it actually happened. And again, the reason for Jesus’s death being so important for us is because his death is at the heart of the Christian faith. You see, without the death of Jesus, there is no payment for sin. Without the death of Jesus, there is no atonement for our sin.

Without the death of Jesus, there is no substitute for the death that we deserve because of our sin. The scripture tells us that the wages of sin is death. In order for sinful men and women to be saved from their sin, we need a perfect Savior who would make a perfect sacrifice, who would give a perfect death, a good death, a once-and-for-all offering for our sin. And the burial of Jesus is the authentication of his death, of the payment for our sin. So though Christians rarely emphasize this, the burial of Jesus is a massive event. And in our text this morning, we’ll see four clear implications concerning the burial of Jesus. There are many, to be sure, but this morning in our text, I’m just going to point out four of these. So first, we’ll look at the specific details concerning how the burial of Jesus confirms the death of Jesus.

Then we’ll look at how the burial of Jesus fulfills prophecy concerning Jesus. Then how the burial of Jesus produces boldness in confessing Jesus. And then finally, we’ll look at how the burial of Jesus inaugurates the exaltation of Jesus. Now normally, we go through our text in a very linear way. Most of you know, kind of line by line, breaking apart each point. But this morning, we’re going to do it a bit differently. We’re going to work through our text in a bit more of a circular motion. So we’ll just keep circling around this text as we unpack these four points. Really, to be honest, we’re going to bounce all over the place in our Bibles. That’s okay. So let’s begin first by looking at the first section in verse 42, as we see how the burial of Jesus confirms the death of Jesus. Verse 42.

And when evening had come. Stop. Okay. Verse 42 begins by giving us a bit of a timestamp concerning the death of Jesus. Functions as a bit of a death certificate. So the burial of Jesus began in the early evening on the same day of his crucifixion. Now, this whole ordeal concerning Jesus and his crucifixion has happened very quickly. If you remember, it was Thursday night when the pace of this passion really began to pick up. Thursday night, Jesus was in the garden, praying, sweating drops of blood. And it was Thursday night when Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of his disciples. It was Thursday night when Jesus was abandoned by the rest of his disciples and friends. It was early in the morning on Friday, probably around 1 o’clock in the morning, when Jesus was denied by Peter around that fire. It was also around the same time when Jesus was on this trial with the council.

And so it was early Friday morning, probably around 8 a.m., when Jesus was brought before Pilate. And then around 9 a.m. is when the crucifixion began. And then when Jesus breathes his last breath and dies, it’s roughly 3 p.m. Now, why is the time of Jesus’ death so important? Well, because of what the verse says next. Look at the second half of verse 42. Since it was the day of preparation, that is the day before Sabbath. Let’s hold there for a second. According to the Roman rules for criminal punishment, if a person is found guilty of a crime worthy of a crucifixion, after they expired, the corpse of that criminal was to be left on a cross. This was one last way to humiliate the criminal, even after his death. And it was a way for the Roman soldiers to, in many ways, prevent other people from committing those types of crimes worthy of a crucifixion.

But this Roman rule was a massive problem for Jews. In Deuteronomy 21, verses 22 through 23, it says,

And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, think about that for a second, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day. For a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.

— Deuteronomy 21

(ESV)

So think about this, this law here was written for the Jews, but in many ways, this here is a picture of what would happen to Jesus as Jesus is crucified on a tree. So it’s part of the Jewish law to be buried, if you were a criminal, on the day of your death. In fact, Josephus, who is a Jewish historian as well as a military leader,

he said, we consider it a duty to bury even our enemies. That’s how important it was for these folks to be buried the day of their death. So Jewish folks, according to this Jewish law, could not leave a dead criminal to hang on a tree, which would include a cross, overnight. And so this is why we get a time stamp. And what makes this particular situation so pressing is that not only is it Friday, the day before the Sabbath, so that means that the Jews would be prohibited from doing any work the next day. That would include burying the dead. But this Sabbath is what is called a high day because it’s the Sabbath that landed on the Passover, this very important religious celebration. Now, most people assume that the Sabbath or the Passover began on Saturday. But the Sabbath, including the high Sabbath, which would be the Passover,

