FBCWest 687 | Buried According to the Scriptures
Recorded On: 11/23/2025
Bulletin
Hymn # 231 “Count Your Blessings”
SCRIPTURE READING – 1 Peter 3:8 - 12
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate
Praise and Worship
“In the Hose”
“Your Promises”
“This Is Amazing Grace”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Buried According to the Scriptures”
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“How Great Is Your Love”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Sermon Notes
Mark 15:42 Crucifixion happens on Day of Preparation before the Sabbath – that Sabbath was not Saturday
Mark 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea gets enough courage to ask for the body of Jesus
Mark 15:44 & 45 Making sure Jesus was dead, Pilate grants Joseph’s request
Mark 15:46 Joseph bought a linen sheet, wrapped Jesus’ body in it and placed Him in a hewn out rock for a tomb and a stone was placed at the entrance
Mark 15:47 Women observed where Jesus was buried so they could come back and properly bury Him
Isaiah 53:9 Prophecy concerning the burial of the Messiah
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
In our last message, we took a look at the crucifixion of Jesus, which was historically and spiritually really, really significant. Next message after this one, we will talk about what happened three days later, which again is a historically significant and spiritually significant situation. Unfortunately, in between those two events, there's oftentimes we just look at what happens as a bridge between the two events.
We're going to take a look at how important that bridge was that Jesus was buried and buried according to the Scriptures. I've usually never heard a message just on the burial of Jesus. I don't necessarily know why. I'm going to try to explain why I'm bringing this message. But usually what we hear, like last message, is on the crucifixion of Jesus.
That message will often be about the events, showing how the Jesus died according to the Scriptures or the spiritual implication that our sins have been forgiven, that we, because the Christ took the wrath of God upon Himself, we didn't get the mercies and the grace of God. So all of those messages are vital and important. And then on the other side, we have messages about what happens three days after this event.
And again, that's important and necessary and the reason for our faith. But there seems to be this situation where we deal with His death on the cross and Sunday as just a bridge. We just kind of, we got to get to Sunday, so we kind of get that context. But I want to show you that this, what is happening in this message, is more important than just a bridge. And I want us to consider that and I want us to understand how God is in control even when we don't necessarily see it. So if you have your Bibles and you should, turn to the gospel of Mark chapter 15 and we're going to start with verse 42. And this is this, when Aving had already come because there was a preparation day, that is the day before the Sabbath.
I want to stop there. All these people who are really biblical scholars don't understand the Scriptures. And I'm fighting this fight against tradition. And I'll tell you what that tradition is. That tradition is that Jesus died on a Friday. We have good Friday. We have all these services and whatever because they say, what was the day before the Sabbath?
Here's the clue. Saturday was not the only Sabbath. Path over is the Sabbath. 11 Bread is a Sabbath.
First fruits is a Sabbath. The blowing of trombone, young, is a Sabbath. The day of a torment was a Sabbath.
Shabbat, the day of, of, of, of, feast of boost was a Sabbath. There were seven Sabbaths in addition to Saturdays. The day of preparation wasn't Thursday. In this case, it was the day before, past over, when the lambs were being sacrificed. Jesus died while the lambs were being sacrificed because he is our Passover lamb. So I believe he died on a Wednesday. Therefore, you get Thursday in the grave, Friday in the grave, both of them Sabbath, and then Saturday a Sabbath.
So then when those three Sabbaths were concluded, the women could then do what they were going to do on a Sunday, but he wasn't there. So Jesus didn't die on a Friday. Now, if I'm wrong, and maybe there's a half a percent I am, I don't think God is going to hold it against me because I believe he was into tune for three days. And I don't want to come up with a partial day here and a partial day there and make God's word fit into my misunderstanding of what the Sabbath is. So Jesus died because of the day of preparation before the Sabbath. And so now because it's a Sabbath, there is a time set. We got to get what's done now done in approximately two hours.
So Joseph of Arimathea came. Now, Joseph, as it says, a prominent member of the council, he was a part of the Sanhedrin. He was a part of the council who condemned Jesus and then brought Jesus to pilot to have him executed.
The scriptures tell us that Joseph didn't consent to this, but he wasn't able to prevent it. And so he's this prominent member from Arimathea. Basically, he came from the place where Samuel was born. So there's a little connection there. So he was a member of the council whom self was waiting for the kingdom of God.
So he and us, it became a believer, but he was at this point, up to this point, a secret one. And he gathered up courage and went in before pilot and asked for the body of Jesus. This takes courage. We saw Peter who denied Jesus three times because they accused him of being with him. Jesus is now dead. If you would think there's any time when you would say, well, I'm not going to acknowledge being a believer.
It's when it seems at the lowest point that Jesus is now dead. What can he do for you? But Joseph decides that I am going to ask for the body of Jesus. And I'm going to care for it.
And I am taking a risk that I may be counted as one of those believers and that they may come after me, especially since I'm a part of the council, the ones who, the very ones who condemn Jesus. So he takes courage and he asks for the body of Jesus. Now, this is significant. And I'm going to mention that in just a moment. So pilot was wondering if he was dead by this time and summoning the Saturian. He questioned him as to whether he was already dead. Usually it takes a little while for a person to die on a cross. It can take as long as two or three days, maybe even more for them to.
