Okay, let's turn to John 19.
John 19, verse 38. After this, Joseph, after the
Lord Jesus Christ had been pierced in his side, coming out of his
side blood and water, After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a
disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, besought
Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave
him leave or permission. He came, therefore, and took
the body. of the blessed Savior. And there came also Nicodemus,
which at first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture
of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight. That's a lot of
aloes and myrrh, a hundred pound weight. No doubt he had some
help, no doubt very costly. They took the body, this body
that was specially prepared by God, manifest in the flesh, they
took the body and took these special clean claws and wrapped
it up and used the myrrh and the aloes and the spices and
buried the body of the Lord Jesus in this tomb which never a man
had laid. Now I'm entitling the message
from these verses that we've read earlier, the boldness The
boldness of true faith. The boldness of true faith. And
we see that demonstrated in these two men that are mentioned here,
Joseph and Nicodemus. At first, both Joseph and Nicodemus
were timid disciples. It says here in verse 38, secretly
for fear of the Jews, But now, both Joseph and Nicodemus, but
now with no fear of the Jews, and with great courage and with
great boldness, openly confess the Lord and identify with Him. And my friend, this is nothing
less than the actions and attributes of true saving faith. No longer ashamed, no longer
fearing, but boldly, openly, publicly identifying with the
Lord Jesus Christ. What made them so bold as to
beg for his body and to give the body of the Lord Jesus Christ
this very costly, honoring funeral, burial. I tell you what, I tell
you what they saw. They both saw in Jesus Christ
crucified their salvation accomplished. No doubt they were standing at
the cross when the Lord Jesus Christ was dying. They heard
the mocking jeer of others. But they had their ear tuned
in. You remember the sheep hear His
voice? They heard the Lord Jesus say, It is finished. And they saw in the Lord Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. They saw their salvation accomplished. And that gave them courage, that
gave them boldness. You see, true faith rests the
entire weight upon the Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Therefore, true faith, as these
men demonstrated, true faith commits all salvation, not some
of it, not part of it, true faith commits all salvation to His
performance. His faithfulness, His doing,
His dying, His righteousness, not ours. It's not that He does
a part and we do a part. He does it all. He is the Savior. So here we see these two men
from cowardice to courage. What made them to differ? Well, my friend, it's nothing
more than the grace of God. The blessed grace of God. Now,
let's look at these few verses here and see if we can glean
a few gospel thoughts. Beginning at verse 38, it says,
And Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of the Lord Jesus,
but, but, however, secretly, secretly, for fear, fear, fear
of the Jews, the religious Jews. Joseph, it says here, was a disciple,
a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, but at first, at a distance,
in a stealth way, in a secret way, at first, And I've said
over the years, and I still maintain, that the Lord Jesus Christ will
not have any secret disciples. They will be drawn out to Him.
publicly sooner or later will be drawn unto him. Remember our
Lord said no man can come unto me except my father which sent
me. Draw him. He will draw those out that are
his. We read in Jeremiah 31 where
the Lord said I've loved thee with an everlasting love therefore
with loving kindness I will draw you unto me. You may think that you can remain
being a secret disciple but if you're one of his elect He will
draw you out and He will draw you to Himself. We know about
some things about Joseph and we know some things about Nicodemus.
Let's talk about those two men for a moment. We know that Joseph,
he was a wealthy man. We read that in Matthew 27. And
it says there that he was a disciple of the Lord. In Luke 23 verse
50 and 51, it says there of Joseph that he was a good man. Joseph
of Arimathea, a good man and just. He was a good man and just
in the eyes of men. And then in Mark chapter 15 verse
42 and 43, it says that Joseph was an honorable man. waiting
for the kingdom of God, waiting for the Messiah to come, like
Simeon of old, waiting in the temple, waiting for the consolation
of Israel to appear, waiting for the Messiah, the Christ,
the Redeemer to come. We also learn that Joseph, being
a disciple of the Lord, And secretly, it says here, for fear, for fear. He was afraid of losing his office,
losing his reputation, maybe even losing his wealth. And here's
the reason why. Turn back to John chapter 12.
John chapter 12. Saving faith overcomes fear. Look what it says in John 12,
verse 12. 42 nevertheless among the chief rulers also many Believed
on him no doubt this covered Nicodemus and Joseph many believed
on him, but because of the Pharisees They did not confess him Lest
they should be put out of the synagogue and then look at the
next verse For they loved the praise of men the glory of man
more than the praise of God Did they really believe on him? No,
it appears that they were followers but not truly followers. Now we see a change in Joseph
of Arimathea. Now Joseph without fear and with
great boldness comes to Pilate and asks for the body, the dead
body of the blessed Savior that he might honor the Lord with
a proper burial. It says in Mark 15 that Joseph
went in boldly before Pilate and craved the body of the Lord
Jesus Christ. He craved him. That is, he begged
for his body. Now, what happened to this man?
