The Repentant Thief

 Luke 23:32, 39-43

Have you ever known someone and thought that they were just so bad, so rotten, that they were beyond hope, beyond redemption?  Perhaps they lived their whole lives as a criminal of one type or another, in and out of prison, into one bad thing after another, and you think there is no hope for them.  Or perhaps you know an elderly person who their whole life long they were just such a miserable old cuss, and now they are on their deathbed, and you feel that’s it for them, there is no hope they would come to Christ now.  Perhaps we have a family member or loved one who is like either one, and we have given up hope for their salvation. Today’s Scripture passage from the Gospel of Luke tells us some good news for just such scenarios.  As we look into Luke’s account during the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus, we will find that as long as there is breath in the body, there is still a chance for one to get saved.

As Jesus was led out to be crucified, there were two other men who were crucified with Him (vs. 32).  These men were most likely companions along with Barabbas, who had just recently led an insurrection, a violent uprising against Roman rule.  In addition to that, they probably took part in other criminal activity, and after their capture, they were sentenced to death.  Barabbas was to be executed, as well, but the Jewish religious leaders called for Jesus to be put to death and Barabbas to be set free (Mark 15:6-15).

As these two criminals hung on their crosses, one on the right of Jesus, the other on the left, they initially joined with the crowds that had gathered in jeering and mocking Jesus (Matthew 27:44).  However, as time passed, one of the two criminals began to be pricked in his conscience, the Holy Spirit cracking the sin-hardened soul.   Perhaps he knew something about Jesus, maybe even having heard Him preach.  This man saw, as all three hung there, that Jesus didn’t act or talk like a common criminal, like the people he had hung around with lately.  He observed Jesus pray for those who had crucified Him, pray for the Pharisees and priests who had condemned and were still mocking Him.  With only brief moments left to live, this man recognized his sinful condition and the holiness of Jesus.

As this man was about to die, he turned to Jesus and asked forgiveness, and Jesus accepted him (vs. 42).  He asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom.  Jesus granted him that divine grace and mercy, and promised the criminal a place with Him in heaven.  There is no mention of purgatory here.  No mention that the man would have to “work off” his sins before he could enter heaven.  Jesus said “today”, showing the dying criminal would go from his cross immediately to heaven (vs. 43).

Our deeds do not save us.  Only our faith in Christ alone saves us.  This man had absolutely nothing to offer Jesus.  He had no good works, no faithful service.  He had not been baptized.  The only thing he could do was to believe.  However, that was all it took, because faith is the only way to be saved.  Our deeds do not save us, only our faith in Christ alone does.

This unnamed criminal’s faith was great, because he believed Jesus was a king with a kingdom.  What he saw with his eyes was a bloody, beaten man, derided by the crowds, and dying on a cross like he and his companion were.  That was not a picture of a king with a kingdom.  Yet, at that moment, he believed in Jesus and asked Him to remember him when He came into His kingdom.  He acknowledged that Jesus would be ruling as a king over all in the afterlife.  Though this man knew that he could do nothing to deserve that Jesus show him any favor or mercy, he humbly asked for His mercy, and Jesus bestowed it.

Jesus will bestow that same mercy on anyone who turns to Him, even in their last moments of life.  He will do that to that wayward person sitting in prison, seemingly without hope, if they turn to Him.  They can literally be on their way to execution, and if they but turn their eyes upon Jesus, calling out to Him, they can be saved in their last breath.  He will for that elderly person on their deathbed who, all their life cursed Jesus, if in their last breath, they call upon Him for mercy.  It is never too late to turn to Jesus in this life.  After death, though, it will be too late.

On Calvary stood three crosses.  Three men hung there.  One man died in his sin.  One Man died for sin.  The last one was saved out of his sin.  Hallelujah, what a Savior!

