The Cross

Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭32-43‬ NLT)



Do you find it strange that a tool of torture would come to embody the movement of hope?



Look there is the place called the skull.  Do you see the two thieves, one on each side of JESUS. One looks over and sees JESUS. He hears the insults and sees the man remain quiet. This man has fresh blood on his cheeks, a crown of thorns scrapping his scalp and the thieve hears him whisper, "Father, forgive them."  He heard the people shouting crucify him, shaming him as a criminal as they nailed him to the cross.  Why do they want him dead?  Why doesn't he retaliate?  No, JESUS left the judging up to God.



The soldiers steal the thieve's attention as they throw dice in the dirt and gamble for the ragged robe.  He looks up and sees the the sign above Jesus' head.   It is painted with sarcasm, King of the Jews.



All of a sudden his thoughs are interrupted by the accusation of the criminal on the other cross.   He too has been studying JESUS, but through eyes of cynicism: "So you're the Messiah, are you?  Prove it by saving yourself - and us, too, while you're at it!"



Here we have two individuals, each see the same Savior - one sees hope, and the other sees nothing but himself.



Now we see the first criminal place himself between the accusers and JESUS, and speaks on his behalf, while the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong."  The soldiers look up.  The priests cease chattering. Mary wipes her tears and raises her eyes.  All eyes turned to the criminal.   Maybe Jesus even turned and looked over at him, after all he was offering a final gesture of love while JESUS was still alive.  A lost sheep trying to get back into the fold.  The criminal's two statements are what everyone needs to recognize in order to come to Jesus:

   - we are getting what we deserve and this man has done nothing wrong

We are guilty and he is innocent

We are filthy and he is pure

We are wrong and he is right

He isn't on the cross for his sins, He is there for ours.

The criminal understands this, his request seems only natural   He makes the same request ant Christian has made;  then he said, "JESUS remember me when you come into your Kingdom."  No excuses, just a desperate plea for help.  At this point JESUS performs the greatest miracle of the cross. Greater than the earthquake, greater than the tearing of the curtain, greater than the darkness, greater than the resurrected saints appearing on the streets. He performs the miracle of forgiveness.  A sin-soaked criminal received by a blood-stained Savior.   And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."  If anyone was ever worthless this criminal was. If any man deserved to die, he probably did. If anyone was ever a loser, this fellow probably was at the top of the list.  Maybe that is why JESUS chose him to show us what he thinks of the human race. 

Did you know the sign above JESUS head was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek?  Pilate had intended the sign to threaten and mock the Jews, but God used it as an instrument for spreading the gospel.  Everyone in Israel spoke one of the three languages. Christ was declared King in all of them.  Jesus was a king for all people.



We don't have to look very far in any direction to see a cross:  perched atop a chapel, carved in a headstone, on a ring, or suspended from a chain.  The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice?  A tool of toryure as a movement of hope. Why the cross for our symbol of faith?  It is really very simple: one beam horizontal - the other vertical. One reaches out - like God's love, the other reaches up - as does God's holiness.  The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.   Christ lived the life we could not live and took the punishment we could not take to offer the hope we cannot resist.  It wasn't the soldiers who killed JESUS, nor the screams of the mob, but His devotion to us.



Christ stretched one hand to the right and the other to the left and had them nailed in that position so we would know He died loving you and me.  Christ came to earth for one reason to give his life as a ransom for you and me - for all of us. He sacrificed himself to give us a second chance.  # He Choice The Nails

Remember God loves you and so do I.