Which Criminal are you?

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ?  Save yourself and us!”  But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”  And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”  ~Luke23:39-43

            Have you ever stopped to think: what punishment do I really deserve because of my sin; my rebellion?  Do you understand that if it wasn’t for the abundant love, and mercy, and grace of God, we would already be dead.  Capital punishment was the penalty for the first sin, and let’s just say for the sake of bad interpretation that we didn’t inherit sin from Adam; that God hypothetically allowed us all to be born perfect until we committed our first sin.  How many under the rule “thou shalt surely die,” would be here right now if God withheld His grace?  Does your heart and life right now express the gratitude He deserves for His love and mercy and grace for you?  If not- according to our hypothesis you should be smitten where you sit, because that is sin.  Let’s imagine for a moment the last hours of one of the criminals and all the techniques and practices involved with crucifixion.  It was under the power of the victim the cross was to be carried, after of course, the flogging.  Sometime during that excruciating torment, the victim was stripped; continually humiliated; spat upon and taunted; defenseless throughout the entire ordeal.  The flesh is torn and burns as sweat, and the alcohol that is offered the victim, finds its ways into open wounds.  The wine offered is to dope the victim, probably to prolong the process so as to feed the mob of their own lusts for more violence.  When the victim finally arrives at the site where immanent death awaits, their charges are written down and posted above the head for all to read while the flesh is penetrated with nails that widen in diameter so that the palms and ankles are firmly fastened to the wood beam.  Apparently when all who witnessed ran out of spit, stones and vulgar insults; having their fill of the spectacle, the soldier’s day wasn’t complete until they broke the legs of the criminals, where finally the victim was left alone to die in peace.

            So what does this have to do with the two criminals- you ask?  Well each of them suffered the kind of death they deserved.  Not because of what they did, but because of who we all are.  We are sinners.  Imagine yourself as the victim described, what sins are written on the wooden board above your head?  Genuine repentance never willingly returns to the sin.  So which sins do you still give into?  Dear God I pray you help us understand this so we can be free to be free.  It took perfection to take my place; your place, it was infallible righteousness that broke the penalty of capital punishment and hell.  When, or if we die- Maranatha, we have nothing to fear at the moment our legs get broken.  We have the eternal hope with the perfect lamb when our hearts and lives repeat the words of the wise criminal: “I do fear the Lord; it should have been me on that cross, I am the one who sinned, but you are the One who died.  I accept your willing and perfect sacrifice that has reversed the curse of death by your resurrection.  My life is no longer my own, but Yours to do with it as You will- work in me and use me for your glory and remember me when I come into your kingdom”.     

            Our country is testing the patience of God.  We are testing the patience of God, yet we remain in a season of harvest that will wake one up or cause another heart to grow harder; to fall farther away.  Praying in the name of Jesus Christ without persecution is a thing of the past- ask our military chaplains; Pastors being classified as lobbyists reuniting church and state and Christianity being controlled are things to come.  History certainly repeats itself, so what side are you on, do you know and love your Savior; your Heavenly Father enough to stand up and pray in the name of Jesus boldly?  Again I ask- which criminal are you?