Something happened. This man was a religious man,
an honorable man, a rich man. He was a good man and a just
man, but he was A secret man. What happened to this man? Now
he's out of the closet. I mean, he's out openly and boldly
confessing the Lord Jesus Christ. What happened to this man? God
did a work of grace in this man. Now this man, Joseph, been given
a new heart, a new nature, given true faith in Christ, no longer
ashamed of him, no longer fearing men but fearing God, now openly
confessing and identifying with the Lord Jesus Christ. Can't
you see a change in this man? I can. No longer fearing, but
confessing and identifying with the Lord in his death and with
his burial. No longer a secret disciple,
but rather a bold, courageous disciple. It reminds me of the
conversion of another. Turn over here to Acts chapter
9. How do you count for such a difference? In Acts chapter
9, look at verse 1. Acts 9 verse 1. Here's a Pharisee,
like Nicodemus, Saul of Tarsus, He called himself the Pharisees
of Pharisees. That's concerning the law. He
said, I was blameless. Saul, verse 1 of Acts 9, Saul,
yet breathing out, threatening of slaughter against the disciples
of the Lord, went into the high priest and asked for letters
that he might persecute those, not only in Jerusalem, but in
Damascus. because of those disciples believing
the gospel of Christ. But we know what happened here
in this chapter. It tells us about how Saul of
Tarsus met the risen, glorified, victorious Lord Jesus Christ
and was conquered by Him and was sent to preach the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now look at Acts chapter 9. Verse
20, in straight way, straight way, he preached, that is, this
Saul of Tarsus, this same man who was a persecutor, now is
a preacher. He preached Christ in the synagogue
that he is the Son of God. Now wait a minute, he just was
a persecutor. What happened? God did a work
of grace in his heart, gave him life, gave him salvation, made
him a new creature, gave him faith in Christ. But all that
heard him were amazed and said, Is not this he that destroyed
them, which called on the name, on this name in Jerusalem? And
he came here for that intent, that he might bring them bound
unto the chief priest. But Saul and Christ more in strength,
and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that
this is the very Christ of God." How can you account for such
a difference? I tell you, he met the Savior, he met the Master,
and was given faith in Christ Jesus. Now, look back to the
text, John 19 verse 39, verse 39, And there came also Nicodemus. Nicodemus, which at first came
to the Lord Jesus by night and brought a mixture of myrrh and
aloes, about a hundred pound weight. Here comes another man,
his name is Nicodemus, he is a Pharisee, he is a ruler of
the Jews, He was a teacher of Judaism, that is, he was a student
of Moses, and he taught salvation by doing the law. Now turn back
to John chapter 3. John chapter 3, we've seen and
we've studied this in John chapter 3, what the Lord Jesus Christ
told this Pharisee that must happen unto him. before he could
see the kingdom of God, before he could enter into the kingdom
of God. John 3 verse 1, there was a man of the Pharisees named
Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews. The same came to the Lord by
night. Then to him, Master, Rabbi, we
know that you're a teacher come from God. He didn't say, we know
you're a God. We know you're a teacher come
from God, where no man can do these miracles that you do, except
you are God. No, except God's with you. And
the Lord said to him, Nicodemus, here's your problem. Here's your
problem. You're religious. You think you're
a law keeper. You're going about to justify
yourself by the deeds of the law, but here's what you need.
Truly, truly, I say unto you, except you're born again, born
from above, you can't even see, understand, believe the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nicodemus said, well, how can
this be? How can a man be born when he's
old? Can he enter in a second time in his mother's womb and
be born? You know, he has no spiritual understanding, does
he? And the Lord said, verse 5, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, the
Word, and the Spirit. He cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. That which is born of the flesh
is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel
not that I say unto you, you must be born again. Just as the
wind blows where it will, and you hear the sound thereof, you
cannot tell where it comes and where it goes, so is everyone
that's born of the Spirit of God. Must, you must, Nicodemus. You're religious, but you're
lost. you must have this new birth, this new birth. Now we
see in John chapter 7, turn over there, we see another occasion
of Nicodemus in John chapter 7 verse 50. John chapter 7, we begin reading
at verse 45. Then came the officer to the
chief priests and Pharisees and said unto them, why didn't you
bring the Lord Jesus Christ back? The officer answered, Never man
spake like this man. Then answered them, the Pharisees,
Are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers of the
Pharisees believed on him? But this people who know not
the law, Look what they say here. Those people who know not the
law, they're cursed. No, curses everyone to continue.
