The Precious Body of Jesus

Another one of those where it’s very easy to sing—the words are before you, the poetry is pleasant, the truth is affecting. But has it really become part of the fabric of our being? If the whole realm of nature were ours, would we even offer it? What we have in possession is ourselves, so we can only give what we have. And what you have is a life. You have a life. You’re to give it. Give it away. Don’t keep it to yourself. The day of seeing Christ is coming, and I think there will be certainly great realization at that time.

Luke 23. Over the past two Lord’s Days, we have traversed the scene Luke, under inspiration, gives us concerning the cross. We are now at verse 50, and we’re coming very near the end. I said, I don’t know how long ago, whether I would finish Luke before the end of the year. Probably not going to happen. I usually stop in December and give texts of Messiah, and I haven’t finished that yet, so we’ll come back to that, Lord willing. But we’re getting very close, aren’t we? Almost six years of coming back to Luke’s Gospel.

Someone asked me recently, “Are you going to preach John’s Gospel?” Well, I preached John’s Gospel when I was in Calgary, so it would feel like it’s not familiar to you, but it’s something I’ve already done, so I don’t plan to preach John’s Gospel anytime soon. One of the things I’ve committed to do years ago was to not become a lazy preacher, where you just preach old stuff over and over again, kind of microwaving old messages when it’s convenient. Sometimes you preach the same message; sometimes you do. You think, This is appropriate. Or you feel your mind being drawn to something you preached a long time ago, and it seems right for the occasion. So it does occur, but I never want to make a habit of it. I want to constantly be growing myself—my profiting up here before all—and you grow with me as we move through the Scriptures.

I haven’t yet decided; I have some thoughts about what we will do when, God willing, we complete the Gospel of Luke. But we’ll see what the Lord has in store. For now, we’re at verse 50 of Luke 23. This is the inspired Word of God. Look at Luke 23, verse 50:

“And behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor; and he was a good man and a just. The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them; he was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went on to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, where never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after and beheld the sepulcher and how his body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment.”

This, as I’ve said, is the eternal Word of our God. He has given it for our learning, for our instruction—not for any form of suggestion to us—but to be received and believed. And the people of God said, Amen. Let’s pray.

Lord, bless us here. We pray for the Holy Spirit—the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit upon the page of Scripture—that this portion would be illuminated, not by the effort of the flesh but by the ministry of the Holy Ghost. Make this an occasion, a confrontation. Lift this meeting from the realm of the ordinary into the realm of the extraordinary. Extend Thy kingdom. We’re conscious of an enemy. We’re conscious of his activity to hinder the gospel. We pray that he might be subdued and prevented, and that Thou wilt work powerfully, even beyond what we’re asking. Lord, work. Work here. Work in this meeting. Work in lives. Save the lost. Restore the backslidden. Move the impulses of Thy people to love Thee more. Hear us now. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul gives a summary statement of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ when he says, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” Often, when we state that or refer to the work of Jesus Christ, we talk about His death and His resurrection, but in that summary account, the apostle also includes, “and that He was buried.” This is not a detail to be overlooked; it’s not unimportant. In our Lord’s redemptive work, it is vital that there’s understanding concerning the burial of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Isaiah 53:9, the prophet, centuries before, records, “And he made or appointed or assigned, it could be translated, his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death.” The language of that is a little difficult, but the sense is that he had appointed or assigned his grave with the wicked—that’s what should have happened—yet with the rich in his death. And you can see that in what follows, the clause that follows: “because he had done no violence.” A reason given is that, even though the intention would be that his grave would be with the wicked, just like the other two malefactors who died with our Lord, yet what actually happens is he’s with the rich in his death. He’s assigned a place distinct from what should have happened because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Again, it comes down to the impeccable nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. It makes Him different. The perfect life of Jesus Christ is an essential part of the gospel. We see it borne out even in his burial. The fact that he lived the perfect life, obeyed the law in full, changes everything.

