“And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, saying, ‘If you are Christ, save yourself and us.’ 40. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation. 41. And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing amiss.’ 42. And he said unto Jesus, ‘Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ 43. And Jesus said unto him, ‘Verily, I say unto you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
There are two reactions shared in the text above that show us possible reactions to the Christ’s crucifixion. Which has been your reaction? It’s worth thinking about. One reaction is that the crucifixion means absolutely nothing. This is the reaction of the first thief. If Jesus wouldn’t act in the way he wanted Him to react, that is, to save his life, he had no interest in Jesus’ crucifixion. This is an attitude of , “What’s in it for me?” He was not thinking above his own self-interest. This is the attitude of a lot of people today. The death of Jesus means nothing to them, because it doesn’t promote their own interests. They are afraid about what they might lose if they follow Jesus. Another reaction is that the crucifixion means something beyond this earthly life. That is the reaction of the second thief. He evidently heard the voice of the Spirit and saw in Jesus the Savior that He is. He had recognized his own sins and knew that he deserved punishment for his crime, but he saw the innocence of Jesus. He wanted to go with Jesus into His kingdom. Jesus accepted this thief’s profession of faith and said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” I have read all sorts of ideas about what “paradise” means. My conclusion is that it is the place where we will be with Jesus, and that is enough for me. (We also call it “heaven.”) I just want to leave the details up to God. There are millions of people who have the reaction of the first thief: Jesus’ crucifixion means nothing to them. They do not want Jesus to interfere with their lives and certainly not with their lifestyles. It would take an admission of sin and a need for forgiveness. Let us pray that many people will have the reaction of the second thief during this season of the emphasis on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. I pray that your reaction is that of the second thief (or ex-thief). Bro. Joe
2 Comments
Patty Brown
4/10/2017 10:33:24 pm
Hi Brother Joe! Thank you for your continuing this blog. How wonderfully GOD uses you to teach and preach - You are a blessing!
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Arnold Carden
4/11/2017 10:48:59 am
Thank you Bro. Joe for your continued ministry. I miss hearing your preaching, but your devotionals, or sermonettes, are the next best thing. Thank you!
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