October 12, 2025

Luke 23:50-56

Defining Moments: The Burial of Jesus Christ

Sunday Sermons

Each of our lives is shaped by what we might call “defining moments”—those hinge points that change the course of our life in significant ways. We can see some of these moments coming. Others we only recognize when looking back, and we can see the gracious hand of God weaving through our good and bad choices, our challenges, our joys, and our pain—forming us, changing us, preparing us for what comes next.

One such moment came at the burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. What looked like the end was actually the beginning. What seemed like defeat would become the seed of resurrection faith. Their defining moment was not found in their strength, but in their surrender—by stepping out into the open, identifying with the crucified Christ, and finding life in His death.

Sometimes, our greatest turning points come when we finally step out of the shadows and into the light of Christ—when we stop worrying about our own glory and begin living for His.

Join Pastor Jim as he walks us through the burial of Jesus, one of the defining moments in redemption history.

Speaker

Jim Thomas

Series

The Gospel According to Luke

Go to Series

Scripture

Luke 23:50-56

Topics
Community Life Growth & Discipleship

Sermon Notes

Luke 23:50-56

Defining Moments: The Burial of Jesus Christ

Pastor Jim Thomas

What does the NT tell us about Joseph of Arimathea and the burial of Jesus?

Parallel NT Passages on the Burial of Jesus:

  • Matthew 27:57-61
  • Mark 15:42-47
  • Luke 23:50-56
  • John 19:38-42

Defining moment:

The physical burial of Jesus is not merely a religious fiction but a historically attested cornerstone of the Christian faith. It confirms His death, fulfills prophetic Scripture, and sets the stage for another defining moment, the historic event of the Resurrection of Jesus.

It’s a defining moment when…

1. We realize the world is broken, we are sinful, and we need redemption.

“To knife through our pretense, cowardice, and evasions, to see the truth about ourselves and the true state of our souls before God — this requires enormous courage and ruthless trust in the merciful love of the redeeming God. Put simply, sin must be acknowledged and confessed before there can be forgiveness and real transformation.”
Brennan Manning, Ruthless Trust

2. We come to recognize who Jesus really is.

“Jesus is mysterious not just because of what we don’t know about Him, but because of what we do know about Him.”
John Ortberg, Who is This Man?

“When Christ came and redeemed us, there was, on His part, no display of physical or mere brute power. There was a display of power, but it was the power of goodness, the power to suffer, the power to be patient, the power to love. As if God said to men, ‘Sinners and rebels as you are, I love you more than you hate Me. And great as your badness is, My goodness shall overwhelm your badness, My pardoning mercy shall overpower your power to transgress.’”
C.H. Spurgeon, Christ’s Crowning Glory

3. We step out of the shadows and into courageous faith.

“The fear of the Lord tends to take away all other fears…This is the secret of Christian courage and boldness.”
Sinclair Ferguson

“Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God’s will.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

4. We begin to honor God with reckless abandon.

“Christ is praised by being prized. He is magnified as a glorious treasure when He becomes our unrivaled pleasure.”
John Piper, The Dangerous Duty of Delight

“Resurrection power works best in graveyards.”
Ray C. Stedman

Discussion Questions

  • Can you identify 2-3 “defining moments” that significantly impacted the direction of your life?
  • Are you in need of another turning point of redemption, where you turn from yourself to Jesus?
  • Have you experienced an “enough is enough” moment where you know it’s time to shift from being a secret disciple to more publicly identifying as a follower of Christ?
  • As they were burying Jesus, the small group of followers did not know what would happen on Sunday. How does this challenge us to act with faith even when we’re unable to see God’s planned outcome clearly?

 

Songs, Readings & Prayer

Songs

“Praise To The Lord The Almighty“ by Joachim Neander and Catherine Winkworth
“He Is Making All Things Right“ by Ben Shive, Bryan Fowler, Skye Peterson
“O Praise The Name (Anástasis)“ by Benjamin Hastings, Dean Ussher, and Marty Sampson
“Come Behold The Wondrous Mystery“ by Matt Boswell, Matt Papa, and Michael Bleecker
“Doxology” by Thomas Ken and Louis Bourgeois
All songs are used by Permission. CCLI License #2003690

Call To Worship: Give Thanks to The Lord

LEADER: Oh, give thanks to the Lord; call upon His name; Make known his deeds among the peoples!
WOMEN: Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Tell of all His wondrous works!

LEADER: Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
MEN: Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His presence continually!

LEADER: Remember the wondrous works that He has done, His miracles and the judgments He has uttered.
WOMEN: O offspring of Israel, His servant, Children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

ALL: Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; For His steadfast love endures forever!

Confession of Faith:

LEADER: Who are the saints?
PEOPLE: The saints are all those in heaven and on earth who place their faith in Jesus Christ, who are set apart, holy to God in Christ, and transformed by His grace.

LEADER: What does the word “communion” mean?
PEOPLE: “Communion” means being “one with” someone in union and unity. For Christians, it refers to the unity of the three Persons within the one Being of God, to our union with God through our union with Christ, and to our unity with one another in Christ.

The Apostles’ Creed – I Believe in the Communion of Saints, pt. 1
Article III. “I Believe in the Communion of Saints”
ACNA, Q. 100, 101

Classic Prayer: Carlo Carretto

You alone are holy, Lord God, Worker of Wonders. You are mighty. You are great. You are the Most High. You are omnipotent, our holy Father, King of heaven and earth. You, Lord God, are our every good, all good. Our highest good. You, living and true. You are our eternal life, great and admirable Lord, altogether sufficient, merciful Savior.

Click here to receive TVC’s weekly prayer email.