John 19:38

I say, now that I know you guys speak Spanish, we’re going to do everything in Spanish. Okay, so are you guys ready? Estamos listos. Okay, vamos a comenzar.

It is a privilege to be here and to share with you what God is doing in our lives. Hopefully, we’ll be open to what God wants to show us this morning. I know some of you were waiting for Pastor Myles, but let’s get to Jesus.

If you can, go get your Bible and turn to John 19. We’re going to be looking at five things that God wants to do in our lives through His love. We’ll start with chapter 19, verse 38, and we’re going to read through verse 42. If it’s possible for you, please stand with me so we can read God’s Word.

John 19:38-42 states: "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 him permission. So he came and took away His body. Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where He was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden, a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. Therefore, because of the Jews, the day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there."

Father, we come before You and ask that this morning You speak to us through Your Word. I pray that each one of us will be able to hear what You want to say to us. Use an open heart and open mind to transform our lives through the power of Your love. In Jesus' name, amen.

Please be seated. In my library, I have a...

The book that is called "The Worst Days in History" is why we refer to it in your sermon guide as "The Worst Best Day." I know your English grammar might be going crazy, but I don't speak English perfectly, so bear with me. This book covers various incidents throughout history, spanning different centuries and years, where something horrible happened to someone. It’s a good book, and I’ve been reading it. It’s interesting to see how things can backfire and how the worst things can happen.

When I read these passages, I think about how Jesus was in ministry for three years. The disciples were excited, believing that Jesus would overthrow the Romans and establish His kingdom here. They thought they would be reigning with Him. For them, it was the worst day when He died on the cross. However, for the two men we read about in this passage, it was the best day.

Consider how you feel when you hear about someone's death. It often makes us reflect on their lives and how they affected others. We think about what they did with their lives, and then we come to the end: they just die. But with Jesus, His death was not just the end of His life; it was transformative. Through His death, Jesus touched people and transformed lives because He paid the ultimate price.

That’s why you hear people say that when someone dies for a cause, they have paid the ultimate price. On a human level, that might seem like the end, but in Jesus' life, that was the beginning of something for many people. In fact, it was the beginning for you and me. We thought He was dead, but...

Without Him dying on the cross, we would still be lost, dead in our sins, and walking straight to hell. But He is alive and gives us hope. His dying shows His love, and that is the main purpose. I think we can grasp the power of Jesus' love in our lives, which should bring transformation. That should be the focus.

The first point that we need to see is in this passage: look at these houses. After these things—after what things? After Jesus has been in ministry, after Jesus has healed people and fed people. That was good; it is one of the reasons He came to Earth. But then comes the cross. The first thing is that by dying, Jesus shows His love for us.

John 14 says that Jesus was talking to His disciples and told them, "I am laying down My life for you. I am going to die for you." They understood it, but not completely. How do you and I understand this? We see Jesus for you and for me. The Bible says that while we were still sinners, He died for us because that was the only way for you and me to have eternal life.

So, it is remarkable that by Him hanging on the cross, we can see how much He loved us. I don’t know about you, but when you do something for somebody, or when someone does something for you, you feel a sense of obligation. You think, "Oh man, I have to do something for that person." For example, if someone gives you a gift during the holidays, you feel like you have to buy something for that person in return.

Somebody does a favor for you, or someone does something for you, and you feel indebted. You feel like, "Oh, now I have to do something." That feeling can be overwhelming.

Think about it: Jesus died for you because He loves you. Just consider the question: would you die for the person next to you? Many of us would say yes, but deep down, we know that not many of us would actually do it. Jesus hung on the cross in a shameful way, as Paul wrote to the Philippians. He did this for you and for me to show us how much He loves us.

When we understand His love and the reason behind His sacrifice, it transforms our lives. Often, we acknowledge that Jesus performed miracles and fed the people, which is nice, but we must realize that He did it because we are precious to Him. Understanding this love is what brings transformation into our lives.

The second point in your outline states that Jesus' love moved these two individuals to make their faith public. Remember, they were secret followers of Jesus. They did not hear what the other disciples heard about Him laying down His life. In John, we read about Joseph of Arimathea, who was a secret disciple. Other parts of Scripture and other Gospels mention that he was an influential man, one of the leaders among the religious leaders. Nicodemus also came to Jesus, not because he was afraid, but for other reasons.

All the people will see Him coming and asking questions. He wanted to be seen, so he came at night. He talked to Jesus, who explained to him the new birth, how to do it, and what to do. He continued to follow his tradition and remained in the religion, but in secret.

