Day Twenty-three

One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you're at it!"
Luke 23:39 NLT

Jesus has a great reputation of saving, delivering, healing and performing all sorts of miracles.A lot of times we seek the Lord only because we have a problem. While Jesus is concerned about every affair, even the seemingly insignificant ones, His main focus is for us to enter the kingdom of God.

The criminal asked to mock Jesus, "So you're the Messiah, are you?" The next statement is shocking! The bible says, "Prove it by saving yourself."Where in the Bible do we read that Jesus came to save Himself? Clearly this man never knew Jesus. Jesus lives for us. Even in Heaven, He intercedes for us.Jesus shouldn't have to prove to us Who He is. We only have to believe He is who He says He is. Believing in Jesus, saves us. Only believing.

But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?Luke 23:40 NLT

It seemed the other criminal was wise. This criminal had understanding of who Jesus was. Perhaps we can borrow the attitude that this criminal had. He is very similar to us.

We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong."

Luke 23:41 NLT

 We should never forget that Jesus came to present the kingdom of heaven to us. If we were already in the kingdom of God, He wouldn't have had to come.Like this criminal, we were guilty. We were sinners. We deserved punishment. But Jesus stood in our place and received every punishment.

Look at what the bible says. "We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong."
We deserve to die. We deserve to be rejected. We deserve to be fatherless, but yet we are alive together with Christ. We've been accepted into the kingdom of God, and God is our father.

Then he said, "I beg of you, my Lord Jesus, show me grace and take me with you into your everlasting kingdom!"

Luke 23:42 TPT

The other criminal received salvation on the day that he was crucified. Just because he believed.
Our attitude should be like this criminal. It's only by the grace of God that we enter the kingdom of God. We don't enter on our own terms, but by the grace of God, we enter.

But God's amazing grace has made me who I am! And his grace to me was not fruitless. In fact, I worked harder than all the rest, yet not in my own strength but God's, for his empowering grace is poured out upon me.
1 Corinthians 15:10 TPT

 God's grace makes us who we are. God's grace is never fruitless. God's grace is poured out on all of us. The sooner we realize that its by His grace that we are where we are, the better.

And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
Luke 23:43 NLT
 The other criminal entered the kingdom of God simply by believing in Jesus. Jesus doesn't have to prove anything to us. He has never lied about who He is. Let's patiently serve Him, and we'll see His glory.

Prayer:  In the name of Jesus, Glorious Father we thank you. We magnify you. We thank you for your grace that makes us who we are. We thank you for pouring out your grace upon us. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen