Secretly

How open are your beliefs?  I toss mine out publicly every morning for others to see.  Others don’t.  That does not mean their beliefs are not as strong as mine. I was reminded of that a couple of Sundays ago when the pastor’s scripture reference was in John 19.

The message was on ministry, and how it often was not what we expected.  Sometimes it’s not pretty.  It was a very good sermon and I have notes to look back to John 19 and other scriptures he used in explaining the subject.  But I also saw an anomaly in service.

Remember there had been twelve (now eleven with Judas’ death) men who traveled with Jesus for most of three years. We see one of them at the cross:

When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. (John 19:26-27 KJV)

The others who openly followed Him are not mentioned.  Only the Marys are.  The ones who followed Him secretly, though, are mentioned.

And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews,

Such a reversal!  Those who followed openly before are now hidden. One who followed in secret, out of fear, is now the one to care when the dream has died.

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. (John 19:38 KJV)

He had more to lose now than before.  Before there was hope for an earthly kingdom where Jesus’ followers would be powerful.  Here the hope died on the cross, yet Joseph approached Pilate and asked permission to bury his Lord.  And, he was not alone.

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. (John 19:39 KJV)

Another who sought Jesus in secret, yet in death ministered to the Lord openly.  How these two men must have cared for Him.  To provide a gravesite, take the body there along with His prophetic gift of myrrh, wrap His body in linen and prepare the tomb.

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. (John 19:40 KJV)

Can we minister for our Lord when it appears all hope is gone?  Can we continue to serve when it appears there is no one around who cares?  Can we give of our time, donate our belongings, when things seem to be at an end?

Joseph and Nicodemus did, and not in secret, either.