We are taught of the absence of corruption in relation to the body of our Lord Jesus. It was prophesied again in Psalm 16:10, “Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” That text is vital. It comes up in Acts 2; it comes up again in Acts 13, where it is used by the apostles to show that this was not true of David; it must therefore be fulfilled in the Messiah and was fulfilled in Jesus, the Son of David, who was crucified, buried, and rose again because His body did not see corruption. He saw that fulfilled in Himself.

So, with such significance, we’re not to view these closing verses of chapter 23 of Luke as if, well, we can just move past that and get to the resurrection. This is important. The detail concerning the burial of the Lord Jesus is crucial for us to meditate upon. We’re seeing something fulfilled. We’re seeing, in the aftermath of the crucifixion, God moving providentially, governing the details concerning the body of the Lord Jesus. Even as He is not able, as it were, because of His death, He’s not in any way involved consciously, as it were—if we can use that—and His humanity is not actively involved; He’s not making conscious decisions, yet God is sovereignly governing, providentially preserving the body of Jesus and fulfilling prophecy.

Luke doesn’t go into the detail that we find in John’s Gospel concerning how our Lord is kept from His legs being broken, but he gives some insight. And it comes here from verse 50 onward, the insight into this occasion of the burial of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Brought before us is a man by the name of Joseph. He comes from a place called Arimathea, and then after him, we have women also mentioned. We could suggest some that we think might be there, but let’s just keep them collective. These women also are there, and so there’s a focus then on two parties: there is Joseph of Arimathea, and the women. And these are the two main heads that we’re looking at here under the title, The Precious Body of Jesus.

The Precious Body of Jesus. I want us to see—this is really simple—the man who believed in the preciousness of His body and the women who believed in the preciousness of His body. These two parties understood something. I don’t know if they understood everything, but they understood something of the value of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, let’s look first at Joseph and the details given here.

We’re told in verse 50, “Behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor. He was a good man and a just.” The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them. He was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down and wrapped it in linen and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, where never man before was laid. God had a Joseph to take care of the infant Jesus. And now he has another Joseph to take care of the body of our Lord at His death. God is overruling in every detail.

And though we are told in 1 Corinthians 1 that “not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called,” here we have one of the exceptions: a nobleman, an aristocrat, it would seem, someone of rank, influence, and status in this world. He was of Arimathea—a place no longer known. Those who try to study these things out give some guesses as to where it might be, like Ramah, where Samuel was from, or someplace like that. But we don’t know; we don’t know for sure.

We’re told by John that he was a secret disciple, that he had a certain secrecy about the way in which he was believing in the Lord because of the fear of the Jews. Now, we can, I think, overplay that. I think sometimes we like to look at, Here’s Joseph of Arimathea, he’s a secret disciple, and we’re ready to pounce on him and make a whole lot of that, as if he were some tragic figure. But again, you have to keep the context in mind. Here’s a man who is—and this is where I’m not excusing it—but when you’re a common person, you don’t understand how other people live. There is a difference. People of status, people of position. I’m not understating their responsibility, and I’m not making excuses. But we have to recognize there are people of status.

There are these noble people that Paul deals with. There’s not many people like this. I know we all like to think we’re all the same, and by certain categorization, we are all the same—we’re all men, we’re all flesh and blood, we’re all sinners, and before God, I know all that’s true. But some people have status in this world. And they’re noble, they’re mighty, they’re different—they’re not like the rest of us. And to understand their position, the shoes they’re in whenever they are contemplating what they will give up in their loyalty to Christ is not the same as you face or I face. It’s different.

And I think we need to be conscious of that. We simplify things; we have this reductionistic mentality at times, and we don’t understand some of the complexities that certain people may find themselves in, and it makes a difference. I’m not excusing sin, but it makes a difference.

