This waiting expectantly for the coming of the Kingdom of God is a partnership. It is a covenant we as people of faith have made with God. This waiting expectantly for the coming of the Kingdom of God is the ultimate both/and statement because as people of faith, we know that God is at work in this world. And we have been called as partners in this important work.
August 8, 2021
Joseph of Arimathea
Luke 23: 50 – 53Pastor Heather McColl
Luke 23 : 50-53
The Burial of Jesus
Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.
That’s it. That is all we know about Joseph of Arimathea. Just a few lines written in each Gospel. Sure, each Gospel tells Joseph of Arimathea’s story just a little differently but in essence, his story is still the same. While we only can read just a few lines about Joseph of Arimathea, I am grateful that the Gospel writers decided to include his story. In his story, we find courage. We find strength. We find hope in the darkest moments. In Joseph of Arimathea’s story, we find a reminder that although our faith teaches us that this world will not have the last word, we realize that sometimes as people of faith we are called to step up, to step in, that we as people of faith are called to make sure that it doesn’t.
Joseph of Arimathea’s story reminds us that as people of faith, we are called to be a part of the Kingdom Building process, that we are called into action of justice-making. Joseph of Arimathea’s story reminds us that as people of faith, we are called into darkness, often doing the work no one else wants to do, doing the work which no one else is comfortable doing, that as people of faith, we are called to do the work of forwarding God’s plan, the work of transformation, the work of bringing about healing and wholeness so that love and light will always overcome.
Here’s what I mean by this: We are introduced to Joseph of Arimathea at the darkest moment of Jesus’ ministry. Jesus has been tried, crucified and now he has died. The twelve have betrayed him. They have denied him. They have abandoned him. Yet there is still Kingdom work to be done. According to custom, the body must be buried before it defiles the land. With the twelve no longer around to make sure this happens, suddenly Joseph of Arimathea appears on the scene. We are told that he was a member of the Council. We are told that he disagreed with the Council’s plan and action against Jesus. We are told that he goes to Pilate and asks for the body, that he takes it down, wraps it in linen cloth, and lays it in a tomb where no one laid.
In essence, we are told that he did the work no one else wanted or would do.
As I have lived with Joseph of Arimathea’s story, I have often wondered why he felt the need to step up, to step in and be the one who tends to Jesus’ body. I have often wondered what was it that inspired, that called, that stirred the spirit of Joseph of Arimathea to be the light during this darkest of moments in Jesus’ ministry. As I have lived with Joseph of Arimathea’s story, I have often wondered why he felt the need to tend to the one other deemed a criminal, to continue being a part of the work of the others called a false prophet. I have often wondered why he felt the need to literally pick up the pieces of a “failed” Messiah.
For me the answer to these questions can be found in verse 51: “he was waiting expectantly for the Kingdom of God.” This is the language of hope. This is the language of faith. This is the language of knowing that no matter what, this world will not have the last word, that even if we have to step in ourselves, we as Jesus’ disciples will make sure love and light will always find a way to overcome. You see, this phrase of “waiting expectantly” is language we often use during the season of Advent. It reminds us that the coming of the Kingdom is not a passive thing. Rather it is an active process. It is a journey which engages our whole being as people of faith. It is an invitation which calls us, which inspires us, which stirs our spirits. This waiting expectantly for the coming of the Kingdom of God is a partnership.
It is a covenant we as people of faith have made with God. This waiting expectantly for the coming of the Kingdom of God is the ultimate both/and statement because as people of faith, we know that God is at work in this world. And we have been called as partners in this important work. For me, what Joseph of Arimathea’s story teaches us is that in the darkest moments, even if we know how the story ends, even if we know that love and light will always have the last words, what Joseph of Arimathea’s story teaches us is that sometimes the only way love and light will have the last word is because we as people of faith have the courage, have the strength to step into the difficult work of Kingdom building, into the often painful work of justice making.
Sometimes the only way love and light will overcome is because we as people of faith have the courage, have the strength to step up, to step in and begin the tedious work of breaking down divisions, of creating connections in our community. Sometimes the only way this world does not have the last word is because we as people of faith have the courage, have the strength to be a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. What Joseph of Arimathea’s story teaches us is that as people of faith sometimes the only way hope remains is because we literally pick up the broken pieces caused by hate and hurt and we frame the narrative so that healing and wholeness can begin. Now, I wish I had a powerful sermon illustration to bring this point home but everyone has already heard the story of the starfish. You know the one where on a beach full of dying starfish, a guy sees another person picking up one starfish and throwing it back in the ocean. Then he tells that person you will never be able to save all of them to which the person responds yea but I made a difference in that one’s life.
I really wish I had a powerful sermon illustration to bring this point home but we have all heard the phrase in some shape of fashion that the Kingdom of God is not built on grand gestures. Rather instead it is built and shared through small acts of kindness. I really wish I had a powerful sermon illustration to bring this point home but unfortunately it has all become cliche and trite, two things which the Kingdom of God is not. So I will simply leave us with this…a fundamental Truth about our calling as disciples of Christ, a fundamental Truth about the new reality in which we live, a fundamental Truth which has been around since the beginning of time. In the difficult work of Kingdom-building, in the painful work of justice-making, in the often tedious work of creating connections in our community, the time has passed for us to sit around and wait for someone else to do it. The time has passed for us to sit around and wait for someone else to dream the dreams which inspire us, for someone else to vision out the ways for us to become the people God created and called us to be.
In the difficult work of Kingdom Building, in the painful work of justice making, in the often tedious work of creating connections in our community, the time has passed for us to wait passively. The time has passed for us to sit around and wait for someone else to step up, to step in, to lead us into becoming a vision of God’s Shalom fully realized here on Earth for all of God’s people. The fundamental Truth about our call as disciples of Christ, about this new reality in which we find ourselves, the fundamental Truth about the messy work of following Jesus Christ is that there is no one else. There is only us. Each and every one of us embracing the call to forward God’s plan. Each and every one of us accepting the invitation to join in partnership to bring about God’s Shalom here on Earth. There is only each and every one of us having the strength and the courage to step in, to step up making sure this world will not have the last word. May it be so.
Amen.
See also: Theology Tuesday for Sunday, August 8 – Joseph of Arimathea Luke 23: 50-53.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.