It's not in all things which are written in the book of law
to do them. Nicodemus saith unto them, He that came to Jesus by
night being one of them, now he makes a weak defense. He comes to the Lord defense.
Doth our law judge any before it hear him? And know what he
doeth? And the Pharisees answered and
said to him, Art, you also of Galilee? Search and look for
out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went to his own
house. So he makes a weak defense trying to come to the Lord's
defense, but he doesn't openly and boldly confess at that time
that he is a believer. Now, Now though, we see Nicodemus
in John 19, now no longer coming in the cover of darkness, but
now coming openly and publicly with a great cost, brings a hundred
pounds of myrrh and aloes to prepare the Lord's body for burial
in this new tomb. Now how can you count for such
a change in Nicodemus? How can you account for such
a change in Joseph? I think that Nicodemus actually
experienced what the Lord told him must happen. I think he was
born of the Spirit of God. I believe he did enter into the
kingdom of God. I believe God did grant him faith,
the faith of God's elect. I believe he did and was born
from above and he did see the Lord Jesus Christ and him crucified
as all his salvation. Now verse 41, 42. Both Joseph,
they took the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now what a high
honor. What a high honor! This is God Almighty manifest
in the flesh. They took the body of the Lord
Jesus, that body that was specially prepared of God, wound it up
in this linen cloths, and with the spices as the manner of the
Jews is, to bury, and put him in this new tomb. were never
any man had ever laid. Both Joseph and Nicodemus had
the high honor, imagine you put yourself in their place, the
high honor of bearing The body, the privilege of preparing and
bearing the body of our blessed Redeemer, God our Savior. The Lord God Almighty raised
up these two men, gave them faith in Christ as all of their salvation,
prepared them, saved them by His grace that they might prepare
the body of the Savior to be buried in this new tomb. where never yet any man had ever
laid." Now, we can be assured of this. We can be assured of
this, that everything that was done that day was ordered in
the Creed of God. They wrapped this body in these
linen cloths, They covered his precious body, the one prepared
of God to suffer for our sins, with special prepared spices,
not to prevent corruption. Now you can talk to Brother Bob.
He was in the funeral business for 40 or 50 years. And when
a body dies, corruption sets in immediately, doesn't it? Matter
of fact, you put gloves on when you touch a corpse to prevent
disease from entering in your body. But the Lord Jesus Christ
here, even though they got this mixture of myrrh and aloes, they
didn't do that to preserve his body. Because his body saw no
corruption. Couldn't. Couldn't. Now, it says
in Psalm 16 verse 9, Psalm 16 verse 9, Therefore my heart is
glad, my glory, my soul rejoices, my flesh also shall rest in hope,
for thou wilt not leave my soul in the grave, neither wilt thou
suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Now where am I getting that?
Turn to Acts chapter 13. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
so completely, even though He bare our sin in His own body
on the tree, the Lord Jesus so completely and totally put away
our sin by the sacrifice of Himself, even though He died putting away
our sin and having done that so completely, there was no corruption
of sin in His holy spotless body. You see that? Now turn to Acts
chapter 13. Here's the Apostle Paul preaching
again in Acts chapter 13 verse 32. Acts 13 verse 32. We declare
unto you glad tidings You with me? How that the promise
which was made unto the fathers, Acts 13 verse 33, God hath fulfilled
the same unto us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus again,
as is written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have
I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised
him up from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he said
on this wise, I'll give you the sure mercies of David. delivered
for our offenses, raised again because he justified us, wherefore
he saith also in another psalm, thou shalt not suffer one thy
holy one to see corruption." They weren't trying to embalm
his body to preserve it from corruption. It couldn't corrupt.
It had no sin. Now that can't be true of us.
When our body dies, it's still a sinful body that will corrupt
back to the dust. For David, after he had served
his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was
laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption. That is the body
of David. But he whom God raised up, no
corruption, put away our sin. Be it known unto you therefore,
men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you
the forgiveness of sin, and by him all that believe are justified
from all things which you could not be justified by the law of
Moses. No corruption in his body, he
put away our sin. That's good news, isn't it? He
appeared once in the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself. Even in this We see the gospel in the linen, clean linen clothes
and in the spices in which they anointed his body. The wrapping
up of the body of Christ in this fine linen, was a token of His
purity and innocence, significant of that pure and spotless righteousness
that He had brought in for us, that He might clothe us with
the garments of salvation, with the robe of righteousness, for
He is the Lord our righteousness. The sprinkling of His body with
the spices may denote the fragrant and sweet aroma of Christ's death
unto the Father, God the Father, in whose sight it was precious.
