The Choice is Yours
The apostle Luke records,
“As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him....
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
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.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
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.”
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”“ Luke 23:26,27,32-43.
Here we have Jesus in prospective. It is the day Christians call good Friday. At the time it happened it was a time of great mourning for the friends, family and disciple of Jesus.
Despite all he had taught them in his three years of ministry they didn’t truly understand who he was.
Those who gathered to watch the spectacle of the crucifixion that day definitely had no concept on who Jesus was.
The Roman soldiers mocked him. While the Jews, who we learn from Luke’s account had heard what he had to say about himself wanted proof of who he was by him getting down from the cross and saving himself.
That however was not God’s plan.
As we look at the events of the day we see the same ideas about Jesus that exist today. There are those who would mock Christ. Those who are at the very least sceptical as to who he is. As well as those who do not believe he existed.
Then there are those who truly believed in him as seen in the actions of one of the two criminals.
The two criminals crucified with Jesus show us the choice we today must make. Luke recording,
"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”“Luke 23:39-43.
One asked for proof. That proof being Jesus saving himself.
The other criminal showed genuine repentance and belief in Jesus. He noted that he and the other criminal were being punished justly for their crimes.
He showed faith in Jesus by asking him to remember him when he came into his kingdom. To which Jesus replies “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
This to my way of thinking is the choice we have today. We can accept the claims of Jesus and His followers that Jesus is the Son of God, Saviour of mankind or we can reject that claim the choice is yours.
Please think about it.
The apostle Luke records,
“As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him....
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
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.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
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.”
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”“ Luke 23:26,27,32-43.
Here we have Jesus in prospective. It is the day Christians call good Friday. At the time it happened it was a time of great mourning for the friends, family and disciple of Jesus.
Despite all he had taught them in his three years of ministry they didn’t truly understand who he was.
Those who gathered to watch the spectacle of the crucifixion that day definitely had no concept on who Jesus was.
The Roman soldiers mocked him. While the Jews, who we learn from Luke’s account had heard what he had to say about himself wanted proof of who he was by him getting down from the cross and saving himself.
That however was not God’s plan.
As we look at the events of the day we see the same ideas about Jesus that exist today. There are those who would mock Christ. Those who are at the very least sceptical as to who he is. As well as those who do not believe he existed.
Then there are those who truly believed in him as seen in the actions of one of the two criminals.
The two criminals crucified with Jesus show us the choice we today must make. Luke recording,
"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”“Luke 23:39-43.
One asked for proof. That proof being Jesus saving himself.
The other criminal showed genuine repentance and belief in Jesus. He noted that he and the other criminal were being punished justly for their crimes.
He showed faith in Jesus by asking him to remember him when he came into his kingdom. To which Jesus replies “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
This to my way of thinking is the choice we have today. We can accept the claims of Jesus and His followers that Jesus is the Son of God, Saviour of mankind or we can reject that claim the choice is yours.
Please think about it.
