"Jesus" Remember me when you come into your Kingdom!

Jesus!  Remember me when you come into your Kingdom!

Everyone who watched the crucifixion of Jesus, on movies, or in the total oblivion in history that was changed with the three hours of his giving his Spirit over for the eradication of sin.  

Of the two criminals crucified along with Jesus on Calvary, one mocked our Lord asking that the three of them be released, while the other criminal accepted his punishment and humbled himself to ask our Lord to remember him when he comes into his kingdom.  (Lk 23: 40 - 43).  

It is here, the words of a dying man who has accepted his conviction and execution has willingly paid the price for his jaunt of crime.  For each of us, regardless of the strength we live up to regarding any mishap towards sin, becomes an admittance that we are sinners and it is only through our belief that we will be accepted by Christ, through our admission and bending our knees to him as he sheds his Blood with our understanding of that Good Friday scene.  

Almost everyone who has read about or viewed on the screen the three hours as Jesus hung on the cross for a conviction that was erroneous and only occurred as a sign of prophets predicting the payment that God alone would pay for you and me. 

The paradox to this becomes just another screenplay that means nothing to much of humanity whose adherence to God, the Crucifixion of his Son, and the ultimate Resurrection of the Risen Christ does not exist in their minds.  

Yet, whether we believe in the Incarnation, Jesus’ ministry with a message of God’s forgiveness, and the Ascension to His Father resulting in the Holy Spirit’s descent upon mankind.  Of the many who do not accept this last vintage of Almighty God reaching for the last unbeliever will result in them buying a one way ticket to hell; by their own choice.

For those who believe and welcome the freedom from eternal damnation are like the criminal who in humility asked Jesus to remember him when he entered his kingdom.  For the rest who refuse to find a gift of freedom from their sinfulness; well the old adage; those who believe no proof is needed, those who do not believe, no proof will matter.  Their road to perdition is so wide that there are no safety buffers to stop their slide into hell, from which there is not one moment left to change this fall.

Up until the very last breath we take, the opportunity to turn around and find that God was always there waiting to grab hold of a humble tear filled heart seeking his love.  God never left a suffering soul and will always open his arms of forgiveness.  Unfortunately too many souls are filled with pride and will hold on to this one sin and reject God throughout eternity.

Ralph B. Hathaway