Preparing the Body

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at our Easter Sunrise Service on the 4th of April, 2021, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service due to constraints put in place due to the pandemic.  The service also included Holy Communion.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Please listen and follow along to what the Apostle Luke recorded for us, in the 23rd chapter of his Gospel account, verses 50 through 56, reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

50 Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. 51 He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. 54 That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

55 And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. 

--Luke 23:50-56 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, this morning we can rejoice, for You have resurrected our Lord Jesus!  You raised Him bodily from the grave so that He could defeat death.  And You and Jesus did it all just for us!  Your Son suffered, and You had to stand by and watch, just so we might enjoy everlasting life in paradise with You both… if we only believe in Him and follow His voice.  We believe, Lord Jesus.  We believe that You are the one true Son of God, and we believe that You rose bodily from the grave.  This morning we celebrate that glorious day.  Bless us Lord, and help us prepare ourselves for Your return.  Help us to better serve You and to never falter in our belief and faith.  In Your sweet name, Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.

You may find my choice of scripture a little odd for this morning.  The moments it describes actually took place shortly after Jesus breathed His last on the cross, on Friday evening just before sundown.  Our Lord’s body had been wrapped in burial cloths and placed in the tomb, but then everything stopped in observance of the Sabbath.

Some of the women who had followed Jesus down from Galilee had gotten oils and spices ready to anoint the body, but had to wait.  Luke mentions no names, but the Apostle Mark says these were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome.  The Apostle Matthew says it was just the two Mary’s.  But none of that matters at the moment.  What I want to point out is that they had every intention of properly preparing the body of Jesus for entombment, but did not get the chance to carry out their preparations.

As with many passages in our Bible, there are a number of very interesting aspects in this short reading.  The first is that this took place on Friday, which was the Jewish Day of Preparation.  Since no labor was allowed on the Sabbath, what we know as Saturday, folks had to get stuff done on Friday or it would have to wait until Sunday, the first day of the week.  So I find it a bit ironic that the women were not able to prepare the body of Jesus for burial before Preparation Day ended.

Of course, we today find this concept of not doing anything on the Sabbath somewhat nonsensical.  Most folks think nothing of mowing the grass or going shopping or even working at their place of employment on a Sunday, which is our “holy day”.  And surely something as important as preparing a body would be allowed.  Even Jesus noted that it is OK to do some things on the Sabbath, like healing the ill and infirm.

But back then, the religious leaders were very strict in seeing that the Sabbath was properly observed.  And those who had followed Jesus all this time were very much afraid to call any attention to themselves right then.  After all, if Jesus could be arrested, tried, and executed, they could easily suffer the same fate.  So the Day of Preparation ended without the body of Jesus being properly prepared.

Now, let me ask this…  What would they have prepared Jesus’ body for?  What purpose would the spices and fragrant oils have served?  The body had already been wrapped in linen, tradition burial cloth.  Why would the women want to anoint it, too?

Well, in that time, the spices and aromatic oils were used to mask the smell of decomposing flesh.  So you see, the women did not really expect Jesus to rise from the grave in three days like He had said.  They did not truly believe Him, in their heart of hearts.  They thought His body would rot and stink, just like every dead body has ever done and ever will do.

They had wanted to prepare Jesus’ body for that ultimate fate.  But they were prevented from doing so by the ending of the Day of Preparation and the onset of the Sabbath.  They were prevented from doing something that was not really necessary in the first place.  And they would have realized this, had they only believed Jesus.

Which brings me to why I wanted to look at this particular passage this morning.  The women wanted to do something they really didn’t need to do.  They had heard what Jesus said, they just didn’t truly believe what they heard.

Do we believe Him?  We know He told the truth because He did indeed rise from the grave on the third day.  But do we believe everything else He said, the stuff that hasn’t happened yet?  Do we believe it when He said He would come again someday to call His church home to Him?

We say the words and we profess it out loud, but do we truly believe it, down deep in our heart of hearts?  The women didn’t believe, and set out to do something that wasn’t necessary.  If we do believe, then what they wanted to do will be necessary for us.  We must prepare the body of Jesus, but not for burial.  We must prepare the body for resurrection and life eternal!

Family, we are the body!  We are the body of Christ Jesus, left on this earth to carry out His work!  And that is how we prepare the body for His return, by carrying out His work until that sweet day when He calls us home.

Let us do as He commands and love one another.  Let us go out and tell everyone all about Jesus and the Good News of forgiveness and eternal life through Him.  Let us make more disciples for Him so that more can come to know His love.  Let us prepare the body of Jesus for His return.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Lord Jesus Christ, Redeemer, Master…  You came as our Messiah, our Savior.  But You died on the cross, and for a moment the world lost hope.  Then You rose from the grave, just as You said You would, once again alive and full of life!  You conquered death and promised we would share in that victory if we would only believe in You and accept You as Lord.  As the sun rises on us this morning, just as it did on You so long ago, that promise remains our expected and anticipated hope.

Dear Lord, may our faith remain strong and not waiver during the tremendous trials of this present age.  May we be fully prepared for Your return, which You also promised.  May we fully grasp what You told us before, and what You are whispering now in our hearts.  May we serve You, with all that is in us.  This we pray, in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Master and Savior.

And now, Father God, hear us as we pray to You as Your Son Jesus taught us…  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.