Issue 1570 – Seven Sayings – Part 5 October 9, 2024
This morning, we continue our exploration of the “Seven Sayings on the Cross.” Last time, we started our look at the “word of salvation”
…then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
We considered the marvel that Christ promised the criminal he would be in paradise with Him “today.” What a marvelous gift, mercy beyond anything the rebel ever imagined.
“Paradise,” used here, is a word for a garden. When God created the physical universe, He created Adam and Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden … literally the Garden of Pleasure. Everything in it and everything he gave humanity was pronounced: “very good by God.”
The last book of the Bible, the Revelation of Jesus the Christ, spends a lot of time describing our final destiny as believers. While much of the language is symbolic and apocalyptic, we can readily picture something beautiful and pleasurable. We might not be able to picture it all, but we can see that the new paradise will be a place of pleasure in the presence of a holy God.
We will see our Savior face to face and bask in God’s glory, just as we were designed to do. I don’t believe the first thing we will do is go look up old believing family and friends, although I am sure we will see them. The first thing we will do is rejoice in God and give Him glory.
We spoke yesterday of the miracle of grace by faith. That cannot be stressed enough; the entirety of the gospel hangs on it. If we are not saved by faith alone, we have no hope.
The brigand had nothing to offer Christ. He had no good works He could do, no ritual that he could observe, and no “church” he could join. The only thing he could offer was repentant faith. God’s wondrous grace was sufficient.
We sometimes overlook an element of the criminal’s faith. He had a courageous faith.
He was nailed on a cross next to the man who likely qualified as the most hated man in Jerusalem that day. Crowds of angry, hate-filled people mocked Jesus and His claims.
Even the chief priest and his followers were mockers. The highest and most respected leaders of Jewish civil and religious life publicly declared Jesus a fraud and had Him killed.
It took a lot of courage to look past all that, see Jesus as King and Messiah, and publicly call out to Him. We are often intimidated by the opinions of others and sometimes afraid to speak when we fear the crowd might not like what we say. How much more so for this man?
The criminal even rebuked the other thief on the cross …
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.” Luke 23:39-41
Here is a man who is in the world … naked on a cross, dying for all the world to see, facing the earthly consequences of his sin. Yet He is no longer of the world. He turned his back on His companions and moved to Jesus. It is a beautiful image of repentance and faith.
More beautiful still is Jesus’ response of forgiving Him. There is great hope for us there. No one is so vile that they cannot be saved if they repent and trust by faith. What a message of hope we have been given to proclaim.
If you have been holding back from opening yourself to Christ’s mercy, I pray God gives you the courage you need.
Until next time, may you rejoice in Jesus. May you praise Him for the righteousness of His wrath against sin and for His mercy for those who will trust in faith. He alone is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
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Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. Your value in God’s eyes is so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing to the world. You are so precious to God that his plan for heaven will not be complete without you.
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