Two Thieves - Was Good Friday GOOD for Them?

On this sad, sad day, almost two millennia ago, we see three crosses on a lonely hill.. the hill of Golgotha or place of the skull, outside God's chosen city, Jerusalem. 

We read this in each of the four gospels, inspired by the Holy Spirit, penned by four somewhat unlearned men (with the exception of Dr Luke) is the Good News or Gospel story. 

They each share different views, for example the seven sayings of the Lord Jesus, whilst hanging in great pain and torment of spirit upon the cross, aren't shared in one gospel. The different sayings are shared in each of four gospels, but none have all seven.

It's the thieves upon the cross we're considering today. They are mentioned in Matthew 27:38, 27:44, Luke 23:32-43 and Mark 15:27. 

But not at all in John.

The two gospels we look at are Matthew and Luke.

Notice in both Matthew and Luke there's one particular verse linking the veracity of these two accounts. 

Matthew 27:38, 43, 44

Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. 
Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.

Luke 23:32-44

And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. ...
And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God....

 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 
And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

This last verse speaks of the darkest hours in human history (total darkness, maybe an eclipse, however definitely manifesting God’s power over His creation). 

In these three hours of darkness, as the Son of God bore the sins of the world and the Father, holy and perfect, turned His back upon His Son, the Lord Jesus bore my sins..

"..my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?"

Oh, the anguish of that cry by the Lord Jesus! 

Darkness all around, thick and impenetrable. Bodily pain unspeakable, as He fought against gravity for every single breath, as His body weight pulled Him down, emptying His lungs as fast as He pushed up to breathe. Anguish of salvation wrought for me and for you!

His lacerated, whipped back of 39 lashes, piercing thorns upon his crowned brow, nails driven through his four limbs... yet the agony greater than all this bodily pain was the separation from God when He “bore our sins in His own body upon the tree”. 

The reaction of the two thieves sharing in this suffering..

As the scripture says;

One was Left 

One was Right.

There's a real truth in their placement now and then.

Initially they both mocked... and believed not. 

Matt 27: 43, 44 
He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 
The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Notice here both thieves cast upon Jesus the mocking words of unbelief.

Yet in those dark, dark hours upon the cross one had a change of heart, a lesson for all eternity....

This thief rebuked the other for his mocking of Jesus and said:

 ”.. we justly receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." 

"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

This passage proves that works do not earn salvation.

Salvation is by faith alone. 

All his life he walked in unbelief yet with his last breath he calls upon the LORD ... 

I saw this in my dad’s own life. He passed six months ago at 89 years old. Eighty nine years without Christ. His grandfather had the Communist manifesto read out at his funeral and he was brought up as an atheist. However the LORD worked and brought him to affirm 10 days before passing these precious words, “I didn’t believe, but I do now “ to read full story HERE.

What about you? 
Where are you now? 
We can’t earn heaven. 
If we could earn it, Jesus' death was pointless!!! 

"What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world
but lose his own soul?"

When is it too late to be saved? 

When we breathe our last breath, as the other thief found out. 
But none of us know when that will be!

One was Left, One was Right.

https://youtu.be/fM_bP25WKoY

As the question is asked:

One was Left, One was Right. 

Which one will you be?

So for one of those two thieves, it was a GOOD day that Friday all those year ago, it was so very good for him for all eternity.

May it indeed be good for you too, as the day when our salvation was bought by the Saviour’s precious blood.

May God bless you all, and thank you 😊 if you kindly leave a comment to encourage  me.

Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x