rainy day reflections

Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.  Luke 23:32

   Two criminals hung on crosses on opposite sides of Jesus.  Both of them having committed crimes deserving of death.  But Jesus had never committed any crimes, not even one.  Yet he hung there dying, just as these two criminals did, and even in the agony of his suffering, he pleaded the Father's forgiveness...

"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

   And what were they doing?  Crucifying the very God that had created them.  Mocking and hating the One who had given them life and breath.  The God of eternity who had come to save them.  The God who loves and longs for the closeness of relationship...

People stood by watching.

The rulers scoffed at him   ...such verbal abuse...such unbelief...

"He saved others: let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!"

The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying,

"If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, 

"Are you not the Christ?  Save yourself and us!"

But the other rebuked him saying, 

"Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds;

but this man has done nothing wrong."

And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today, you will be with me in Paradise."

   Each of us, though we are different in so many ways, are so much alike and so much like the two criminals that died with Jesus that day.  Utterly helpless and unable to save ourselves.  Rightly deserving of death..."the due reward of our deeds."

   The first criminal who spoke only seemed to want what would benefit him at that moment.  He approached God in a way that people often do.  Like "Hey, if you're really there God, then why am I having to deal with this?  Why am I hurting?  Why are bad things happening in my life?  Why don't you fix it?!  Make things better for me!"  This criminal did not realize that God was doing the very thing he needed most.  Atoning for his sin.  Offering eternal life, if he would only by faith receive it.  That is why Jesus came, to save helpless, sinful, needy people.

  In contrast, the other criminal recognized that he deserved to be condemned, he knew that justice was being served.  His faith was beautifully simple...

I deserve death, but He has done nothing wrong.

   Then he addresses the Lord by name..."Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom..."  Even as Jesus hung there on the cross, he was able to redeem a soul from sin and to truly and completely set him free. Not one of them got down from their crosses that day and went on with life on this earth.    They all died, but only one went to be with Jesus in Paradise forever.  It was the criminal who had faith in who Jesus was and in his power to save.

   Jesus did not have to evaluate whether or not this man's "good" deeds outweighed his bad.  This criminal, bleeding and dying on a cross, had nothing with which to impress God.  Nothing at all.  The truth is, not one of us does.  What pleases him most is when a sinful soul realizes he cannot save himself.  He simply calls us to believe in Jesus who lived a sinless life and died a sinner's death...in our place.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

                                                                                                     Romans 10:13