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[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_text_separator title=”Pauline and Demetrics Roscoe” title_align=”separator_align_left”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”6306″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_shadow_3d” title=”Between Two Crosses”][vc_column_text]Throughout Earth’s history, no other king has demonstrated the unique ability to have unlimited jurisdiction over their subjects and who had a servant’s heart like the King of the Jews, “Yeshua.” Even though our Lord’s reign was short while here on the earth, His kingdom has no end. Yeshua, the Lord’s Anointed’s course was cut short in this world; only so that we might see Him, that we may know the way to His eternal kingdom, and that we would accept His hope of salvation.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Jesus Christ was a perfect picture of servitude and righteousness. He did whatever He heard from His Heavenly Father, thus teaching men by example to do whatever comes from the Word of God. Through the Son of God’s picture-language, He would say things with His mouth; but more importantly, He would demonstrate them with His life. As a result, He was a walking thesaurus of His Father’s will.
In my opinion, the most significant statement Jesus of Nazareth made, was His inspiring image on Calvary’s Hill when the Son of Righteousness was unfairly crucified between two thieves.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”9721″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_shadow_3d” css_animation=”fadeIn” title=”Our Servant King”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With any other King, to be crucified among the general public and especially between two thieves was a disgrace and an insult. If one may view this as an oversight or mistake, it was nonetheless, inexcusable. Let us instead believe that it was not an oversight at all. Perhaps, Jesus Christ’s crucifixion was an excellent plan of His Heavenly Father, to set the Trophy of Righteousness between two thieves, showing us the degree to which the Lord would reach out to win a soul. Furthermore, the condition of the person who needs salvation does not matter, nor does it matter where the targeted individual is in his or her life journey. The Messiah didn’t come to win a popularity contest; He happened to be one of us, but without sin.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”9723″ img_size=”medium” style=”vc_box_shadow_3d” css_animation=”fadeIn”][vc_column_text]He went to the lowest parts of society to find the worst of us. And, when the worst of us came to believe in Him, our Lord accepted us with His good pleasure and satisfaction.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”9724″ img_size=”medium” style=”vc_box_shadow_3d” title=”Power and Prominence”][vc_column_text]In other words, the devil had mastery over those lusting for fame, fortune and prominence. Unlike them, our Lord was looking for none of those things; Christ was not ashamed to be crucified among sinners. In human terms, our Lord had every right to accuse those on the cross by saying: “You sinners are the reason I am suffering this fate, it’s all your fault.” But, because Yeshua was anointed for this day that the LORD had made, Jesus spoke with the language of inspiration. For example, one of the thieves seemed to be honored to share the cross with Christ. This thief recognized that after the scourging, the beatings, the insults, and the nails driven through His feet and hands, Jesus was shouldering all this torment and had yet to complain or to get angry. While the undiscerning thief only wanted to break free and make it to a hideout, the discerning thief was deeply moved by this majestic Man of integrity, character, and composure.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When the disregardful thief told Jesus to get them down from the cross, the sensitive and caring thief said to leave Him alone – they deserved to be on the Cross, but Jesus had done nothing wrong. This thief performed an act of kindness toward the Messiah, the highest form of Jewish Worship. At the same time, he demonstrated an act of faith. Within a short time, this thief came to believe in Christ without any worship service. My paraphrased summary of his conversation with our Messiah would be something like the following:
“Jesus, I know I am the worst person to ask this, and I know that things aren’t looking good for me right now, but do you think You could remember me when You get into Your Kingdom? I know that my chances of getting a divine pardon or receiving Your Mercy are low, but this is my one and only opportunity to ask.”
Of course, our loving Savior promised that this man’s future was secure and that he would be remembered.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I believe there is a lesson to be learned about these two people – the individual who will discern the Hand of God at work within us – and the other individual who is self-centered, self-focused and will inevitably miss an actual encounter with the Messiah. Both thieves on the cross were experiencing the same sentence; both men were dying on the cross and needed rescuing. However, it was the person who was able to realize his sin and unworthiness, who had the insight to “see” Christ as a Savior. Perhaps, because the criminal took up for Jesus, it was noted in the Kingdom of Heaven as brokenness and an act of kindness; thus he was granted God’s Grace.
Likewise, the Messianic community along with believers worldwide must understand the significance of the message we preach with our lives. There are people already on the cross who may not be able to attend the next Sabbath worship, but God has given them epistles known and read by[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Complete Jewish Bible reads: “You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You make it clear that you are a letter from the Messiah placed in our care, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on human hearts” (2 Cor. 3:2-3).
If our Lord had counted the thieves as enemies, all hope would have been lost for them both; He saw them as runaway sheep. Today, again He is waiting for someone who is broken enough to know they are lost without Him and who is discerning enough to see Him as their Savior.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]