The Investor

As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who had become a follower of Jesus, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching.

The next day, on the Sabbath, the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. They told him, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver once said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise from the dead.’ So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we’ll be worse off than we were at first.”

Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it. Matthew 27:57-66 (NLT)

“…secure it [tomb] the best you can”.  And we humans, have been trying to do that for over 2000 years.  I try closing Jesus and all that He is inside my box so that He won’t cause any disturbance in my life.  Take Him out on Christmas with His cute, baby cheeks all wrapped up in a blanket or on Easter with a shiny white robe but don’t let His words of loving discipline or His bloody beaten body mess up my tidy world.  How can I talk like this as a believing Christian?  Because I look in the mirror and see the truth that Jesus knows me and knows my heart and loves me anyway!  But He wants more for me!  He wants me to be closer to Him and closer to the Father so Jesus doesn’t let me get away with my bad attitude and my shallow life.

Jesus came so that my life may be full and complete.  That happens when I accept all of Jesus’ way and let go of my way.

“But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:27-30 (NLT)

I’ve heard that Mark Twain said, “It’s not the Scripture I don’t know that bothers me.  It’s the Scripture I do know.”  I guess I could shut Jesus and what I don’t know about Him up in that box and just coast along for the next 20 years.  I’d be ‘saved’ and go to heaven…but I wouldn’t be living that “abundant life” He promised, would I? (John 10:10) That’s what I want.  Nothing less than Jesus’ definition of “abundant”! And I do not know what all that means. But I want to learn. I want Him to come into my life, no boxes, and teach me. My spiritual health is important. Jesus wants to invest in me. I am going to come to His class and listen.