November 14 - Entombed

So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:40-42 ESV)

Jesus’ body was placed in Joseph’s tomb on the day that he died. It was a tomb cut from the rock near where the crucifixion took place. With the Sabbath approaching Joseph used the already prepared tomb in the garden to lay Jesus in.

Jesus is often referred to as the second Adam. The first Adam first sinned in a garden. It seems only fitting that the death to end the threat of sin and death should result in our savior being buried in a garden.

He was buried. He was dead. But he didn't stay dead. He didn't stay buried. He was laid in a borrowed tomb, but he arose the conqueror of death, Hell, and the grave.

November 13 - Prophecy: Borrowed Tomb

And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. (Isaiah 53:9 ESV)

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. (Matthew 27:57-60 ESV)

Isaiah lived and prophesied about 700 years before the time of Jesus. His writings have so many references to Christ that his book is often referred to as the fifth Gospel. One of Isaiah's predictions was that Jesus would be buried in a tomb given to him by a rich man.

Joseph of Arimathea was a rich councilman, and a secret follower of Jesus. He used his political power and wealth to influence the Romans to give him Jesus' body for an early burial. All of it happened so fast that Jesus was buried on the same day he was crucified.

Joseph played a pivotal part in the history of Christianity. Do you think he knew how important his tomb would be when he was having it cut? Probably not. But he took his wealth and power and offered them to God to be used for His purpose. It is an incredible lesson.

What we have is not ours alone. We are stewards. How can we use it to bless others? How can we put our assets to work for God's plan?

November 12 - Secret Followers

Read: John 19:38-42

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. (John 19:38, 39 ESV)

Joseph and Nicodemus had decided to follow Jesus as disciples, but not in the open. They were two of Jesus' secret followers. I can't help but think how that might have changed for them the day they buried the Son of God.

Do you ever wonder if they understood the full implications of all that was going on? Did they truly know who Jesus was? If they were too afraid to follow him openly why did they decide to claim his body?

I don't have all of the answers, but I feel like scripture points us to one possibility. The death of Jesus changed everything. Creation itself responded in some pretty incredible ways. The supernatural activity of the day may have been the push Joseph and Nicodemus needed to move beyond mental consent and into the realm of heartfelt following.

How open are you about your faith? Do you keep it a secret because of what you think others will think about you? If so, what will it take for you to move beyond being a secret follower to just plain following?

November 11 - No Consensus

Read: Luke 23:50-56

Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. (Luke 23:50, 51 ESV)

Jesus’ body was claimed and prepared for burial by Joseph of Arimathaea. He was a member of the Jewish council and had not consented to the murderous course of the religious leaders. Too often Christianity has broadbrushed the Jews of Jesus era, over generalizing them until they are nearly unrecognizable. Not all of the Jews, or their leaders, wanted Jesus dead. But without carefully reading the story it can seem that way. It can seem as if everyone really and truly was against God.

Even today we see this principle at work. Society had told us that Christianity is outdated and no longer relevant. To listen to mainstream talking heads it sounds like Christianity is starting to find itself on the outs. But that isn't the case. In all actuality, the detractors and naysayers are just louder. Like in Jesus' day, the opinion is often that if you yell loud enough and.frequently enough you will get your way. But getting your way is not the same as having a consensus. It isn't the same as being right. Decibel level has no correlation to correctness.

Don't be discouraged if the world around you seems loud and obnoxious. Perhaps someone is merely waiting for you to make your stand before they decide to join you from the shadows.

February 2 - An Obvious Place

Read: Luke 2:41-50

And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49 ESV)

Every year to celebrate the Passover Jesus travelled with his family to Jerusalem, a journey of roughly 140 miles over rough and rugged terrain. When he was twelve he went missing for a couple of days which of course upset Mary and Joseph quite a lot. Any good parent has a strong reaction to the news that their child is missing. They returned and were looking for him. Only to discover him listening and teaching in the Temple.

Have you ever lost something really important only to turn around and find it in the most obvious of places? In this story we begin to see the future of Jesus who is all about His Father's business. We also get to witness his understanding of his unique identity as both God and man. Jesus showed his divine nature in his actions at the Temple, but he also showed his human nature in his submission to Mary and Joseph.

