Luke 23:50-53(NASB)

And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man 51 (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God; this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain.

I read an old story from the Nov 1983 “Our Daily Bread”…

The evangelist Billy Sunday used to tell of a professing Christian who got a job in a lumber camp that had the reputation of being very ungodly. A friend, hearing that the man had been hired, said to him, “If those lumberjacks ever find out you’re a Christian, you’re going to be in for a hard time!” The man responded, “I know, but I need the job!”

The next morning he left for camp. A year later, he came home for a visit. While in town, he met his friend who asked, “Well, how did it go? Did they give you a hard time because you’re a Christian?”

“Oh no, not at all,” the man replied. “They didn’t give me a bit of trouble, they never even found out!”

What a shame.

Joseph of Aremithea knew Jesus and was secretly a follower.  He fell short by not speaking out when Jesus was brought before “The Council”.  We would assume that he feared that he would be chastised for siding with Christ.  Although God had a plan all along for Christ to die that day, Joseph didn’t know that and he could have made a difference.

After Joseph saw Christ crucified and witnessed what happened at the cross he then stood up when he asked Pilot for the Body of Jesus.  At least Joseph  allowed God to use him to fulfill the prophecy of Christ’s resurrection from the tomb.

We need to be bold in what we believe and what and who we stand for.  There is a quote from the movie, GOD’S NOT DEAD II that shows our choice…

“I would rather stand with God and be judged by the world than stand with the world and be judged by God…”

Where will you stand?