Let us Rejoice!

Easter ~ Resurrection Sunday is my favorite

most blessed Holiday celebration.

My heart rejoices over what Christ

did for me on the cross.

What He did for me ~ He will do for you.

Last year my heart was bent towards

Mary Magdalene, and her love compassion and devotion

as she watched the Crucifixion of her Savior.
He is Worthy  was that Easter post
should you desire to read it.

This year I have pondered many times on
the two thieves beside Jesus on the cross.
( Luke 23:32-43)
~
The Crucifixion was gruesome.
 Jesus was stripped of His garments,
brutally beaten, spit on, pushed and slapped in the face.
 His hands and feet nailed to the cross,
which I might add, that He had to carry
until he collapsed under the weight of it,
was mocked by those at the cross, such as,
Jewish accusers, brutal Roman soldiers,
a crowd who called for Jesus' Crucifixion
and a mixture of secret and curious on lookers.

And yet ~ listen to Jesus in verse 34 of chapter 23
"Then said Jesus,
Father forgive them; for they know not what they do."
Utterly amazing!
Jesus' statement of forgiveness reveals the depth
of His love and grace for them and all humanity.
"But I say unto you,
love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
and do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you
and persecute you.
( Matthew 5:44)

~~~***~~~

As believers that is quite the act to follow.
It requires such an unnatural response that 
obeying it proves who belongs to God. 
The law did not teach hatred for ones enemies.
~
"If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray,
thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee
lying under his burden,
and wouldest forbear to help him,
thou shalt surely help with him."
(Exodus 23:4&5) 

Jesus defined our enemies as those who curse us,
hate us and exploit us selfishly.
Since a believers love is an act of the will,
and not simply an emotion,
God has the right to command us to love our enemies.
~
"For if, when we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,
much more being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life."
(Romans 5:10) 
God would have us to show this love by blessing
those who curse us, doing good to them and praying for them.
Have you ever noticed that when you pray for someone
you'd rather not ~ you find it easier to love them?
Prayer has a way of taking the poison out
of our heart attitudes
and we begin to love them as Christ would have us to. 
That puts our love in action
and we become more Christ~like.

 While on the cross Jesus loved His enemies,
those who hated Him, persecuted Him,
beat Him, spit on Him and hung Him there to die.
His love ~ so great ~ for you and me!
That is what causes me to ponder on the two
"malefactors" who were crucified with Jesus.
~
"Then there were the two thieves crucified with him,
one on the right hand,
and another on the left."
(Matthew 27:38)
~
It was providential that Jesus was crucified
between two thieves, for this gave both of them
access to the Savior.
Both of these men could read Pilate's superscription
"THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS"
and both of these men could watch Jesus
as He graciously gave His life
for the sins of the world. 

The one thief imitated the mockery
of the religious leaders.
"And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
saying, if thou be the Christ, save thyself and us."
(Luke 23:39)
Now the other thief acted completely different.
"But the other answering rebuked him saying,
Dost not thou fear God,
seeing thou art in the same condemnation.
And we indeed justly;
for we receive the due reward of our deeds
but this man hath done nothing amiss."
(Luke 23:40&41)

This "malefactor" reasoned,
if this man is indeed the Christ, and if He has a kingdom,
and if He has saved others,
then could He not meet my greatest need
which is salvation from sin.
As this thief spoke out in verses 40&41
it had to have taken courage.
~
It took faith for this man to trust a dying King.
Jesus is dying, yet this mans faith is great!   
This man had obstacles to overcome.
I find his faith astounding!
"And he said unto Jesus, 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."
(Luke 23:42&43)

O the emotion that floods my soul
as I write this.
Here this man calls out to Jesus ~ the King ~
and asks Jesus to "remember him."
This man was saved wholly by grace;
it was the glorious gift of God.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God;
not of works, lest any man should boast."
(Ephesians 2:8 9)

This man did not deserve it and he could not earn it.
By grace through faith this man
trusted in the Savior for his salvation.
His salvation was personal and secure,
guaranteed by the word of Jesus Christ.
~
Does that not cause us to rejoice?!
We, like the two thieves, have that same opportunity
of calling upon the name of the Lord for our salvation.
One "malefactor" mocked Jesus and rejected Him,
the other received Christ as his own personal Savior,
and is now with Jesus in paradise.

~~~***~~~

How about you?
If you have not received God's love, grace and mercy,
will you receive or reject Him?
Behold the Lamb of God!   
His love grace and mercy are His glory! 
Amen

Let us Rejoice!
~ Debbie ~ 


I'm joining the party with
Stephanie at "Roses of Inspiration"