Today is Friday of Easter Weekend. Good Friday. Some people talk about how Judas sold Jesus, but was it just Judas? There were many involved. The soldiers came to take him. The high priest accused Jesus of blasphemy. The chief priests and elders plotted against Him. The chief priests and elders swayed the multitudes to their side. But it all could have stopped with one man.
Now, let’s look at the cross. Jesus wasn’t the only one hanging on the cross that day. There were two others. Two robbers. One on either side of Jesus.
In Luke 23 (NKJV) as the soldiers are mocking Him, one of the criminals says to Jesus, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” Luke 23:39 (NKJV). But the other criminal points out (Luke 23:40-41 NKJV), “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then in verse 42 the second criminal says, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus could have washed His hands as Pilot had by saying that both criminals had sinned. But in Luke 23:43 (NKJV) Jesus says some of His sweetest words, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” You see, this second criminal was repenting. Jesus was dying for this second criminal’s sin, just as Jesus was dying for ours.
Jesus doesn’t expect us to be sinless. 1 John 1:8 (NKJV) says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” But it is the following verse that brings to light that Jesus will not wash His hands of us. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
He will not turn His back on us any more than He turned His back on the second criminal. He wants us to repent. He wants us to be in Heaven with Him.
Marie says
April 22, 2011 at 10:25 amI know I, for one, am very glad he he is a merciful God and so thankful he sent his son so we can see Heaven someday.
homeschoolingdisneystyle says
April 23, 2011 at 12:33 pmI wholeheartedly agree!
D Marie says
April 22, 2011 at 8:19 pmThis is beautifully written and illustrated. I’m stopping in from the April Blog Hop, and this piece is a much-needed and totally unexpected surprise. Thank you and God bless. Donna Marie
homeschoolingdisneystyle says
April 23, 2011 at 12:39 pmThank you so much for your kind words! I am glad that you found something that stood out and spoke to you. Yes, we blog about homeschooling and Disney, but Christianity is a huge part of our lives, too. God bless you, too!