There are people I’ve met who, I think if they looked at Joseph of Arimathea, saw him sort of in this hidden fashion within what is probably the Sanhedrin, they would just say, Oh, he’s not a Christian; he’s not saved. Just dismiss it because he won’t openly come out and say, I believe in him and I follow him. They just dismiss immediately, He’s not saved.

But that’s not what the Scripture says about him.

I’m well aware there is a form of easy-believism, and we don’t want to elevate that. We don’t want to make it so that we make Christianity something cheap. But I’m also conscious of a kind of crackpot Christianity that defines justification by one’s own perception of their sanctification. So you’re looking at things, and you’re looking at things in terms of your own sanctification. You’re saying, He’s not a Christian. She’s not a believer. And again, we have to be really careful. There are people in Scripture that don’t always do everything they should do, and yet, they are the Lord’s.

And Joseph was no different, and he comes to the fore at a time when everyone else is afraid, when everyone else runs off, when no one else is thinking or even capable of doing what he is capable of doing.

A few things here as we consider Joseph. First of all, his capacity. So he’s a Jew from Arimathea; he’s a counselor. That’s what we’re told, a counselor (verse 50). What does this mean? Well, either he was a member of the Sanhedrin, or he was a member of the council that would have been around the high priest. I’m inclined to think that, because of the lack of detail here, it’s probably the Sanhedrin and some of the other things that seem to be assumed. He had not consented to the council, which seems to indicate that this is with reference to the Sanhedrin, which is the Jewish ruling council of the day.

And so he is a man of status, of position. Matthew describes him as rich, so he’s a man of wealth, a man of means, a man of authority. He’s also a man who is known because he was able to get access to Pilate. Ordinary people don’t walk up to the Roman governor at will. Joseph of Arimathea was a known character who had access to the other upper classes and significant characters of his day. When he walked in before Pilate, Pilate probably already knew who he was.

So, what he does here, few others could have done. God has His man for the hour and the hour for the man. So, he’s a man of position, of influence. He has this capacity as part of the ruling elite, and it would have made his allegiance to Christ risky. Risky. Risky for his family, risky for himself, risky for everything. He’s part of the group that condemned Jesus, yet he is, we’re told specifically, he did not consent (verse 51): “The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them.” He was not involved in that; he did not add his blessing to that.

But the time has come when he is being moved by the Holy Spirit to step forward. And his capacity now within the world is secondary to his standing in Christ and his allegiance to God’s Son. He is now going to step forward, whatever the cost, whatever will happen. He overcomes his fear of the Jews, the fear of losing status and power.

Now remember, for the apostles to overcome the fear of the Jews—which they had as well; it tells us that in John 20—they were all hidden away for fear of the Jews. It took a sight of the risen Christ to overcome their fear of the Jews. This was not the case for Joseph. He overcomes his fear here and now when our Lord is in this deceased state.

Not only then his capacity; think also of his character. Verse 50 tells us that he was a “good man and a just.” He’s a man of integrity. That’s what’s highlighted here. He’s not an ungodly wretch. He’s not a wicked man. He’s not part of the corruption that was often marking those in positions and status in his day. He is a man who is upstanding.

And so, unlike his peers in Israel, he did not participate in the wicked verdict that had been brought. He did not consent to it. And so, in many ways, he brings a very visible presentation of the first Psalm. He will not stand, or walk, rather, in the counsel of the ungodly. He’s different from them. He chooses the right path, willing to be identified with the Lord.

And he has this anticipation as well: “who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.” He’s a man with an active faith. He’s not just a religious man. He has this Simeon-like, Anna-like anticipation, which Luke introduced to us way back at the start of his gospel. Simeon’s looking for the coming Messiah. God has indicated to him he will see it before he dies. Anna also is praying and fasting and waiting on God, and then when she finds out, she goes and shares the news: Messiah has come to all those who look for redemption in Israel.

