War Cry - April, 2015 Page 25

were likely what we would call
career criminals--guilty of many
other felonies, such as assault,
rape or even murder. These two
unknowingly played major roles
in the fulfillment of the Old Testa-
ment prophecy that predicted the
Messiah would be executed among
guilty lawbreakers (Isaiah 53:12).

All Bible scholars acknowledge

that both convicts joined onlookers
in taunting and cursing Jesus.
They mocked Jesus, challenging
Him to take them all down off
their crosses. Perhaps it was the
gentle, silent way Jesus was han-
dling the scorn that spoke to the
good thief's heart. Something hap-
pened during those hours of slow
death. Perhaps he overheard Jesus
uttering the strange words of
grace: "Father, forgive them; for
they know not what they do." Per-
haps, as the weight of his own body
constricted his lungs, the good thief
began wondering what this peace-

ful Galilean
could possibly have done
to deserve the same fate
as a thief. Something must have
clicked. Once we get to Heaven I
believe we will confirm that the
Holy Spirit was at work in that
man's heart.

What is easy to miss is that the

other thief, the unrepentant one,
had the same chance to hear Jesus'
words and conclude He was the
Messiah. But he didn't. Instead,
that thief kept on railing. A victim
of his pride, he refused to let his
heart be contrite, and so the hearts

of the two thieves parted ways
forever.

Luke's gospel gives us the jewel

of this astounding turnaround that
otherwise could have been forgot-
ten over the centuries. The good
thief rebuked the other: "Don't you
fear God, even when you have been
sentenced to die? We deserve to
die for our crimes, but this man
hasn't done anything wrong"
(Luke 23:40-41).

Somehow, the Holy Spirit re-

vealed to the good thief that Jesus
was not the imposter the crowd ac-
cused Him of being. He was instead
"the Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

The Kingdom Jesus spoke of

so often is a

real one, and Jesus

will rule in it, just as He said.
Even in the moment of confession,
the good thief did not expect to be
delivered from his earthly death,
to say nothing about his eternal
death. "Then he said, `Jesus, re-

member me when You come into
Your Kingdom'" (vs. 42).

Savor the moment when the

good thief acknowledged his sin
and began to believe that Jesus
had a Kingdom not of this world.
He did not expect grace, favors or
even forgiveness for sins commit-
ted against God and man. Here
on one cross, a condemned felon
was slowly dying. He looked to-
ward the center cross and saw not
another criminal justly dying, but

the Messiah Himself.

The good thief only said, "Re-

member me, just think about
me, when You have arrived in
Your Glory!"

That request sounds familiar.

It recalls something similar re-
corded in Genesis 40:14, when
Joseph asked a fellow prisoner,
"Please remember me and do me
a favor when things go well for
you. Mention me to Pharaoh, so
he might let me out of this place."
Remember me, think of me and
maybe say my name, when you
are in Heaven with Your Father.

Friends, that is all Jesus needed

to hear. With His head pounding

and blood coursing

down His face, Jesus
turned His eyes to this

new believer and announced, "I as-
sure you, today you will be with Me
in Paradise" (vs. 43).

This Easter season, like the good

thief, all you need is a change of
heart. We are all sinners like those
thieves. We all need a Savior, and
no matter the number or degree of
our sins, it is never too late to re-
pent and accept the free gift of sal-
vation. It is never too late to open
your heart to a miracle by the
Holy Spirit.

The War Cry | APRIL 2015

Here on one cross, a condemned felon was slowly dying.

He looked toward the center cross and saw

not another criminal justly dying,

but the Messiah Himself.