Luke 23:38-47

 

 

 

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And a superscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek,

and Latin, and Hebrew,

– This Is The King Of The Jews –

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him,

saying,

“If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us!”

But the other answering rebuked him, saying,

“Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds:

but this man hath done nothing amiss.”

And he said unto Jesus,

“Lord,

remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.”

And Jesus said unto him,

“Verily I say unto thee,

Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.”

And it was about the sixth hour,

and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

And the sun was darkened,

and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice,

He said,

“Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit:”

and having said thus,

He gave up the ghost.

Now when the centurion saw what was done,

he glorified God, saying,

“Certainly this was a righteous man.”

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The thief on the cross

is forever

a monument

of divine Mercy and Grace!

 

~

This malefactor,

just when he was ready to fall into the hands of Satan,

was snatched as a brand out of the burning,

and made a monument of divine mercy and grace,

and Satan was left to roar as a lion disappointed of his prey.

~ Matthew Henry

 

 

Jesus told him:

T O D A Y

YOU  WILL  BE WITH M E

in Paradise.

 

Did he deserve it?

 Many would say an unequivoval “NO!”

 But isn’t this what GRACE is all about?

Jesus died,

so we could have this free Gift;

undeserved!

 

Ephesians 2:8

For by Grace are ye saved

through Faith;

and that not of yourselves:

it is the Gift of God:

 

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The thief on the cross fit the criteria of the undeserved,

as we see his response to the other malefactor;

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 NIV Luke 23:38-41:

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 Messiah? 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.”

 ~

He recogonized he was a sinner.

He reconized Jesus was the Savior.

He knew he was getting what he deserved.

~

Luke 23:42

And he said unto Jesus,

“Lord,

remember me

when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom!”

~

 

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Jesus extended His grace and mercy to this man:

 

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Luke 23:43

And Jesus said unto him,

Verily I say unto thee,

Today

shalt thou be with Me in paradise.

 ~

 The Grace revolution that began with the thief on the cross continues to this day.

It extends to you!

~