Well, he’s a similar kind of person. His heart is set on God’s promises. He’s waiting for the kingdom. The idea is he has a sense of looking for God, vindicating His promises regarding Messiah’s reign. All these promises that Messiah will come, he’s anticipating, looking toward, hoping, and praying will come to pass.

So, it’s an act of faith. He’s not just a religious man. He’s someone like what we’ve considered even this morning from Hebrews 11.

Note also his courage. Verse 52: “This man went unto Pilate and begged the body of Jesus.” Now he had been silent for a time, undercover, hiding away for fear of the Jews, concerned about the consequences of coming openly out to acknowledge and own Jesus Christ. But this is no longer the case. Mark’s Gospel (Mark 15:43) describes his actions here going to Pilate as he “went in boldly unto Pilate.”

Now, by doing that, Mark is adding a little sense of detail that should show you what was necessary to do this. It wasn’t just walking up to Pilate and saying, “Hey, can I have the body of Jesus?” Him going in there, him doing that, brought risk. To go before the Roman governor and take the body of Jesus Christ and ask for that incurred risk.

For one, Roman law, if someone died as a criminal, it would withhold, very often—with some exceptions—but very often would withhold the right to a legitimate burial. So, he’s going in to someone who’s been condemned to death like a criminal. He’s asking for His body because he wants to give Him a right burial. And Pilate could have read that as meaning, You’re against Rome. You’re undermining the decision that was made.

But of course, it goes beyond that. It goes to the fact that others would begin to be aware. This would now be openly known. Joseph can’t ask for the body of Jesus without that communicating something to all of those he used to be friends with. It’s going to change the relationship of most of the people in his life.

Again, remember the context; remember the time. He goes in to Pilate, begs the body of Jesus. He comes and requests this with fervency, with desire, with a sense that he will not be easily turned aside or told to go away. He is doing this when others are afraid, are sad, are losing any sense of stability in what they have lived for, for the last number of years.

With the faith of all the other followers of Jesus at a low ebb—most despairing too much to think anything but about their own disappointment and sorrow—here’s a man that the Spirit moves into action. So, he comes, determined that he’s going to do things right. And maybe, maybe it is the Word of God, the law of God, that is driving him.

Deuteronomy 21:22–23 says, “If a man has committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; for he that is hanged is accursed of God, that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.”

So, that may be feeding into his actions, too. He’s able to think biblically in a moment when tragedy has struck. He’s able to think biblically when everyone’s losing it. That shows leadership; it shows the character of the man. You will find that in times when things are not going well, when there’s tremendous difficulty in a family—news that is devastating, maybe loss of job, all sorts of other things that can really upend your world—it can be very revealing concerning character.

You don’t need character, really. I mean, well, it takes a different kind of character to coast through days of sunshine. When your life is unraveling, when nothing is going as you might plan, when the world seems to be crashing in upon you, what do you do then? How do you respond? Have you been there? Have you been tested in this way? Did you immediately collapse? Did you fall into a posture of questioning the wisdom of God? Did you become incapacitated, depressed? These are common responses. I’m not minimizing or suggesting that in some way you’re weak by such responses. But there is a certain strength in the person who can keep it together when no one else is doing so.

And it may have been that this passage of Scripture in Deuteronomy 21 is in the mind of Joseph. I think there’s more to it than that—I do, I honestly do—but it may have also been prompting him, that body needs to be dealt with according to God’s Word. So, he shows courage. He goes before Pilate. He’s now identifying with Jesus Christ. It’s going to be public knowledge, what he has done. The news is going to spread. Where’s his body? Where did he go? Where did they put him? He’s in the tomb owned by Joseph of Arimathea. There’s no hiding this.

You know, sometimes we think about courage. There’s a lot of discussion about courage. Books are written about courage. We read historical accounts that show courage, and I think sometimes people imagine that courage is something that can be taught, and it can, to a degree. But as far as the Christian is concerned, the variables at play are not just a linear thing, being courageous, having a character of courage. And we see this again in Scripture. We see how people who would tend to be courageous aren’t at certain occasions. You’re going to see it.

