LUKE 23:33-43

[33] And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

[34] And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.

[35] And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”

[36] The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine

[37] and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”

[38] There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”            

[39] One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

[40] But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

[41] And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

[42] And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

[43] And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Maybe it’s because I’m getting older. Maybe it has something to do with the bad economy. Maybe it’s because I look at things differently since my mother was killed in that snow mobile accident a few years ago. Maybe it’s all of those things and a few other things that I haven’t thought of yet. The one thing I do know, however, is that this year, as we get ready for Thanksgiving, I’m not thinking about all of the usual blessings. I’m not thinking about the blessings of family and friends, good health and good food.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m still thankful for all of those things.  After all, I know that life is always going to be better when you show the same spirit that a little old lady in a nursing home showed one day when she sat down for her turkey dinner.  When she was asked what she was thankful for the little old lady flashed a toothless smile and said, “I thank the Lord for two perfectly good teeth.  One in my upper jaw and one in my lower jaw that matches so I can chew my food.”

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all of God’s blessings and that includes the

thinking a lot about a different kind of blessing. I’m thinking a lot about a blessing that is really out of this world! It’s the same blessing that the penitent thief received just before he died.   While he was hanging on the Cross the penitent thief turned to God’s only begotten Son and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  In response to his sincere confession and gentle plea Jesus said to the penitent thief, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Everlasting life.  That’s the blessing that I’m really thankful for this year. It’s the blessing of knowing that God’s love is real.  It’s the blessing of knowing that on the Cross the God who was in Christ came face to face with the worst that human nature has to offer and basically said to all of us, “There isn’t anything you can do that will ever make me stop loving you.” 

It’s the blessing of knowing the God’s love in Christ will unlock those heavenly gates for you.  It’s the blessing of knowing that Jesus really meant it when he said, “Because I live you will live also.”  That’s the blessing that I’m thankful for.  That’s the blessing I believe in.  Do you believe in it?  I hope you do. Our Statement of Faith describes that out of this world blessings with these inspiring words:

In Jesus Christ, the man of Nazareth, our crucified and risen Savior,
     You have come to us
     and shared our common lot,
     conquering sin and death
     and reconciling the world to Yourself.

You promise to all who trust you
     forgiveness of sins and fullness of grace,
     courage in the struggle for justice and peace,
     Your presence in trial and rejoicing,
     and eternal life in your realm which has no end.

Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto You.  Amen.

Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.  That’s a blessing that is truly out of this world and it’s a blessing that changes everything. In his book Six Hours One Friday Max Lucado tells a touching story about a little girl named Barbara.  Barbara was in a Sunday School class that was taught by one of Max Lucado’s friends.  The friend was a woman named Joy.  Now Barbara, the little girl, unfortunately, came from a very troubled home and because of that she was very timid and insecure. During the class Barbara never spoke.  In his book Lucado writes, “While the other children talked, she sat.  While the others sang, she was silent.  While the others giggled, she was quiet.  Always present.  Always listening.  Always speechless.  Until the day Joy gave a class on heaven.  Joy talked about seeing God.  She talked about tearless eyes and deathless lives.   Barbara was fascinated.  She wouldn’t release Joy from her stare.  She listened with hunger.  Then she raised her hand.  ‘Mrs. Joy?’  Joy was stunned.  Barbara had never asked a question.  “Yes, Barbara?”  ‘Is heaven for girls like me?’ she asked.

Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise. It’s a blessing that is truly out of this world and it’s a blessing that changes everything.  That’s because it not only changes the way you look at the future but it changes the way you live your life right now.

For one thing  it makes you realize that all the material things of this world really aren’t all that important.  The cell phones and the SUV’s, the Christian Dior sunglasses and the Louis Vuitton handbags really don’t mean a thing in the grand scheme of things.  You realize that you don’t have to live your life like the husband and wife who sat down one day for a heart to heart talk. The husband said, “I don’t know how we’re going to do it.” The wife replied, “You have to think positive.” “I know,” the husband said, “but it still won’t be easy.”  The wife took a big breath and let out a long sigh.  “Look,” she said, “we can do this. If we miss two payments on the refrigerator and one payment on the mortgage we’ll have just enough money to make a down payment on a new big screen  plasma T.V.”

The more you think about and the more you’re thankful for the blessing of eternal life the more you realize that all the material things in this world aren’t all that important.  You also begin to realize that we got into this Great Recession because too many people bought too many things they didn’t need with money they didn’t have to impress people they didn’t really like.

Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.  The blessing of eternal life can free you from the materialism of this world.  It can also help you deal with all the turmoil, trouble and tragedies of this world.

Yes, foreclosures are real but don’t forget, Jesus said, “you will be with me in Paradise.”

Yes, jobs are scarce but don’t forget, Jesus said, “you will be with me in Paradise.”

Yes, those aches and pains aren’t going to go away but don’t forget, Jesus said, “you will be with me in Paradise.”

Unfortunately, there are terrorists out there who hate you but don’t forget, Jesus said, “you will be with me in Paradise.”

In his autobiography Man In Black, Johnny Cash talks about a glimpse of eternity that changed him forever. It happened on May 12, 1944.  That was the day that his brother Jack died. Earlier that week, Johnny tried to talk his brother into going to the movies with him, but his brother went to work at the saw mill instead because the family needed the money.  While he was at work, however, he was injured in an accident that left him in a coma.  He stayed in that coma for several days while the family maintained a bedside vigil around him.  Then one morning he suddenly came out of the coma.  Cash later wrote, “My mother and daddy were on their knees.  At 6:30 a.m. he woke up.  He opened his eyes and looked around and said, ‘Why is everybody crying over me?  Mama, don’t cry over me.  Did you see the river?…I was going down a river, and there was fire on one side and heaven on the other.  I was crying, ‘God, I’m supposed to go to heaven.  Don’t You remember?  Don’t take me to the fire.  All of a sudden I turned, and now Mama, can you hear the angels singing?”  When she said she couldn’t, he squeezed her hand and said, “But Mama, you’ve got to hear it…What a beautiful city…And the angels singing.  Oh, Mama I wish you could hear the angels singing.”  And those were the last words he said.  Cash goes on to write, “The memory of Jack’s death, his vision of heaven, the effect his life had on the lives of others, and the image of Christ he projected have been more of an inspiration to me, I suppose, than anything else that has ever come to me through any man.”

There are the blessings of this world and then there is the blessing that is truly out of this world.  Truly I tell you today you will be with me in Paradise.  It’s a blessing that changes the future.  It’s also a blessing that can change the way you live your life today.  Amen.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Hughes

November 21, 2010