Watch “The Robber, Religion and the Redeemer” Jentezen Franklin, host of Kingdom Connection & Pastor of Free Chapel.
this remarkable man who’s mentioned in
all four of the Gospels
he lived in a little obscure Village and
called Arimathea which is about 20 miles
from Jerusalem
and yet his contribution to the kingdom
of God
is is so incredible again that every
writer of the Gospel every new test of
the four gospels they included the story
of Joseph of Arimathea the Bible tells
us a few facts about him number one it
says in verse 57 he was a rich man he
was wealthy
he was blessed we would say he had
tremendous resources
and then the Bible says in the same
verse that he became a disciple of Jesus
so you can be wealthy and you can be a
Christian you can be wealthy and be a
disciple of Christ
God doesn’t mind if you have things he
just doesn’t want the things to have you
and then notice what else it says it
said that this man
with all of his giftings with all of his
ability with all of his wealth with all
of his Prestige with all of his name
Fame and his popularity he was a member
of the Sanhedrin we’re told which was
the political system of that day he was
but he did not consent to their ways the
scripture said in other words he was in
it but he didn’t agree with everything
he was there to influence so he had
influence he had wealth he had power he
had Prestige but he understood it wasn’t
about him and this man used the
influence the wealth
the giftings that were significant to
him and he knew that that gave him an
opportunity to go where nobody else
could go except him because I guess he
had probably given to this and given to
that he understood God gave me all of
this wealth and Prestige for one purpose
to affect the body of Christ
I need to get the body of Christ into my
city and prepare a place to put it I
don’t care what condition it’s in I’m
going to move it from a death position
to a resurrection position
and it’s my responsibility think about
what I’m saying one man move the body of
Christ
one man said I’m moving it from where it
is to where it ought to be
and he said the only way I can do this
is I understand God has not blessed me
with wealth and with Fame and with
Prestige and with popularity to be all
about me
but he has given me this influence and
resources for one purpose to the body of
Christ then was a physical body of Jesus
but Paul calls the church the body of
Christ
and here’s what I want you to understand
he went to Harry he went to pilate and
the Bible said that he begged King James
says he begged for the body of Christ
he was begging for the opportunity to
get involved with the body of Christ
which is the church now
under the New Covenant he was you don’t
you didn’t have to beg him usually the
more Fame people get the more wealth
people get the more independent they get
the more they think they don’t need God
as much he’s lucky to have me but this
guy had the total opposite idea he said
God has blessed me so much has raised me
so much has been so good to me I’m
begging you pilate let me get my hands
involved with the body of Christ I’m not
going to use all the blessings that God
has given me to keep me disconnected
from the body the only reason I was
given all of this stuff was that it
should help
impact and influence the body of Christ
in my city to have a place
it’s pretty amazing are you willing to
beg for the opportunity to be involved
in the body of Christ