Luke gives the account to Theophilus when he’s already given it concerning Peter, right? He’s given the detail concerning him, normally courageous, but where is it now? Then how it comes back when he gets to the book of Acts, and Peter’s now standing before the multitude without fear. What’s the difference? Did Peter run off and go onto YouTube to listen to a TED Talk about courage? I’m going to do better! No! The Holy Spirit. If you want to be courageous—and this is not just for men; this is for men and women—if you want to be courageous, you need the Holy Spirit. It’s the Holy Spirit that will move you to obey God, even when the flesh calculates all the fears and feels afraid.

At this point, I would say to you that the Spirit of God is moving upon Joseph and revealing this courage, but also his conviction, verse 53: “And he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone wherein never man before was laid.” He has convictions about the body of Jesus. It needs to be treated right. It needs to be wrapped according to Jewish custom. It needs to be laid in a tomb, but not just any tomb. He lays it in a new tomb.

I don’t know if he understands all the theological significance of this. I don’t know, but I imagine he probably had that tomb there set aside for himself. It was prime real estate; it’s close to the city. It would have been expensive to own that particular lot, but he invested that money and invested it for himself, but now he’s giving it over. He’s giving it to his Lord. He’s treating His body, seeing its value, feeling a sense of the preciousness of Jesus even when He’s dead.

I don’t know; I imagine he has no idea he’s fulfilling Isaiah 53:9. I don’t think those things are in his mind. He’s just, with the impulse of conviction in his heart, saying, This body needs to be treated right. And why does it detail the fact that this tomb had never been—no one had ever laid in this tomb before? I don’t know if I have all the answers for you. Luke gave the account concerning Christ riding into Jerusalem, and again there was a colt upon which never man sat. I think there’s certain theological significance to the colt upon which never man sat and the tomb in which never man was laid.

There’s something there. It may relate to something of His person, the purity of His person, the power of His person. He can sit upon a colt not trained, and it’s completely compliant and obedient to Him. It hasn’t been tainted. It’s not anyone else’s property, as it were, in terms of their having governed it and controlled it, and so on. There may be something there which really ties back to His kingship. He can sit there and be sovereign over that creature.

But even to this tomb as well. Not tainted with the decayed body of another man. That’s something you can meditate on a little more yourself. Why is this? What’s the theological significance of a tomb where never man before was laid, and so it is for our Lord Jesus?

That covers Joseph of Arimathea. Now, let’s consider the women who believed in the preciousness of His body—not just the man, but the women.

Verse 54: “And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.” In other words, the Sabbath is pressing on. The time is passing; there isn’t much time left to do what needs to be done. And Luke, again, brings women to the fore. He’s been doing this throughout his gospel. We should not miss it. Culturally, 2,000 years ago, giving such attention to women would not have been common. Luke is constantly turning the spotlight onto the women who played a role in the plan of redemption, in the work of the Lord, in their involvement in God’s work and plan, and so on.

So here we have it again. We’re going to have it through the book of Acts. He keeps carrying this on—the women. They’re up in the upper room, praying with the women, and there’s this emphasis again on women, showing the importance of the sisters in the church. But note here, their commitment.

Their commitment. We’ve read verse 54, and now verse 55: “And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid.” These women had come from Galilee; they’d followed Jesus—a long journey. They had traversed everywhere He went, showing their deep devotion, showing their commitment. Again, where are the men? But the women are here. The word for “followed” implies that they had persistently accompanied the Lord Jesus to the end.

These are the women who were at the cross. Now they’re here, looking in the sepulcher, looking in the tomb, showing interest, showing again that sense of follow-through and commitment and devotion for the Lord Jesus. Their journey with Christ parallels the devotion of Ruth to Naomi: “Where thou goest, I will go.” This is these women coming from Galilee—wherever He goes, they follow. And even when He’s dead, and He’s not there to observe or see, when it’s not done for the eye of Jesus Christ, they’re still there following Him to the sepulcher, interested, concerned.

