Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Be With Me is a daily 7 minute chronological walk through the New Testament hosted by Michael Smith. It is for everyone who is curious about what Jesus actually said and did in the gospels. Most episodes will leave you with at least one good thought to chew on for the rest of the day. We start with the Bible and hopefully end with Awe. We are walking through the chronological events of Jesus' life and then thoughtfully considering them. It is meant to spur the devotional life of the Christian and the not-yet-Christian. We occasionally venture into the Old Testament when it helps our understanding of the New Testament events. Everybody has 7 minutes. Everybody needs to wonder. Be With Me is hosted by Michael Smith who has absolutely no special qualifications to do a podcast. He is not a pastor. He has not been to seminary. He does not lead a mega-church. He is not a professional and he has no more credentials than you do. He does, however, follow a great God with an observant eye and a curious heart. Each day, he starts with a study bible and aims for astonishment. ‘be with him’ for 7 minutes as he sets out daily to discover the God who invites us to ‘Be With Me.’
Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Everything you need to know about death S28e150 Jn19:16
Jesus spends His last hours on earth with a couple of shady characters. They are so bad, the worst punishment in the history of mankind is described as a just punishment.
One of them, after repentance, hears the sweetest words ever spoken on a cross: "Today, you will be with me in paradise".
You can hear these words too if you do as he does.
https://youtu.be/fEUfNgAaSms
Everything you need to know about death S28e150 Jn19:16
Jesus STEALS the THIEF on the Cross. At the moment of his death, Jesus tells the sweetest words ever heard: today you will be with me in paradise.
Jn 19: 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.
No surprise: scripture anticipatingPsalm 22:16
a company of evildoers encircles me;
Is 53: 12 and was numbered with the transgressors;
Jesus has to be numbered WITH the transgressors. This is what He came for. To live amidst, and then die a substitutionary death. Let’s look at these most famous criminals.
All along the crucifiction process, people have had an opportunity to align themselves with Jesus or in opposition to Jesus. Judas, Annas, Ciaphas, Pilate, Peter and later the crucifixion team. Even these men crucified with Jesus get a choice for or against Jesus. Here’s what we know:
Quantitiy:Jesus is crucified with two others.
Location: one is on either side and Jesus is between them. Their nearby view is that of Jesus.
Timing: they were LED AWAY with Jesus. So they spent time together in at least some of the judicial process. At least for the slow, stumbling march toward Calvary. Literally, they were close to Jesus for hours.
Crimes: Mt27:38 tells us they were ROBBERS, bandits, insurrectionist, piratecategory
Activity on the cross: Mt 27:44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. TO ABUSE WITH THE PURPOSE: Communicate your loathing and hate for person
Luke 23: 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Saveyourself 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.”
One of the sweetest conversions stories in the Bible
He stops reviling. He defends Jesus. He rebukes his cruc. Brother
He fears God, since death and judgment are sure and are near
We should not be at enmity, since we have this horrible thing in common. Yet their comminality is overshadowed by his attitude toward God: Aren’t you theCHRIST the messiah, the one who. Was to com? SAVE yourself. SAVE US.
He acknowledges his crime and the just penalty. I don’t think he stole a loaf of bread. He says the worst punishment in human history IS JUSTIFIED. And we indeed JUSTLY.
He sees Jesus’ innocence: this man has done nothing wrong
He believes Jesus is King and is going quickly into His KINGDOM.
Jesus is not king of this world, but of another world.
Then the two word prayer of salvation: REMEMBER ME.
Remember me. Remember me.
Please think of me, the worst of the worst. Put me on your mind at the time when you take your kingdom fully.
Then Jesus steals the good thief on the cross from Satan’s clutches
At the last moment
With one of His last breaths. It is one of the 7 things we know Jesus says on the cross. One of the 7 most important things not just that the gospel writers want us to know but that GOD WANTS US to know:
I am saving the theif on the cross. Not by works but by faith. Last miracle
Doing it TODAY: we are dying but we are living.
Something good happens to believers who die. When? Right away.
If this was only thing you knew about death it is enough
Jesus claims this bad man for His good kingdom
It is as if He is saying, just one more, I’m not losing Any.
Hope for the late deciders. 11th hour salvation.
Dispair for those whose theology includes works by yourself
That have their purpose in earning salvation
Here is the best part: Jesus, who does not lie describes it as PARADISE. Garden, orchard. Beauty. Pleasure. Peace. Paradise. Then He defines it: He is going to BE WITH Him. Today and then the next day and the day after that.
We will meet this man who was snatched from certain death
And all the others inexplicably snatched from death; hope it is YOU
If you have done some bad things. Really bad things. Asknowledge. Admit. Request: remember me. Receive Him today, it might be your last,
This is everything you need to know about death.