Ever wondered what it takes to find courage when everyone else has run away? In this powerful conclusion to our study of Mark 15 and 16, we follow the story of a "secret follower" named Joseph of Arimathea. He was a high-society leader who risked his entire reputation—and potentially his life—to give Jesus a proper burial.
Usually, the Roman Empire treated the bodies of the crucified like literal trash, tossing them into the smoldering dumps of Gehenna. But because of Joseph’s bravery, the "King of Kings" was wrapped in linen and placed in a tomb of honor. This wasn't just a nice gesture; it was the beginning of the end for the curse of sin! We explore how death entered the world in a garden and how Jesus’s physical death was the ultimate price paid so that we wouldn't have to face a spiritual one.
But the story doesn't stay in the tomb. When the sun rose on the first day of the week, the women didn't find a corpse—they found an empty grave and a message that changed history forever: He is risen! If you feel like your faith has grown stale or you're struggling to "die to yourself," this message is a wake-up call. Jesus’s death is an invitation to lay down your old life, and His resurrection is the power to start a brand new one. The tomb is empty, the victory is won, and it’s time to live like it.
