Re:Verse passage – John 19:38-42 (day two)
After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. vs. 38
It has become a common occurrence today to refer to your faith as ‘a private matter.’ This is often the case when you hear public officials talk about their own personal beliefs. We see people willing to take a stand on any number of issues, but when it comes to a personal conviction about their relationship to Jesus Christ, they obfuscate. This is not what John meant when he referred to Joseph and Nicodemus as ‘secret disciples.’ Their reality dealt with not just popular opinion, but life itself. There are places where the mention of your trust in Jesus will still bring retribution. That is distinctly different from making people feel uncomfortable. There are times when it is prudent to hold your tongue, but we should be careful not to hide behind some social nicety when it comes to sharing our faith.