The Perfect Sacrifice

 Hebrews 10:1-23

If you try something and you do not get the results that you desired, what do you do?  You might try again a couple more times, but if you still fail to get your desired results, you will stop and try something else, especially if that way is guaranteed to work.  We also usually like to choose the superior product over any lesser competitive products.  Go with the best, the proven product, the one that works, not with something else.  This goes for not only our material world, but also with our spiritual life, as well, as the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews wrote in our Scripture passage today.  Let’s look into God’s Word.

As our passage opens, the writer describes the sacrifices for sin that were made throughout the Old Testament.  Animals, usually lambs, goats, and sometimes cattle, were brought to the priests on a regular basis to be sacrificed for sin.  Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies on behalf of the people of the nation to make atonement for their sins.  However, these Old Testament sacrifices could not remove any sins (vs. 1-4).  These sacrifices had to be repeated and repeated, as individuals would continually sin.  Also, the High Priest would offer sacrifices each and every year on the Day of Atonement.  The constant repetition was a continual reminder of the deficiency of these sacrifices to truly remove sin.  Animal sacrifices cannot take away sin (vs. 11).  They only provided a temporary way to deal with people’s sins until Jesus came.

If animal sacrifices cannot remove sin, what can people do?  What can we do, as we all have sins, and need help?  Where can we turn?  It is only through Jesus Christ that we can find permanent, powerful sin-destroying forgiveness for our sins.  Christ’s offering of His life was a once-for-all sacrifice for our sins (vs. 10).  His one-time death was sufficient to atone for our sins, and is superior to all of the sacrifices of the Old Testament Levitical system.  With Jesus’ death sin was removed, and God remembers our sins no more.

The Old Testament priests had to continually repeat their animal sacrifices as these sacrifices couldn’t remove sin.  Jesus’ sacrifice was once-for-all.  His sacrifice effectively cleansed us from the stain of sin, so it didn't have to be repeated over and over.  On the one hand is the ineffective, inferior way, the animal sacrifice.  On the other hand is the sacrifice of Jesus, His Blood, which is effective to forgive sins.  One works, the other doesn’t.  After accepting for ourselves the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, nothing else is needed to make us acceptable to God.  We become completely right with Him.  The way to please God is not by keeping laws, but by coming to Him through Jesus Christ in faith to be forgiven, and then following Him in loving obedience.

Through the Old Testament sacrificial system, only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies behind the veil with the animal blood, and only once a year.  Individuals could not approach God directly.  However, because of the High Priestly ministry of Jesus, and His finished sacrifice, believers can enter boldly into the presence of God (vs. 19).  We can come into God’s presence with confidence if we draw near through the Blood of Jesus.  His death removed the curtain that divided the Most Holy Place.  Now all believers may walk into God’s presence at any time.

As our passage concludes, we are reminded that Jesus Christ is our great High Priest (vs. 21-22).  Not only did He make atonement for our sins with His own Blood, He is also in the presence of God right now, standing up in defense for us (Romans 8:34).  In the presence of God, in defiance of Satan, Jesus Christ rises to our defense.  He is our great High Priest and our Advocate.  As the closing verse assures us, we can trust Jesus, because the One who made these promises is faithful.

Under The Shadow Of God's Wing

 Psalm 36

As we enter Holy Week this week and all that this signifies, our psalm selection this week contrasts the wickedness of man and God’s holiness, love, and faithfulness.  Man’s wickedness was surely evident during the final week of Christ’s life on earth, and God’s love and mercy to us was equally evident.  In this psalm, Psalm 36, we have the comforting assurance of God’s love.  Regardless of the circumstances of life, God’s love is a beacon of hope.  It is our ever-present, inexhaustible source of strength and confidence.

As our psalm begins, David describes some of the characteristics of a wicked person, one who has not given their life over to Yahweh, who does not follow His ways or live for Him (vs. 1-4).  Nothing stops the wicked from sinning.  They just forge ahead because they have no fear of God.  The fear of God is a deeply reverential respect and awe for Him.  Those who show a fear of God, a respect and reverence for Him, will seek to obey His Word, and to live for Him.   The wicked today do not show any respect for God.  They are proud and conceited in their own abilities and desires.  As long as someone is proud, he cannot know God.  The wicked have a skewed view of God and of themselves.  The righteous fear God and recognize their dependence upon Him, whereas the wicked do not.  The wicked look to themselves as the most important reality in the universe.  They flatter and deceive themselves.  They fail to act wisely or to do good.  Not only do they spend their days following the paths of sin, but at night, as they lie upon their bed, they plan more wickedness, plotting and scheming against others.

