This post is Day 19 in a series of studies about “Surprises”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Surprises – Day 19

During His time on earth, both before and after His resurrection, Jesus was always surprising people. Those who followed Him were constantly trying to understand who He really was, and were regularly surprised. Both by what He did and what He said. This continued even after He died!

Mark 15:44-45

Pilate was surprised to hear that Jesus was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph.

The Thought

Pilate knew from the beginning that Jesus was no ordinary man. Pilate was right! Jesus never fit into the category of “ordinary”. From the young age when He was found in the temple after three days (a prophetic time period!) of His parents searching for Him (Luke 2:46) right to His physical disappearance from the earth (Acts 1:9), Jesus’ life was full of surprises.

During His time on earth, both before and after His resurrection, Jesus was always surprising people. Those who followed Him were constantly trying to understand who He really was, and were regularly surprised. Both by what He did and what He said. This continued even after He died! Those surprises continue today as we read His word and draw closer to Him.

Pilate, who had not really wanted to send Jesus to His death (Matthew 27:24), was surprised when Joseph of Arimathea asked to have the body so soon after he had been nailed to the cross. He asked for confirmation. Then he gave permission.

Asking for the bodies of crucified family members was not unusual, because people had family tombs, but Joseph of Arimathea was not of Jesus’ family.

We know that this was not the last surprise around Jesus’ death, the greatest one was still to come, three days later when He proved that death could not keep Him down.

Action

Read Mark 15 today and look for other surprises in that account of the events around Jesus’ death.

Dare to pray for a surprise from Jesus in your own life today.

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