By Michael Hernandez
NEWBURY PARK—Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, two wealthy Jewish leaders, “put their lives on the line for the body of Christ,” said Godspeak Pastor Rob McCoy during a noon Good Friday livestream service. “They were not ashamed.” The text for his message was taken from “The Burial of Christ” (John 19:38-42).
“This action cost them everything. What did they do? They asked for the body of Jesus as was the custom of the Jews to bury the dead. They went to the Cross and removed the nails from His hands and His feet. They lowered His body with gentleness and tenderness and they took Him and began to wash His body as they spoke to Him by name. They washed Him, cleaned His hair and wiped the blood from His body. They cherished the King’s body.
“This action would cost them everything the world cherishes but heaven disregards. They had everything to lose,” said Pastor McCoy who stated that the Roman historian Josephus said that both men would lose their fortunes and honor among the Jewish community.
“I want (you) to realize that the hope of mankind is found in the broken body of Jesus Christ. There is no other name in which hope can be found. This is the day that Christ body was brutally beaten, His blood shed. There is power in the blood where all my sins, past, present and future are forgiven. God wants none to perish but have everlasting life. That’s why His body was broken. That’s why (Joseph and Nicodemus) gave everything to care for the body of Christ. The blood of Christ is necessary for redemption and for fellowship.
“We have healing through the blood of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:5),” said Pastor McCoy. “God permits something like Covid-19 to show us, that what we worship is wiped out by an invisible monster that paralyzes us by fear. Those that seek to oppress others employ fear. But the greatest disease of mankind is to place ourselves above God. This is cosmic treason.
“Our governmental authorities would declare that the celebration of our communion is relegated to unnecessary. The Church has been placed between a casino and drive-in movie theater. (They say) Church is non-essential. Man loves power. If you want to be in control, remove God. Let the Church know that they have no access to communion or to the body and blood of Jesus.
“We (Godspeak) are contending for freedoms the Constitution (Bill of Rights) says we have. We cannot remove access to spiritual hope.”
(Editor’s Note: Pastor Rob McCoy can be heard every day through his 7 p.m. “Fireside Chat.” To view tonight’s episode 23 “Fireside Chat” broadcast go to: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYiP2FPff-_TH5kcjTp4oyQ or log into the church website at http://godspeak.com/. Episode one registered 1,000 views. Godspeak’s Easter Sunday livestream church service can be viewed at 11 a.m.)
Michael Hernandez, Co-Founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service; editor of the History Makers Report and founder of History Makers International—a community nonprofit serving youth and families in Ventura County, is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. He worked 25 years as a middle school teacher in Monrovia and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted by email at [email protected].
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The Apostle Paul wrote “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
We know where fear comes from and who benefits via the propagation of it.
Pastor McCoy is to be commended for his willingness to live and die by the Word on which he stands.
Thank you for publishing this.