Today's Passage - John 19:38-42

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english John 19: 38-42                                                         "Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate's permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds...."                  Two very special disciples of Jesus appeared when he was buried, one was Joseph of Arimathea, the other was Nicodemus; the two persons were secret disciples. Because he was a ruler and a teacher, Nicodemus worried being seen visiting Jesus during the day. What would people say? So he came to see Jesus in stealth and in secret, and asked Jesus the question of being born-again. Here it also says Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple because he feared the Jewish leaders. However, those two people decided to leave their secret behind when Jesus died, and openly declared they are disciples of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!                  Brothers and sisters, how encouraging it is to us! Have you ever been a secret Christian? We dare not to openly display our faith among our friends, relatives and family members, and we dare not to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, because we fear of being ridiculed once people know that we are Christians. Ask the Lord to have mercy on us the more we think about Jesus Christ's salvation, he was flogged, even hung on the cross, so much shame, yet Jesus is ready to bear for us this shame, then why would we only care to save our face and not willing to confess that Jesus Christ is our savior? Lord, help us!                  The two disciples offer us a good example: for an extended time in the past they followed as disciples secretly, but when Jesus died for them, they were ready to come before God to confess their sins, ready to exalt Jesus Christ, and to openly confess that Jesus Christ is their Lord. Now they no longer fear of the shame, because Jesus Christ has taken their shame! Are you willing to live for the Lord this way? If alive, it's living for Christ; if in death, it's for good since we are forever with the Lord. Hallelujah!                                  Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, thank you, because you are the utmost savior. Let our hearts once again feel your touch that we decide to live for you, alive or dead, Christ will be exalted in our bodies. We give thanks and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen.