Assurance for the Future Monday, April 6, 2020
Most of us have some thought toward the future. We are told to plan for the future, for our children’s futures, or for our retirements. Not to be morbid, but what about the future beyond this life. It will affect all of us, but we best not wait until the last minute to make arrangements.
See, that is what happens with this thief in Luke 23. We do not know much about him or his partner in crime, only that they were being executed as thieves. We can assume that they either had VERY long rap sheet or they had stolen something major from someone very important to end up on a cross. What we can assume is that both of these men were living for the moment, either for themselves or as part of a greater gang of thieves. What came next was not in the forefront of their mind. What would happen if they got caught was not a top priority.
Then, we find them on a cross. It is the end. Both of these men know that their remaining time on earth has been cut from the unknown to a definite span of a few hours. But, they are not alone on their crosses. Between them is a man that they had not met, at least, we do not have any reason to believe they had met. This, however, is a man that they had heard about in some form or fashion. Perhaps it was just in the hours they spent together marching towards death that these two thieves first heard about this King, this Savior, this Jesus. More likely, they had heard story of a prophet from Nazareth who was healing, teaching, and raising people from death.
It is in this scene that one thief hurls sardonic words to jeer at the Christ. What a way to spend your final breaths on earth, mocking the Messiah! One, however, asks for Jesus to remember him. Jesus speaks to him a word of assurance: “Truly, I say to you, today you shall be with Me in paradise.”
That statement is true for you and me when we come to Jesus Christ. Our faith in Him as the messiah gives us the transfer of His promise to the thief to our own lives. Sure, the thief died that day and we do not die the day we profess Christ as Savior. But, we do die to self. Jesus said that whoever wanted to come after Him would have to daily take up his cross and follow Him. That is daily laying down our life for His. In this, He assures us that we are with Him
Pray: Jesus, thank you for giving me life. As I pray today, I ask that You bring Your words to the forefront of my mind. Remind me of my position with You. Today, Lord Jesus I thank you for your Holy Spirit, who has sealed me according to Your Word. What is beautiful is that Your promise to the thief on the cross is true for me. I am with You for all time!
“And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise’”
Luke 23:43, NASB
See, that is what happens with this thief in Luke 23. We do not know much about him or his partner in crime, only that they were being executed as thieves. We can assume that they either had VERY long rap sheet or they had stolen something major from someone very important to end up on a cross. What we can assume is that both of these men were living for the moment, either for themselves or as part of a greater gang of thieves. What came next was not in the forefront of their mind. What would happen if they got caught was not a top priority.
Then, we find them on a cross. It is the end. Both of these men know that their remaining time on earth has been cut from the unknown to a definite span of a few hours. But, they are not alone on their crosses. Between them is a man that they had not met, at least, we do not have any reason to believe they had met. This, however, is a man that they had heard about in some form or fashion. Perhaps it was just in the hours they spent together marching towards death that these two thieves first heard about this King, this Savior, this Jesus. More likely, they had heard story of a prophet from Nazareth who was healing, teaching, and raising people from death.
That statement is true for you and me when we come to Jesus Christ. Our faith in Him as the messiah gives us the transfer of His promise to the thief to our own lives. Sure, the thief died that day and we do not die the day we profess Christ as Savior. But, we do die to self. Jesus said that whoever wanted to come after Him would have to daily take up his cross and follow Him. That is daily laying down our life for His. In this, He assures us that we are with Him
Pray: Jesus, thank you for giving me life. As I pray today, I ask that You bring Your words to the forefront of my mind. Remind me of my position with You. Today, Lord Jesus I thank you for your Holy Spirit, who has sealed me according to Your Word. What is beautiful is that Your promise to the thief on the cross is true for me. I am with You for all time!
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