Holy Saturday: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus

-

Sometimes the most powerful acts of faith happen quietly, away from the crowds. They don’t come with fanfare or applause. They come in moments of risk, when love outweighs fear, and grace nudges someone to step forward. That’s what we see in Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus.

After Jesus died, Matthew tells us that “there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus” (Matthew 27:57). He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. John’s Gospel adds that Nicodemus came too, bringing “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds” (John 19:39). Together, they wrapped Jesus’ body and laid him in a tomb.

These two men had been quiet followers. Joseph was a member of the council. Nicodemus had come to Jesus by night. They had influence, wealth, and status. But in this moment, they risked it all to honor Christ. Their actions were not loud, but they were full of love. They didn’t preach a sermon or perform a miracle. They simply showed up when it mattered most. Their response wasn’t perfect, but it was real. It was the kind of holiness that shows up in service, in sacrifice, in love.

We often think holiness means doing big things. But sometimes it means doing the right thing quietly. It means showing up when others walk away. It means honoring Christ in the ordinary moments, when we care for someone, speak truth gently, or offer kindness without expecting anything in return.

Joseph and Nicodemus remind us that grace is always inviting us to respond. We don’t have to be loud. We just have to be faithful.

Reflection and Action

1.      What quiet acts of faith have shaped your journey with Christ?

2.     Where might God be inviting you to show up with courage and compassion?

3.     How can you honor Christ in the ordinary moments of your week?

4.     What fears do you need to entrust to God in order to respond more freely?

Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you felt nudged to act quietly but faithfully. What did you learn about God’s grace and your own courage?

Closing Prayer
Gracious God, thank you for the quiet courage of Joseph and Nicodemus. Thank you for the grace that stirs our hearts and invites us to respond. Help us to honor Christ in the ordinary and to show up with love when it matters most. Shape us by your Spirit into people of compassion, humility, and hope. In the name of Christ, Amen.

 

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An Unshakable Life: Holiness in a World of Distraction

-
  An Unshakable Life: Holiness in a World of Distraction Amos 8:1-12, Colossians 1:15-28, Luke 10:38-42 EUMC & BCUMC, July 20, 2025, Proper 11c An important theme in today's texts is Staying Focused on Priorities – Staying Focused on the Moment. Today's Gospel text – the story about Martha and Mary – is often unfairly and incorrectly used to say devotion to Christ is more important than service. That's not what's happening here. Jesus values service and action – remember the Parable of the Good Samaritan that comes right before this – context is important. The Greek word used here is diakonos (meaning “servant” or “minister”) and it embodies the Christian calling to live out faith through service. It reflects the church’s mission to care for others through acts of charity, compassion, and justice. This sacred responsibility takes many forms: humanitarian aid, working for social justice, and outreach to vulnerable communities. Diakonia, this service) isn...
Read more

An Inconvenient Gospel

-
  July 13, 2025 – EUMC & BCUMC – Proper 10, Ord 15 Deuteronomy 30:9-14 and Psalm 25:1-10, Colossians 1:1-14, Luke 10:25-37 Alan Swartz Have you ever wondered if good is good enough? I think of myself as a good person. I imagine all of us here today think of ourselves as good people. Isn’t that what God wants? I know I am a much better person than Adolph Hitler, or Joseph Stalin, or Jeffrey Dahmer. I mean, these were notoriously evil people. That is an easy comparison. Maybe I need to look around and see how I compare with others more like myself. I could check the social media feeds of other clergy or good Christian people that I know and see how I stack up. Ah, but the problem there is that I start to look and act an awful lot like the Pharisee who went to pray in the temple and seeing the sinner praying next to me I could plead, “Lord, I thank you that I am not like him!” (Luke 18:11) What am I to do? Bishop Gwinn encouraged pastors and church leaders to read the bo...
Read more

Choose Life - Grace That Empowers Decision

-
  Choose Life - Grace That Empowers Decision September 7, 2025 – Proper 18, Year C – EUMC & BCUMC Scripture Texts: Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Philemon 1:1-21; Luke 14:25-33 Introduction: Standing at the Crossroads Every day we make choices. Some are trivial—what to wear, what to eat for breakfast. Others carry weight that extends far beyond the moment. We choose careers that shape decades of our lives. We choose relationships that define our hearts. We choose words that can heal or wound. But among all the choices we face, there is one that stands above all others—a choice so fundamental that it determines the very meaning of our existence. Today’s scriptures present us with this ultimate choice, painted in the starkest possible terms: two ways of living that lead to vastly different destinations. From Moses’ final charge to the people of Israel to Jesus’ radical call to discipleship, we see the same profound truth echoing through the ages. God places before...
Read more