Fearful to Fearless | John 19:38-42

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 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. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. — John 19:38-42

Most people know the accounts of Jesus’s death and resurrection regarding Easter. However, there are some details we often miss during the time between the two events. One is the account and details of his burial.

Most people don't realize that burial wasn’t guaranteed for the crucified. Victims were often left to rot on their crosses for days until vultures picked over their bodies. Eventually, guards would take what was left of their bodies and dump them in a mass grave.

This would have been the fate of Jesus's body if it had not been for two emboldened men. In the shadow of this dark moment, two men stood up and risked their reputations to request the body of Jesus. They were Joseph and Nicodemus.

Interestingly, it is these men because both, up until this moment, only secretly followed Jesus.

So, who were these guys?

Joseph and Nicodemus were wealthy and respected members of the highest Jewish leadership council. They maintained a quiet belief in Jesus but never publicly exposed these beliefs for fear of surrounding religious and political powers. You might remember Nicodemus because he was the man who initially came to Jesus by night to ask some questions about his teachings (John 3:1-21). Together, after Jesus's death, these two join an alliance to request his body and provide a proper burial for Jesus. Nicodemus provided a substantial amount of myrrh and aloes, weighing about seventy-five pounds, to prepare his body for burial.

We watch these men move from fearful believers to fearless followers in this event. Here, they did what followers do: They were willing to risk their money and reputations for Jesus, even before he was raised from the dead. They provided a proper burial and a tomb that Jesus wouldn't use for long.

In our spiritual lives, we should be moving in the same direction—from scared and secret to cashed-in, sold-out, risk-taking, financially invested believers in Jesus. So, where do you stand? Is there something you need to sacrifice to turn up your commitment to Jesus? But as you consider what you might need to do, remember that Jesus sacrificed everything for you.