Grace, A Thief, and Jesus

In a lesson a number of weeks ago Larry asked us to consider defining for ourselves what grace is. I am going to walk you through the thought process I went through and come back to the thief on the cross, this passage that was read. The reason that was read is because this came up while I was considering grace.

As I considered this I started by trying to understand the word in English.

Grace - FREE unmerited favor

If Grace is unmerited (or unearned) favor I need to know what favor is.

Favor

overgenerous preferential treatment

act of kindness beyond what is due or usual

As I continued to consider the question I still struggle to wrap my head around grace. I can’t see grace. I can’t hold it in my hand. I can’t touch it, smell it, taste it, hear it. And part of me wants to be able to SEE it.

Why do I need grace?

Ephesians 2:1–3 ESV

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

We need grace because we are dead in our sins. Romans 5:10 says that we were enemies of God.

When we understand that we were his enemies the natural reaction is to question like:

Acts 2:37 ESV

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

The Jews at pentecost see their guilt in killing Jesus and ask what shall we do?

Ephesians 2:4–10 ESV

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Paul tells us that it is by God’s mercy and grace that we are saved.

What has God do for us by Grace?

made us alive in Christ

seated us with him in heavenly place

Then there is this phrase people use to explain grace.

God’s

Riches

At

Christ’s

Expense

I hear that and I am not satisfied. It's something made up that seems too much of a non-answer, or at least it does not cover the depth of what grace is, though it may come from this passage in Ephesians.

Romans 5:6–11 ESV

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Here we see that:

- Christ died for us while we were still sinners v8

- While enemies we were reconciled v10

I have asked myself the question in the past am I saved by grace or am I saved by Jesus. Perhaps that sounds like a strange question but that is what I would ask and I would say to myself Jesus of course. What does this passage in Romans tell us about what we are saved by?

Saved by

- Grace (Ephesians 2:8)

- His blood (justified Romans 5:9)

- Him (Romans 5:9)

- His death (reconciled Romans 5:10)

- His life (Romans 5:10)

God’s riches at Christ’s expense, but not to just anyone, but rather his enemies. I was the enemy of God.

So, while I still struggled with my personal desire to SEE grace, I remembered part of my college experience.

I had a professor in Computer Science who had in the syllabus of every class the phrase “I reserve the right to give each student the grade I believe they deserve.” This same professor on welcome week came into a classroom with 80 computer science students and said “look around, after this semester there will be only 40 of you. After the next semester there will be only 20 of you. By the end of you Sophomore year the people you see will graduate with a degree in Computer Science.” In my second semester at ACU I had this professor for a class that is still something that impacts my work today and it was hard. I studied day and night to pass this class when the end of the semester rolled around I expected to have received a D in the class. But the professor GAVE me a C. He knew that I knew the material and gave me the grade I needed. I can tell without a doubt acording to his grading system I did not deserve it but that is what I got. This is the closest thing to a physical image of grace as I have seen.

As I ponder these things from day to day I begin to see the grace that God has given me and I also see the grace that I have been withholding. Sometimes even from my own children. I see the judgmental attitude that I have and I begin to wonder is grace like forgiveness?

Jesus tells a parable about forgiveness after Peter asks the question “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

Matthew 18:21–35 ESV

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

In this parable a man who is forgiven a huge amount, an amount he could not repay even if he spent his whole life attempting to do so. The master forgives after the servant implores him. But later the same servant is unwilling to forgive a servant that owes him a very small amount.

So, I questioned is grace like that. Because I have received this immeasurable grace, what if I withhold grace from others, and judge them rather then encourage them to follow God.

So while I was pondering what grace means, one day a brother I follow on social media posted a statement about the thief on the cross. “Paradise is not Heaven. The thief on the cross is like all other people who have died, waiting for judgment. The dead in Christ shall rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. Those who are in the wrong see 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9. Obedience is necessary.”

When I read this statement I don’t hear grace in the words. In fact it almost sounds like he questions the salvation of this man on the cross. I realize that what is said is true and we can discuss that some other time. But really what I want to focus on is the grace we give.

I sometimes think that the situation of this poor man who was crucified, with Jesus, is abused by so many. Those wanting to justify not being baptized misuse his situation for their ends. Those who combat that idea try to justify Jesus’ actions by adding to the mans story, that perhaps he was baptized by Jesus already or perhaps John and had sinned afterwards. But we don’t know.

Luke 23:39–43 ESV

39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

We do know what scripture says right here, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

When we are confronted by people who want to ignore baptism or some other teaching that they don’t agree with, let us be compassionate not combative like so much of our society today. Let us share God’s love and not shut off our hearts. Let us praise God for an opportunity to continue the discussion.

Consider this thief on the cross. Jesus did not take this opportunity to tell the thief its too late you should have obeyed me earlier. He doesn’t say “go give to the person you stole from 5, 4 or twice the number of things you stole”. He doesn’t say “go make atoning sacrifices.” He says today you will be with me in paradise. Should this not excite us? Praise God that Jesus who is the one to judge us is SO merciful! Should we be less merciful.

John 8:3–11 ESV

3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Has this woman sinned? Yes. What is the punishment for such a person? Verse 5 says that the punishment for this is stoning, Deuteronomy 22:24. So it is right for them to stone her? But when faced with this woman what does Jesus do and what does he say? He says “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone.” What does there response indicate? None is without sin. But who in this story is without sin? Jesus! Is he acting angry because this woman broke the laws of God? No, he shows her mercy, give her grace and a command - to sin no more. Jesus’ words “neither do I condemn you,” must have filled her with relief.

So, the question I want to ask myself is who am I? Who am I that I judge my fellow man? We all have sinned and we all have fallen and we all need a savior. A day is coming when Jesus will judge all mankind. But that is his job. The world and Satan want us to be judgmental, so we are less attractive, so that Jesus does not look so great but if we can calm our hearts, let his spirit fill us and act as he did sharing grace with all who need it.

We need to remember what Jesus says in

2 Peter 3:9–10 ESV

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Let us not put ourselves in God’s place and judge others but put ourselves in the shoes of our fellow man and see how can we help them see Jesus as we do. Full of grace and mercy ready to receive even the greatest of sinners.

If you do not know the Grace of Jesus or you have sinned and need the prayers of the church or have any other needs please come forward as we stand and sing.