It isn't very often that the Holy Communion concludes out-of-sync with the congregational hymn-singing.
(More often than not, the closing of the Communion and the hymn-singing is Singaporean-timed to perfection to end in-sync :P )
This time however, it did not, and it gave me time to reflect and refresh my heart in the Lord's Beauty.
As the Holy Communion drew to a close, I witnessed the church ministers placing the fine white cloth over the Communion table. I wondered to myself how many of us stood in amazement of the scene before us.
Or maybe it was just me and my wandering mind again! :)
"Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb..." -Mark 15:46
Joseph of Arimathea was a prominent Council member but he went beyond his OB-markers to honour Christ. In his mind, there was was the fear of political backlash from his fellow Jews but he "took courage" and did what he set out to accomplish.
Luke recorded that Joseph was a "good and just man" who "did not consent" to the poisonous actions of his fellow Jews.
What he did however, was part of the salvation plan of God. Together with Nicodemus, Joseph wrapped the body of Jesus with spices and fine linen, thereby according Christ a deserved Jewish man's honorable burial.
Joseph and Nicodemus worked together to accomplish that final act for the physical body of Christ. Both of them never expected that their actions would set off a chain of magnificent events afterward.
As they labored in the silence, wrapping His body with fine white linen; adding myrrh and aloes of a 100 pounds, what was on their minds?
Perhaps they felt a sense of loss:
To Nicodemus, Christ was the Rabbi who pointed him in the way of eternal life.
To Joseph, Christ was a teacher who was wholly blameless and fully righteous.
I'm inclined to believe that all they had on their minds was: "What next? Was all this merely one grandiose dream?"
Both were men of standing in the Jewish community but they had willingly risked trouble to be His secret disciples. Were their dreams now dashed forever? For now, that did not matter.
All they wanted was to accord Christ one last honorable consecration.
Joseph took the body of Christ and buried it his tomb, where no one had ever lain before. Closing the stone to the tomb, they all hurried home for it was the day of Preparation.
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As the church ministers drew the cloth over the communion table once again, I'm reminded of His immense love for you, for me, for us all.
The King on the Cross was obedient to the death, His blood was shed, for us all.
He descended into the heart of the earth for 3 days and 3 nights, fulfilling His own prophecy, and afterwards, rising again to the resurrection glory.
- It was through human hands that Christ was given an honorable burial.
But it is through His cleansing blood in Baptism that we gain life eternal.
- It was a brand new, empty tomb in which His body was buried.
It is only in an undefiled heart of ours that He can come in to tarry.
- Joseph and Nicodemus drew the linen shroud over His body and they hurried home with their hearts heavy.
The church ministers drew the cloth over the communion table in silence and my heart gave Him glory.
Glory, for He had indeed resurrected, promising us that one day we would all be able to drink the cup anew with Him, in His Kingdom.
Oh, the wondrous silence that caught me.
How Blissful, how Peaceful.
It was in the Silence that I recalled His Assurance.
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