“This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.” Matthew 27:58

Ministry to Christ’s Body

A rich man had become a follower of Jesus while He yet lived. When Jesus died, this man got permission to take that bloody body down and carry it away. He wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in a fresh tomb which he had hewn out of rock. He protected the body by rolling a large stone against the door of the tomb; then he left.

Ministry to the body of Christ.

Two women were sitting there, watching. They had ministered to Jesus in life. They had watched the proceedings at the crucifixion, and watched Jesus die. They must have still been watching even after Jesus died, for they followed the rich man when he took the body of Jesus, and thus they knew where He was buried. They had intentions to anoint His body with the usual spices after the Sabbath was over.

Ministry to the body of Christ.

Contrast this to the sleepy disciples on that agonizing night before the crucifixion. Jesus rebuked them when He said, “What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?” (Matthew 26:40). There was no ministry to the living body of Christ that night.

Jesus emphasized that our ministry to Him takes place when we minister to others. In Matthew 25:37-40, He says,“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

His fleshly body was removed from this earth when He ascended to the Father, but the Church is now His body in the flesh. “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” (1 Corinthians 12:27). It makes perfect sense that our ministry to others is ministry to Him. The love we are commanded to have for one another—the love that compels us to minister to people’s needs—is ministry to the body of Christ.

Ministry is the rich man who buried Jesus. Ministry is the women who ministered to His needs before, during, and after death. Ministry is the countless kindnesses shown to others every day: providing for needs, bringing comfort, being a present help in time of trouble, doing odious tasks when necessary, and sometimes just doing what comes next.

Ministry to the body of Christ.

Lord, may we be faithful ministers to the body of Christ. Daily show us what to do. Amen.