Lent Gospel is a campaign for people to read through the whole of Mark’s Gospel during Lent, in 40 short readings. Helpful notes on each day's reading are available from www.usefulbible.com/lent-gospel; and you can download the whole series in PDF or Kindle format (it's free - just right-click on the links then select ‘save as...’ to download). Of course, it doesn’t have to be for Lent... why not begin now?
Last part: Dying – Day 37 – Mark 15:33-41
· Read: Mark 15:42-47
By all accounts, this Joseph from Arimathea was a remarkable man. He was a member of the Sanhedrin – the body of 70 leading priests, religious teachers and members of the aristocracy, who exercised both civil and religious rule as the Romans permitted. And Joseph was prominent among them.
Joseph showed tremendous courage to act as he did, and at that time, too. He knew that he was risking his reputation, his career and possibly his life – all for what seemed to others like a lost cause: the claims of a crucified would-be Messiah.
Joseph did that because – at the time when even the closest disciple was disowning Christ – he, Joseph, believed. Mark’s description of Joseph’s views is clear: ‘he (Joseph) was himself waiting for the kingdom of God.’ So Joseph knew his God; he believed and trusted that God’s rule would begin; and he was waiting and making himself ready for that event.
And that brings home a challenge to us. We have almost completed our readings in this Gospel: now we must act on its message. We must turn our vague beliefs into active trust in God. We must leave our sins and allow God to rule our lives.
Resurrection is coming – now is the time to get ready!
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Next part: Waiting – Day 39 – Mark 16:1-8 |
© 2012, Keith Simons.