Your Choice
Luke’s Gospel records,
“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:32-43.
Today is Good Friday 2018. The day Christians the world over recognize as the day Jesus was crucified.
As we look at the crucifixion of Jesus we see all of mankind represented.
We see the Jewish leadership who refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah. Who seen him as a threat to their political authority and wanted him out of the way.
We see political secular authority in the form of the Roman governor. Who actually found no guilt in Jesus deserving of death. Yet out of political expediency had him flogged and put to death.
Both of these groups could have prevented Jesus from dying but didn’t.
We see the gentile (non-Jewish) world represented by the Roman soldiers who it could have cared less about who Jesus and cast lots for his clothing.
We seen the average person standing around watching the events unfold. Their rulers sneering demanding proof he was the Messiah saying,
“He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
God was also there that day. He was showing mankind how far he would go in human terms to point us to heaven. He showed vividly in the crucifixion the choice we all must make. Luke records,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The one criminal demanded proof Jesus was the Messiah by saving them. That man thought only in terms of this world. Getting off the cross and going free.
The other however recognized Jesus was who he said he was, The Messiah. The Saviour of mankind. That he did in fact have the power to save him.
This man admitted he was a sinner and asked only that Jesus remember him when he came into his kingdom.
This man did what we all must do, believe that Jesus is the Saviour of mankind. The suffering Messiah who takes away the sins of the world.
That man confessed his sins to Jesus and thus entered into Paradise (Heaven) with Jesus.
To the natural man this seems like total foolishness but then the apostle Paul admits this he said,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.
That being said the choice is up to you the reader. Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind or not?
Please think about it.
Luke’s Gospel records,
“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:32-43.
Today is Good Friday 2018. The day Christians the world over recognize as the day Jesus was crucified.
As we look at the crucifixion of Jesus we see all of mankind represented.
We see the Jewish leadership who refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah. Who seen him as a threat to their political authority and wanted him out of the way.
We see political secular authority in the form of the Roman governor. Who actually found no guilt in Jesus deserving of death. Yet out of political expediency had him flogged and put to death.
Both of these groups could have prevented Jesus from dying but didn’t.
We see the gentile (non-Jewish) world represented by the Roman soldiers who it could have cared less about who Jesus and cast lots for his clothing.
We seen the average person standing around watching the events unfold. Their rulers sneering demanding proof he was the Messiah saying,
“He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
God was also there that day. He was showing mankind how far he would go in human terms to point us to heaven. He showed vividly in the crucifixion the choice we all must make. Luke records,
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’”
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The one criminal demanded proof Jesus was the Messiah by saving them. That man thought only in terms of this world. Getting off the cross and going free.
The other however recognized Jesus was who he said he was, The Messiah. The Saviour of mankind. That he did in fact have the power to save him.
This man admitted he was a sinner and asked only that Jesus remember him when he came into his kingdom.
This man did what we all must do, believe that Jesus is the Saviour of mankind. The suffering Messiah who takes away the sins of the world.
That man confessed his sins to Jesus and thus entered into Paradise (Heaven) with Jesus.
To the natural man this seems like total foolishness but then the apostle Paul admits this he said,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.
That being said the choice is up to you the reader. Do you believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of mankind or not?
Please think about it.
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