As we continue on in the psalm, we read of David’s testimony that God’s lovingkindness is limitless.  His mercy remains eternally.  They are sharply contrasted with the sinful hearts of man.  Because of these loving and merciful attributes of His, God delays His judgment of the wicked to give them a chance to repent.  In spite of our sinfulness, God pours out His love on those who know Him.

God is our fountain (vs. 9).  When the world leaves us dry, we are refreshed when we go to Him.  He is living water, and the fountain of life (John 7:37-38).  God offers the only true life there is.  When we walk in His light, by His Word and the Holy Spirit, we can enjoy life to the fullest.

In his psalm. David compares God’s loving care of us with that of a mother bird, who gathers her chicks around her, protecting them from harm while under her wing (vs. 7).  When the shadow of a hawk passes over, a mother hen will call her chicks to her, covering them under her wing.  They will stay there until the danger has passed.  God wants us to come to Him for safety and protection, for Him to shelter us in His protecting care.

At one point during the week before His crucifixion, Jesus stood on a hill outside Jerusalem, looking down on the city.  He knew what lay before Him later that week.  He knew that the people of the city would reject Him one final time as they would shout out to Pontius Pilate to have Him crucified.  Jesus cries over Jerusalem and her people, saying that He wishes He could gather the people of the city in His arms, just as a hen gathers her chicks to her with love and protection, but the people have refused Him (Matthew 23:37).

How about us?  Will we come to Jesus for His loving care and kindness, for His mercy and protection?  Or will we be like those people of Jerusalem on that Good Friday, who rejected their Messiah and Savior?  The safest place for us is in the protection of the arms of God.  He wants to gather us like a hen with her chicks, but unfortunately so many are not willing.

Love Beyond Degree

 Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12

There have been many works of art done that show the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.  In many of these depictions, though, the true horror of what Jesus went through has been sanitized.  In many we might only see a small trickle of blood on His forehead, just a slight trickle coming from His hands and feet.  However, what the Lord Jesus went through during the crucifixion, along with the scourging and mistreatment at the hands of the soldiers, was brutal.  In our passage from the Prophet Isaiah, we will see just a bit of what Jesus went through for us.

In this passage of Scripture, we are given incontrovertible proof that God wrote the Bible and that Jesus is the fulfillment of this Messianic prophecy.  The details are so precise that there is no way Jesus could have fulfilled them by accident or by coincidence, nor by some trickery and cunning.

The Prophet Isaiah begins this passage with three verses that show the humiliation and also the exaltation of Jesus (vs. 52:13-15).  As Isaiah described here, Jesus underwent such inhumane cruelty, to the point that He no longer looked like a human (vs. 14).  His appearance was so awful that people were astonished.  Through His crucifixion, Jesus performed the priestly work of cleansing the world of sin (vs. 15).  The rulers of this world will be speechless and in awe when they behold the once-despised Savior who is now exalted.

As Isaiah testified here, both Israel and the world at large have not believed Jesus and God’s Word (vs. 1).  This was true in the prophet’s day, at the time of Jesus, and is definitely true today.  Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would come from a humble human background.  This was true of Jesus, as He was born to a working class family, as His foster father, Joseph was a carpenter.  He did not come from an exalted background or royal family, as many of the Jews thought the Messiah would come from.  Nor was Jesus’ appearance distinguished or remarkable (vs. 2).

