When a Criminal Comes Home
Read the Text: Luke 23
Memorize the Text: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Consider the Text: Luke 23:39-43
In Luke 23, Jesus endures the rigged trials that led to his death on the cross. As the trials concluded, Jesus headed toward Calvary, where he would be placed on a cross between two deserving thieves. This moment included two different responses from the criminals hanging next to Jesus. The first criminal mocked Jesus and vocally made fun of him. The second criminal understood the reality of what was occurring. He did not mock Jesus, but he cried out for mercy from Jesus. The second criminal teaches us how a criminal comes home.
The criminal displayed the importance of UNDERSTANDING OUR THIEVERY. Due to sin, we are outlaws, because we have broken and continue to break the law of God. We reject living in faithfulness to the ways of God and continue to practice deeds that run counter from the ways of the Lord. Our outlaw nature forms a due just sentencing of guilty before a Holy God. The eternal sentence is a punishment of eternal death and separation from the Lord.
The second criminal on the cross can to this reality. He saw Jesus, the unblemished, perfect lamb of God, hanging on the cross next to him. In the presence of Christ, the criminal understood his state of thievery and, as a result, knew he received what he deserved. The criminal could not mock Jesus because of a proper perspective of his true sinful state in the presence of the Eternal King. Thus, when we come to the presence of Christ, we must see our state of thievery.
The thief on the cross made a PROPER DECLARATION. The thief did not attempt to justify his actions in the presence of the Lord but own his sinful state and made a proper declaration concerning Christ. The thief made a bold declaration concerning Christ because his acknowledgement of him went counter to the perception of the people of the world. This statement countered the desires of the religious and political leaders of the day. The boldness to declare rested in the trust of in the person of Christ.
The declaration of the thief included the calling out to the name of Jesus. The criminal declared Jesus had dominion over everyone and that he was the true majesty. Such an announcement extended because he realized that Jesus alone is the way to redemption and forgiveness. His declaration came with a sense of expectation that Jesus would respond to a proper heart of repentance. The same exists for us today. We must come to the place to make a proper declaration to Jesus concerning his person, his work, and his offering. We must approach with a proper heart of repentance and cry out to him as our only hope of redemption.
Jesus responded to the thief by providing a PROMISE. Jesus promised the criminal that he would experience the reality of Paradise that day. When Jesus declares a promise, we can know that this declaration cannot be moved or removed. This truth comes because the Lord and his word are trustworthy and sure. We rest in the promise of eternity through Christ because God declared the promise.
The promise comes in the form of a gift that becomes guaranteed in an instant and is eternal in nature. When we reach out to Jesus properly, he responds to us with the immediate security of eternal life in the ultimate place of heaven. The bible describes heaven as the eternal dwelling place of God where the things there are made by God for those who love him. This offered promised is available for anyone who would call upon the name of Jesus like the criminal on the cross.
Two thieves bracketed Jesus as he hung on the cross. The first thief experienced a nearness to Christ physically but would spend eternity separated from him. The second thief experienced both a physical and eternal nearness to Jesus because of a declaration that came from a proper heart. We are all the first or second thief. We either know about Jesus or know Jesus. Which category would you be in?
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
