Are You a Secret Believer?

" ... Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night…” John 19:38-39 N.I.V

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were secret believers. They had been afraid to make their positions public since they were afraid to lose their positions in the Jewish society.

However they could not remain passive when they knew they were in the best position to give Christ a befitting burial. They had to come out of hiding no matter what the risk. In Mark 15:43 we are told that Joseph went boldly to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body. Joseph provided new cloths and a new grave he had prepared for himself while Nicodemus brought a large quantity of the required spices. For this deed generations of Christians will remember them and Christ also in paradise.

Are you a secret follower of Jesus, hiding your faith from family, friends and co- workers?  You need to step out of the closet of fear of rejection, embarrassment and any risks to your comfort and reputation and proclaim Christ today. You cannot serve him fully in hiding. Jesus says in Mark 8:38, “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."

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Wherever you are, be all there.   - Jim Elliot

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