Don't Wait. Take a Risk.
Joseph of Arimathea waited until it seemed like it was too late to take a risk for Jesus. Don't wait, but it's never too late.
Joseph of Arimathea is a fascinating character in the Bible. On the one hand, he is only mentioned at one point in the narrative of Jesus, but on the other hand, each of the four Gospels (stories of Jesus) mentions him by name at the exact same time in the storyline of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
If I were to sum up who Joseph was in a sentence, it would be this:
“Joseph was kind of a big deal; people knew him.”
The four different Gospels each give a slightly different set of descriptors of who Joseph was. In their recording, we find:
Joseph was a member of Sanhedrin, which was the high council or what we might call the Supreme Court for their Jewish world. (Mark 15 and Luke 23)
Joesph was rich. Matthew specifically mentions this in his Gospel, but Joseph owned his own tomb which was a sign of wealth. (Matthew 27)
Joseph was good and righteous. The Message version of the Bible uses the phrase good heart and good character. (Luke 23)
Joseph was waiting for the Kingdom of God. (Mark 15 and Luke 23)
Joseph was a secret disciple of Jesus. (John 19)
All of these facts about Joseph tell us while Joseph was a big deal in first-century Israel, he was different from many of the leaders and rulers of the time. He was devout to God not rules or tradition. He believed Jesus was something more than just another nutjob teacher. Joseph was anxious for God’s Kingdom to be established on earth.
But it was one important action that led to his inclusion in Jesus’ story.
Joseph of Arimathea took a risk.
After Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion, Joseph approached Pilate and requested to take the body of Jesus to bury Jesus in his tomb. With this permission, Joseph went with his friend Nicodemus to wrap and anoint (or embalm) Jesus’ body and place it in his tomb. Finally, Joseph rolled the stone at the entrance to the tomb.
The Gospel of Mark says in requesting Jesus’ body from Pilate, “Joseph of Arimathea took a risk.”
There are only 10 events mentioned in all four Gospels. Ten moments mattered enough for all four Gospel writers to include it in their stories. Joseph initiated one of these events. He risked his status and reputation to honor Jesus. For three years Joseph sat on the fence but no longer. He made a choice.
There are two ways we can look at the actions of Joseph. We can be inspired, and we can be warned.
Joseph of Arimathea is an inspiration.
We all should be inspired by Joseph. He should motivate us to take a risk with our faith. I should share Jesus when it’s uncomfortable. Give when it hurts. Stand up for justice.
In addition to the inspiration, be encouraged — risky choices weren’t a part of Joseph's natural disposition. The phrase “took a risk” is translated as “took courage” in the ESV and “courageously dared” in the Amplified Bible. The Message version says Joseph, “worked up his courage.”
Joseph wasn’t a risk-taker, so he had to work up his courage to take bold actions.
I’m more like Joseph than I like to admit. I too need to work up my courage more often than I’d like. May you be inspired to work up your courage to honor Jesus.
Joseph of Arimathea is a warning.
On the negative side, Joseph wasted three years of his life just secretly following Jesus. Luke tells us Joseph didn’t agree with the decision to kill Jesus, but he remained silent. He didn’t stand for the one he believed to be the Messiah. Joseph was worried about his position in the community.
In fact, Joseph waited until it looked like it was all over. Joseph didn’t move until Jesus was dead. No one expected Jesus to rise again, and while Joseph did take a risk, it wasn’t as great as had he acted just 12 hours earlier.
Your warning: don’t wait. Take the risk today. Share, give, and stand now.
Joseph was kind of a big deal in his day, but none of us would know his name (2000 years later) if he hadn’t worked up his courage and taken a risk.
Again, be encouraged. While it may seem too late, the greatest lesson you can learn is it’s never too late to take a risk.
Writing Playlist
I don’t know if we have the same taste in music, but here are some songs to explore. All the links go to Spotify. While writing this post, this is some of what I was listening to:
Firm Foundation (He’s Gonna Make a Way) - Maverick City
That Ain’t It - Zee, EGR, Miles Minnick
Chi Chi - Charlie Parker Quartet