Today Paradise

Listen, friends, when Christ was nailed to that cross at Calvary, it was a cursed death. In Galatians 3.13 we read, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it was written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Secondly, it was a shameful death.

Jesus was stripped naked and nailed to that cross, whose crucifixion was a scandal. 1 Peter 2.8 tells of that, and a stone a stumbling, and a rock of offense. Crucifixion was a death for slaves, thieves, and malefactors.

It was a scandal, friends. Thirdly, it was a painful death. The physical agony of crucifixion was excruciatingly painful.

Christ and his humanity squirmed and wiggled. In physical agonies he hung there as a bloody spectacle. And it was also a bloody death.

That cross had his blood all over it, as he bled from his hands, his feet, his forehead, and his side. In Hebrews we read, Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered at once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. And also, friends, it was a substitutionary death.

He was a bloody sacrifice for sin, becoming sin for us. Revelation says, Who washed our sins in his own blood? He bore my penalty for sin, the sinless substitute, becoming sin for me. Galatians speaks of Christ's substitutionary death when it says, Who loved me and gave himself for me.

But to me, friends, the most remarkable aspect of the cross and the resurrection of Christ is the transaction between the thief on the cross and the Christ on the cross. Two malefactors were crucified with him that day, one impenitent who mocked Jesus and one penitent thief who admitted his crime and deserved punishment. In Luke's Gospel we read, And we indeed justly, for we received the reward of our deeds.

But this man hath done nothing amiss. And as that guilty sinner of a thief looked over on Jesus, who was so near to him, something happened inside of him. And as he looked again at Christ, he said, O Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. I am reminded of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ by the following story, friends. A man was traveling through the city of St. Louis on a Sunday, and he decided to park his car at a downtown church and go in to listen to the Sunday morning service.

Once inside, he took a seat on the back row, and soon he realized he was the only white man in an all-black church. The pastor was up on the platform. He was a well-dressed elderly man, and his subject that morning was heaven.

The old preacher said, Some folks call heaven paradise. Other folks call it Abraham's bosom. But this is how I see heaven.

Here is Jesus, just returned from his earthly ministry, and the angel Gabriel greets him at the burly gates. Hello, Jesus. Sure is good to see you, Jesus.

Welcome home, Jesus. We sure missed you up here, Jesus. But wait, who's that with you? Is that that thief from the cross? Oh, no, sir.

No, sir. We can't have no thieves up here. Jesus told Gabriel, Never you mind, Gabriel.

Never you mind. And then Jesus reached his arm around the thief and smiled, saying, Never you mind, Gabriel. He's with me.

Listen, friend. If you don't know Christ as your Savior, look to Him. He is the pearl of great price worth having.

Jesus told that sinner of a thief, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. This may be the last sermon you ever hear, this side of eternity, the opposite of the paradise of heaven. It's a place of punishment for sin called hell.

And in our text today, one impenitent thief died and went to hell. And one penitent thief confessed Christ, believed on Him, and went to paradise with Him. How about you, dear sinner friend? Will it be heaven or will it be hell when you die? Come to Christ, friend, and get to Him.

Repent and believe on Him. And you too can stand there as He announces your arrival in heaven by saying, He's with me. She's with me.

Let us pray.