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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/john-meekin/two-josephs/
Let's turn to Matthew's gospel please. Gospel by Matthew, and we'll take a reference in chapter 1. Always nice to be back in Iowa. Matthew chapter 1, verse number 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise, when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Ghost.
Then Joseph, her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife, for that which is conceived, or literally it could be translated, that which is begotten in her, is of the Holy Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Now come over with me to chapter 27. Same gospel please, but chapter 27. And verse number 57.
When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.
And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed.
And there was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre. Let's go to Luke's gospel. It's the same account, but we'll take time to read three of the accounts. Luke's gospel, chapter 23.
Luke 23 and verse number 50. And behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor, and he was a good man and a just. The same had not consented to the council in the deed of them. He was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
This man went unto Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone wherever wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.
And a final reference in Mark. We read the account in Mark's gospel. Mark 15, please. There are differences in the accounts, and that's why I'm taking time to read three of them. We could read the four accounts, but three will suffice.
Mark 15 and at verse number 42. And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly unto Pilate and craved the body of Jesus.
And Pilate marveled if he were already dead. And calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew of it, of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And he, that is Joseph, and he bought fine linen and took him down and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre, which was hewn out of the rock, and rolled a door, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.
And Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joses, beheld where he was laid. Now we look to the Lord further for his blessing and the gracious help of his spirit. I don't think it would be too hard for most in our gathering to understand that I want to speak on two men, and we're going to look at two Josephs.
That is, hopefully if the Lord gives help, I want to look at the Joseph at the beginning of the life of the Lord Jesus, and then this man, Joseph of Arimathea, at the close or at the end of the life of the Lord Jesus.
Now you will understand that if I was simply to ask you in this gathering, Joseph, if we were playing that word association game, where I call something, I know we don't do this by the way, so no one call out, but if we were playing that word association game, Joseph, most people here would automatically think Genesis.
Or possibly someone else here, they would think Famine. Someone else might think Zaphnath-Penea. Well of course, it's hard to get away from the Joseph of the Old Testament. That is Joseph, the son of Jacob.
When it comes to the name Joseph, you will remember that it's recorded in the book of Genesis. Genesis chapter 30, I think it is. When that Joseph of the Old Testament was born, his mother gave him that name, Joseph, because it means this, he shall add, or God will add other children unto me.
Joseph means adding. And so when it comes to the truth of these two men named Joseph, I want to consider with you advancement. Adding. Advancement in the Christian life. Advancement in the Christian path.
Now you will readily admit with me that when it comes to Christianity, when it comes to our faith, we are not standing still. As we are living for God, we are either moving forward or we are moving backward.
We cannot stand still. And so in the ministry this afternoon, if the Lord helps me, I want us to think of advancement in the path of faith. And here is the man Joseph, his name means adding. It's an interesting thing in Matthew's Gospel, the Joseph of the Old Testament, he isn't mentioned by name.
In fact, in most of the Gospels, he isn't mentioned by name. One or so references occur in all of the four Gospels. It is an interesting thing that you can't read Matthew's Gospel and you can't read about this man, Joseph, the legal father of the Lord Jesus, or possibly better, Joseph, the husband of Mary, without going back and paralleling Joseph of the Old Testament.
When you say, you preachers, boy, you get some fanciful stuff. Well, no, no, it's all there. Check it for yourself. I mean, you go to the Joseph of the Old Testament, he received dreams from God. You come to this Joseph at the beginning of Matthew's Gospel, he receives dreams from God.
You will notice the Joseph of the Old Testament, that man was associated, he went down into Egypt. This Joseph in the New Testament, he goes into Egypt. You will remember the Joseph of the Old Testament, he was associated with a child who would come after him, who would be a deliverer.
The Joseph of the New Testament is associated with a child who will be a deliverer. Both men are associated with Gentile kings. The Joseph of the Old Testament, he's associated with Pharaoh. The Joseph of the New Testament, he's associated with Herod.
And so there is a beautiful parallel between the Old Testament Joseph, the son of Jacob, and the New Testament Joseph, the husband of Mary. When we come to look at this very quickly, I got to get into my subject and get down from here.
But when it comes to this subject, you will know that there is a beautiful symmetry in the ministry of the Lord Jesus. In fact, the Gospels present a beautiful symmetry in the life of the Lord Jesus. You will remember the 40 days before his ministry.
You will recall that there are 40 days recorded after his ministry. You will remember the beginning of his life is linked with spice or fragrance. You will recall the end of his life is linked with spice or fragrance.
You will remember that at the opening of the ministry of the Lord Jesus, God speaks and God says, this is my beloved son. And you will recall just almost at the close of his ministry, God speaks again.