Sometimes we spend a lot of time looking for things, whether answers or objects, and they are in the most obvious of places. Many people spend insane amounts of time, effort, and resources to achieve a peace that is offered in the most obvious of places, Jesus.

February 1 - Grow

Read: Luke 2:39-40

And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40 ESV)

When Herod the Great died Joseph returned to Nazareth with his young family. It was in Nazareth that the young boy Jesus grew into the mighty God-man we read of in the Gospels. Jesus became strong as he grew. He was filled with wisdom. But it was a process as relates to his human nature.

Growing is an essential part of all life. We start small and young and progress in age, size, and capability, or at least we should. Growing up on a farm I got to be pretty familiar with growing things. Whether it was an animal or plant, the phrase if its not growing its dying held pretty true. We should have a desire to continually grow in our relationship with God.

When we begin our personal journey with God we are like children. We may have great passion, enthusiasm, and faith, but we often lack the kind of maturity that fills us with strength and wisdom. Spending time with the Father gives us both strength and wisdom. Not so we can better manage things on our own, but so that we will trust God even more.

Jesus enjoyed the favor of God because of his growth. Yes, he was the Son of God, but he was also a man. And as he grew from boy to man he followed the Law of God, sought after the heart of God, and it produced in his human nature the strength, wisdom, and favor of God.

January 31 - Out of Egypt

Read: Hosea 11 & Matthew 2:13-25

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (Hosea 11:1 ESV)

In 700 B.C. the prophet Hosea wrote that Jesus' family would flee to Egypt as refugees. It was a courageous and faithful act on the part of Jesus' adopted father Joseph that saved the young Messiah's life. But to further fulfill prophecy, and ultimately the mission of God for mankind, Jesus had to leave Egypt.

I really believe that along the way God sometimes directs us to places that are more like pit stops than they are destinations. We can, and should, do whatever good we can at these stops, but ultimately they are small parts of our journey. Whatever reason God has for sending us to those places, it is usually more about protecting us, helping us learn and grow, or helping someone there, than anything else. Sometimes you have to flee to your own personal Egypt to become who you are supposed to be, but you almost always have to leave it behind to step into your destiny.

Jesus didn't spend an incredibly long time in Egypt. Joseph only kept him there until the danger had passed and it was time to return to Nazareth. It would still be many years before Jesus would begin his public ministry. Sometimes God takes us from one season of preparation to another. These seasons look different, are often at different locations, and come with a plethora of diverse learning experiences. Don't be in a hurry to speed through these times. God can still use us in times of growth and learning. He will call us out of it when we're ready for the fullness of His plan.

January 30 - Into Egypt

Read: Matthew 2: 13-18

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." (Matthew 2:13 ESV)

Herod did not respond well upon learning that the wise men had tricked him. When the secret identity of the would-be king eluded him he turned up the crazy and went into full tyrant mode slaughtering an entire generation of boys. It was a horrendously evil act born of desperation, insecurity, and selfishness. Thankfully Jesus escaped unscathed because of his adopted father Joseph.

Joseph was such a courageous man. He risked incredible personal danger and disaster to protect his wife and adopted son. He obeyed commands that he didn't even fully comprehend in order to keep Mary and Jesus from harm. There is a lot to learn from the continued faithful response of a man we actually do not know a great deal about.

First of all he listened when God spoke. Whatever the means of communication used to reach Joseph, he paid attention. Some of us just have to much noise in our lives. It makes it hard to hear when God speaks. Secondly, Joseph obeyed God. Not only was he willing to listen, but he was willing to respond with faithful courage and obedience. I know sometimes I feel like God is trying to tell me something but I'm just too scared to do anything about it.

Think about it. Joseph was courageous. He not only listened to God, but he obeyed. And in his obedience he rescued Jesus from an insane tyrannical puppet king by taking him into Egypt.

January 17 - Let it Be

Read: Luke 1:26-38

And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. (Luke 1:38 ESV)

Mary trusted God implicitly. The angel Gabriel delivered the news about God's plan and Mary embraced it. We never read about her doubts, if she had any, her fears, or her hesitations. She embraced the fullness of God's plan for her life. Using language that in the original Greek text implies slavery. In other words, she was declaring to the angel that she was submitting herself to the will of God for her life in every possible way.