Despite the tragedy of the crucifixion, they did not abandon Christ. They were true followers. Did they sob? No doubt. Were they tearful? I imagine very much so. They followed after, consoling one another through their tears, sobbing sore as they beheld the sepulcher and how His body was laid. I can see them, I can see them there, gathered around the entrance into that tomb and just having a good old cry to themselves.

But they’re committed. It’s okay to be a believer and cry. Crying doesn’t mean you’re not committed. It’s a good thing. It’s a good thing to sob before the Lord, to sob there and allow whatever is the pain, the hurt, the sorrow, the grief—allow it all to just be poured out onto the Lord.

That’s their commitment. Now, let’s look at their care. “They followed after and beheld the sepulcher and how his body was laid.” They observed the tomb. They saw the body of Jesus. The word for “beheld” suggests careful attention. And from verse 56, it is clear to me that as they beheld, they saw things that were wanting, as women tend to do after men have done a job. They come in, and it’s lacking that feminine touch. It’s lacking something. Things have been left undone that need to be fixed and sorted out.

And so, while they sobbed and mourned and sorrowed over it, they saw that the Sabbath drew on. It’s coming near to an end, but there’s something that needs to be done. There needs to be proper care here. And it’s not that Joseph had been careless, not at all. In fact, we read from John’s Gospel that Nicodemus had come alongside. He’s with him, taking down the body. We’re told that he brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’ weight. So, Nicodemus, he threw his money in for the proper treatment of the Lord’s body.

So it wasn’t like it wasn’t done at all or wasn’t done properly. It just wasn’t done the way—it lacked something of that, those finishing touches. It’s like, the job’s done! But there are these subtle improvements that could be made.

So, that’s what they did. It was worth their time. The Sabbath is pressing on; it’s coming upon them quickly. And so you can see them with haste returning and preparing spices and ointments, trying to do what needs to be done, making preparations before the Sabbath comes. And so they’re going to do their work when they go, very early in the morning. You see that at the beginning of the next chapter: “They came to the sepulcher bringing the spices which they had prepared.” There’s just more to do. It shows their care. That’s really it. It shows their care.

They could have left it—A hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes and so on, that will do! But sometimes it’s not enough just to do a job at that level. To go above and beyond as a Christian, to go the second mile, to do more than might be expected. That’s what Paul said to Philemon, isn’t it? When he wrote to Philemon, saying, “Knowing that thou will do more than I say.” You’ll do more than I say. Because that’s what Christians do very often—they go above and beyond.

It shows how different people work together in the church. Joseph and Nicodemus did what they could do. In fact, they did things that the women could never do. But the women now are coming in to supplement, to add their touch. Maybe as they looked on and they thought about what they could add and what they could bring, if they had the spirit of some people, they would be looking on and saying, Why didn’t Joseph do this? Why didn’t Nicodemus do that? And criticizing. But they didn’t. They just saw where there was something they could contribute. They made preparations with haste and came as soon as the Sabbath was over to do what it was on their hearts to do.

It’s important, isn’t it? It’s important to see how the body works together, how we can all add these different things to what God has called us to. It’s one of the blessings I get to see here as I observe the differing gifts. One of the things that annoys me more than anything else is when one person elevates their particular ministry and is like, Why is not everyone else doing the thing that I’m doing? I’m going, If everyone did the thing that you’re doing, there’d be a ton of things not done at all. This is how it works. We find our place. We see our little niche—or what most people around here call niche. You know, you see your little area of service, This is what I can do.