actually began on Friday at the moment the sun went down. So if a criminal was hanged on Friday morning and expired on Friday afternoon, that would only give people a few hours before the sun went down and the Sabbath began to physically bury that person. This is precisely what happened with Jesus. Jesus dies at 3 p.m., which gives only a few hours to prepare Jesus’ body for burial and then physically bury him in the tomb. So this is why Mark gives us these kind of time-sensitive details here. But it’s here where we see the divine providence of God with all of these time-sensitive details concerning the burial of Jesus. In verse 43, it tells us that there’s this man named Joseph who went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus so that he could give Jesus a proper burial. Now, to be clear, not all Jewish criminals were given a proper Jewish burial,

though Deuteronomy would tell them to do that. Some Jews, particularly criminals, if they were crucified, they would be discarded into this area just outside of Jerusalem. Discarding the bodies of criminals outside of the wall of Jerusalem was considered by many Jews to be a sufficient burial for criminals, thereby fulfilling Deuteronomy’s law. But this man Joseph wants to give Jesus a proper burial, but he only has a few hours to do it. So he goes and he asks permission from Pilate to take the body of Jesus down from the cross so that he can bury him. And in verse 44, it says that Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. So Pilate is shocked at how quickly Jesus has died. Again, this whole movement is happening so fast. Normally criminals that were hung on a cross, they would typically die a slow death,

typically be a few days before they expired. But word has gotten to Pilate through this man Joseph that Jesus is already dead. And it’s so surprising to Pilate that he actually sends someone to go and verify that Jesus is actually dead. And we see that as we continue in verse 45. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And it’s here where you see the divine providence of God unfold here. Pilate, because he’s shocked at the quick death of Jesus, sends a Roman soldier to authenticate the death of Jesus. And in so doing, gives the church throughout history, verifiable evidence to the actual death of Jesus. Now you might be asking yourself, how does this Roman soldier prove anything for us? How does this help us historically?

Well, because no soldier under the authority of Rome, under any circumstance would report the death of Jesus without first being certain that Jesus was actually dead. Because if it came out that Jesus wasn’t actually dead, that soldier would face certain death. He would be killed for misreporting or misrepresenting the facts to the Roman governor Pilate. There would be no way that a soldier would do that. Now, the way that a soldier, this particular soldier verified the death of Jesus, it isn’t actually recorded in Mark’s gospel. But in John’s gospel account, in fact, if you would turn with me, holding your place in Mark, turn with me over to John chapter 19. We’re going to spend some time here. But in John chapter 19, beginning at verse 31, it tells us that, it actually starts a lot like Mark, it says, since it was the day of preparation,

and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, there you see these people concerned about this law in Deuteronomy, for the Sabbath was a high day. They’re especially concerned because it’s the Passover. The Jews go and they ask Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Now, just to set some context for what’s happening here, the way that a person eventually expired on the cross was through a few things, but mostly through asphyxiation. So what would happen is that a person who was hanging on a cross, he would use his legs to sort of push up his body to take in the necessary oxygen to breathe. So one of the methods to expedite the death of a criminal on a cross was to go and break their legs, so that the person no longer had the strength in their legs

to pull themselves up to breathe, and this would speed up the process of asphyxiation. Now look back at John chapter 19 at verse 32. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. So the two criminals next to Jesus, both of their legs are broken. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Now file that in your mind for a moment, because we’ll circle back to that. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. So one of the methods used to verify that a person on a cross was already dead was to pierce his side. Now I don’t want to get into the gory or scientific details, but suffice to say that there is a physiological response

that happens when someone expires from a crucifixion. And a physiological response has this mix of water and blood that builds up just underneath the heart and the ribcage, just below the ribs. So a soldier to confirm death would pierce just under that, and if water and blood flowed out, then the soldier could verify death. This is precisely what happened just before the centurion came back to Pilate to confirm that Jesus was actually dead. So you have this Roman soldier who would have nothing to gain for bearing false testimony concerning Jesus’ actual death. There is the proof of blood and water that flowed from Jesus’ side that he was actually dead, which the soldier confirms. You have Joseph’s testimony, his eyewitness account. He was the one who actually removed Jesus’ body from the cross as he prepared that body for burial. And then if you look at verse 47 in Mark,