I'm referring to John's Gospel. Sometimes when you get up here, you begin to wonder, is my memory, how's it doing? But I think it's John 12. You can check it. And in John's Gospel chapter 12, there is a voice and they thought it was like thunder.
And the voice of God comes again and he glorifies the Lord Jesus. And he says, listen, I have both glorified it. I will glorify it again. The voice of God is heard at the beginning of his ministry and at the end of his ministry.
And of course, what we have read today is this, that at the beginning of the life of the Lord Jesus, there was a man called Joseph. At the end of the life of the Lord Jesus, there's another man and he's called Joseph.
The beautiful thing is this, the Joseph at the beginning of his life was a poor man. The Joseph at the end of his life, he was a rich man. God always has his men, whether it's rich people or whether it's poor people, God always has his men.
And these two men were waiting, one waiting for Christ coming into the world, the other man just waiting as Christ has left the world. And here are two men advancing in the path of faith. May God help us that we will be like them and advance for God.
Two men by the name of Joseph. The first thing I want us to notice together is it says of both of these men that they were just men. That's the first thing. Both of these men, Joseph, the husband of Mary and Joseph of Arimathea are both recorded and it says they were righteous.
That is positionally righteous men. Practically they were living righteous lives. Both men, they were righteous. Now when it comes to Joseph, the husband of Mary, this was a man who was sensitive about things in life.
And I mean, he is facing a trial he never thought he would have to face. I mean, we read it and we think, oh well, it's okay. The Holy Spirit is going to reveal to him that Mary is with child by the Holy Ghost.
That's fine for us. But never forget, beloved brethren, never forget, beloved sisters, this man, he is facing circumstances he never thought he would face. And as he is brought face to face with this, the possibility Mary has been unfaithful.
You can imagine what is going through the man's mind. And yet here is a man and it says that he wanted to treat her as respectfully as possible. I trust I'm using circumspect language here. I heard what our brother Mike said.
I trust I'm using circumspect language. But you know, beloved brethren, beloved sisters, here was a man so righteous in his dealings. He had feelings for this girl, Mary. He was betrothed to her. And he thought, I'll not make her a public example.
I'll simply put her away privately. Can I say to our young brethren and to our young sisters, the subject of dating has already been raised this afternoon. So I don't mind stepping onto that turf again.
But you know, when it comes to dating a partner, get before God in the very presence of God and seek the face of God. And always remember, if you have to break up from someone, it's better, I should qualify this, it's better to find out that you are not compatible with someone before you get married than to go through and get married and then discover after you're married, oh, we're not compatible at all here.
Please find out before you get married. However, I do say to young brethren, especially today, please be careful when you are going with a girl. Please be careful because very quickly affections become entwined.
And this is a man. He is so righteous in his dealings. He is so upright in his dealings. He steps out and he says, listen, I'll not make a public example. He was mindful of Mary and he was just and he was righteous.
The other man, Joseph of Arimathea, it's a beautiful thing. There are actually four adjectives used of this man in the New Testament. We are told that he was just. We are told that he was honorable. We are told that he was rich.
And the Bible actually says he was a good man. It's quite a picture the Holy Spirit paints. A just man, an honorable man, a rich man. And he was a good counselor who had not consented unto the counsel indeed of them.
And here is this man. He's also described as just and he's described as honorable. Well, you say not much application for us in that. Really? You ever read first Corinthians 14, you beloved brethren, beloved sisters.
It says in first Corinthians 14, let everything be done decently and in order. You see that word used there that I've just quoted. That's actually the adverb form of the word honorable. Let everything be done honorably.
Can I say to our brethren and to our sisters today, when those overseers make a decision in the over in the oversight that affects the church, do you go behind their backs? Searching question, isn't it?
Once that decision is made and the government of God's assembly have made a decision, I challenge my own heart. Do I go behind their backs and say, oh, well, that's what they think. But we're going to do it this way.
No, no, my brethren. No, no, beloved sisters. Here are two men on both positionally and practically. They are both just and they are honorable men. The next thing I notice is this. Both of them were associated with a rejected Christ at the beginning of the life of the Lord Jesus.
Just before he is born, Joseph makes that trip across those Galilean hills. They come to Bethlehem. He has Mary with him. And Luke says in that beautiful gospel, she was great with child and she brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, laid him in a manger.
And Luke says there was no room for them in the end. It does not say there was no room for him. Do you know what Joseph, the husband of Mary found being associated with Christ, gave him the outside place.
I hope we understand that the Savior said in John 15, he said, the world will hit you. He said, listen, the world has hit at me without a cause. The world also will hit you. First John chapter three says this.