There are people in this congregation; they see things and do things, and I am constantly humbled and amazed by it. I’m so glad they’re there. I’m so glad it’s not left up entirely to me. They have care in certain areas. Oh, beloved, don’t criticize others for what they’re not doing. Don’t try to guilt trip them. Don’t do those kinds of horizontal prayers in the prayer meeting. It really isn’t a prayer to God—it’s more just a shot at others. Why are you not doing this? Don’t do that. Don’t elevate your work above others. Just do what you’re called to do. You will give account for your work to God, not for theirs.

This is so simple; this is basic Christianity 101. Every man will give account of himself before God. You don’t need to be worried about other people. Get on with your calling and do it. The Lord will honor you.

There are certain people that need to be concerned about where people’s lives are and so on, in some areas. But it’s not your business to constantly tell people what their calling is. Just get on with your work.

Their contribution, verse 56: “prepared spices and ointments.” Very quickly they pulled together their resources. At personal cost, they got together what they could. It’s not just financial sacrifice. They’re putting in their time; they’re putting in the effort; they’re working with haste. Contribution. Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. These women love the Lord.

I mean, if anything could be seen as not worth it, it would be saying, *Well, His body is dead. Why bother? It’s gone. Why do you go to this effort?

It’s interesting how many times the Bible refers to women like those with the broken alabaster box, the anointing for His burial—all pointing to this occasion. And then here are the women again, who are adding to it, preparing for it. Again, great cost and sacrifice. These things matter. They matter.

Just because our Lord said, “Let the dead bury their dead, but go thou and preach the kingdom of God,” is not a blanket statement to avoid funerals and not care about the dead. That’s not what He was saying. That statement was in response to an excuse for why someone wouldn’t follow the Lord. You should attend funerals. You should be where the grieving are. And you should contribute what you can to alleviate their sorrow.

But also, note their compliance. Between verses 54 and 56, we see that the Sabbath is coming, and they’re not going to make an excuse for that. That requires certain behavior, a change in what they’re able to do, restrictions upon how they should use the day. And so they rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. They honored the Lord Jesus enough to recognize the importance of this and to obey the fourth commandment. And so they rest—they rest, and they needed it.

The emotional rollercoaster they had come through, and again, they would have been very inclined to stay busy—to stay busy in the midst of their sorrow. And there’s a Sabbath right there, just forcing them to stop. I think many don’t take the time in our day to contemplate what stopping does for us. Stop. From the creation of the world, God instituted a day where you stop. One day in seven, you stop. Not to do nothing, but so that you might engage in something that you need in order to maximize the rest of the week. You cease, and you celebrate. You rest, and you rejoice.

And we have an additional reason to do so, because this was instituted in light of creation, in which man is being told, Stop and look at the God who made this world. Just look at the creation of the world. He is your God. Ponder, worship.

Well, in addition to that, with the death and resurrection of Christ, there’s another significant aspect. It is the redemptive creation and redemption. We see the redemptive act, and again, think about this: If man was encouraged to stop and glorify God for His creation, what do you think are the implications after His work of redemption? That we ignore it, that we breeze through it, that it’s a second day of the weekend to do what we want? No, no, no; we’re getting this so wrong. This isn’t a message about the fourth commandment, but you have to understand—God has ordered the week. There must be a weekly rest so that you just cease and celebrate. You rest, you rejoice. This is true recreation, re-creation. It does something to the soul, to the inner man. It helps us with all the other burdens of life when we’re trying to keep ourselves so busy, busy just to keep our mind off things. God says, No, I want you to stop. I want you to think about what you’re going through. I want you to think about the hardship, and I want you to think about your God. I want you to think about Me.

Don’t just numb yourself through the hardship by keeping yourself busy like some kind of medicinal thing. Busyness is a medicine to stop us from thinking about what we’re going through. No. Stop. Think. Adore.

This came at a perfect time for these women, where they were forced to rest and ponder all that they had seen and all that had transpired. To have that compliance. To obey is better than sacrifice. So they were still submitting to the Lordship of Christ, even in His death.