whose sacrifice to him was a sweet-smelling savor, to whom Christ crucified
is most precious." Precious, precious. You remember Ephesians
chapter 5, where it says, "...be ye therefore followers of God
as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also had loved
us, and hath given himself for us, as an offering and sacrifice
unto God for a sweet, smelling aroma and savor unto God. By his death, sin is expiated,
right? Put away by the sacrifice of
himself. Here in his love, not that we
love God, but that he loved us, and that he sent his son to be
the sacrifice for our sin. By his death, sin is put away. By his death, the law of God
is fulfilled. For us, in precept and in penalty,
He redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse
for us. By His death, justice is satisfied. The guilty must die. And the
Lord Jesus Christ died for our sin according to scripture. By
his death we are reconciled unto God. God was in Christ reconciling
the world unto himself. By his death we have security
and salvation from condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation
to those who are in the Lord Jesus Christ. By his death we
see life and immortality brought through the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. We see death abolished. The Lord said, because I live,
you shall live also. Now notice in verse 40 and verse
41 and following. They took the body, wound it
up in these linen cloths, spices as the manner of the Jews is.
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden,
and in the garden a new sepulcher wherein never was yet man laid. There lay they, the Lord's body. Therefore, because of the Jews'
preparation day, the Passover, the sepulcher was nigh at hand."
Now notice carefully what they did. They buried his body. They buried his body in Joseph's
new tomb that Joseph had prepared carefully for himself and his
family, but he gave it to the Lord. Now why was all that done? You remember what it said in
Isaiah 53? It was done that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Isaiah 53 9 says, he made his grave with the wicked and with
the rich in his death, although he had done no violence, neither
was any deceit found in his mouth. This was Joseph's new tomb that
they laid the body of the Lord Jesus Christ in. They buried
him because he was dead. Sin demanded death. He died a
real death for us. Now, should a believer ever consider
having his body disposed of in any other manner? No. I've often been asked, and several
of you have asked me about this, should a believer be cremated
or buried? Now to me, the answer is obvious. Every believer that we read about
in Scripture was buried. Buried. Buried. While the Scriptures
do not give any explicit command, they do, in my opinion, clearly
indicate that the burial of our bodies is most consistent with
faith in Christ. We read of believers dying in
the Scripture. There's always a burial. We talked
about in 1 Samuel 28 when Samuel died, You remember what they did? They
lamented and then they buried his body. Please do that to me. When I die, bury my body. And if you go before me, I will
recommend that they bury your body. Our Lord was buried in
the earth because He died for our sin according to the Scripture.
And when we confess our Savior and our faith in Him by burial
in believers' baptism, we clearly set forth the gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ. There has to be a burial. And
that's what we see in the believer's baptism. There's a death and
a burial, identification and a resurrection with the Lord
Jesus Christ. Now, in closing, I want to give
you this. I want us to consider the attributes
of true saving faith as we have seen in Joseph and Nicodemus
at the crucifixion and death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The
faith of God the elect acknowledges the truth. And I want to bring
out four things, four things, and I won't keep you much longer,
but find 2 Timothy chapter 1. In saving faith there is a confidence,
there is a committal, There is a confession and there is a continuance. You got those four? There is
a confidence in Christ. There is a committal to Him.
There is confession, openly, publicly identifying with the
Lord Jesus Christ. And there is a continuance of
faith in Him. Now, 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy chapter
1. There is confidence. Saving faith
is confident and persuaded that He is able. 2nd Timothy chapter
1 Verse 11 and 12, Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, an
apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles, for the which cause
I suffer these things. Nevertheless I am not ashamed,
for I know whom I have believed, I know whom I am believing. Faith has knowledge of him, and
faith that is saving is persuaded, for I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded That he is able. That he is able. You see, saving
faith has confidence in Christ. That he is able. What persuasion
are you? I'm persuaded that he's able.
Abraham was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being persuaded
that all that God had promised, he is able to perform. We have
confidence in Christ, and we have no confidence in the flesh.
