“Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.”
These are not the words of a man who is in comfort sharing something to his friends. It is the words of a man suspended on a tree, with a crown of thorns on his head, with nails pierced to his hands and feet, with soldiers piercing his side and bleeding to death. These words are spoken by the lamb that was being slain on that cross for the sins of the world. In that painful moment, he opened his mouth and uttered these words to the thief next to him. A dying man saving another dying man. This scenario on the cross portrays a beautiful sight of humanity, a man sentenced to death for the crimes he didn’t commit, trying to comfort and save a man sentenced to death for a crime that he committed. This man whom Christ is talking to was one among the crowd who shouted to crucify Christ. This cross became a witness to its neighbour. Christ was crucified with two other sinners, and towards the end, we read about one of those thieves turning to Christ and acknowledging his true identity. Death is what those men deserved and has paid the price for. But there was a man in midst of them, who didn’t deserve the punishment he got. But even when he was being nailed to that cross he had only one thing in mind, the purpose for which he came down.
‘Nobody is perfect. The only one there ever was, was crucified.’
The perfect being was crucified so that the imperfect beings could have redemption. Even on the cross, facing death, all that Jesus could think about was his fathers will and his purpose for coming to this earth.
That man on the cross confessed who Jesus was in his last moments, which shows us a bigger picture. It gives us an understanding of who God really is, and how great his heart is. He is gracious no matter what the circumstances are. It shows that he will save anyone and everyone, the circumstances or time or who you even are doesn’t matter when it comes to the saving grace. All it needs is a heart that says, you truly are my King. A man hanging on the cross, a man who did such great crimes that he was on a cross, confessed in his dying moments and salvation was granted to him. And so, the circumstance or time really don’t matter. Christ came for a purpose and he fulfilled it, even unto his last breath. Through his death, salvation was bought for us. And on that cross, redemption was proclaimed to the world, and the road to Calvary is not shut yet, and it is always open for the ones who want to take that path, a path of redemption, a walk with Jesus, a journey to Eternity!
I have an Eternal Life because down came Calvary’s Cavalry!
Good caption, nice thought to share for evangelism