That is a boldness and bravery that many of us would really struggle with. It is born out of Mary's intrinsic trust in God. She was mighty in her faith. Her hope rested in The Lord and he used her obedience to orchestrate the salvation of mankind.

What might your "let it be" look like? What do you need to approach the Father with and say those three words? Jesus himself prayed that prayer in the Garden the night of his arrest. And how can we take our actions and back up our words? Yes, we should go to God as Jesus and Mary did, saying "let it be," but shouldn't we also be demonstrating the same willingness to lay down our lives through our actions?

January 16 - Assumptions

Read: Matthew 1:18-25

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:20 ESV)

Joseph, was cast into a difficult role in life. He chose for himself a virtuous and righteous young woman to take as his bride, betrothed her, and in the intervening time between betrothal and marriage discovered that she was pregnant. He did what many of us would do in that scenario, he made some assumptions, and not wrongly so. In fact, he showed a lot of character and compassion in his reaction to those assumptions. However, God's plan was superior to Joseph's assumptions and he communicated the truth of the immaculate conception and the destiny of the child with the young carpenter in a dream.

What kind of assumptions do we make? Aren't assumptions really just another kind of pride? Aren't they based on the self-perception that we are right about an issue?

Even in his conception Christ challenged the understood assumptions of the natural order. He challenged Joseph, Mary, and their family. He challenged their communities and friends. And he has never stopped challenging the assumptions we all make on any given day.

January 15 - A Just Man

Read: Leviticus 20 & Deuteronomy 22

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. (Matthew 1:19 ESV)

Little is known about Joseph, but formal education was rare in rural Jewish communities and most boys learned trades early in life. The Bible tells us that Joseph was a carpenter, which basically meant that he built things from wood and stone. Having been identified as a carpenter shows us that he most likely had already passed through the typical age for education and was probably beginning his career. If so, this would place him in his mid to latter teenage years, or possibly his early twenties.

Joseph was betrothed to Mary, so when she showed up pregnant this created a legal and social dilemma for the young carpenter, not to mention the emotional ramifications. Legally Joseph had the right to bring formal accusations against her that would result in her death by stoning. Instead Joseph chose to forgive her and quietly arrange for a divorce. He didn't want to marry her, probably because he was yet to believe her story, but he didn't wish for her to come to harm either.

Joseph was a just man. The man that raised Jesus is shown in this particular example to be a friend to those society is willing to reject and accuse. He had every legal right to punish Mary to the full extent of the law, but instead chose seek a quiet resolution rather than a dramatic and violent conclusion. Jesus is also just. He has every right to throw the entire weight of the Law at us, and instead he offers us his very life. Jesus was raised by a just man to become a just man.

January 14 - Responsibility

Read: Isaiah 7 and Matthew 1:18-23

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 ESV)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:18, 22, 23 ESV)

The prophetic nature of the Bible is an incredible thing. The Old Testament is packed with scripture pointing ahead to the coming of Christ. The passage in Isaiah 7:14 was written 700 years before the birth of Jesus.

Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was most likely a teenager. 2000 years ago it was quite common for Jewish girls to become betrothed once they were old enough to have kids. The betrothal was a lawful tradition that preceded marriage. It was similar to engagement, but had legally binding ramifications. It would typically last about a year long, as the young man would attain the young woman's commitment and then set out to build a home for them. At the completion of their home there would then be a great wedding feast, sometimes lasting a week, and they would officially be legally married at the moment of consummation. While the Bible doesn't directly state the specific age of Mary, the information provided, along with the knowledge gleaned from historical study of Jewish tradition, points to Mary being incredibly young at the time she became pregnant with Jesus. She was probably between twelve and nineteen years old.

We live in an age when people are getting married later in life and having fewer children, but in the birth story of Jesus we see that Mary and Joseph were set to be wed at an early age. One of the things that stands in such contrast to our society is how these two incredibly young people responded to the events that unfold within their lives. Tasked by God Himself to parent and care for the incarnation of the Son of God, Mary and Joseph seem well suited to the job...and they were perhaps only teenagers. Think about the teens you know. How would you feel about handing them the most important parental gig in the history of the world?

God came into history as Jesus. It was prophesied by Isaiah 700 years before it happened. Mary bore the responsibility of her eventuality remarkably well. How do we steward that which God has made us responsible for?