We are the true Israel, which worship God in the Spirit, that
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and we have no confidence in the
flesh. You see, in saving faith, there
is confidence in Christ, the Lord Jesus Christ, who He is,
and all that He has done. Secondly, in saving faith, there
is committal unto Him. Same scripture, 2 Timothy 1.12,
There is a commitment and committal unto Him. Joseph and Nicodemus
committed all their salvation to the doing of the Lord Jesus
Christ. I know whom I have believed and
I'm persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed
unto Him against that day. There's a committal of all my
righteousness to Him. There's a committal of all my
pardon unto Him. You see, it all is dependent
upon Him. I've committed everything to
Him. We have that old country saying,
I put all my eggs in one basket. You see, I'm committing all of
my salvation to His doing, His performance, His righteousness,
His salvation, His faithfulness. I've committed all to Him. I
have no other hope but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And
we openly confess Him. Never deny Him. In Him dwells
all the fullness of the Godhead bodily and in Christ we stand
complete. We've committed, haven't we?
Believers have committed everything to Christ. In the realm of salvation,
everything committed to Him. All my salvation is dependent
upon somebody. And it ain't me. I know that's
not good English, but it's good theology. It's all dependent
upon Him. On Him. I've committed everything
to Him. To Him. Not my baptism, not my
repentance. Saving faith looks to Christ. We read that in Hebrews 11 too. Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith. Okay. In saving faith, thirdly,
There's a confidence in Christ. There's a committing of everything,
salvations of the Lord. Committing everything unto Him.
Thirdly, there's a confession of Him. A confession of Him. Turn to Romans chapter 10. Romans
chapter 10. There's a confession. Romans
10, look at verse... Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to everyone that believeth. For Moses describeth
the righteousness which is of the law, but the man that doeth
them shall live in them. Verse 6, Romans 10. But the righteousness
which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thy hearts,
who shall ascend into heaven? That is, to bring Christ down
from above. Or who shall descend into the deep? That is, to bring
Christ up again from the dead. But what saith it? The word is
nigh thee, in thy heart and in thy mouth. in thy mouth, in thy
heart. That is the word of faith which
we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and believe in thine heart God raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved." Confessing Christ openly, publicly. With
the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation. Now what's our confession? Christ. Everything, for Scripture says,
Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed, for there is
no difference between Jew and Greek. The same Lord over all
is rich unto all that call upon him. for whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." So faith comes by
hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Saving faith has confidence
in Him. In saving faith there is a committal
to Him. In saving faith there is confession
of Christ, openly and publicly identifying with the Lord Jesus
Christ in believer's baptism, identifying with his people where
the gospel is preached, and identifying with the Lord Jesus Christ, the
one that has power over all flesh that should give eternal life
to as many as the Father hath given to him. And fourthly, there
is a continuance in faith. In saving faith there is a continuance. Now, we saw that. Turn back to
John chapter 8. There is a continuance. John chapter 8. That is, true
saving faith. Both Joseph of Arimathea and
Nicodemus died in faith. That's right. Preacher, how do
you know that? Because everyone who is a believer
dies in faith. There is a continuance in faith,
in saving faith. In John chapter 8 verse 30. As he spake these words, that
is the Lord Jesus, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those
Jews which believed on him, if you're really my disciple, if
you continue in my word, then are you my disciple indeed, and
you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Now, I just noticed this morning,
I've got a reference jotted down on verse 31, Colossians 1 verse
23, turn over there. If you continue in my word, then
you are my disciples. You see, saving faith perseveres. Saving faith does not quit. Colossians,
the book of Colossians, chapter 1. He made peace, look at verse
19. For it pleased the Father, Colossians 1.19. that in him
should all fullness dwell, having made peace through the blood
of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself. By him,
I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven,
he made peace by the blood of his cross. And you that were
sometimes alienated, enemies in your mind by wicked works,
yet now hath he reconciled he reckons out in the body of his
flesh to death, to present you holy, unblameable, unreprovable
in his sight, colon, If you continue in the faith, grounded, settled,
beat up, moved away from the hope of the gospel which you
heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven,
wherefore I, Paul, am made a minister." In saving faith there is a continuance,
a continuance, a perseverance in faith. And we are, we do persevere
because we're kept by the power of God. You remember our study
in Hebrews chapter three, we are made partakers of Christ
if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the
end. Saving faith does and will, and
I'll give you the reason why. God said, I will be their God
and they shall be my people. Jeremiah 32, let me just read
it for you. They shall be my people, I will
be their God. I'll give them one heart. one
way that they may fear me forever for the good of them and of their
children after them I'll make an everlasting covenant with
them I will not turn away from them to do them good I'll put
my fear in their heart that they shall not depart from me." We
can say with David although it be not so with my house. He made
with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and assured
this is all my hope and all my salvation." You see, in saving
faith, there is a confidence in Christ, there is a total committing
all of salvation unto Him, there is a confession of Him, and there
is a continuance looking, believing, coming unto
the Lord Jesus Christ.