you have more eyewitness testimony. Verse 47, it says that Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw where he was laid. So they actually saw Jesus’ lifeless body being put into the tomb. So these women give eyewitness testimony to Joseph and another man carrying the body of Jesus into the tomb. You see, no matter how you feel about Jesus, whether you choose to reject him as Lord and Savior, whether you choose not to bend your knee at the lordship of Christ, there is overwhelming evidence that points to not just the reality of his death, but as we’ll see next week, his actual resurrection. And if every meticulous detail concerning his death is verifiable, and not just historically verifiable, but also prophetically fulfilled in Old Testament scriptures, then why would you doubt any of the other historical or prophetic claims of Jesus, including the reality of his resurrection?

Prophecy Fulfilled

Which brings us really to our second point, that the burial of Jesus fulfills prophecy concerning Jesus. Now to see this clearly, look again with me at John 19. John 19, starting at verse 33. It says, And he knows that he is telling the truth that you may also believe. Now just pause for a second. John, the gospel writer, does something incredible here. He is communicating this narrative. He’s telling you what happened to Jesus. And then he interjects this kind of sidestep and he says, I was present. I saw it with my own eyes. I bear witness to it. So that you may also believe. John gives eyewitness testimony to it. Then John goes on to say,

For these things took place that the scriptures might be fulfilled. Not one of his bones will be broken. And again, another scripture says, They will look on him whom they have pierced.

— John 19

(ESV)

Now why is this so important? Why does John emphasize this? Because what John gives eyewitness testimony to, With what happens in the death of Jesus, It prophetically fulfills scripture. John has an eyewitness account of prophecy being fulfilled. And more specifically, It prophetically points to Jesus fulfilling his role as the perfect Passover lamb. You see, the Passover, though it was a historical event, Though it really did happen. That God’s people sacrificed a lamb without blemish, And took the blood and painted it on their doorposts, So that the angel of death would pass over anyone who was covered by that blood. That event actually happened. But that event is actually a drama that prophetically points to Jesus. The perfect Passover lamb. Whose blood covers the sins of the world. And just look at how Jesus, in his death, Perfectly fulfills prophecy concerning this Passover lamb. I’ll just give you a few verses here.

Exodus 12, 46. Concerning the Passover lamb, or the Passover meal. It says, It shall be eaten in one house, You shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, And you shall not break any of its bones. Numbers 9, 12 says, They shall leave none of it until the morning, Nor break any of its bones. According to all the statutes for the Passover, they shall keep it. Psalm 34, 19-20. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones. And not one of them is broken. You see how this prophetically points to and fulfills Jesus as the perfect Passover lamb, whose bones will not be broken? This is why Jesus dies such a quick death. So that the soldiers could not break his legs. Because Jesus needed to be a perfect sacrificial lamb

Without blemish or defect. Meaning no broken bones. But it’s not just fulfilled prophecy concerning the Passover lamb Not having any bones broken. But it also fulfills prophecy concerning Jesus being pierced. Isaiah 53, 5. For he was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquity. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, And with his wounds we are healed. And then Andrew mentioned this last week in Zechariah 12, 10. It says, And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem A spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, So that when they look on me, On him who they have pierced, They shall mourn for him, As one mourns for an only child, Or an only begotten son, And weep bitterly over him, As one weeps for a firstborn. So there is prophecy concerning him being pierced. And more than that,

Jesus also fulfills prophecy in the manner in which his body is treated after death. Here you have this man, Joseph. It tells us that he is from Arimathea, A respected member of the council. In verse 43 it says, He was also looking for the kingdom of God. He took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. In Matthew’s gospel, It tells us that this man, Joseph, Was a rich man. Who was a member of the Sanhedrin. That this rich man goes and appeals to Pilate for the body of Jesus. And in so doing, Joseph fulfills Isaiah 53, 9. And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death. Although he had done no violence and there was no deceit in his mouth. Now, what does this mean? It means that Jesus, Along with the two other criminals,

