Devotionals by Raul Ries

SATURDAY April 4, 2026

The Cost of Discipleship

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.
Matthew 27:57

Jesus suffered and died on the Cross. When He yielded up His Spirit, the veil in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks were split, graves were opened, and saints who had died were raised. The centurion and those who guarded Jesus stood in awe and said: “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:51-54).

Among the Sanhedrin were two secret disciples of Jesus Christ––Nicodemus, who secretly came to Jesus by night (John 3), and Joseph of Arimathea, a very wealthy man. Together they decided to bury the body of Jesus. In doing so, not only was their faith in Christ revealed, but the Jewish, religious elders who made up the Sanhedrin would reject them. Knowing the consequences, they counted the cost of becoming followers of Christ.

According to Jewish custom, a body should be buried the same day of their death. When Joseph of Arimathea requested Jesus’ body for burial, Pilate released it to him. Joseph was joined by Nicodemus. Together they took the crucified body of Jesus, bound it in strips of linen, and used expensive spices to prepare His body for burial. Joseph placed the dead body of Jesus into his own, garden tomb (Matthew 27:57-60; John 19:38-42).

When visiting Israel, I have the people who joined us on the trip gather into a garden area that is believed to contain Jesus’ tomb. I like to sit and watch the people’s reactions as they go into the empty tomb and then leave. Some people walk away weeping silently, remembering Jesus’ sufferings; others leave rejoicing, knowing Jesus has resurrected from the dead! When we consider what the Son of Man suffered to secure our salvation, we, too, have to count the cost in following Him.

Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life.
~Dietrich Bonhoeffer~

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