Date: Monday, 12th August, 2024
Text: John 19:38-40
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
The Pharisees were hypocritical in their way of lives, being like white washed walls or sepulchres which look good outside but inside were full of smelly dead men’s bones. They were religious, having the form of godliness but deny the power thereof; pretending to be who they were not. They lived to get the approval of men rather than that of God,
For their hypocrisy they were judged by the Lord Jesus Christ in 7 woes- Matthew 23-29. However, there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus who decided to be different from the others. He was tired of the pretense and empty way of life he was living and decided to seek help from Christ directly. He visited the Lord in the night under the cover of darkness so as not to be seen or identified by others.
Jesus told him, “‘You must be born again” John 3:7b. He became a secret disciple of Christ and followed him till the very end. Another secret disciple of Christ was a noble man called Joseph of Arimathea.
The Word of God says, “Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. 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. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.” John 19:38-40
Child of God, continue to grow in the faith and be steadfast. Don’t feel lonely or think you are the only one living in obedience; there are many brethren like you all over the world. They may not be visible to you but know it that God has secret disciples everywhere.
If Prophet Elijah had known that God had about 7000 secret disciples in Israel (1 Kings 19:18), he would not have allowed himself to be discouraged.
Reflective Nugget: Unto yourself, be true. Don’t be deceived into thinking that the whole world is corrupt. Keep living a holy life; God knows those who are His.