The message was brought by Rev. Tim Powers on August 23, 2026.
John 19:38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. 42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
Religion has some powerful people, then and now. A preacher cannot let his ministry go to his head. I’ve seen it. First thing you know he’s been caught up in something that brings reproach to the name of Jesus. In Jesus’ day, it was the religious leaders that were so much against him and had him crucified. In the second year of Jesus’ ministry people loved him. Emotional experiences don’t actually take a person far, not all the way to Calvary. We mess up, but we don’t live like we used to prior to Calvary. That’s the difference. A change happens at Calvary.
Joseph was a secret disciple. He held back. He saw what Jesus did and was doing, but with his friends he didn’t proclaim Jesus. Be careful today. We must boldly proclaim Jesus. Let’s look in a couple of other places to see what they say about Joseph.
Matthew 27:57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: 58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
Mark 15: 43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
Joseph was like some of the others, believing Jesus would take over Rome. He looked for the Messiah. Mark tells us he “waited for the kingdom of God.” Yet he was a secret disciple. After the crucifixion he boldly went to Pilate and “craved the body of Jesus.” Question: do you crave Jesus? Joseph told Pilate he needed Jesus. We don’t need anything else but Jesus. We gotta go to Calvary. Joseph saw it. The horrors. The mutilation. The last breath. He heard “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” Saw his head drop, his breathing stop. The cross wasn’t pleasant. It was graphic. A symbol of death with pungent smells. Smells of dirt and sweat and blood. We know what happens to the bowels when a person dies. Jesus wasn’t in that nice little loin cloth in paintings. He was naked. Joseph saw, heard, and smelled all this and it changed him. Isaiah said Jesus would make his grave with the rich. Joseph was rich; it was his tomb that Jesus was buried in.
Two secret disciples cared for the dead body of Jesus: Joseph and Nicodemus. There wasn’t much time because of the Sabbath. They took it down, cleaned it, applied some spices, and wrapped Jesus in clean linens; then they carried him to the tomb. The cross changed a secret disciple to boldly go beg for the body. Hope was gone; still he did this. In his new, unused tomb, Joseph put the body of Jesus. The door was shut. Pilate then sealed it. He wasn’t afraid anymore of what the others may think of him. He was bold now. Maybe those Old Testament scriptures he knew came to his mind and something happened. I believe he understood this wasn’t final. I believe he was of the crowd of 500 people who saw the risen Christ.
Before he went to Calvary, Joseph had a head knowledge of Jesus. People today have only that. Disciples (followers) who don’t really believe. They’ve never truly been to Calvary. This is where change occurs and why we must go there. Joseph saw it and it was horrible. But because of the hope of Sunday morning we can go there. We go and leave our dirty rags of sin. Leave the old person we were. The third day lets us become the new creature spoken of in the Bible.
After this, Joseph is not mentioned in scripture; there is some evidence he went to Britain to tell people about Jesus. About Calvary. About the resurrection. It was a place to leave the dirty rags behind and be wrapped in clean linen. We have dirty, rotten minds, mouths, and sins. When we go to Calvary, we can leave it behind.
Joseph came to Calvary a secret disciple but left a bold one. I went to Calvary 34 years ago. I left my old sinful self at Calvary and was raised a new man. Are you a secret disciple? An encounter with the cross, with Calvary, is what changes people. Come to Calvary!
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 