Agent For God

I have been doing a great deal of reading in Revelation and Romans, but I need to get back to Mark and finish off thoughts - so close to the end of the book!

We are at Mark 15:42-47.
Jesus has died, skies darkened, earthquake and everyone has left ...

Mark records for us Peter's dialogue on Jesus' death and events to follow.  Matthew has more detail, so I will comment from Matthew's additional information, as well.

The Secret Agent
Joseph of Arimathia, a man we know little of, from a place which no one knows where it is!

Arimathia may well have been a place near to Jerusalem, because:
Joseph was a member of the council.
So he had to attend so form of meetings.

In Luke 23:50-51 - Joseph, as a member of the council, did not agree to send Jesus to Pilate for judgement!
Did Joseph follow Jesus in some way?
Did he believe that Jesus was the Messiah?
If so, was he open about this belief?

But, we are not to be secret agents for Jesus.
We are to be open about our belief in Him.
We are to be ready examples - human, relying on Him moment by moment.
We are to share success and failure - be transparent!
We are to be there for others.
We are represent God in a post-Christian age, not so unlike what the Apostles faced.

God's Person
Joseph only had three hours in which to act.
With Nicodemus, he faced Pilate, retrieved the body and got it into the tomb!

You must do God's work.
You must be God's example.
You must be where God places you.
You must act in God's timing - not your own!

Develop your character - do not conform to the world nor its values.
Seize the opportunities that God presents to you.
Have the courage to do as you are led.
Give it your best effort - put your "all" into each and every effort.

Understand that success may not be the point of your assignment.
Remember any reward is not in this life.
God may still reward as He pleases.

Remember The Burial
In the years to follow, so many argued that Jesus did not exist.
Yet, his undisputed burial shows he did exist.
He did have a body.
This is the prelude to the Resurrection!

What Joseph faced in first century Jerusalem, in front of his co-council members, family and friends, he did something which separated himself from all of them!
He made himself ceremonially unclean.
He could not now attend Synagogue until declared clean.
And now whom would trust him ....


The problem of being a secret agent for God - you will have no witness, no impact, no success, no reward ...