Honor God! : Luke 23:50-56 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

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Honor God! - Luke 23:50-56

A man was there from the Jewish town of Arimathea. His name was Joseph. He was a good man, who lived the way God wanted. He was waiting for God's kingdom to come. Joseph was a member of the Jewish council. But he did not agree when the other Jewish leaders decided to kill Jesus. Joseph went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. {Pilate let Joseph have the body.} So Joseph took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in cloth. Then he put Jesus' body in a tomb (grave) that was dug in a wall of rock. This tomb had never been used before. This was late on Preparation day. When the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin. The women that had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph. They saw the tomb. Inside they saw where the body of Jesus was put. Then the women left to prepare some sweet-smelling spices {to put on Jesus' body}. On the Sabbath day they rested. The law of Moses commanded all people to do this. (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

What do you do when all seems lost and life makes no sense? Joseph and the women are our example to follow in the worst moments of horror in our lives. They do the decent, kind, and generous thing -- they honor Jesus in his death with a decent and honorable burial even though it involved personal cost and great danger. Second, they honored the will of God as they knew it from Scripture even though all seemed lost -- they honored the Sabbath as required by the Law. We will all face times of desperation and trial. Let's remember the examples of Joseph and the women. Often these actions, infused with the help of God's Spirit, are what we most need to get us through the time of horror and to prepare us for the joy that is on the horizon.

Today's Prayer

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Holy and tender Father, please give me the courage to not give up my faith in the difficult times I will face in my life. Give me the faith to live with honor and decency even though no one else seems to value these qualities. In addition, dear Father, help me have the discipline and the will to honor you in simple obedience. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Today's Verses in Context

— Luke Luke 23:44-56 (ERV)

Comments on "Honor God!":

While Jesus was talking to the people his mother and brothers stood outside. They wanted to talk to Jesus. A person told Jesus, "Your mother and brothers are waiting for you outside. They want to talk to you." Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Then Jesus pointed to his followers and said, "See! These people are my mother and my brothers. My true brother and sister and mother is any person that does the things my Father in heaven wants."
Matthew 12:46-50 (ERV)

The next day, Jesus traveled through some cities and small towns. Jesus told the people a message from God, the Good News about God's kingdom. The twelve apostles were with him. There were also some women with him. Jesus had healed these women of sicknesses and evil spirits {from the devil}. One of the women was named Mary Magdalene. Seven demons had come out of her. Also with these women were: Joanna, the wife of Chuza (Herod's helper), Suzanna, and many other women. These women used their own money to help Jesus and his apostles.
Luke 8:1-3 (ERV)

But Samuel answered, "Which pleases the Lord more: burnt offerings and sacrifices or obeying the Lord's command? It is better to obey God than to offer sacrifices to him. It is better to listen to God than to offer the fat from rams.
1 Samuel 15:22 (ERV)

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