Are You Like the Criminal Hanging on the Left or Right Side of Christ?

This week we will be remembering and re-enacting Jesus being led to be crucified. When they came to a place called “the Skull,” the Roman soldiers crucified Jesus, with one criminal on his left, and one on his right. When Jesus was hung on the cross, He was lowered to the level of a criminal. He was brought down to the same level as two criminals. Many people were mocking Christ, including the two criminals. Luke tells us what one of the criminals said: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!!” “If you’re the Messiah, the Son of God, like you say you are, why don’t you get out of this situation?

Why do we need to re-visit the Thursday and Friday events of Holy Week? Because we need to remember that we too mock Jesus and we too need to repent, ask for forgiveness and receive the grace that God intends through His Son Jesus Christ. We have more in common with the criminals than we would like to admit. In the eyes of God, all of us really are criminals. All of us have led lives of disobedience and rebellion against God.

“Do things this way,” God says. And we say, “No, I’ll do things my way instead.” We live lives that violate God’s will over and over again. We even blaspheme our Savior. When things don’t go our way, we say to Jesus, “I doubt that you are the Savior. I doubt that you are the Son of God. Prove it!”  It is because of sin that Jesus suffered...sins of the Jews, sins of the Romans, and sins of you and me.

One man hanging beside Jesus changed his heart. Could our hearts be changed also?

Hope to see you at the Holy Weeks services before celebrating the resurrected Christ!

Pastor Patti