Then, two men saw Jesus dead on the cross, and they understood. I love that demonstration of love; it moved them to say, "You know what? Now I don't care. I want people to know who loves me and who I'm going to follow." I'm sure you know people like that—those who were going someplace else, doing something else, and then they found Jesus. They were so excited that they wanted everyone to know too.

Think about your first boyfriend or girlfriend. For some of us, it was a long time ago; for others, it might have been just last week. And for some of us, it may never have happened. Just think about your first relationship. You wanted everybody to know. She might not have wanted you to tell anyone, but you wanted to share it with the world.

With social media today, I hear people asking, "Did you make it Facebook official?" What difference does it make? But think about it: they were secretly following Jesus. They wanted to know what was going on, but it was a secret. They were afraid of their social status, their economic status, their intellectual status—anything. They were afraid of other people finding out that they were in love with Jesus.

How about you and me? I remember when I first got saved. Someone gave me a Bible, a small one, and I was walking around with it under my arm, not wanting anyone to know. Then someone saw me and asked, "Hey, what do you have there?" I said, "Well, it's a Bible." I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but then I understood.

He died for me, and I wanted everybody to know that there was somebody who loved me. He knew how I was and who I was, and He still loved me. How about you? Many times, in the Spanish ministry, I ask the people, "If I go to your house, or I go to your neighbor and ask your next-door neighbor or a co-worker, who is a believer, what will they say?" They would respond, "Oh yeah, he is."

Then I ask, "How are we following Jesus? How are we publicly demonstrating our faith?" It's not just about the things you say, but the way we live. By watching God's love in action, people were moved to act publicly. They were not ashamed anymore; they were not afraid. They thought, "You know what? I'm just going to let everybody know who I love and who loves me."

When you do that, when you begin to experience that, your life begins to change in different ways at different stages. This brings me to the third point: Jesus' love caused these two men to use their connections for the kingdom. Not many people have access to the palace. How many people can come and go and say, "I want to talk to Pilate"? Not everybody has access to the White House, especially now that they are building a wall.

Not everyone can just walk in and say, "I want to talk to Pilate." However, Joseph of Arimathea was different. The Bible says that he was an influential man, probably higher up in social status, and he had access to it.

Joseph went and talked to Pilate. He expressed his desire to take his Lord's body. He didn't want the body to remain there because the Roman custom was to leave the bodies on the cross until they decayed. The vultures and other scavengers would come and eat the flesh, and eventually, the remains would be thrown away in a common pile. Joseph didn't want that to happen, so he went and asked for permission. Although it isn't explicitly stated, it's implied that he did it himself. He probably went to the cross and took Jesus' body. Just imagine that Jesus' body was bloody and scarred.

Why did Joseph do this? It was because he experienced Jesus' love. This love compelled both him and Nicodemus to use their connections. We all have access to people that others may not. How can you use that for the Kingdom of God? You have access to people that I don't, and you have access to people that others don't. Sometimes, I hear people brag about the important people they know. They say things like, "Oh, I know this guy," or "I know that person." While that may be good, the real question is: how do you use those connections to expand the Kingdom and touch other people's lives?

Do you think that Joseph's actions made Pilate wonder why he was doing that? Perhaps Pilate thought, "This guy must really love Jesus to do what he's doing." So, how about you? Are we using our influences, connections, or the people we know for the Gospel? Are we sharing God's love with others, or do we simply feel good about knowing important figures, like public figures, actors, or athletes? When you begin to think about it, the impact of our connections can be profound.

To experience the love of Jesus, see it in the cross and realize, "He did that for me." Then you begin to use your faith in a public way, letting other people know and utilizing what you have at your disposal.

This is the fourth point: you begin to experience that love. For these two, Jesus' love frees them to invest their resources and abilities in the Kingdom. Joseph came and used his connections and influence to ask Pilate for the body of Jesus. Then there's Nicodemus, who came with the myrrh, which was very expensive. The Gospels of Mark and Luke mention that the tomb where they laid Jesus was Joseph's. Back then, to have a family tomb was not cheap, and it is not cheap today either, but it was even more costly back then.

Joseph put those resources at Jesus' disposal. They were well-off, as we can infer from what we read about the myrrh and the tomb. They put all those resources they had into action because they experienced God's love. They thought, "Okay, Jesus, how do you want to use these resources? What do you want me to do with them?"