Marvel not my brethren, if the world hit you and Joseph, the husband of Mary quickly understood, I am associated with Christ and the world has rejected me. You know, brethren and sisters, association with Christ will bring rejection from the world.
What about Joseph of Arimathea? You know, there's a beautiful thing stated in Mark's gospel. You know what it says in Mark's gospel? It says Joseph of Arimathea came. If this were a Bible reading, I'd be asking some of my brethren, where did he come to?
You know what I think he came to? He left somewhere. I don't know where it was. A preacher. Maybe it's sanctified imagined. Are we allowed to use sanctified imagination sometimes? A preacher said to me recently, he said, you know, I think he was waiting in the tomb.
Maybe he was. I couldn't prove it. That's what he thought. He was waiting right in the tomb for the moment when he would hear the last and final cry upon a cross. Father, into thy hands, I commend my spirit.
And Mark says, he came. Everything now is quiet at Golgotha. People are starting to move away from the cross. And there's a man called Joseph. He comes and he takes a look and he sees a head crowned with thorns.
He sees nails piercing those lovely hands and those lovely feet. He sees blood flowing, freely down that blessed brow. He sees a back which is lacerated. He sees the mark of the spear and Joseph of Arimathea stands and he says, this is what they did to my Lord.
I have no time for this world. You know, brethren, that's what they did to the savior. And Joseph of Arimathea comes and he takes a look and he says, the world doesn't want them. The political world, it cast them out.
The social world, it didn't want them. This world of ours has rejected Christ and Joseph of Arimathea came and he stood at the cross. You know, I appreciated our brother's ministry this morning. I really did.
Our brother Scott's ministry. I endorse it. I don't have to endorse it. The Bible endorses it. You know what it says? I repeat it again. Second Corinthians chapter six, come ye out from among them and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing and I will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
And someone says, what will draw us out of a world that has rejected Christ? The very cross itself, my brethren. Wasn't it Isaac Watts who wrote? I love that hymn. Isaac Watts wrote and when he originally penned it, he penned it like this.
He said, when I survey the wondrous cross where the young prince of glory died, my riches gain, I count but loss and poor contempt and all my pride. There's a verse that's not in our hymn book. It goes something like this.
His crimson dying like a robe spreads or his body on the tree. Then I am dead to all the globe and all the globe is dead to me. And here is a man, he comes and he took a look at Christ and he says with Paul, God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.
Here are two men associated with a rejected Christ. The third thing I notice, two men who were responsive to divine directions. Joseph, the husband of Mary, he receives divine directions. How did he receive it?
He received it in a dream. And in that dream, the angel says to Joseph, fear not, take unto thee Mary thy wife. And he was responsive. He responded immediately and did what the angel said in the dream.
You know what I noticed? It's been already touched. Our brother Smith has touched it again. But I do notice that there's no unequal yoke here. When Joseph took Mary as his wife, both of them were from the same tribe.
I would go further than that. Both of them were spiritually compatible. Can I say to our young believers again, hey, we're not trying to beat up on you today, really. I'm sure there'll be ministry for the older saints.
But can I say to our young believers, if you are taking a partner, the word of God would teach the principle of unequal yoke. But it goes further than that. First Corinthians 7 teaches that marriage should be in the Lord.
That is that a partner should be your spiritual equal, brethren or sisters. You say it's all right for you. I mean, you're married. Well, that's true. I think 13 years married this year. My wife's not here.
So if I've got the date wrong, but I think I'm right. 13 years married this year. I was working. I was working in a family business. And one of the girls I was working with came to me one day. And she said, she said, listen, I and a few friends, we're going on a vacation together.
Won't you come with us? Now, she was a pretty girl. I got to admit that. Actually, she was a beautiful looking girl and it was very tempting. And I was standing looking and I thought, what do I do? And the words we've already spoken from and quoted came to me.
Second Corinthians chapter six, be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. You know, brethren, here's a man here are two men actually. And they were responsive to divine instructions. What about Joseph of Arimathea?
If Joseph, the husband of Mary received a dream, how did Joseph of Arimathea know how to act? What were his divine instructions? He had the scriptures. Now, you will notice revelation is becoming clearer.
You see, I used to think, wow, wouldn't it be something to receive instruction from an angel? Well, Joseph got a dream. In fact, when Mary received instruction, the angel came direct to her. But Joseph of Arimathea, he had the scriptures.
And, you know, I personally believe that Joseph of Arimathea had been in that beautiful chapter, Isaiah chapter 53. I believe it, Gary. Our brother Gary DeGrout, he got saved through verse number five and so did I.
But I think to myself, Joseph of Arimathea was reading in the chapter and he starts to read, they made his grave with the wicked, but with the rich man singular in his deaths, plural. And Joseph of Arimathea said, God is speaking to my heart.
