Today You Will Be "With Me"

        

39 hOne of the criminals who were hanged irailed at him,1 saying, “Are you not jthe 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 kwhen you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in lParadise.” (Luke 23:39-43, ESV)

The picture of human suffering and the wages of sin are graphically displayed in the crucifixion story. However we also we the beauty of God's plan of redemption clearly set forth in the conversation. One thief, represents unrepentant sinners. Mocking and deriding God to his last breath. The second thief represents repentance and faith which includes:
1. The awareness of his sin ("Don't you fear God? We are getting the justice our deeds deserve)v.41a
2. The recognition of Christ's sinlessness ("this man has done nothing wrong")v.41b
3. The belief that Jesus is entitled to a kingdom - thus, acknowledging His right to rule ("Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom... the most religious of Jesus' day should have been the one's most eager to welcome the King - but although He fit God's criteria, He didn't fit theirs)v.42
Jesus' response to the man's confession - The greatest promise we could ever hope to hear ..
"TODAY - You will be with me in paradise." v.43 - To be "with Christ" is paradise- no matter the suffering at the present time (Romans 8:18).
Grace for the guilty. Peace for the restless. Mercy for the sufferer. All in God's garden. All in God's Son.

Lift The Veil From Our Eyes

 

“It is he who made the earth by his power,
  who established the world by his wisdom,
 and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.
 When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
  and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.
 He makes lightning for the rain,
  and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses..." - Jeremiah 51:15-16

God created the earth by His sheer power and established the universe- and how nature works- by His brilliant wisdom. God is in all senses of the word a genius.

In His understanding of all that He would create, He designed all things in such a way as to bring Him glory.

The natural, created order is prepared by God's design to cause mankind to marvel.  

 

"Every man is stupid and without knowledge;
  every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols,
 for his images are false,
  and there is no breath in them.
 They are worthless, a work of delusion;
  at the time of their punishment they shall perish.
 Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob,
  for he is the one who formed all things,
 and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;
  the LORD of hosts is his name." Jeremiah 51: 17-19

 

By comparison, does everything he can to look the other way - to reject the Creator in order to create gods that they can control. The ancient struggles continues -

man seeking to be God...

But the eternal, all-powerful, ever-present God will win this battle (v.18) the created, putting themselves in the Creator's place is delusional thinking and they are of no worth. No value will be given to God rejecters on the day of judgment: The self-exalting man will receive what is due him. "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a); But God will lift the veil off the eyes of His people (v.19). They recognize the greatness of the Creator - "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23b).

Power and Status vs. Humility and Helplessness

An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
                                                                                                           Luke 9:46-48 ESV
In our sinfulness, we, like the disciples, seek out power and status - But Jesus only receives the humble and helpless. The faith of a child is one of absolute dependence.. Jesus will have it no other way. 

The Angels Are Jealous?

"Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look." 
                                                                                                               - 1 Peter 1:10-12 ESV   
Christian - the angels long to look into the gospel that we have..  and all to easily ignore.