Jesus was hated and rejected by mankind (vs. 3). He suffered physical abuse, and also internal grief over the lack of response from those He came to save.  As Isaiah testifies, Jesus bore the consequences of the sins of men (vs. 4).  The Jews who watched Him die thought that He was being punished by God for His own sins, not realizing that it wasn’t His sins He was dying for, as He had none, but was for their sins and those of all mankind. Jesus was a “Man of Sorrows”, not just in the hours of crucifixion, or an hour or two earlier during the scourging, as horrific as those two events were.  He agonized in horror and grief the night before, during His time of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-34).  All throughout His ministry, Jesus grieved over the unbelief of those He came to save.

Jesus did not suffer for His own sins, as He was sinless.  He was our substitute, and suffered the wrath of God in place of us (vs. 5).  He suffered the chastisement of God in order to gain our peace with God.  Jesus’ death on the cross paid the price for our salvation and for our healing, both spiritual healing, also our physical and emotional healing as well.  Jesus’ death purchased the ransom for our life.  Those who believe have been set free from Satan’s control.  We have been delivered from the evil one’s power.  We need to get that truth into our minds.

God laid our sins on Jesus, and treated Him as if He had committed every sin ever committed by every person, though He was perfectly innocent (vs. 6).  God did that so that His wrath against sin and His justice would be satisfied.  He could then give to the account of sinners who believe the righteousness of Jesus, treating them as if they were righteous, like Jesus is.

Throughout all of this torture and ignominious death Jesus uttered no protest, and was utterly submissive to those who oppressed Him (vs. 7).  He was the sacrificial lamb.  The Jewish religious leaders intended Jesus to have a disgraceful death, like a common criminal (vs. 9).  But instead, Jesus was given an honorable burial by the wealthy disciple Joseph of Arimathea.

How could the Son of God die for those who treated Him so badly, who despised and rejected Him?  Jesus did not deserve to die, but it was God’s will in order to procure salvation to anyone who believes.  His sacrifice satisfied God, and thus brings justification to all who believe.  That is amazing, divine love.  Love beyond degree.

The Fruitful Seed

 John 12:20-33

Now that spring is upon us, many people are thinking about their gardens, and getting ready to plant their flowers or vegetables soon.  They will head off to the local garden center, and purchase the seeds they need.  Have you ever taken a good look at seeds?  They are lifeless little kernels.  You can set them on a shelf and they won’t do anything except lie there for weeks, years, even centuries if left alone.  But once you bury them in the soil they will grow into a beautiful flower or plant.  Something that is “dead”, when buried, brings forth life.  This is the spiritual truth that Jesus speaks about in our Gospel reading for today.

As Jesus was teaching His twelve apostles, and the other disciples and people who followed Him, He knew that the time of His death upon the cross was nearing.  No one would look forward to a tortuous death, and Jesus was no exception (vs. 27).  Yet He knew that this was why He came to earth, to pay the price for our sins, and bring salvation to mankind.  Just like a seed, some things must die in order to be productive (vs. 24).  Jesus knew His death would bring salvation to the world.  Unless a kernel or grain of wheat is put in the ground and “dies”, it cannot produce more wheat.  Jesus had to die to pay the penalty for our sins, and to show His power over death.  His resurrection brings eternal life.

When we become a Christian our sinful nature dies (Romans 6:6).  However, some sinful aspects of our character have not willingly gone to their graves.  If they are allowed to remain alive, they will stifle the fruits of the Spirit.  We need to allow Jesus to put those sinful aspects of our character to death.  Those times of brokenness hurt.  But it is during this time that Jesus does His greatest work in us.  A seed left alone on a shelf does nothing.  But when it is planted, and its protective layer stripped away, it grows into the plant it should become.  Jesus didn’t just talk about this example, He lived it.  We aren’t abandoned during this time while God is working on us.  We are going into a season of growth.

If our desire is to remain isolated, protected, and comfortable, we’ll never bear fruit for God.  It is in dying to self and being broken that we become fruitful and useful to God (vs. 24-26).  As followers of Jesus, we may have to lose our life in service and witness for Him.  The more we grow as Christians, our love and devotion to Jesus will grow, too.  Compared to that, everything else will look like hate (vs. 25).  If all we care about is this life, we will lose out on eternal life.

