Buried, but Not the End
Month 7: He Is Risen! — Why We Believe · Family Worship
Today's Scripture
Read together: John 19:38–42
38 Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed His body. 39 Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices, according to the Jewish burial custom. 41 Now there was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus there.
Memory Verse
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”— 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (BSB)
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Amos 5–9
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 187 of 365 — even after judgment, God promises to restore His people.)The Heart of It
After Jesus died, two men stepped out of the shadows. Joseph of Arimathea was a secret disciple. He had been afraid of what others would think. But now he finally found his courage and asked Pilate for Jesus' body. Nicodemus had once come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of spices. Together these careful, important men wrapped Jesus' body in linen. They laid Him in a brand-new tomb cut into the rock. Then they sealed the day's grief behind a heavy stone. To everyone watching, it looked like the end of the story. Their teacher was dead and buried, and Saturday stretched out silent and hopeless.
But the burial is in our memory verse for a reason: "He was buried, that He was raised on the third day." The grave was not a defeat to be hidden. It was proof that He was truly dead. And it was the setting where God would do His greatest work. This week we close with a quiet, hopeful day. Sometimes our families walk through Saturday too. There are seasons when things look finished, when prayers feel unanswered, and when God seems silent. The burial of Jesus teaches us to hold on. In God's hands, what looks like the end is often the place where new life is about to break out. The tomb where they laid Him would soon be the most famous empty space in history. As we worship tonight, we wait with hope, because we already know what Sunday holds.
Around the Table
Jesus' friends laid Him gently in a tomb behind a big stone. It looked like the end, but it wasn't! Something wonderful was coming.
Let's do it: Curl up small and quiet. Then on the count of three, jump up with arms wide and shout, "He's not staying in there!"
Joseph was a secret disciple who finally got brave. Burying Jesus was his bold way of showing he belonged to Him.
Let's talk: Have you ever been a "secret" follower of Jesus, nervous about what others think? What would brave look like?
The burial proves Jesus really died, and it sets up the resurrection. Notice how grief and hope can sit together. The saddest Saturday came right before the best Sunday.
Let's go deeper: When have you been in a "Saturday," waiting with things looking hopeless? How does the empty tomb give you hope to keep trusting God?
💬 Conversation Starter
Has something ever looked like a total disaster, but then turned out to be the start of something good? That's the shape of the whole gospel. First the burial, then the resurrection.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
When someone says, "There probably wasn't even a real tomb," you can gently reply. The Gospels name Joseph of Arimathea as the man who buried Jesus. He was a real, well-known member of the ruling council. No one inventing a legend would risk naming a living public figure people could check. They could simply go and ask him. So this detailed, named burial is strong evidence that the empty tomb that followed was real too. As says, we answer "with gentleness and respect." We answer kindly. We are not trying to win. We are trying to point people to the Risen One.
For Dad · Go Deeper
Tonight is Family Worship. Slow it down. Sing a song or two, like "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" or a favorite chorus. Let the room feel the hush of Holy Saturday before next week's celebration. There is pastoral gold here for your kids. God does some of His best work in the dark, in the waiting, when nothing seems to be happening. Don't rush them out of every hard season. Teach them to wait with hope, the way the whole creation waited between Friday and Sunday. And notice Joseph and Nicodemus. They were two timid men who went public for Jesus at the moment it cost the most. Pray your children grow into that kind of quiet courage. And pray they see it modeled in a father who isn't ashamed to follow Christ openly.
Draws on: Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You that the grave was not the end. When everything feels hopeless, help us wait with hope. We trust that You are working, even when we can't see it. Give us courage to follow Jesus openly. In Jesus' name, amen."
The tomb was not the end. In God's hands, the burial was just the doorway to resurrection morning.