The Gospel of Luke: Jesus is for everyone – The thief on the cross

Luke 23:33-43

No-one is too bad to be forgiven and to share eternity with Jesus in heaven.

The thief was a hardened criminal, a doer of evil. He deserved to be punished. He didn’t claim to be innocent. He acknowledged his guilt and that he was being justly punished. He definitely believed in God. Believing in God does not make us a good person. It doesn’t make us a Christian. The thief feared God because he knew he was a guilty sinner and he knew he deserved the wrath of God. He believed that Jesus had done nothing wrong and didn’t deserve to be on the cross. He believed Jesus was the Messiah and acknowledged who Jesus was. He asked for Jesus to remember him and give him a share in His kingdom. Jesus knew all about the thief and what he was like. Jesus came for people like this. Jesus forgave him and saved him from his sins. Jesus offered him an eternal life guarantee – no ‘ifs’, no ‘buts’. If Jesus could save this man He can save anyone. Jesus offers us eternal life today. All we have to do is confess Jesus as Lord and ask Him to remember us. Jesus invites us all to come and share eternal life with Him.