You know, in reviewing this and thinking about this, I couldn’t help but see what may be a theological connection here in the treatment of the body of the Lord Jesus. The Apostle Paul shows that the church is the body of Christ. We’re members one of another. This was outlined in Romans 12, the chapter we’re trying to memorize as a church this year.

Our Lord is weighing, He is assessing, He is going to reward based on what we’ve learned—your treatment of the body of Jesus. He is going to assess and weigh your life based on your treatment of the body of Jesus. Go and read Matthew 25. Go and see when He has those on His right hand, and He’s going to reward them. “Because when they saw Him hungry, they gave Him meat. And thirsty, they gave Him drink. Naked, they clothed Him. In prison, they visited Him.” So on and so forth. And their response is, When did we see you, Jesus? Hungry, thirsty, naked, and so on. “When ye did it unto one of these, the least of these, my brethren.”

Let me just stop there. That’s what He’s thinking about. We have a lot of social groups today that take “the least of these” and align that terminology with people who are impoverished in some way. That’s not how Jesus is using the term. “The least of these, my brethren”—my needy people, my body. He is going to welcome with great joy those who have rightly treated His body, cared for, served, sacrificed, loved. And He’s going to reward on that day in ways that are going to make us say to ourselves, I wish I had done more.

And it all comes back to how we treated the body of Jesus. You’re to look at brothers and sisters and find the spices that you can give to one another, the fragrance that you can spread, the service you can perform, the help that you can offer, and see it as a joyful response to the cross.

It’s happening here; it’s all in light of the cross. The shadow of Calvary moves them to serve the body of Jesus, and so it should with us. There’s always room for growth here. I am thankful for what I see. Sincerely, I am. I am so thankful. I see works and deeds of kindness I could never express from the pulpit. It would be wrong to do so. But I see it. And that’s all I see—I can only refer to the things I see; there’s much I don’t see. I thank God for every action and impulse of love in this body. And I say to you, keep on. Don’t give up. Multiply if you can. Serve the body of Jesus. There is a great reward at the end. And we will receive, Well done, thou good and faithful servant.

May the Lord help us. Let’s bow together in prayer.

If you’re here tonight and you’re not saved, I want you to understand how important the death and burial of Jesus is. The burial shows that He really, truly died. And that’s significant. He needed to taste death for every man, as Hebrews 2 says. And that’s what gives you confidence. For those of us who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, given ourselves to Him—when we know that He died and was buried and yet rose again, it tells us something about what will occur to our loved ones as well. Though their bodies perish, yet due to their union with Jesus Christ, they will not remain that way. He that believeth in Me shall never die.

Seek the Lord. It’s the only way you’ll never see death.

Father, we pray, bless Your Word. Help us as we have contemplated and mused over these verses. How thankful we are for the people You have who rise to certain occasions, to do things that perhaps we might never be able to do. We pray that someday, and at various seasons, we might be those very people. A unique work that only we can do, a particular act and deed, a service, a word spoken that must come from us. Help us by the leading and empowering of Your Spirit to rise to those opportunities and to serve Thee. Help us, O God, to see the things that can be done, and grant us grace to follow through. We praise Thee for our Lord Jesus. We thank Thee for His loveliness, that He should be treated right, even in His death. We’re thankful for the reality that His body saw no corruption. What a wonder this is.

We pray then that You will bless us, increase our hope and expectation that we too will never die, that death, the greatest enemy, the last great enemy of men, has been harnessed in the hand of God to be the very portal to bring us into the presence of God. May we rejoice that that enemy is now an instrument in the hand of our God.

Be with us. Thank You again for Your mercy. Continue to lavish Your grace and power upon us as a body. Again, move the impulses of this congregation to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Bless our fellowship. Empower us for the week that lies ahead, and meet with us around the tables of fellowship.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Spirit be the portion of all the people of God, now and evermore. Amen.