Just Jesus

“One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Luke 23:39-43

‘The man on the middle cross said I can come.’ Alistair Begg

You can spend years with Jesus, earn every degree, join every Bible study, show up at church every Sunday—it’s all filthy rags without the one thing that matters: knowing Him. We could stand before Him and say, “Jesus, look at everything I did in your name,” only to hear the terrifying words, “Away from me; I never knew you.”

The thief on the cross had nothing—no track record, no good deeds, no religious resume. All he had was this: he feared God, admitted he was a sinner, saw Jesus was innocent and King, and asked to be with Him in paradise. And Jesus said, “Today you will be with me.”

That’s it. Knowing the man on the middle cross is the key. He died to be in relationship with us. He doesn’t care what we “do” for Him. A quadriplegic who can’t lift a finger is loved just as deeply. He wants us.

Everything else—my zeal, my mission, my life—flows from that place. Eleven years ago I met the man on the middle cross, and His love and forgiveness wrecked me in the best way. That’s why I can’t stop telling people about Him.

Get to know Him. He’s waiting for you. Just come.

Have a great day resting in the fact that the man on the middle cross said you can come.