His Encouragement – At the Cross

Posted by abakersp in Thoughtful Thursday / 2 Comments

 

 

Happy Thursday friends! How have you been this holy week? I have to say, as much as I love Christmas (love doesn’t even begin to describe my feelings about Christmas), I also love Easter. It’s such a wonderful reminder of God’s love for us. Tomorrow I’ll think about the cross and all that it represents. My sins – gone. Past, present and future. We can take such comfort in that! As you know my heart has been on unsaved loved ones recently, and as we read about Jesus on the cross, we come across the thief. The thief who will be with Jesus. The thief who could represent some of our friends and family members.

 

 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.

Luke 23:39-43

 

The thief on the cross obviously did not live his life for Jesus. Instead, he met Jesus when he was about to die. Many times we have loved ones that struggle with accepting Jesus their entire lives. They fight it because the flesh is too strong. But when an illness takes control of their body, and they are lying there, scared of what’s to come, it’s a perfect opportunity to present the gospel. To assure them that if they believe and accept Jesus as their savior, they will be with Him in heaven. And you can rest assured that they will be there too. The thief on the cross is the perfect example of salvation at the end of your life.

So what does this mean? Does it mean we can reject Jesus right up until the end knowing that if we believe then, everything will be ok? No, absolutely not. You could die in your sleep tomorrow and then it would be too late. I remind you of this story to give you hope for your loved ones. They may not want to hear the word today, tomorrow, or even a year from now. But if down the road the find themselves terminally ill, or just old and their body is giving out, there is still hope for them. Don’t stop praying and don’t stop sharing the gospel. Salvation is salvation, no matter at what point in your life you accept it.

I hope you enjoy the rest of this week. Take the time to reflect on the cross. Remember the thief on the cross who met Jesus. Remember what Jesus did for you, and that three days later He did rise again. And most importantly, remember that He is coming back for us one day. Take comfort in that friends. Thank God for saving you, for saving your friends and family, and for offering such a simple way to be with Him one day. And thank God for the opportunities you have to share the gospel!

Now it’s time for you to get some more encouragement from my friends! Please stop by and see what they have to encourage you with today. Happy Thursday friends!

 

Trisha @ Joy of Reading

Nicole @ Christian Fiction Girl

Jacquelyn @ A Heavenly Home

2 responses to “His Encouragement – At the Cross

  1. It’s important reminder to keep praying for those who are not walking with Jesus. To pray that the Holy Spirit continue to work in their life and convict them of their need for Jesus.

  2. I’ve always been intrigued by the criminals on the cross. I wonder why such polarizing reactions? One “gets it,” so to speak, while the other is so mean. What made one guy understand who Jesus was and the other spurn Jesus? It’s a true picture of today. There are many out there who see Jesus and think, “Yeah! Totally. Jesus is the only way.” Yet others scorn and mock and say the meanest things. It makes me a little sad. I wish all people came to Jesus like the contrite criminal. It’s the better path for sure. Excellent post today!