“One of the criminals who had been hanged [on a cross beside Him] kept hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us [from death]!” But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? We are suffering justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, [please] remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” Jesus said to him, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
We take a break today away from the old testament. We leap frog to a point in history where Jesus is at the cross hanging beside two criminals. One criminal hurls insults at Jesus while the other one asks Jesus to remember him when he goes to his kingdom.
I have read this passage countless times and each time I get something new. Allow me to camp on one point the Lord gave me. These two criminals are a depiction of where we will all end up. The second criminal states how they are both hanging on a cross because of what they did and they deserve to be there. The first criminal even alludes to the fact that they are guilty. It is only the second criminal that is aware that Jesus is innocent and has done nothing wrong.
It is true both criminals are guilty and deserve to die. Both criminals are aware that Jesus has done some amazing things like healing people and raising people from the dead. Both criminals even ask Jesus to save them so you might be wondering what is the difference between them. Only one of the criminals is aware of his crimes and knows he deserves to die while the other one is only fixated on getting off the cross and saving himself from death. Only one criminal has a realization that Jesus is God’s son and is acutely aware of where Jesus really belongs. While the other one is only interested in using Jesus for his own motives.
I am sure these criminals didn’t want to end up where they were. At some point both of them took to being a criminal because the standard route of getting what they wanted and realizing that it was not good enough for them. We are all guilty of the same things because of our natural greed and worldliness that is baked into our flesh. It is only when we realize that Jesus is the only answer in our lives that we get a head turn from Jesus. I can see us running to the pleasures of his world in the midst of our pain and trials and hurling insults at God but Jesus is silent, no head turn.
Today, realize that Jesus is the only answer. The second criminal got a head turn when he acknowledged that Jesus was Lord and that he sacrificed himself for our sins by faith. Quit being the first criminal and wasting time using Jesus as your personal get out of jail free card. The reality is that the first criminal received a cold shoulder from Jesus in the middle of his pain. The second criminal got a head turn and also a word from the Lord. Both were still criminals, both were sentenced to die, both understood they were being punished for their crimes. Only one humbled himself before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. What will you do in the middle of your pain?
Let It Go 
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