For most of us we all know the story of the three crosses on Calvary. The middle was for our Savior Jesus Christ, the two other crosses were for criminals. Let’s take a look at what the Bible recounts on the three crosses and what transpired that day.
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,[a] saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-43
One of the greatest stories in a moment of heart break and terror. Two sinners hung beside Jesus, one starts to be him to save them all. To take them off the cross so that they might live. The other goes on to rebuke him, basically calling him out for testing God. And begs Christ for mercy, asking Him to remember him after their death. Jesus reassures the man that they would be in paradise together. The man had come to true belief in God.
For the person who doesn’t know Christ, this is a point that I would like to share with you, we are all sinners just like the two criminals that hung with Jesus. We have all failed God, and because we have all failed God we are like those two criminals, condemned to an eternal death separated from God.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23
Now here is where the awesome part comes though, because we have no ability to save ourselves God sent His Son Jesus. He is fully God and fully Man, and He hung on a cross, innocent and blameless with those two men and died for those who would believe.
16 “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
So we have two options, to be the scoffer who was out for himself, he wanted to Jesus to pull him off the cross, or we are like the other criminal who believes that Jesus is the Christ and join Him in an eternal life after we move on from this world. To do this we need to pray to God and to admit and repent of our sins and turn away from them, believe and confess that Jesus is Lord, and finally hand our lives over to God. If you do pray this, and want to be contacted or need help finding a local church, please email me at wildcatjon2000@gmail.com or leave a comment below with your email. I will be happy to help.
Now to the Christian, if you look at the crosses, you see that Jesus is between the believer and the unbeliever. I feel like this is a good way to look at how we are with the world spiritually. We are to keep ourselves separate from the world and the way it acts.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2
Once we accept Christ we are no longer of this world. We belong to Jesus. So my challenge to you is to think about how the world looks at you. Does the world see you as different or one of those people, or does it see you as someone who raised their hand and went on with their normal life. If this is the case, pray and repent and give yourself to God, to be used as He sees fit.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1
So the next time you see the three crosses, remember there is a reminder of Jesus’s sacrifice, His mercy, and His condemnation that the human race faces apart from Jesus.
Thanks for reading, I always welcome comments just keep them clean and respectful
Walking with Christ Daily 