I know some of us are thinking, "Well, I don't have a lot of money. I don't have a lot of resources." But that's why I emphasize this point. Believe me, we often say, "Oh, I don't have enough." We think, "If I could just make one more dollar an hour, I'll be fine." Then you make that dollar, and suddenly you think, "Oh, I need to make another one." It’s never enough.

I remember way back when I didn't have a job. I prayed, "Lord, I need a job to feed my family. I want to make this much." God opened the door for me to a job that paid exactly what I asked for. After I got the job, I thought, "Man, I should have asked for more."

It's never enough. We always think, "Well, I don't have enough." But if you take what you have and say, "Okay, Lord, here it is," you might realize that you do have enough. Research shows that everyone has abilities; people often call it talent. Sometimes, it's just about knowing what to do.

Think about Nicodemus and Joseph. They were rich and powerful, yet they didn't say, "Okay, you two servants, here's the money. Go buy the aloes and the myrrh." Instead, they knew how to prepare the body for burial, so they went and did it themselves. It was not customary for rich people to perform such tasks; it was typically the job of a servant. But they took it upon themselves.

You might think, "I don't have many talents either." But I believe you do. You might know someone who talks a lot. That can be a talent! Other people might say, "I don't know what to say." All you have to do is share what God is doing in your life.

You might think, "I only know how to wrap baskets." A few weeks back, there was a drive where people were wrapping baskets for outreach to local businesses. You could have joined in to help wrap those baskets. When you experience God's love in a deeper sense, you realize, "I might not have much, but I know how to do this, and I can put it at His disposal."

So, what are we waiting for? Sometimes, the pastor will say, "Hey, we need help here," and I think, "Come on, don't leave me hanging!" But when we understand what He did and what He gives us because He loves us, we are compelled to act.

A few days back, I was talking to a guy from Colombia who has been in the States working for a church in Orange County. He really wants to go back to Colombia. I mean, he has been working here for ten years, and he has created a garden with flowers that resemble the Colombian flag. He even painted his house like the Colombian flag. So, I asked him, "Why don't you go back if you want to so badly?" He replied, "Because God asked me not to go back. When I go where I want to go back, I just take orders; I don't make them." I thought that was pretty cool. I wish I could have that understanding, and I wish we all had that clarity—to realize that whatever we have and whoever we are is at Jesus' disposal.

When we can say, "Okay, God, just tell me what to do, and I'll do it," we open ourselves to His will. This is what happened to those who transitioned from being secret followers to being public and fully invested in God's kingdom. When you reach that point, where you can say, "Okay, Lord, this is what I have and this is why I'm here," God's love begins to spill out of your life and touch other people's lives.

This brings me to my fifth point: when you understand that He died for you, He frees you to speak publicly about His love. You are empowered to use whatever is at your disposal—what you have and who you are. His love, the love of Jesus, helps you accept other people's traditions.

As a pastor, many times people come to me and ask for prayer. They say, "Hey, Pastor Ignat, can you pray for me? At my job, at my school, in my neighborhood, no one likes me. No one wants to talk to me. I go to the meetings, and everybody just kind of gets away. At school, nobody wants to be in the same space."

I often find myself in a group at work, and during lunch breaks, I notice that as soon as I arrive, everyone seems to disappear. It’s disheartening because, after spending just a few minutes with them, I realize I don’t want to talk to them either. It’s unfortunate because, as believers, we sometimes develop a reputation for being obnoxious. However, when we experience God's love and understand how He loves us, that love begins to pour out, enabling us to love others.

Consider Joseph and Nicodemus. They had everything they needed; they went to Pilate, obtained the body, and prepared the myrrh and aloes for burial. They were ready to put Jesus in the tomb. They recognized the time, noting that the Jewish tradition was preparing for the feast. They could have easily dismissed the traditions, thinking, "Who cares about their traditions now? We have Jesus, and we’re going to love Him, regardless of how it offends others." But they understood that doing so would offend the entire community, closing the door to share the gospel and God's love with them.

Many times, we as believers offend people without considering their feelings or opinions. We might think, "This is who I am because I love Jesus," but we need to reflect on our actions. If you read the Gospels, you’ll see that Jesus spoke the truth but did so with love. That’s why everyone wanted to be close to Him; they knew He loved them. We need to take the time to respect other people's traditions and opinions. Only then can they see that we truly love them, and the door to meaningful conversations will open.

In the past, I used to take pride in being able to upset people.

You see those people who go door-to-door, knocking to share what they believe with you. When I see them in my neighborhood, I used to be ready to win the argument. I remember one time I made a lady cry until God convicted me. Now, I don't do that often, but God asked me if I wanted to win the argument or win their soul. Did I want them to know that I know more than they do, or did I want them to know that I love them?