So pilots going to web. Wait a minute. It's only been a few hours. Jesus has already dead. So he summons the Saturian, the one who's responsible for the execution. And the Saturian not only saw Jesus, saw the piercing of his body confirmed that he was dead.
So he comes to pilot and makes that same confirmation. Now, it's one thing for him to confirm it while Jesus's body is there. So another thing to come to his superior and give him wrong information.
So he says, yes. And he confirms that he's already dead. And after turning this from the Saturian, he granted the body to Joseph. Now this is significant. Because usually when a person was crucified, they just left him on the cross. For days and days, for scavengers to come and eat the body.
Because Rome wanted to make a point for days and days that you don't mess with Rome. So it was not common to take a person who had recently died off the cross. You wanted to keep him on the cross to make that maximum effect. But Joseph says, give me the body. And he grants the body.
Again, if they were going to take the body off the cross, usually what would happen with a criminal is they would bury him in an unmarked common grave, which would mean probably if Joseph had an ask for the body of Jesus, that he would have probably taken the two thieves that they crucified with Jesus. And Jesus's body dumped it in a pit, covered it over with no markings whatsoever, which would mean the following. No one would know where Jesus was buried, so you didn't know if he left the tomb. And even if you dug him up and he was missing, which of the three were missing? Because it had been at least three days, so there would be decomposition. So it is important that Jesus's body be taken care of because Sunday is coming.
This is why it's important. God is in control. And God is making sure that Jesus's body, even though dead, is going to follow scriptures, even when the law and custom is different. If they were going to grant the body of the deceased criminal, it would be to a family member. Joseph isn't a family member. As a matter of fact, he was one of the counsel who condemned Jesus.
So why Pilate would do so? Because God is in control. Maybe Pilate was hacked off at the council for demanding an instant man be condemned this way. And so he said, okay, you have the body. But for whatever reason, he grants the body, even though Joseph doesn't have any legal or moral ability to claim it, but Pilate grants it anyway. And Joseph bought a linen cloth and took him down. And it says he wrapped him in the linen cloth. Now, I want to stop there.
Mark and well as the other gospels, when it comes to this, and that's why I think a lot of people would just kind of pass over it. We didn't give us the full picture of what happened. So what happened was when they took the body down, I'm sure they took it to a place, and they did what was required under the law. They washed his body.
Now, they've got to accomplish this in about two hours because Passover is coming and sundown and so they've got to get this accomplished. Although the law does allow that if you are caring for a deceased body, that you can do that even on a Sabbath. But since Joseph is in the council, he wants to make sure. So he's got about two hours, but he's going to care for the body. So he washes it. And then he wraps it and not just a sheet, but a linen cloth.
A linen was more expensive than your common cotton or other type of material or wool in this case. He did linen. So he paints them expense. We are not also told in the other gospel that Nicodemus, another member of the council, who was a secret believer, brought a hundred pounds of murder and spices.
One of few pounds, a hundred pounds. Nicodemus was going to be extravagant in his caring for the body of Jesus. Not a few pounds, a hundred pounds. That means you're going to need people to carry that for you. And I'm sure both Joseph of Maranathia and Nicodemus had servants because they were wealthy. And so they had people. And so one went and bought the linen while the other, and they washed and they did whatever.
And they wrapped them. And then it says, and they laid him in a tomb, which had been hung out in the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
So Joseph put Jesus's body in his own tomb. Now again, this was under the Carvagus. This was something that took a lot of effort and expense to not just have a gravesite, but it did so in a tomb that had to be gung out. So it wasn't a natural cave. And then to make sure that the body was cared for, they put a stone over it, not to keep Jesus in, but to keep scavengers and others out, so that the body would be protected.
And so Jesus is placed in Joseph's tomb, which was an expensive burial place. Kind of reminds me of, I went to New Orleans several times in New Orleans because the water table is so high, they don't bury anybody. They put them in and little covers above ground. From there, you don't get it for eternity.
You don't pay for the little mausoleum. So take your bones out and put somebody else's in. And so if you ever go to New Orleans, you can go on a tour of the Cemetery and I'll tell you all these great things. But the intent was, Jesus was going to be buried there. And they put a hundred pounds of spices in there to make sure that it was well taken care of. Expensive gifts to a deceased king. They rolled a stone. When I was, I always kind of pictured a boulder, but that's not what it was.
Only what this was was like a round disk, almost like a millstone. And they would cut out in front of the opening a ditch and they would roll the stone into it, which would require several people to roll it out. We're also not told in this particular gospel that the religious leaders listen to what Jesus had to say, didn't believe it, but they said, you know, even though he was a, Jesus was accused of just of claiming to destroy the temple in Jerusalem and raise it up in three days, they said, you know, he told his disciples he come back. So they were concerned that the disciples might steal the body or whatever because they paid attention to what Jesus said, even though they didn't believe it, where the disciples didn't pay attention to what Jesus said.