After their death, Were to be discarded. In the place where they bury criminals. When the bodies of those who were crucified were not taken down by their family, To be given a proper burial, They would be eventually taken out after a few days, And then thrown into this kind of garbage dump just outside the walls of Jerusalem. Now, if you remember some time ago, We talked a little bit about this place outside of Jerusalem called the Valley of Hinnom. Or Gehenna. The dumpster fire. That’s what Jesus alluded to when he was speaking of what hell would be like. The flames that never go out and the worm that never dies. Well, this is where wicked criminals would be thrown. This would be their grave. Isaiah 53 is saying, He was supposed to be thrown out to the grave of Gehenna with the wicked. But instead, he’s given a rich man’s grave.

And Joseph of Arimathea, Who happens to be a rich man, Provides a proper grave for Jesus. But not only that, Psalm 1610 says, For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, Or let your Holy One see corruption. Now, what does this mean? Well, first, the word Sheol means grave. Essentially, this prophecy is saying that Jesus will not be left in the grave forever. Obviously, this is pointing to his resurrection. But when it says, You will not let your Holy One see corruption. Well, this actually is referencing two things. First, that Jesus’ body will not see decay. His body will not see decay. But also, that it will not be defiled by being thrown into that dumpster fire outside of Jerusalem, Where the wicked will be thrown out. So this prophecy is fulfilled When Joseph removes Jesus’ body from the cross, So that his body did not succumb to the elements or decay.

So that it would not be discarded with the wicked. And just a side note, That dumpster fire is most likely where the other bodies of the two other criminals were thrown. And discarded. But in the meticulous providence of God, He uses a rich man, Who was part of the religious elite. A council member of the Sanhedrin. The council responsible for securing the death of Jesus. God uses one of these men to secure the grave of Jesus. And that man just happens to be a rich man. And in so doing, he fulfills prophecy. You see brothers and sisters, this is too complicated. And it’s too cohesive to be a coincidence. The meticulous providence of God, And the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, Is amazingly accentuated in the burial of Jesus Christ. And then thirdly, the burial of Jesus produces boldness in confessing Jesus. Turn back with me to Mark 15 verse 43.

From Fear to Boldness

Now we read this before, but we’ll just read it again for context. Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, Who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, Took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. So here again you have this respected member of the Sanhedrin, Who takes courage. He’s bold and he goes and asks Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now don’t miss this most important statement here in this text. Joseph, a respected member of the council, Was also himself looking for the kingdom of God. That’s an interesting statement there. In Luke’s gospel, in chapter 23, verses 50 to 51, it says, Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, Who had not consented to their decision and action,

And he was looking for the kingdom of God. So now we’re getting a little bit more clarity here. In Matthew’s gospel account, chapter 27, verses 57 through 60, it says, When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, Who was also a disciple of Jesus. He was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. So he’s a good and righteous man. He did not consent to the way they treated Jesus. He was a disciple. And then in John’s account, chapter 19, verse 38, After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, But secretly, out of fear of the Jews, Asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. So here you have this man, Joseph, who was a bit of a closet Christian. Because he had an incredible fear of man.

He was private about it. And though he was a closet Christian and had incredible fear, He nonetheless is a religious man Who was waiting and looking for the Messiah to usher in the kingdom of God. He was a good and righteous man. He did not agree with the way that Jesus was treated. He was a disciple, which means he was a follower of Jesus. But because of fear, he lived a private Christian life. He was afraid to speak up to the council concerning the mistreatment of Jesus. So he quietly and covertly followed Jesus and watched from afar As Jesus died an unjust death. But you see, it was the death of Jesus That moves this man, Joseph, from fear to boldness. Now don’t underestimate what it meant for this man to go before Pilate To ask for the body of Jesus. This man goes before the Roman governor

And essentially asks that he might take and bury Perhaps the greatest political threat to Rome in this time. At this point, Jesus was the enemy of the state. So this man risks his own neck with the political leaders That he could take Jesus’ body and bury it. And if he does that, he runs the risk of being crucified For merely being associated with Jesus. Joseph risks losing his influence and reputation among the religious elite. Once the council finds out that Joseph went to Pilate To seek permission to bury the body of Jesus, Joseph risks being rejected by his religious community. And don’t underestimate what this would mean for a Jewish person in the first century. If you were rejected by the Jewish community, You were cut off from everything. You were cancelled. And far worse, Joseph knows what the council is capable of. He’s had a front row seat on all the manipulation of the situation.

