Nobody Wants to be like Him

In his book, Accidental Pharisees, Larry Osborne brings up some interesting ideas about Joseph of Arimathea.

Anyone who knows the Easter events knows that name. Joseph was the one who asked Pilate for the body of Christ. Joseph was the one who placed the body of Christ in his own tomb.

That's the only time he's mentioned in the Bible. But the Bible writers give us enough detail in the descriptive phrases to put together a picture of Joseph of Arimathea.

He was rich (Mt 27:57).

He was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council (Mk 15:43).

He was a good and righteous man who had not consented to the crucifixion of Jesus (Lk 23:50).

He was afraid of what other's thought of him (Jn 19:38). He kept the fact that he was a disciple of Jesus quiet because he was afraid of the repercussions to his career and social standing.

Osborne titled this chapter, The Disciple that No One Wants to Be.

When we talk about discipleship, we talk about sacrifice. We talk about living out our faith no matter the cost. We talk about fearing God rather than fearing man. We talk about standing up for what is right. We talk about separating from ungodly influences.

Joseph of Arimathea was just the opposite.

He was a wealthy, prominent political-religious leader who kept his devotion to Christ secret.

Until he was needed.

Normally, the bodies of the criminals who were crucified were not given the decency of a burial. Their corpses were thrown on to the city dump to be scavenged by dogs and birds.

But Joseph of Arimathea wanted to show respect to Jesus.

He had the means. He had the position. He had the courage.

He went to Pilate and asked for the body of his Savior.

He placed Jesus in his own tomb. His devotion to the Messiah would no longer be secret.

And this act of honor plays a big part in the resurrection.

No Joseph of Arimathea, no tomb.

No tomb, no guards in front of the tomb.

No tomb, no visible proof that Jesus had risen from the dead.

There are people who go to your church who are probably a lot like Joseph. And you wonder how they can claim to be a disciple.

They never go on a missions trip. They never give a testimony. They never help with VBS. They have got more resources than you do.

And yet they claim to be a disciple.

And we judge them because they aren't as on fire as we think they should be.

That's not our job. Paul wrote that it's not our job to judge another person's servant (Rom 15:1-4). The disciple who looks more like Joseph than we think he should, is not our disciple. It's not our role to judge him.

So stop it.