JANUARY 30
OUR PROMISE FOR TODAY
1Corinthians 2:9 ~ ~ “But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’”(in this life AND eternity)
Ps 77:14 ~ ~You are the God who does wonders…”
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THE WORD FOR TODAY:
Romans 9:14 ~ ~ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!”
Today I’m going to start for a short time in John MacArthur’s book, “Parables”…In the first chapter I’ll be using, he shows us about God’s Justice and Grace, looking at Judas, and a deeper look into some of the parables.
Have you ever considered the stark contrast between Judas Iscariot and the thief on the cross? One was a close disciple of Jesus Christ and gave three years of his life to the best, most intensive religious instruction available anywhere. BUT HE LOST HIS SOUL FOREVER!!!
The other was a hardened, lifelong criminal who was still mocking everything holy while being put to death for his crimes. BUT HE WENT STRAIGHT TO PARADISE WITH JESUS FOREVER!!!!!
The difference between the two men could hardly be more pronounced – nor could the endings to their respective life stories be more surprising. Judas was a disciple in Christ’s closest circle of twelve. He preached, evangelized, ministered, and was even given power to “cure diseases” (Luke 9:1). He seemed like a model disciple. When Jesus predicted that one of the Twelve would betray Him, no one pointed the finger of suspicion at Judas. He was so thoroughly trusted by the other disciples that they had made him their treasurer (John 13:29). They evidently saw nothing in his character or attitude that seemed questionable, much less diabolical. But he betrayed Christ, ended his own miserable life by suicide, and entered into eternal damnation laden with horrific guilt. Christ’s words about him in Mark 14:21 are chilling, “Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”
The thief on the cross, on the other hand, was a career criminal – a serious enough malefactor that he had been sentenced to die by the slowest, most painful form of capital punishment known. He’s called a “robber” in Matthew 27:38, using a Greek word that speaks of a brigand or a highwayman. He was being crucified with a partner. They were both originally slated to be executed along with Barabbas, an insurrectionist and killer (Luke 23:19). All of that indicates that he was part of a gang of cutthroat ruffians who stole by violence and lived by no law but their own passions. He was clearly vicious, mean-spirited, and aggressive, because in the early hours of the crucifixion both he and his cohort in crime were taunting and reviling Jesus along with the mocking crowd (Matthew 27:44).
But as that thief watched Jesus die silently – “oppressed, afflicted, yet he opened not His mouth:….led as a lamb to the slaughter.” (Isaiah 53:7) – the hardened criminal had a remarkable last-minute change of heart. Literally in the dying moments of his wretched earthly life, he confessed his sin (Luke 23:41), uttered a simple prayer: “Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom” (Vs 42) and was ushered that very day into paradise (vs 43), clothed in perfect righteousness, all his guilt borne and paid for in full by Christ.
(we’ll continue with this story and comparison tomorrow)