“Joseph of Arimathea”

Scripture Reference: Mark 15: 42, 43

42It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached,
43Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body.
"There are two questions I wish to answer about Joseph of Arimathea…what caused Joseph to be a secret disciple? And, what cured him?

The one beautiful deed that shines out on the darkest day earth every saw is this deed of Joseph of Arimathea. Joseph was, according to the Gospels, the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus was crucified. A native of Arimathea, he was apparently a man of wealth, and probably a member of the Sanhedrin (which is the way bouleutēs, literally "counselor", is often interpreted in Matthew 27:57 and Luke 23:50). Joseph was an "honorable counselor, who waited (or "was searching") for the kingdom of God" (Mark 15:43), according to John 19:38 he was secretly a disciple of Jesus. As soon as he heard the news of Jesus' death, he "went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus."

Pilate, reassured by a centurion that the death had really taken place, allowed Joseph's request. Joseph immediately purchased fine linen (Mark 15:46) and proceeded to Golgotha to take the body down from the cross. There, assisted by Nicodemus, he took the body and wrapped it in the fine linen, sprinkling it with the myrrh and aloes that Nicodemus had brought (John 19:39). The body was then conveyed to a new tomb that had been hewn for Joseph himself out of a rock in his garden nearby. There they laid it, in the presence of Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of Jesus, and other women, and rolled a great stone to the entrance, and departed (Luke 23:53, 55). This was done speedily, "for the Sabbath was drawing on".

It is a touching thing to think that all around us are men and women who are secret disciples of Jesus. What caused Joseph to be a secret disciple? Fear was one of the causes. Riches another; also his high office.
What cured Joseph from secret discipleship? The death of Jesus cured him. The fact that he was needed cured him.

For your own sake and the joys involved, leave secret discipleship and follow Him public ally. For the sake of others, it is needful that you follow Christ public ally.

At the beginning of the Reformation, Martin of Basle came to the knowledge of the truth but was afraid. He wrote on leaf of parchment: “O most merciful Christ, I know that I can be saved only by the merit of thy blood. Holy Jesus, I acknowledge thy sufferings for me. I love thee! I love thee! Then he removed a stone from the wall of his chamber and hid it there. Found over 100 years later, about the same time – Martin Luther found truth and said –“My Lord has confessed me before men; I will not shrink from confessing Him before Kings.” The world knows that followed, and today reveres the name of Luther…who cares for Martin of Basle?