How they slandered Jesus to secure his death. All the plotting and all the scheming that they’ve done to kill Jesus. He’s seen it. If they find out that Joseph is a Jesus sympathizer, The council could very well have him killed using the same manipulation and slander, Plotting and scheming. But you see, the death of Jesus, And the manner in which he dies, Bolsters Joseph’s boldness. And he does the unthinkable. He puts his fear to death. And he makes his Christianity public. And you know what’s crazy? Is that it’s not just Joseph. It’s not just one person that all of a sudden gets this courage. In John’s account, chapter 19, verse 39-40, it says, Nicodemus, Nicodemus also, Who earlier had come to Jesus by night, Came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, About 75 pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus. Nicodemus also, who previously came to Jesus by night,

Don’t miss that. Nicodemus came to Jesus, Veiled in the darkness. In the privacy of night. So as to avoid the scrutiny of the other religious men who would associate Nicodemus with Jesus. Here now, in the public eye, Nicodemus, also a closet Christian, makes his faith public. Nicodemus and Joseph, Two of the most prominent men in the religious community in their day, Make a very public profession of their faith. With their external and extravagant acts of devotion. Towards this dead Jesus. Here you get another kind of mini picture of baptism. With these men in their burial of Jesus. Faith professed publicly, Before the people, As they prepare Jesus for burial. Think about this for a second. These two men, Along with the Roman centurion, And the other criminal on the cross. They make a public profession of faith, Even before they see the proof of his lordship,

In the resurrection. They had faith, Before they could see. You remember two weeks ago, I mentioned to you that as Jesus was on the cross, And he was being mocked by the religious elite. Do you remember what they were saying to Jesus? In Mark 15, 32, it said, Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, That we may see and believe. They were requiring sight, evidence first, before they would believe. But Jesus didn’t come down from the cross. He died on the cross. But Nicodemus, And Joseph, And the centurion, And the criminal, Though they hadn’t seen the miracle of the resurrection, They still believed. Though Jesus died, They still believed that he was lord, And they hailed him as king Jesus, With their extravagant acts of devotion. Which brings us to our final point. The burial of Jesus inaugurates the exaltation of Jesus.

Joseph and Nicodemus take down the dead body of Jesus. And as they’re taking him down, They obviously see the humiliating sign that hung above Jesus’ lifeless body. The king of the Jews. And with every action from here forward, With Joseph and Nicodemus’ care for the body of Jesus, They begin to reverse the humiliation of a crucified criminal To an exalted messianic king. John 19, 40-41 says, So they took the body of Jesus, And bound it in linen cloths with the spices, As is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified, There was a garden. And in the garden, A new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. Joseph, in the providence of God, Long before he knew Jesus was the son of God, Had a tomb prepared for the death of a wealthy man. Most likely himself or another wealthy member of the family.

A glorious, extravagant tomb, Cut from stone, Set in the middle of a beautiful garden. And Joseph, knowing the incredible worth and value of this dead king, He gives Jesus this tomb that is fit for a king. And Nicodemus brings linen cloths and 75 pounds of burial spices, Which, by the way, is enough spice to bury a village of dead people. This kind of spice given to a normal person who died would be overkill. This amount would only be used for the burial of a king. And linen cloths, Well, they were reserved for the burial of kings. So these two men, In their extravagant acts of devotion, Prepare Jesus’ body for a burial worthy of royalty. I wonder if this reminds you of anything. Do you remember when we were going through Mark’s gospel in the beginning of chapter 15? There was another person who gave an extravagant act of devotion towards Jesus.

