A Promise That Rewrites a Lifetime
And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” – Luke 23:43
Jesus’ response to the criminal on the cross is immediate and decisive. He does not hesitate. He does not delay. He does not require proof. He makes a promise.
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
That single sentence rewrote a lifetime of failure.
The criminal could not save himself. He could not come down from the cross. He could not undo his crimes. He could not make things right. All he could do was believe. And Jesus met his faith with grace.
This moment shatters the idea that salvation must be earned. The sermon makes this point unmistakably clear. If salvation were based on behavior, the criminal would have been excluded. If forgiveness required time to prove sincerity, the criminal would have missed it.
But grace does not operate on our terms. Grace flows from who Jesus is.
The criminal believed, and Jesus saved him. Not because of what the man had done, but because of who Jesus is. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He came to seek and to save the lost.
One moment of faith can rewrite a lifetime of failure.
People often think they need to clean up their lives before coming to Jesus. They believe they must jump through spiritual hoops, fix their mistakes, or prove they are worthy of grace. The criminal on the cross destroys that lie. He had nothing to offer but faith. And faith was enough.
As long as there is breath, grace is still available. Jesus is still in the business of last chances. But the invitation is not meant to be delayed. The criminal believed in his final moments, but the question remains for all of us.
If a dying criminal can believe in a dying Savior and find life, what is stopping you?
Grace is available. The promise still stands.
Jesus’ response to the criminal on the cross is immediate and decisive. He does not hesitate. He does not delay. He does not require proof. He makes a promise.
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
That single sentence rewrote a lifetime of failure.
The criminal could not save himself. He could not come down from the cross. He could not undo his crimes. He could not make things right. All he could do was believe. And Jesus met his faith with grace.
This moment shatters the idea that salvation must be earned. The sermon makes this point unmistakably clear. If salvation were based on behavior, the criminal would have been excluded. If forgiveness required time to prove sincerity, the criminal would have missed it.
But grace does not operate on our terms. Grace flows from who Jesus is.
The criminal believed, and Jesus saved him. Not because of what the man had done, but because of who Jesus is. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He came to seek and to save the lost.
One moment of faith can rewrite a lifetime of failure.
People often think they need to clean up their lives before coming to Jesus. They believe they must jump through spiritual hoops, fix their mistakes, or prove they are worthy of grace. The criminal on the cross destroys that lie. He had nothing to offer but faith. And faith was enough.
As long as there is breath, grace is still available. Jesus is still in the business of last chances. But the invitation is not meant to be delayed. The criminal believed in his final moments, but the question remains for all of us.
If a dying criminal can believe in a dying Savior and find life, what is stopping you?
Grace is available. The promise still stands.
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