Luke Part 3 Week 28

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

Luke 23:50-51 

⁵⁰ Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, ⁵¹ but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.  

Joseph of Arimathea was on the Jewish Supreme Court, known as the Sanhedrin. Although he had disagreed with the other religious leaders he apparently did not make it public or he would have been excommunicated from this high court. The gospel writer Luke described him as “a good and righteous man” and one who was “waiting for the Kingdom of God to come.” 

REFLECT 

This passage reveals that Joseph of Arimathea had kept silent about his disagreement with the religious leaders, but now that is about to change. 

RESPOND 

Visit with a friend and pray for leaders who may be in high levels of government. They need wisdom about whether to speak up when they disagree with unbelievers.  

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

Luke 23:52-54 

⁵² He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. ⁵³ Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. ⁵⁴ This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin. 

Now Joseph of Arimathea is so bold that he goes to Pilate and asks to have the body of Jesus. Notice the Jewish custom of preparing one for burial. The body was wrapped with a sheet of linen cloth. Other details are mentioned in the other gospel accounts. 

REFLECT 

Think about a secret believer coming forward when the disciples were in hiding. If the leader had been taken, they might be next. Think about when persecution comes, some not known as believers in Jesus may step forward while others who had been outspoken for Jesus are in hiding. 

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in reading other gospel accounts, such as Matthew 27:57-61 to learn of other details about this time. See also Mark 15:42-47 and John 19:38-42. Notice in the John account that Nicodemus also came with Joseph of Arimathea to care for the body of Jesus. Nicodemus brought “about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.” Apparently this was spread over the linen in which the body was wrapped.  

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

Luke 23:55-56 

⁵⁵ As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. ⁵⁶ Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law. 

The women from Galilee who had been following Jesus “went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body.” Once Friday evening began, however, that was the beginning of the Sabbath and, following Old Testament law and customs, they could do no more work. They would not be able to work again until the Sabbath ended on Saturday evening.  

REFLECT 

Notice how at this time the people were still living under the rules and regulations of the Old Testament. This was before the Church age began as recorded in Acts 2. 

RESPOND 

Visit with a friend about how the Sabbath day was given by God to Israel as a sign of the covenant He had with them. See Exodus 31:12-17 that establishes this. Notice that those who profaned the Sabbath in those days would be put to death. Although some today insist on keeping Saturday as a Sabbath; they do not put to death those who refuse to keep it. 

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

Luke 24:1-4 

¹ But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ³ So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. 

Now that the Sabbath was over the women went to Jesus’ tomb with their spices. To their surprise the large stone had been rolled away from the entrance. Courageously, they went in the tomb but the body of Jesus was not there! Two angels, appearing as men, suddenly appeared to them.  

REFLECT 

Wouldn’t you also be shocked when the two men appeared in the tomb? 

RESPOND 

Notice this occurred Sunday morning. That is an extremely important time in the Christian calendar. Many churches have a sunrise service to commemorate the empty tomb and resurrection of Jesus on what is now called “Easter Sunday.” It was not called that at the time. 

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

Luke 24:5-7 

⁵ The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.” 

It is understandable that the women were terrified at what was happening. They bowed to the ground, but the men asked why they were looking for the dead among the living. Then they announced about Jesus, “He is risen from the dead.” This gave rise to the tradition of saying, “He is risen!” and others responding, “He is risen indeed!” 

REFLECT 

Has it been the custom where you live to call out on Easter Sunday, “He is risen!”? If so, do others respond? 

RESPOND 

The angels in human form in the tomb reminded the women that Jesus had told them in Galilee what would happen to Him. Because no one had ever risen from the dead like this it was a statement too incredible to believe. Now they had come face to face with the truth of it.