The Man in the Middle

What is your favorite story in the Bible, and why is it your favorite? Give me a brief accountant of the story.

There are many stories from the Bible that I love, but the story that I would say means the most to me is the story of the man on the cross. Not Jesus, even though His death and resurrection is what we hang our entire life upon, it is the man at His side that I want to tell you about today.

He is nameless.

Mark 15:32 “Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.”

Luke 23:39-43 “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.””

A few take away’s.

There are consequences for sin; and Jesus did not deserve them: The sentence for sin in the garden of Eden was sin. After the first initial sin every single person who would faith to be completely blameless would fall under the same consequences. You sin, you die.

Well Jesus never sinned, but He did die. You and I sin terribly, but we never have to perish. This is how He took our place, and paid our penalty. We deserved death, yet we can live. He deserved life and endless praise, yet He humbled Himself and died in our stead, and after resurrecting He sits at the right throne of our God.

Everything that He did, He did it for us.

Anyone can change: According to Mark, this thief was mocking and berating Jesus along with the other thief just moments before he scolded his fellow criminal for the remarks he made toward Jesus. What changed? Jesus was taken to the cross, a weapon of destruction, by His enemies. People who hated Him, people who did not understand Him, people who mocked and spat on Him. Very few friends did He have there, and not a single one could help Him. Even though Jesus was being tortured by His enemies He still had this to say “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Men are removing His flesh, they are causing Him to bleed, they’ve beat Him, plucked out His beard, smashed thorns into His head, and Jesus asked God to forgive them. For everything, because they did not yet understand just who He really was, and what He wished for them. They sought destruction, and Jesus sought restoration.

When the thief heard this he truly understood who Jesus was. He had been raised hearing of the Messiah, he might have even heard Jesus speak a time or two and seen His miracles. I have not idea. But what I do know is that the thief recognized Jesus, and he changed his tune on things.

Jesus’s sacrifice is for anyone: Crucifixion was reserved for the worst of criminals. Crucifixions were so gruesome and demeaning to human life that it was forbidden for a Roman citizen to be crucified. Crucifixion was reserved for violent offenders. Murderers, insurrectionist (People who cause a rebellion [Barabbas]), abusers, rough criminals of all kinds. This man was bad. Whatever he did, it was bad. But do you know where he is now? He’s in heaven waiting on all of us who would place our trust in Jesus Christ. Just as he did. Anyone can be saved, anybody can live changed.

You cannot earn the gift of salvation:

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” You cannot earn salvation. The thief on the cross did not deserve heaven, but he got it. He did not have the opportunity to work for his salvation and in turn earn it. It was given to him freely. No strings attached.

Gift’s are given, not earned. If you could earn it, then it would be a wage and the only thing we earned is death. But we are given life as a gift.

Whatever you hear, whatever you have been taught, whatever you may think, if you believe that some day you will stand before God and He will let you into heaven because you are kind, or gentle, or because you go to church, or go to camps, or give money and time to God’s kingdom, then you are wrong. All of these things are good, but only faith and trust in Jesus Christ will get you into heaven. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

It is freely given. Never earned, Never bought. What is it that you could offer God that is more grand than heaven? What can you give God that He does not already have? You have nothing to offerer God as a fair trade. Believe in Jesus only, just as this criminal on the cross did. He had no hope, no chance, no option other than Jesus, but that is all he needed.