Title [Palm Sunday] Last Choice (Luke 23:39-43)
Contents
Last choice (Luke 23:39-43)
By 1492 the Spaniards, and many in Europe at the time, believed that this was the end of the earth. But in 1492, a man bravely jumped over the edge of this earth. And he came back. He crossed the edge of the earth and returned after confirming that there was an unknown new continent, the so-called New Continent of America.
We often think of death as the end of life, and death is the end of everything.
I think, but death is not the end. It is only the beginning of another new world.
Pascal was a famous mathematician, scientist, and philosopher. Pascal's 'Heaven! This is too much of a gamble to give up! It’s just too much of a gamble for us to give up.”
According to Pascal's calculations, even if there was no heaven, there would be no harm to himself whether he believed in it or not.
Therefore, this is too much of a gamble to miss or to overlook. That's why he called himself "a gambler."
But there is a much more important question than whether there is a heaven or not. It's about how you can get to heaven if there is. Just before we die, how much happiness would we have if we were guaranteed the world after death, that is, heaven, and left this world with great peace of mind?
Today's text tells the story of such a person. That is, it is the story of a thief who repented. Along with Jesus, there were two robbers hanging on either side. Both of them were robbers and both of them were evildoers. But one of them has a change of heart. .
He turns to the other thief who accuses and ridicules Jesus when he swears at him. “Are you not afraid of God even when you are under the same condemnation? It is only natural for us to receive a fair reward for our deeds and to die in this way under the condemnation, but this man is not among us. Says.
And suddenly, to Jesus, who was hanging by his side, he shouts: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" - And Jesus hears his voice and promises this. 'Today you will be with me in paradise'
But everyone! If we all look at it, everyone who struggles for their own little profit is like a robber. The Bible says, "All have sinned" and "There is no one righteous, not even one."
The Bible says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
(Romans 3:23) He says. We are all sinners like robbers in the sight of Almighty God, who sees through my heart, who sees the motive behind my outward actions, and who sees even the most secret places.
But even robbers can go to heaven! This is the gospel. Then how could this thief in the Bible get to heaven? This was possible for two reasons. One was because he repented of his sins, and the other was because he believed in Jesus. Through repentance and faith, he was promised the kingdom of heaven.
Today, too, at the moment our life ends in this world, if we want to enter the kingdom of God in peace as a forgiven person, we must first admit that we are a sinner. Like this saved thief.
And I must appeal to Jesus for my salvation, believing that only Jesus can save me from that great sin. “Jesus, think of me when your kingdom comes.”
The thief who had repentance and faith said, 'Today you will be with me in paradise'
received the promise of our Lord. Since history, people have constantly talked about utopia and utopia, but this land has not yet had a utopia. In fact, the word utopia means that there is no such place.
There is no place like that in the world. Heaven can only be established where we are with Jesus. And in the future, when we enter the kingdom of heaven where the problems of sin and suffering prepared by the Lord are resolved, paradise will be established (Revelation 21:4).
“Today you will be with me and with me in paradise” - How did this robber feel when he heard these words? How thrilling was that? How peacefully and with how gratefully he was waiting for the moment of death that was approaching him?
On the threshold of death, at the end of my life, with the assurance of the Lord, that the Lord forgives me, and that I will be accepted into the kingdom of God, and that I will be with Him forever How enchanting will the moment you step in?
How dramatic is the contrast between the two robbers on either side of Jesus when he was crucified? Their last choice made a huge difference. What should be our last choice today?
The moment we admit and confess our sins, and the moment we appeal to Jesus for our salvation, the history of salvation begins for us. The Bible makes it clear that acknowledgment of sins, confession, and sincere faith in the Savior Jesus are the way to forgiveness and salvation and to the kingdom of heaven (1 John 1:9; Acts 16:31).