And we're all depressed and didn't do what Jesus told them to do because Jesus said, I want to meet you in Galilee. They hung around in Jerusalem instead. And so they put a guard in front of the stone so they can make sure that the disciples didn't come roll the stone away and steal the body because we know now where Jesus is buried. He's buried in Joseph's tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph were looking on to see where he was laid. I think these two ladies are going there because they want to know where Jesus is because they want to properly take care of his body. They kind of remind me of my wife's.
When I was first married, I wanted to be a good husband. Now I wanted to be a good husband at the end of the marriage, but I always wanted to be a good husband. But early on, I wanted to be a good husband. And so when we would do laundry, we would do them. And so I would try to do things like fold the towels. I thought folding towels were just fold towels. You just fold towels. No, my wife said, there's a special way you fold the towel.
I think they're going, okay, yeah, Joseph's a rich guy and Nicodemus is a rich guy and they have servants, but they're not going to do it right. So we're going to find out where it is. We're going to come back and we're going to do it right because these guys don't know how even how to fold towels.
Okay, so they're observing because they want to make sure that he's properly buried. So they know exactly where Jesus is. He's not in an unmarked grave, buried with other people. He's placed in Joseph's tomb and they see where it is so they can come back after the three Sabbaths and care for it properly. Now this again shows a lot of love because if you remember the resurrection of Lazarus, he was dead four days and when Jesus was going to say, you know, they go, no, no, Lord, he stinks. You don't want to be involved. So Jesus is going to be dead, his body is going to be, quote, unquote, decomposed for three days.
It's in a tomb. There's no ventilation. So that stench is going to permeate that entire burial site, but their love for Jesus overcomes their senses, that they're willing to overcome the stench to make sure he's properly buried. So why is this burial so important? As I've talked before, Jesus died according to the scriptures.
As we took a look last time, all you had today take a look at Jesus's perspective of the Christ, Psalm 22. Isaiah talks about their other scriptures that talk about the way the Messiah dies. But the scriptures also say there's a way that Messiah would be buried. And Isaiah chapter 53 verse, I just says this, his grave was assigned with a wicked man, yet he was with a rich man in his death because he had done no violence nor was there any deceit in his mouth. The scriptures tell us that the plan was to just bury him with the other two executed thieves.
But because he was a righteous man, Pilate gave him the body of Jesus to Joseph to assign in his grave the body of a rich man. We have reasons for our faith. We have proof for our faith.
You see the world and all faith is just, you know, you, you hope for something and therefore you're not, no, no, the scriptures tell us you want to know whether Jesus was a Messiah, the sick, the son of God, how did he die? And his death kept showing us he is the Messiah. His burial will also confirm that he is the Messiah. We have proof and in three days from this time we will have even more proof that he is the Messiah. And before you say, well, you know, no faith is fake.
Let me tell you about scientists. There is this understanding that comments and comments have been in the news lately, or at least what should have been a comment. And the scientists say that basically, comment should only last 10,000 years because the ice eventually just falls off when it goes around the sun. So it should only last about 10,000 years. Yet the science tells us that the universe is billions of years old. So they're having difficulty saying, well, how do we talk about comments still existing if the universe is billions of years old? So guess what they came up with? They came up with what they called the orc cloud.
The orc cloud is, I guess, where the comments renew their ability to get ice. Does anybody know where the orc cloud is? No. But they believe it so. They have faith. My faith is not because I hope and I don't like the fact that Jesus divided me the sun of God and God might have created everything.
And so I come up with some fantastical idea with no proof. Jesus died according to the scriptures. Jesus was buried according to the scriptures. We are told some days in the near or distant future that there will be another plane in Christ who is the antichrist and he is going to die and resurrect according to that scripture. So when that happens and I'll give you a little clue, when somebody shot in the head, dead and comes back to life and he's a political power broker, that's the antichrist. So when you see that, you know who he is.
Well, when you see that Jesus died according to the scriptures and when you see that Jesus was buried according to the scriptures, guess what? He is who the scriptures tell us he is. And then amazingly in the next message, we're going to see the confirmation that he is who he said he was because he's going to rise again according to the scriptures and his body is not going to undergo decay. So the women who are concerned and all the spices that were placed there because he might stink, he doesn't because he never undergoes decay because it's according to the scripture. You have no reason to be intimidated because we believe or we believe because we don't believe it because we hope so we believe it because of the evidence of what took place. So the next time you hear the story, recount it in a sermon or whatever or this you're reading about Jesus's crucifixion, awesome. And the next time you read what we're going to take a look at, what happened on Sunday, awesome.
But don't discount what happened between the taking down on the cross and the resurrection because it also proves he is who he said he is. And we can have confidence in our faith. It is not blind faith. It is faith because God said this is what is going to happen and it happened. So as there are some people who say God said it, I believe it, that settles it, that's wrong. God said it, that settled it. Therefore, I believe it.
I encourage you, if you're struggling with your faith, see that Jesus is who he said he was because of the scriptures. And if you're not sure that Jesus is who he said he is, I encourage you to examine the scriptures. And you will find out he's exactly who he said he was.
And all God's people said.
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