Though Jesus was fully God, He was also fully man.  The human nature of Jesus dreaded the coming agony and torture of the crucifixion (vs. 27).  His contemplation of taking the wrath of God for the sins of the world caused a natural revulsion, horror, and anxiety in Him, as we see during His time of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-44).  His human nature wanted to be delivered from that horrible death.  However, Jesus also knew that the Father sent Him to earth to die for our sins.  Jesus said no to His human desires in order to obey His Father, and to glorify Him (vs. 28).  Jesus’ death ended the power of sin and Satan over mankind, and opened the door of salvation for people from every age and nation (vs. 31-32).  Jesus’ death was for “all people”, and salvation is open to “all people” (vs. 32), both Jews and Gentiles without distinction.  However, not everyone will be saved because not everyone responds and comes to Him.

God the Father responded to Jesus’ desire to glorify Him, and spoke His Voice from heaven (vs. 28-29).  Some people hearing the Voice said it was just thunder.  For many people Satan is so busy whispering in their ears, the Voice of God is drowned out.  Some can hear the Voice of God, while others hear only noise.  What are we hearing?  What are we listening to?  We need to tune out Satan and be listening to what God says.

When Jesus was lifted up upon the Cross, that opened salvation to all who accept Him.  We need to be lifting up His Cross as a witness to all we meet, so that people will also come to know Him.

Jesus, Our Great High Priest

 Hebrews 5:1-10

When going through a rough or difficult time, it’s nice to know someone else who has gone through the same thing.  They know how you feel, having been through it themselves.  Someone who hasn’t been through a similar problem may say words of sympathy, but sometimes those words ring hollow, as they have no comprehension of your problems.  If Junior got an excellent paying job at Daddy’s company right out of school, he can’t begin to understand the struggle of unemployment, job interviews, financial struggles, etc.  The happily married woman can’t understand the heartbreak of a wife married to an abusive, cheating spouse.  To truly understand, one must have walked the same or very similar path.  In our Scripture passage today, the author of Hebrews  shows us how Jesus, our Great High Priest, can relate to the suffering that we go through, as He went through great suffering Himself.

As the 5th chapter in Hebrews opens, the author describes the Old Testament high priests, and the qualifications they needed to meet (vs. 1-4).  These high priests were to offer sacrifices for sins on behalf of the people.  They were to have compassion on those who sinned in ignorance, since they, too, were ordinary men.  And lastly, these men were called, or appointed high priests by God.  No one could just apply for the position of high priest, just deciding that was the job they wanted.  They had to be of the lineage of Aaron, and were appointed this position by God.

Jesus, our Great High Priest, met all of these qualifications.  He was appointed by God (vs. 5-6).  Immediately following His baptism, God spoke out from heaven that Jesus was His Son (Matthew 3:16-17).  God also proclaimed Him an eternal priest for His people (Psalm 110:4).  Jesus also had compassion on the people (Matthew 9:36).  All throughout the Gospels we read of how Jesus had compassion upon the people He ministered to.  Jesus also became the perfect sacrifice and offering for the sins of the people when He died upon the cross for us.

Jesus knew what it was like to go through a horrendously agonizing time (vs. 7).  He was in agony as He faced His upcoming torture and death while in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22:39-44).  Jesus prayed to God to be delivered from what He would go through, as it was only natural that He would not want to endure such torture.  However, Jesus also wanted to do God’s will.  His obedience to God at all cost is our example to sustain and encourage us in difficult times.

In the dark valley that Jesus went through He was heard by God because of His reverential, godly fear (vs. 7).  Jesus was heard in His deepest trial, and so shall we be heard, as well.  Though God heard His prayer, Jesus was still obedient to God’s will, and it was not His will that some other way to procure our salvation be found, other than the shedding of His Blood upon the Cross.  Being obedient is not difficult when it is not costly.  But when it requires sacrifice, that is different.  Jesus gave up His glory in heaven to become a man (Philippians 2:5-8), and endured the pain and affliction of a human.  He sacrificed and suffered everything for us.

