“This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid.” (Luke 23:52-53)
When Jesus was arrested and crucified, this was a huge shock for his disciples and followers. They were confused and anxious, and their hopes that Jesus would become king were shattered. If they had followed him only to profit from his fame, now would be the time to resign.
But today’s verse clearly shows that their devotion and love for Jesus went deeper. When He had died, one of his followers went to the Roman governor to ask for his body. That was a courageous thing to do, since being connected to a convicted criminal is generally not beneficial to one’s own position. This man even risked his career, since he was a
member of the religious council that had sentenced Jesus to death and now openly went against his colleagues.
The book of Acts describes several examples of people who did the same: they were ready to suffer the consequences of their devotion to Jesus because they loved Him above everything else. Some were imprisoned, others were beaten, and some were even murdered for Jesus’ sake. Nothing could separate them from Jesus’ love and nothing could damage their love for Jesus.
Is your heart full of God’s love?