April 23, 2010
OH, HOW PRECIOUS IS THE BODY OF CHRIST!
Matthew 27:57-66
Bobby Gilpin
Central Truth
Don’t mess with God’s plan to love and protect His Church.
Key Verse | Matthew 27:66
And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone. (Matthew 27:66)
Matthew 27:57-66
Jesus Is Buried
57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
The Guard at the Tomb
62 The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” 65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard 1 27:65 Or Take a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.
Dive Deeper | Matthew 27:57-66
Unlike most of Christ’s followers that day, Joseph risked his own security to align himself with Jesus, an executed enemy of Rome and Israel. In a time of great despair, he lovingly cared for the body of Christ.
God protected the Lord's body as His enemies feared that Christ’s followers would try to steal His body. His enemies' efforts actually added credibility to the resurrection and, therefore, the hope of the gospel of Christ that the disciples taught. This teaching has grown in the hearts of followers of Christ over the years and is manifested today in the Church (Colossians 1:23-25).
As in the days that Christ’s body was in the tomb, despair often enters the lives of believers. When our difficulties send us to the depths of despair, we can seal ourselves into emotional graves. For weeks after my stroke, I lay helpless in the hospital bed fading in and out of consciousness. The future was decidedly bleak. Would I ever lead a normal life again? Would I ever sit up? Feed and dress myself? Walk?
In spite of my doubts, each waking moment brought visions of diligent caregivers, family, and friends. They surrounded my bed in prayer. When I came home from the hospital, they visited and encouraged my family, brought meals for months, and invited me to their homes despite the difficulty of dealing with my wheelchair and me. They became my hands and feet, making household repairs that I longed to do myself. They cleaned out the attic and garage, painted walls, installed molding and much more to prepare our home of 39 years to be sold. They helped with our subsequent move. They made sure I got to men’s Bible study. They have listened, laughed, and cried with us. They rejoiced with every new move of a finger and, eventually, with my first shaky steps.
They continue to be patient with my afflictions as I adjust to the “new Bobby” who has, through them, learned joy in humility and in accepting the kindness of others.
Oh, how precious is the body of Christ! (Romans 12:5).
Discussion Questions
1. What specific way can you love someone today as Christ loved the Church?
2. Do you allow others to give the love of Christ to you?
3. Do you have more than one person to whom you can go with your despair?
4. Does your affiliation with the body of Christ include some risk?
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What did the priests and the Pharisees come to talk about with Pilate?
2. What did they do to keep Jesus’ body from being stolen?
3. What did Jesus say would happen on the third day? Do you think the sealed tomb will keep God from raising Jesus from the dead?