Jesus and the two criminals on the cross

Introduction:

Good morning HFBC.

(KLICK) Lets read our text for today: Luke 23, 39-43

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

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.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[a]”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

At the beginning I would like to tell you a short story what I have read recently.

(KLICK)The story is abouy a women from Afghanistan. Her Name is Guelshan. Guelshan was talking about her Life in Afghanistan and the new situation with the Taliban as Government:

Escape seemed unthinkable.

On the night of August 15th we slept. There was a strange heaviness on all of us. Our concern wasn't that the Americans would withdraw. Our real fear was that we would be at the mercy of the Taliban: (KLICK) the Taliban whose religious ideology calls for them to kill. The Taliban, who see women's education not just as a mistake, but as a sin. The Taliban, stoning women just for talking to someone who isn't family. How could I look my daughter in the eyes? Should I tell her that the angel of death will spare her life? If they found out about our faith, what would happen then? Should we flee for our lives or should we stay? But flee to where? If we stayed, what would become of us? When I thought of escape, I was reminded of the bomb blast. (KLICK) I will never forget that day [August 26]; the blast shook our walls. It was impossible to silence the crying children. Her eyes were filled with terror. We were afraid that her crying would draw the attention of the Taliban. That day, 13 US soldiers and more than 160 Afghans lost their lives. It was more than an act of terrorism, it was a warning to us: if you try to leave the country, we will destroy you.

We lived in fear that either the Taliban would come for us or we would starve. (KLICK) For three days my whole family lived on one bowl of lentil soup. I didn't know how to continue caring for her because the lenses were soon used up. Our neighbors children were very young. I wondered if her parents would be able to get milk for the children. I wondered how the youngest was doing because I hadn't heard his voice in many days. I prayed, "Dear God, please give him life and health." Jesus called us to endure much suffering. If people didn't spare Christ, why should they spare us? I prepared myself and my husband for these difficulties. But when I looked at my son and daughter, my heart sank and I lost all courage. “God give me courage for the moment when.... No... never, I can't say those words. Lord, have mercy!" The Taliban went door to door, kidnapping young girls and destroying families. And God only knows who informed them of the whereabouts and identity of the Christians. They searched house after house to find us. I knew: "If they find us, they will kill us as Christians on the spot. As happened to my relatives... Who knows when they will show up on our doorstep?”

(KLICK)It was our great desire to get together with our brothers and sisters and worship God together. But that just wasn't possible. We could only meet our pastor in the middle of the night so no one could recognize him or us. Our trust is in Christ alone and will remain so until our last breath. I do not have the courage to share with you the sensitive details of my joys and sorrows. It's so dangerous. But I know that we all believe in the same Jesus. Through prayer we are invited because we are the body of Christ. May the Lord remind you of our pain. And we are sure that our united prayers in Christ are the solution.

Those are the words of Guelshan.

(KLICK)Since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, the country has ranked first in the world index of persecuted Christians. If we now turn our attention to the Bible text of today, then we see how the persecution ended with Jesus. Just as Jesus was persecuted and killed then, people are being persecuted and killed all over the world today. Under such conditions, Romans 8:35-39 gets a whole new expression to me:

(KLICK) Rom 8, 35-39:

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”[a]

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b]neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

For non-believers, it is inexplicable how people can cling to Jesus and would rather die with him than let go of him. But for non-believers, much of our behavior as Christians and as well Christs behaviour is inexplicable to them, including why our Lord died nailed to the cross between two criminals.

And why Christ died on the cross, that's what I want to talk about in our first point today.

(KLICK) I call the first point: Jesus has done his part.

With Jesus, the living God enters this earth. His ministry in Israel begins with his baptism. He called people to follow him so that people could have fellowship with him and God. He worked countless miracles because he enjoyed doing good things for people. In love he admonished the religious leaders of Israel to turn back to God. And as a man he gave himself up out of love for people, because he knew that his blood alone can cleanse people of their wickedness so that they can find their way back to God and thus to life. He who least deserved to be separated from God was executed for our love, that God might see in you and me again a son and a daughter. Jesus managed to bring God and man back together. All credit is due to him.

This is the first point we take from this picture and at the same time it is the center of this picture.

The second point today is called: What is our part, when Jesus has done everything?

In addition to Jesus, two other people who play an important role can be seen in our picture. The two criminals represent belief and unbelief.

My Question now is: But how do the both thiefs show their Believe and Unbelieve?

Alright, let's look at the first criminal. The first criminal in Vers 39 says:

(KLICK) 39  “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

The first criminal provocatively expresses his doubts. There is absolutely nothing to be seen of the fear of God. And he has no interest in fellowship with Jesus.

AND WHAT IS THE REACTION OF JESUS TO HIM? Jesus simply ignores him! Jesus simply ignores him.

Lets take a look at the other criminal.

(KLICK) Vers 40-42 say: 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.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[a]”

The other criminal is showing truly Faith. But how does he show Faith. So, let’s take a look at the Faith of the criminal. First of all, the criminal defends Jesus and thereby shows his fear of God. He then asks Jesus to think of him when he comes into his paradise. This request shows his faith in Jesus in many ways. His faith is shown by his longing to be with Jesus for all eternity and his faith leads him to talk to Jesus. In faith, the criminal puts his trust and hope in Jesus, beyond death. Faith strives to be with Jesus and is only interested in him. Faith sees something special in Jesus, namely God. And this desire to be with God is simply called faith.(KLICK) In the Gospels there is a synonym for faith. This synonym means discipleship. Discipleship contains the same elements as faith, but has one key difference. When discipleship is mentioned in the Gospels, it means that Jesus dwells among people and one can visibly have fellowship with him. After the ascension of Jesus this part is omitted. People can no longer obviously run after Jesus, but have fellowship with Jesus in heart and spirit.

And it's the same in our story from before. Regardless of the circumstances, Guelshan and her family remain in communion with Jesus, bringing them joy and carrying through all the suffering they are experiencing in Afghanistan. And all with one goal, one day to have visible fellowship with the living God and His Son Jesus Christ.

My last point now is focusing on two things: paradise and And the promise that Jesus gives to someone when they come to him and ask for fellowship:

(KLICK)Vers 43 says: 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Many Christians struggle with being unsure whether they are saved or not. But the Bible testifies that a person belongs to Jesus when they ask Jesus to be with them. And Jesus assures the person that he will be with him forever.

And all this only by faith, the desire to be with Jesus and to see everything in him. And in this the Christian faith is unique. In Islam, people are told that man will come to a more beautiful place. Buddhism wants to free people from their suffering for eternity. In Hinduism, man is reborn into a broken world. In the secular worldview of communism, working is sold as a state of paradise. In capitalism it is money that should make you happy and under the hedonists you should enjoy life here on earth to the fullest. But nowhere, except with Jesus, is it about being with God.

Even for many Christians, Jesus does not occupy the center of paradise and that is very sad. (KLICK)But Scripture says in the book of Revelation that eternity revolves around Jesus and around God.

And that also applies to us, we are not Christians because we imagine paradise without Christ. Our paradise revolves around Christ with whom we already have a relationship and this relationship should last for all eternity.

(KLICK) Conclusion:

Jesus did everything so that you can be with God through him. Connected by the Holy Spirit here and now and forever you will eat with him and see him face to face. That is paradise. Jesus assures you that you belong to him if you want to be with him. This commitment is independent of time and action and must be personal between you and him.

Amen.