There was this woman with her expensive perfume, $27,000 worth of perfume. She breaks this flask of perfume and she pours all of it on Jesus As a public display of devotion. What beautifully ties these stories together is that they, Is that both demonstrations are used for the same purpose. To prepare the body of Jesus for burial. The kind of burial fit for a king. Remember what Jesus said to the disciples who were chastising this woman for wasting the perfume? Who had just spent $27,000 on Jesus? Jesus says to his disciples in Mark 14 8, She has done what she could. She has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And in our text this morning, you have these two religious leaders Who did what they could To prepare the body of Jesus for burial. I mean, look what you have here. Jesus dies a humiliating criminal’s death.

He suffered the mockery of the Roman soldiers With their makeshift tools. They held him as a fake king. But here, you have expensive perfume, Linen cloths, 75 pounds of spices, A rich man’s tomb that’s placed in the middle of the garden. These extravagant acts of devotion for a king Who is worthy to be exalted. Joseph and Nicodemus, with their extravagant acts, Well, they continue the chorus of Palm Sunday With the manner in which they bury Jesus. Their actions hail Jesus as the son of David. Their kingly burial of Jesus screams, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. It is amazing what these men do. They were cowards. They were overwhelmed by the fear of man. But at the burial of Jesus, at the death of Jesus, They’re full of courage. And they put on this public display of adoration and worship

The Exaltation Begins

To the God who is worthy of it. I want to close this morning by making just a few points of application from this text So that we don’t leave with just some history. There is overwhelming evidence Concerning the truth and reliability of the scriptures. The Bible is not like any other book ever made. It is a divinely inspired book. Breathed by God. Though human authors put it together, Those human authors were under the influence of God. The Bible is perfectly accurate. The more you read it, the more you see how perfectly accurate it is. Not only that, the more you read it, the more it matures you. The Bible has this supernatural effect on the lives of Christians Who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit calls to your attention and brings to life The profound truths that are contained in His word. So what this means, brothers and sisters,

Is that you need to confidently and consistently read your Bible. And know the scriptures. Your knowledge of God’s word will deepen your affections for Him. Your trust in the reliability of scripture will increase your faith. And not just that, your knowledge of the scripture will help you to effectively defend the faith. Listen, our faith is not a blind faith. It’s not. We are rational people. We serve a logical God. He’s given us reasonable faculties to understand the truth of God. Yes, God has given us new hearts and new minds to understand His word. But the evidence for the existence of God and the truth of His word is overwhelming. Listen, the evidence of what’s contained in the scriptures is not what convinces people. God must unlock the human heart to be sure. God must give us the eyes of faith to believe. But God uses this evidence of His word and the reliability of His word

As a means of opening up blind eyes to the truth. Evidence does help convince people when God is at work of opening their eyes. The Bible tells us to always be prepared to give a defense to anyone who asks for the reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and respect. Listen, brothers and sisters, you can’t explain and you can’t defend that which you don’t know. You need to know your Bible. So you need to immerse yourself in God’s word. The more you mine it, the more it matures you. The more confident in the trustworthiness of it you will become. Knowing your Bible will increase your assurance of salvation and make you bold. It will increase your faith. It will connect the dots and help you to navigate this post-truth world. Knowing your Bibles will give you everything you need to know for life and godliness.

Living the Truth

We must be people of the word. Which means we need to be opening up God’s word together. Not just on Sunday mornings, but all the time. Can I ask you a question this morning? When you gather together with other Christians in this community, do you open up God’s word? Or are you just hanging out? Christian community is defined by the God we serve and the way we search the scriptures to know the God we serve. Not by hanging out. Hanging out is a great gift from God. But are you designating any of that hangout time to mine God’s word together? To help each other grow in godliness? When you do that, brothers and sisters, that will make this community a mature Christian community. It will set us apart from all other communities in this world. That get together for all kinds of other reasons. Secondly, have you made your faith public?

