Title: The Cross that Leads to Homeland
Contents
“Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
Second of Seven Phrases: “Today you will be with me in paradise”
1. The Forgotten Faith in the Afterlife
Tolstoy said that life is like a train station waiting for eternity. One of the beautiful beliefs that are disappearing in the Fatherland Church today is the faith in the afterlife. Faith in the afterlife was the faith that all people of godly faith longed for, and with that faith, we were able to overcome the hardships and trials of this world. The belief in the afterlife is the belief that we are living in a succession of eternity, that life in this world is not enough and that our ultimate hope is in heaven.
The formal believer's dream is to be happy in this world, and the true believer's dream is to be holy in this world. When believers have the strong conviction that this world is not enough, and have faith to long for and long for their homeland, they can overcome trials and tribulations and kill the sins and lusts that dwell within us. So, even though we live on this earth, we should not let our hearts burn with what we have on this earth, but with the hope of the Lord's kingdom. We are only the guides on the stranger's path. Travelers are not people who only pass by the place for a while, but they are not the ones who build houses or plant their roots there. In this age, when it is difficult to distinguish between the portion God has given His children to enjoy and the indulgence of desire, moreover, we must have clear faith in the afterlife and live according to the Lord's will for eternity, even if we live momentarily.
2. Four Changes Happened to the Robber
- Two robbers known as Dismas and Gedas committed the same crime and were crucified with Jesus. They both cursed Jesus together, but when they saw Jesus praying with tears for those who crucified Him, four changes, such as conversion, occurred to a thief.
- First, it was the thought of sin. He lived by stealing the world's resources in the way he believed was right. But seeing Jesus, he realized his sin, and a new awareness of sin entered the heart of the dying thief. Second, it was about God. He thought that he was the center and ultimate value of the universe, but through Jesus Christ calling on the Father's name, he thought of God the Father, whom he had never felt before, and the thought that God is righteous in his heart rang out Third, it was the thought of God's judgment. When he realized that God was judging his sins, he realized that he was being condemned by God. Fourth, it was the thought of Christ and Paradise. As he prayed with tears for those who crucified him with inviolable peace and composure before God, he came to think that Jesus was not the sinner he thought he was. And when he came to believe that there was a paradise, he begged, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
3. Today you will be with me in paradise
- Through the second words of Jesus appearing on the cross, we come to realize that the kingdom of God is not a kingdom entered by our works, but a kingdom entered through absolute faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- In the emptiness of life, people throw themselves into pleasure and live by taking pleasure as a painkiller. However, the more people of faith realized the futility of this world, the more they lived looking to eternity, not pursuing the pleasures of this world. The futility of life did not make people of faith discouraged, but while they were in this world, they struggled more and fueled their desire to live for the Lord, making them long for the eternal glory of the kingdom of heaven.
- He was rejected by God and crucified to bring us into the eternal kingdom of God. We must confess that what we are is the grace of the Lord, and always remember that our lives are to be lived for the Lord who was crucified on our behalf, and we must live with an eschatological fear. We are full of trials and tribulations when we strive for faith, but each time we must remember that the glory of the hereafter that will be revealed cannot be compared with this suffering. Encourage yourself by thinking that this world is but a stranger's way, and the world passes by, and the lusts pass by, and that only the kingdom of God never fades away. So, when we lose hope for the kingdom of heaven because of the joys of the world, or when we suffer because of the trials and tribulations of this world, we should think about it and strengthen our faith.
- Many people call the robber saved just before death the lucky one. But he would have longed to be given a little more time in this world. Now he wanted to work hard for the Lord on this earth, but he had to leave his body with the Lord and leave. If he had had a little more time on this earth, he would have dedicated his life to preaching that the Lord is the Christ. We must remember that the life we wasted was one day the dying robber wanted to live for the Lord.
2004-03-14