Thoughts From Luke - Day 101

                                                Luke 23:39-43

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”


         I remember back in '92, on my first Medical Mission trip ever, we were in Soto La Marina, Mexico and I had 2 High School boys from the youth group with me. One day, one of the boys proudly announced that he had just bought this beautiful, hand woven hammock and he had only spent $23. The next day, the other boy came to the room with the same hammock and proudly announced that he had just bought it for $7. What was the true cost of the hammock? The lowest price! I love this passage of scripture because it tells the lowest cost, the true price of salvation. We tend to add a lot of things to salvation like Baptism, joining a Church, studying your Bible, good works, speaking in tongues, ,,, and while all those are good, the thief on the cross experienced none of those and yet was promised eternal life with Jesus. Let's see what it takes to be saved.

       All of mankind is represented by these two thieves. On one hand you have people who are lost and aren't going to Heaven. The first thief wasn't any worse than the other thief, they were both bad. That is the condition, as human beings that we find ourselves in - sinful and deserving death. The first thief, however, didn't believe that Jesus was God or worthy of worship. He was more concerned about the present life than the Kingdom of God and only wanted Jesus if Jesus would meet his needs. He wanted to use God to benefit himself. He wasn't interested in surrendering control of his life. From recent studies, we could conclude 93% of the population of the U.S would fall into this thief-dom.

       The second thief, who is the one that is saved and receives assurance of that salvation, demonstrates the true cost of salvation. He...

  1. realizes he is a sinner and deserves death

       "  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God " Rom. 3:23
       "   For the wages of sin is death..."   Rom. 6:23

  2. realizes that Jesus is the only hope for forgiveness of sins and eternal life

       "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”  Acts 4:12

    3. humbled himself asking for mercy from the Lord and King, Jesus

    ' I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’  Luke 15:18,19

    4. publicly proclaimed his allegiance

    “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven."   Matt. 10:32

       Who do you identify with? There is no third category, no free agent status in life; you are one or the other. If you fear you are thief 1, cry out to Christ today to forgive your sins. Humble yourself before Him, surrendering your future to His hands and then tell someone!