MAY 24

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

Matthew 12:30

“Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

Romans 12:2

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Romans 8:5

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 2:12

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”

1 Corinthians 2:14-15

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.  The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.”

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We will be reading from a book by Erwin Lutzer, President of Moody Bible Institute.  It’s a short book about Christ’s sacrifice for us.  It’s called simply, “For Us.”

Luke 23:39-43

“Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, ‘If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.’    But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.’   Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.’   And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’”

“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”

Do you realize that both thieves offer up a prayer?  The unrepentant thief said, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.”  That’s a prayer.  He wasn’t so concerned about eternity.  He said, “Just get me off this cross.”  He prayed and yet was lost forever, because he cared only for physical deliverance in the here and now.

One thief hung on Jesus’ right, the other on His left.  Both thieves were guilty of their crimes, sentenced to the same death.  The only difference between them is how they responded to Jesus.

Just as the cross of Christ stood between them on Skull Hill, it continues to divide all mankind today into the saved and unsaved.  By telling this story during the most important moments in the Bible, God shows us that our relationship with Jesus determines our eternal destiny.  Everything depends on how you answer the question:  “What will I do about Jesus?”

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