Well today we are looking Easter square in the eye, and that means it is time for the annual Team Swap Easter post. Two years ago we talked about Easter Bunnies (once a year church attendees - full post here), and we got a lot of response about how to handle visitors. Last year we switched to more traditional Easter post, and this year we decided that last years Easter post needed to be shared again. We are not doing this out of laziness, but because we really think the message is vital for a lost world to hear. It is called Right or Left #2.
Long time readers will know that Team Swap’s favorite gospel is Luke. In Luke, the reader finds a writer that like us, someone that was not a direct witness to Christ’s miracles. Luke, however, did record the accounts of those that directly witnessed Christ’s life, works, and miracles on Earth. After collecting the information, Luke, being a medical doctor, pursued the proof of the accounts like a scientist. Due to this process of recording and researching, we find details in Luke that are not in other gospels. Some of these unique details are found in Luke chapter 23 -
Luke 23:32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Luke 23:35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
Luke 23:36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."
Luke 23:38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
Luke 23:40 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."
Luke 23:42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. "
Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Luke 23:44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
Now this is a vivid account of the cruxifiction of Christ, and Christ’s death on the cross is the real story here. The story of Christ’s death on the cross is the most important story in history. There really is no doubt about that. With that said, others will be teaching, preaching, and leading regarding that important lesson this week. So, we are choosing to focus this week on an often over looked part of this story, the two criminals.
In verse 32 of Luke 23 we are told that the other two people being crucified are real criminals, properly charged, tried and convicted. They deserved to die. Up to this point they had only lived for themselves, and for their own gain. Society's rules had meant nothing to them, nor had they been concerned about others needs, rights or property. In the end, their lives lead them to the place of the skull, the place of crucifixion, the place of death. They earned their date with the Roman cross via their lives, and that day they received their just punishment - one on the right of Christ, and the other on His left.
Between them hangs Christ. Christ was guilty of nothing, perfect in every way, sinless everyday of his life, and He was wrongly tried and convicted. Christ lived His life to serve others, not to cheat them. Though He had many followers and supporters just a week before He had never taken advantage of any of them. Christ was the complete opposite of the two men that hung on each side of Him. The difference in the nature of the criminals and in the nature of Christ is the crux of our discussion this week.
Between verses 33 and 39 we get a glimpse of how Jesus was treated, and the events that surround His crucifixion. Then we reach the verses that we are going to talk about today, verses 39 through 43.
Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
Luke 23:40 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."Luke 23:42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. "
Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
The lesson here is really very simple when you think about it - You are one of these two criminals. Don’t lie to yourself you are. How do we know that, you are a sinner. You have lived your life for yourself. You have cheated, lied, stolen, lusted, and a thousand other sins that we do not have room to mention. Your sins condemn you to die and go to hell. Romans 6:23 explains it perfectly -
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Death is what you deserve. Death is what I deserve. Death is what every person in the world deserves.
So, the only question is how you are going to respond to this situation. You can act like the first criminal, remain callous, unrepentant, and taunt / jeer Christ with every breath and fiber of your life. That path leads you to the death you deserve. The other option is to be like the second criminal. To do that you must admit your guilt, admit your deserved fate, recognize Christ for who and what He is, and then ask Him to forgive you. This option leads to heaven, as Christ promised the criminal in Luke 23:43
Those are the only two options. There is no third way. There is no live your life and work out your salvation on your own. There is no being prayed in to heaven by others. There is no past history of good to justify past wrongs. There is no using the acts of others to justify your actions. There is no using the faith or actions of others to cover your sins. Only you can decide which criminal you are? Decide today, because there may be no tomorrow.
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Note - For all of those wondering why we have the directional signs at the top pointing toward each other, instead of away from each other, simple - both paths lead to the cross of Christ (i.e. the center of the three being crucified)
