Churches

Good day dear hearts, I love you. As you are well aware the Easter season has ended. All the chocolate and candy have been eaten, all the eggs have been colored, so what next? While it may be over for some, it's just the beginning for the person who knows and understands the sacrifice Jesus made for all of us and we celebrate His resurrection every day. Today I want to focus on the account of the two thieves on the cross. Who were the two thieves crucified on the cross? They were named Dismas and Getas and they both committed serious crimes and were sentenced to die by crucifixion. You won't find their names in the Bible, but they are described in various historical accounts of the time.

While the account of the two thieves is short, it is reported in all four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It's a little unusual that all four Gospels report one account, but this is very significant. I chose the book of Luke to focus on the account. When you have time read Luke 23:32-43. I'll be paraphrasing the account as I go along, but there's nothing better than reading the actual account.

We start off with Jesus being placed on the cross and we read two men, convicted criminals are placed on either side of him on the cross. Jesus is nailed to the cross while the others are strung up on it with rope. Crucifixion is a brutal form of execution. It drains life and energy from the body and it's long lasting. As Jesus was dying on the cross the people ridiculed, taunted and cajoled Jesus to come down from the cross if He was the Messiah. The thief Getas joined in with the cajoling and taunting of Jesus.

Jesus was not surprised by their mockery. Psalm 22 in the Old Testament includes a prophecy which foretold that people would mock Him. These are the words of Psalm 22:1, which were the words Jesus said as He was dying on the cross, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Psalm 22 was written by David, who gave an amazingly accurate description of how the suffering of the Messiah would endure hundreds of years later. Jesus, the Messiah, quoted this verse while hanging on the cross carrying our burden of sin. Jesus' statement was not a cry of doubt, but an urgent appeal to God. Did God forsake Jesus? Did God turn His back on Jesus? No way!! Jesus came to earth to sacrifice Himself for our sins. I believe as Jesus was coming to the actual moment of His death, my vision is that not only is Jesus' body torn apart on the cross, but His body is riddled and heaped on with the sins of the world yesterday, today and tomorrow. God hates sin and He turned His back on the sin so Jesus can complete the sacrifice and die. Once Jesus made the claim, "It is finished." It was finished. Jesus commended His Spirit back to His Father who was there with open arms to receive Him back.

Dismas experiences a stunning transformation. Dismas begins to repent for his sins and rebukes the other thief, Getas for mocking Jesus. He tells Getas they are both convicted criminals and deserve what they are getting, but Jesus was suffering like them and had done nothing wrong. What would have changed Dismas' mind? The repentant thief witnessed everything that happened during Jesus' crucifixion, including hearing Jesus say, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." At the last moment Dismas turned to Jesus and said, "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." And Jesus did.

What does this account mean to us. The thief's salvation demonstrates the Gospel of grace and God's forgiveness. Despite a life of wrongdoing, the thief found forgiveness and hope in Jesus Christ. I had an old friend whose nickname was Wacky, because he was known for doing wacky things. At that time, he had a great love for alcohol and partying and he had a reputation for that. One day he realized he was out of control, repented of his sins and accepted Christ into his life. His repentance changed his life and he lived a good number of years serving the Lord. At his memorial service I used the account of the thief on the cross because Wacky' s life was like Dismas, a life of sin. Just as Dismas and Wacky received salvation by admitting their sinfulness, Jesus offers us hope for eternity. The account ends with Jesus saying to Ditmas, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." That promise holds true for us today. Pray this prayer with me and you will begin a beautiful journey, "Jesus I come before you a sinner, and I lay my sins before you seeking forgiveness. Come into my heart, as you are my Lord and Savior. Amen." Happy Easter. God Bless.

Father, we ask your blessing upon our little town. Send your Spirit and touch the broken-hearted, give peace to the sick, bless the poor. Join us for a chicken dinner with mac & cheese, mixed vegetables and desert on Saturday, April 26 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm.

Contact me anytime. Pastor Vince Chiaramonte, 570-853-3988, Susquehanna Christian Community Church, 1361 Main Street, clearmountain2158@gmail.