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 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 insult and sees the man remain quiet. He sees the fresh blood on Jesus' cheeks, the crown of thorns scraping Jesus' scalp, and he hears the hoarse whisper, "Father, forgive them."  They are shouting bitter words, crucify him, shaming him as a criminal. Weren't the nails sufficient?  Was the crown of thorns too soft?  Had the flogging been too short?  Why do they want him dead?

Slowly the thief's curiosity offsets the pain in his own body. He begins to feel a peculiar warmth in his heart, he begins to care about this peaceful martyr who has no anger in his eyes only tears. He doesn't retaliate. Make any threats like - just you wait until after the resurrection buddy!  No Jesus entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He left the judging to God.

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

All of sudden his thoughts are exploded by the accusation of the criminal on the other cross. He too has been studying Jesus, but through the 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, the other sees nothing but himself.

The first criminal places himself between Jesus and the accusers 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 turn to the criminal. Perhaps even Jesus looks at him. Perhaps He turns to see the only one who had spoken when all others were silent. Perhaps he fights to focus his eyes on the one who offered this final gesture of love  he is receiving while still alive. Maybe he smiled as this sheep straggling into the fold. This criminal's two statements are what everyone needs to recognize in order to come to Jesus let me repeat it: "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 is not 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 any Christian has made: "Jesus remember me when you come into your Kingdom".  No stained glass homilies. 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 temple curtain. Greater than the darkness. Greater than the resurrected saints appearing on the streets. He performs the miracle of forgiveness. A sin-soaked criminal is 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 any fellow was ever a loser, this fellow probably was at the top of the list. Perhaps that is why Jesus chose him to show us what he thinks of the human race.

Maybe this criminal had heard the Messiah speak. Maybe he had seen him love the,lowly. Maybe not.  But something told him he had never been in better company and somehow he realized that even though all he had was prayers, he finally met One to whom he should pray.

The hand painted sign placed above the head of Jesus was written in three languages: Hebrew, Latin, and Greek - "This is the Kimg of the Jews".  Pilate had inteneded the sign to threaten and mock the Jesus, but God used it as an instrument for spreading the gospel. Everyone in Israel spoke one of the three languages. Christ was declared Kng in them all.  Jesus was a king for all people.

We don't have to look very far in any direction without seeing a cross. It might be a cross perched atop a chapel, or carved in a headstone or on a ring or suspended on a chain.  The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice?  A tool of torture as a movement of hope. Why the cross for our symbol of faith?  It really is 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 as a ransoms for you and me - for all of us. He sacrificed himself to give us a second chance. His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.