Jesus learned obedience to confirm His humanity and experience its suffering to the fullest (vs. 8). He made the will of God the Father His own.  Jesus chose to obey, even though that led to suffering and death.  It was necessary so that He could fulfill all righteousness, and thus be the perfect sacrifice to take the place of sinners.

Jesus was made perfect through suffering.  Therefore we who are sinful, must not wonder when we are called to pass through suffering, too.  Jesus shared our human experience completely.  He is now able to offer eternal salvation to those who obey Him (vs. 9).  Because Jesus went through suffering, He can have sympathy and compassion on us.  Because He obeyed perfectly, He can help us to obey God’s will.

God Is For Us

 Psalm 56

Sometimes in life we find ourselves in a situation where everyone has turned against us, and we are left all alone to fight the battle ourselves.  We find many who oppose us, whether at work, in a family situation, legal situation, or any other problem.  What makes it even worse is when all of the people we thought were our friends have disappeared or turned their backs on us.  How painful it is to realize that everyone is against us.  This is where we find David in our study today.  Our psalm for this week was written when David found himself in a dangerous situation where everyone around him had turned against him, and there was no one he could turn to for help.

The background of Psalm 56 is a time when David had to flee from the attacks of King Saul against him, and he sought refuge with King Achish of Gath, a Philistine city (I Samuel 21:10-15).  If you remember, several years earlier David had fought against the Philistines, including the battle when he killed their prized, champion warrior, Goliath.  King Achish welcomed David, allowing him to stay with him when he needed a safe place away from Saul to stay.  It is puzzling to think that Achish would let David live with him, but perhaps he thought that the enemy of my enemy is my friend.  However, the men in King Achish’s court remembered all that David had done to the Philistines, and they spoke ill of him.  He soon found himself surrounded by those who sought to harm or kill him.  Yet if he returned to Israel, he was in danger at the hands of King Saul.  He couldn’t even turn to his own blood family, as they had never been very supportive of him. It was in these circumstances that David wrote this psalm.  David had to use his own ingenuity by pretending to be mentally ill and insane to safely escape.  As we see in this psalm, David learned he could replace deep fear with the peace of trusting in God.

As the Bible records, David was a skilled soldier and warrior, a tough young man, but he was honest with himself, and knew there were times when he was afraid.  How many times are we afraid?  Like David, we need to make a conscious decision to trust in God when fear comes (vs. 3).  We need to say, as he did, “I will trust in You.”   When problems arise we can either be fearful and wonder why this is happening, or we can trust that in the midst of this trouble God is doing something that, in the end, is for our best, even if it hurts.  With each worry, pray about them, and then ask God to replace each one with His confident peace (Isaiah 26:3-4).  We need to cling to Jesus, as He is our hope.

David came to realize that he really didn’t need to fear other people who were his enemies (vs. 3-4, 10-11).  They were only people, what could they ultimately do?  People can inflict pain, suffering, and even death, but no one can rob us of our souls and our eternal life.  We need to fear and trust in God, our Savior, who controls both this life and the next (Matthew 10:28).  If I trust God to take care of my eternal life, how can I possibly not trust Him to take care of all the smaller things in my life, too?  I can trust God today and always.

David was a tough and strong man, but he readily admitted there were times, either out of fear or sorrow, when he cried.  We all have.  In the middle of this psalm in Scripture we find a verse that I find very comforting and precious, and that is that God keeps a record of every tear that we have every shed (vs. 8).  When we feel alone and cry, God is with us, and He catches each tear, putting them in His bottle.  Sometimes I have felt that it would take an Olympic sized swimming pool to hold all of my tears.  Our tears are the diamonds of heaven.  God catches them as they flow.  When our fears prevent words, our tears are well-understood by God.

As we close this psalm we need to realize, just as David did, that God is for us, for those who have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ (vs. 9).   Through all of our struggles He is with us, by our side each step of the way.  The fact that we have made it safely to this day is only because God is for us.  When all seems dark, one truth still shines bright - when God is for us, those against us will never succeed (Romans 8:31-39).