And he received divine instruction. Can I speak to our hearts again? What about us? Do we bow to the instruction that we receive from the holy scriptures? If God speaks to us, I mean, we've come to the conference.
We have bowed in the very presence of God. And we have said, Master, speak. Thy servant heareth, waiting for thy gracious word, waiting for that word that sheareth. Master, let it now be heard. But when God speaks, do we bow to it, brethren?
When God speaks to our heart, are we like these men? Do we respond? And here were two men, Joseph, the husband of Mary, Joseph of Arimathea, and they responded to divine directions. I got to move quickly here.
There was a cost of discipleship to follow Christ. One of them, he had to live in Nazareth, the despised place. The other man, you know what it says about Joseph of Arimathea? He went in boldly. Now up to this point, he was a disciple.
John tells us in his account, he was a secret disciple. And it seems to be he kept himself in the background. And the moment comes, the moment arrives in Joseph of Arimathea's life when he can do nothing more but put himself forward.
There's something to be done for God. And he goes into Pilate and he walks up, likely the fortress Antonia, most likely goes to the fortress Antonia. He's introduced into the presence of Pilate and a rich man.
I love this. Do you know what it says in the gospels? A rich man begged, begged the body of the Lord Jesus. Must've been quite a thing. I've often wondered to myself, why did Pilate give him the body?
You know, likely Pilate understood this is a member of the Sanhedrin, most likely. And Pilate, he understood the very Sanhedrin was at my door today and they demanded this man be crucified. And now here's one of the Sanhedrin and he's asking for the body, begging for the body of the Lord Jesus.
And Pilate, he gives him his request. Both of these men, there was a cost of discipleship to follow Christ. I want to get to this one. Both of these men had opportunities to do something for God at a decisive moment.
And they would never have it again. Did you get that? One opportunity to do something for God and the opportunity came and they would never have the opportunity again. Joseph, the husband of Mary, he had the opportunity of being with Mary when Christ was born into the world.
What an opportunity. Joseph of Arimathea, he has the opportunity of being there just at the cross with Nicodemus and they took down the holy body of the Lord Jesus. Do you know what it says in Matthew's gospel?
It says they took it down. In Luke's gospel, it says they took it down. Even John, John says in his gospel, they took it down. Doesn't say that in Mark's gospel. Do you know what it says in Mark's gospel?
They took him down. Mark with beautiful precision says they took him down. In fact, there are some Greek texts of Mark's gospel and when this man goes into the presence of Pilate, Pilate speaks about the corpse.
When this man begs and asks for, do you know what he asked for? He didn't ask for the corpse. Do you know what he asked for? The body. Never lost sight of the fact this is the body of the Lord Jesus and it says Pilate gave him the corpse.
You know, beloved brethren, Luke says in his gospel, Luke chapter 2, Simeon took him up. Luke chapter 10 says this, Martha received him into the house. Martha took him in and just at the end of Luke's gospel, Luke says this, Joseph took him down and gave him the burial of a king.
Gently they take him down, unfix his hands and feet, remove from his brow the thorny crown, bring forth the winding sheet, spices most sweet they choose, incense they bring in myrrh, wind him with these and linen clothes.
They give him a sepulcher, laid him in hewn rock, rolled to the door the stone, watch the world at its waxen lock. They left him there alone. Before they put that body into the garden tomb, they anointed it with a hundred liters of spices.
I mean, talk about the burial of a king. You will remember in John's gospel, it says of Mary, she brought one pound, one liter of spice and it was one year's wages and poured it on the Christ and here's Joseph who gives his tomb.
Here's Nicodemus who brings the spices and they buried the Savior, the Savior of the world. They buried him with the burial of a king. I've got to leave that brethren. Let me just come to the last point.
Both of these men, they bore reproach for Christ but both of them will receive honor in his coming kingdom. It does say of Joseph of Arimathea, he himself with it for the kingdom of God. You know, in one sense, I've got to admit, in one sense, I am not looking forward to the judgment seat of Christ.
There's another sense. When some brethren and some sisters come forward who realized I have something to do for God and they did it. Just like Esther, thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this and when we get to stand at the judgment seat of Christ, I'm looking forward to moments when men actually step forward.
Joseph, the husband of Mary, Joseph of Arimathea. It's going to be quite something, isn't it? Well done, thou good and faithful servant. It will be worth it all, brethren. Here we are bearing reproach for Christ.
It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. Earth's problem seems so small when we see Christ. One glimpse of his dear face, all problems will erase. So let us run the race till we see him. May the Lord help us to advance in our Christian pathway.
Joseph, Joseph, the husband of Mary and Joseph of Arimathea.