That's another thing we do a lot of times. We want to be the one who is right all the time. We start arguments, and when people say something, we begin to make excuses because we want to be right. We want to win the argument. Not on my clock!

Wow, you guys are very humble liars too. But think about it. Other times, we want to be the smartest people in the room. We want everybody to know how smart we are and show off our knowledge. How about when we want to be the best one, having the best line? People share something, and we always want to one-up them. "Oh yeah, this happened to me," and we come up with something bigger and better.

None of you are liars; you see, we do that all the time in different ways, in different capacities, and with different people. But we all do it. When we understand His love, it helps us realize that the person might not be ready to hear the gospel. We want to love them. That person might not be ready to hear the hard truth about their actions, but one day they will be ready to experience God's love.

Let me tell you something: when you begin to love people, many times you don't even have to say anything. God takes care of them and brings conviction to them.

But then, sometimes we have to build that relationship. Like I said, Joseph and Nicodemus went on to forget about traditions; they wanted to do things their way. However, they would have closed the door for themselves to share the gospel.

How about you and I? How many doors have we closed because we've been obnoxious or rude? It's so bad now that we have that reputation. As soon as someone hears, "Oh, he's a believer," they often think, "Oh my."

What if we began to experience love and give love to other people? They might start to question, "Why do you want to talk to me when nobody else does? Why do you want to accept me when nobody else does? Why do you want to listen to me when nobody else does?" The answer is simple: I have experienced God's love, and God wants to love you.

I think that is one of the biggest arguments we can make. This is the main point I want you to take with you: I am loving other people because I see them the way God sees them. If you say no, then how about we start asking God, "Why not?"

It could be that you haven't experienced God's love or that you haven't seen that love at the cross, where He died for you. It could be that you've been a secret follower of Jesus, and God is poking you hard, urging you to make it public. We need to let other people know what He is doing in your life.

It could also be that you have closed yourself off and haven't used your circle of influence to let others know about God's love. Or perhaps you haven't put your resources and abilities to God's service. God wants to take you out of your comfort zone and help you experience His love in a new way.

For the dead disciples, it was the worst day. For these two, it was the best day because He brought transformation to their lives. God wants to do that for you and me. As this is the last Sunday of the year, it could be the beginning for next year. You might say, "Okay, God, I'm going to do that. I'm going to start loving people the way You love them. I'm going to start putting my resources in front of You, my abilities. I want to use anybody I'm connected with to let them know of Your love. I want to let everybody know that I have a relationship with You."

I don't know what you are going through, but I know that God wants to do that for you and for me. He wants to move through you and through me. So maybe today is the time when you need to make that commitment. If you haven't experienced God's love, perhaps this is the moment to come before Him.

How are you going to do that? It starts when you realize that you are a sinner and that you need God's forgiveness. I'm not saying this to encourage you to keep coming to church; I'm saying you need to be sure that you have a relationship with Jesus. Be sure that you have confessed your sins to Him, asked for forgiveness, and invited Him to come into your heart and be the Lord of your life. If you do that, He is going to start working in your life. That is how you begin. Out of that, God is going to start overflowing His love in your life to do other things. Amen.

As we pray, let me tell you something: I want to invite you. If you have never accepted Jesus into your heart, you can do it now. We are not going to make it public; we are not going to make you stand up. No, no, no. But right where you are, I just ask you to raise your hand and say, "Lord, forgive me for my sins." In your own way, with your own words, confess your sins, ask for forgiveness, and invite Him to be the Lord of your life. If you haven't done it yet, and if you have done it but have not been committed to Him, then this is the time to say, "Lord, just do it."

As the worship team comes up to sing the last song, we can prepare our hearts. Amen. Lord, thank you for this morning. I pray that each one of us will be able to use what we learn in our daily lives.

Lord, I pray that if there is someone here who has never accepted You, who has never asked You to come into their hearts, that they would raise their hands and say, "Lord, I am here. Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned, and I invite You to take over my life." If you have never done this, you can do it in your own words right where you are.

As the worship team leads us in worship for this last song, I encourage you to pray about the areas in your life where you have not yet committed fully to the Lord. We give You this time, Lord, to work in our lives.

Jesus, I pray that each one of us makes the commitment to be public proclaimers of Your truth and Your love. Help us to influence others with Your love and grace, and to dedicate our resources and abilities to You.

Lord, I pray that You give us the love that You have for this world, so that they may experience the life that You offer. In Jesus' name, amen.