After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:38-42, NRSV)
I know why this day is called Good Friday, but I have always pondered this… I mean to me this is more of a Black Friday then the day after Thanksgiving… But yet there is hope even this day.
Today we celebrate the death of Jesus, the one who died on the cross for all of us. And even on that dark day as the curtain was torn in two there was hope.
You see Nicodemus was there. We has there as a Pharisee, but he as also there as a disciple of Christ, and that is the hope!
You see Nicodemus went from a person questioning Jesus under the cover of darkness, to one who spoke openly defending Him to the High Council when they were seeking His death, to a man openly in front of all in the day light removing a criminal from a cross and placing Him in a grave because that is what He deserved. You see Nicodemus is just like all of us, on a journey towards Jesus, learning who He is and allowing Him to effect our lives.
The hope of this dark day is even in His death He has an effect on our lives!
So never lose Hope in the loving, living Word of God!
aSacredRebel 