Have you been baptized? Have you told the world that you are following Jesus no matter what the cost? Have you been thinking about baptism, but you’ve put it off for whatever reason? There might be a myriad of reasons. Don’t put it off any longer. Come and talk to one of the pastors today. And we will expedite your baptism. Help you to obey Jesus. The Bible knows nothing of a Christian who refuses to be baptized. He commands you to do it. So be bold and let’s get you baptized. Okay? Are you the kind of Christian who tends to hide your faith from your friends? Or your co-workers? Or even your family members because of fear of what it might cost you? Friendships? A promotion at work? Your comfort? Your social equity? You need to pray that God help you to be bold. Christ died and was buried for you.

He gave you a new life. The least you could do is tell people that he is your Lord and Savior. Be confident. The God you serve is the one true God. You should be willing to tell others about it. Every Christian should live a public Christianity. There is no such thing as a private Christian or a closet Christian. The Bible says let your light shine among men. Now listen, I know that’s hard. It’s easy for me to say that to you as your pastor. I know it’s hard. I know it’s hard. I know many of you struggle to do that. Even I can struggle to do that. If you do struggle, then you need to ask someone today. Ask someone in the sanctuary after the close of the service to pray with you. Tell them, I’m really struggling in this area. I find it difficult to be bold in my faith.

I get afraid when I get around other people. There’s opportunities that are there. I get nervous. I shut down. I don’t know what to say. Get with somebody today in this building. And pray that God would increase your courage. That he would make you bold so that you can be effective for God’s kingdom. Thirdly, are you living a life that seeks the exaltation of Jesus? And what I mean by that is that are you living in such a way that your life and attitude and actions give glory to God? Are you a worshiper? Are you a servant? Are you an extravagant giver? Are you dying daily to yourself? Are you risking your freedoms, your comforts, your time, and your things for Jesus? Listen, brothers and sisters. If we really believe that Jesus is king, then our lives and our actions should reflect that reality. And finally, because of the death and the burial and the resurrection of Jesus, we have no need to fear death.

Because just as Christ faced death and the grave, but rose to conquer death and the grave, so shall we who are buried in Christ, in his death, be raised to new life in Christ. So death for the Christian is not something to be feared. We have hope. Because we will be raised just like Jesus, though we mourn. Death is something we do mourn. But we don’t mourn like those who have no hope. We have hope. And the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus secures that hope. Can I ask you this morning, do you know this hope? Do you have this hope? What will you do when this life is over? To what will you appeal when you face the God who created everything and everyone to whom you are accountable to? Will you appeal to your good works? I was a good person. I tried really hard not to hurt people.

I gave to charities. Will you appeal to your humanitarian effort? Will you appeal to your social score? None of those things will be sufficient to save you. You need a perfect Passover lamb. You need someone to die in your place for the sins that you’ve committed. And that is Jesus. He died and his blood covers your sins. Have you trusted in this Jesus? Have you trusted in him? You can be a follower of Jesus if you would simply turn from your sin and trust in his life, death, and resurrection. You do that, you can be a Christian. The Bible says if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. You have all the evidence you need. Confess him. Embrace him. And you will be saved. And if you want to know more about what it means to be a follower of Jesus,

come and speak with anyone here. Anyone in this sanctuary would love to talk to you about Jesus. We’d love to help you know more about what it means to be a Christian. We’d love to help you understand Christianity and become a follower of Jesus. So don’t hesitate. Confess him today. Let’s pray. Our Father and our God, we do thank you for your word. We thank you that though it is a book that contains hard things, that reveals to us that you died a horrific death and was treated horribly, there is beauty in all that you accomplished through the death and burial and resurrection of your son. We pray, O Lord and God, that you would help us today to be better at mining your word, more committed to understanding the scriptures, that our community would be defined as people who zealously seek to know more and more about you through your word.

We pray, O Lord and God, that you would make us faithful and fearless Christians in this city. This city is dying. This city needs the light of the gospel to shine bright. Father, would you make us bold to be ambassadors of your kingdom so that many might come to know you and be saved. Father, we pray that our lives would be marked by extravagant acts of devotion, that every aspect of our life would seek to exalt you and hail you as king. And we pray, O Lord and God, that you would make us a community that encourages one another to celebrate and to revel in the reality that you have conquered death and that you’ve risen from the grave. You’ve secured all the hope we need to live courageous lives. We pray these things in the name of our risen king, Jesus. Amen.