On the Road to the Cross by Burkhart Rob;

Author:Burkhart, Rob;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: 2016-10-28T00:00:00+00:00

“They don’t belong to this world, just as I don’t belong to this world.” (John 17:16)

These enigmatic and troubling words are from Christ’s prayer in the garden. We are in the world but not of the world. What does that mean? Christ did not ask that his followers be taken from this world but be protected and sanctified in it. Somehow we belong and don’t belong to this world—at the same time.

How is it possible to fully participate in life and not be “of the world”?

Some turn their backs on culture and society. Others contend believers can and should fully participate in all this world offers. Some, like Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, lead double lives.

The Great Pretenders

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea pretended to be what they were not. After his late-night encounter with Jesus, Nicodemus became a follower of Christ (John 3:1-5). Later he defended Jesus before the high priest and asked that the Sanhedrin follow its own rules and respect the rights of the accused. In the end they did neither and Nicodemus was ridiculed for his efforts (John 7:40-52). We don’t know when Joseph of Arimathea crossed the line into faith.

During Christ’s ministry both men went on with life as usual, continued to be part of the Jewish governing council, and never let on that they were followers of Christ.

As Christ gained prominence he went from being an amusing curiosity to being an annoyance and finally to being a danger to the religious and political status quo. In the end the Sanhedrin and its leadership determined to kill him. Tradition says Nicodemus spoke on Christ’s behalf at his trial before Pilate. The Bible tells us that Joseph of Arimathea did not agree with the Sanhedrin’s plan. After Christ’s death, both took the very public step of attending to his body and his burial.

It’s not surprising that these men kept their faith in Christ a secret. But it is amazing that they demonstrated the most courage precisely when they faced the greatest risk. It would have been far easier for them to confess Christ when he was a rising star and abandon him when things went bad. They did the opposite and chose the risky path of living authentic lives.

Unlikely Heroes

Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea were men with a lot to lose. They were rich, respected, and powerful and had climbed the ladder of success far enough to see the top rung. Their lives were built on and completely enmeshed with the power structures of the Sanhedrin, its politics, and its pharisaical religion. Their wives, children, and families benefited from their lives and depended on them. Openly following Christ would cost everything they had taken a lifetime to build (Luke 9:23-26).

It’s no different today. Those open about their faith in Christ put themselves in harm’s way. In some places a confession of faith means torture, prison, or martyrdom. In other places persecution means being overlooked for a promotion at work, losing a job, being denied admission to a

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