Words From The Word Of God
A topical, and expositional study from the Word of God, in order to Glorify and Exalt our Great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; that we may reach the world with the Gospel, and grow in the Grace and knowledge of Him.. Grace and Peace to all, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.(Isaiah 52:7) "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!"(Isaiah 55 10-11) 10) "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:"11) "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."(John 3:16)“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”(John 14:1-7) 1)"Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."2)"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you."3)"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."4)And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know."5)"Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?"6)"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."7)"If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him."(Romans 10 :9-10;13) 9)"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."10)"For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."13)"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
All Done For The Glory Of God and To Exalt Jesus Christ The Lord!!!
Words From The Word Of God
Paradise Today: The Criminal's Last-Minute Salvation
The story of the thief on the cross reveals what might be the most powerful picture of salvation in scripture. Despite his guilt and impending death, this criminal received immediate forgiveness and the promise of paradise through simple faith in Jesus.
What happened on that cross wasn't merely a historical event—it was a living demonstration that salvation comes solely through grace. This criminal, who Matthew and Mark tell us initially joined in mocking Christ, experienced a profound heart change. With nothing to offer but repentance and faith, he uttered perhaps the simplest salvation prayer ever recorded: "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus' response cuts to the heart of the gospel: "Today, you will be with me in paradise." This promise reveals several transformative truths—salvation is instantaneous upon genuine belief, our past sins (no matter how severe) can be completely forgiven, and eternal life begins the moment we place our trust in Christ. The thief couldn't come down from the cross to perform religious works or make restitution. His salvation rested entirely on Christ's finished work.
For believers today, this truth should both comfort and compel us. Our salvation doesn't depend on our performance but on Christ's completed sacrifice. Yet this also urgently reminds us that tomorrow isn't guaranteed for anyone. Like this thief, many around us are one heartbeat away from eternity. Will we boldly share the message that changed everything for a dying criminal and can do the same for anyone who believes?
Don't treat Easter as just an annual holiday. Let the resurrection power become your daily reality and commission. As the risen Savior promised this repentant sinner paradise, He offers the same to all who turn to Him in faith. Have you made this decision? Now is the accepted time; today is the day of salvation.
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
If you haven't received Jesus Christ by Faith, as your personal Lord and Savior; I strongly encourage you to do so before it is eternally too late!!!
If you need someone to pray with you please feel free to contact us here at Words From The Word Of God!!!
Via:
Email: jeffthomas4Christ@yahoo.com
Cell Phone: (864) 309-9087
Hello and welcome to this another edition of Words from the Word of God. Thank you all so much for joining us today for our, if I have to call it, our After Easter Easter message, and today I want to speak to you for a few minutes on this topic. Today, ye shall be with me in paradise. Today, ye shall be with me in paradise. Today, you shall be with me in paradise, you know. I want to ask you as we begin has the glorious light, or the glorious, shall I say, celebration, of our heart, uh, that glorious light that comes in during the specific holidays and I named the main three for us as born-again believers Thanksgiving, christmas, especially, and Easter especially. As we come into these holidays, we tend to draw nearer to the Lord and see this glorious light, that little ember that burns in our heart. Sometimes, by being caught up in the busyness of everyday life, our light is dim and as we move through everyday life, we tend to let that light, that glorious light, during that holiday, fade away very quickly, because it's so easy, as we consider the three main holidays Thanksgiving, christmas and, as we're talking about today, easter it's so easy to compartmentalize those and it's so easy to get caught up in our everyday life that right after that holiday our heart is dampened. It's immediately that bright light that burned within us becomes that small ember again as we step away or step out of that holiday. But I'm here to tell you today, easter, you know, it's not just a once-a-year celebration of the historical event. It is the eternal hope, the eternal joy and the eternal peace of every true born-again believer. Not only that, it is the glorious culmination of God's eternal plan to redeem humanity through his son, his only begotten son, jesus Christ, the Lord. At the heart of this message is grace, the unmerited favor of God extended to all who repent and place their faith in Jesus Christ. It is the grace that speaks through the words, the blessed words of Jesus offered to a repentant criminal, a repentant thief at Calvary. When he says verily, I say unto thee. That word verily, you can trace it all the way back to the Old Testament, and it speaks of the faithfulness, it speaks of the steadfastness, it speaks of the promises of God being true in every way. And as you come forward to this verse, it's verily, it's most as, most assuredly or truthfully, I say unto thee today, shalt thou be with me in paradise. And this is where the grace is expressed into this message.
Speaker 1:Let us read Luke, chapter 23, verse 32 through 46, the passage that anchors today's message. It paints a beautiful, vivid portrait of Jesus crucified between two criminals, culminating in the transformative promise Jesus offers to this repentant thief. This interaction between Jesus and the criminal on the cross embodies the essence of salvation. Let's read it right quick and we will get into the message, but let's let's found this message in scripture. Turn with me, if you will, to the gospel of luke, chapter 23. There we'll be reading it from verse 32 down through 43.
Speaker 1:And verse 23 says and there were also two malefactors or criminals 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, speaking to those that are crucifying him and those that were reviling him, and that's also speaking of, as we will see, of the criminals that are being crucified with him. He's saying this and it's amazing. He says, father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Jesus, nailed to a cross, has been beaten beyond human recognition, has had a crown of thorns placed and driven down into his forehead and here, in all his agony, all of his pain, shedding every drop of his blood, he says Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment and cast lots. That's fulfillment of Isaiah, chapter 53, verse 12, where he is numbered amongst the transgressors. But let's move on here and verse 35. But let's move on here and verse 35,. Read with me on, if you will, verse 37,.
Speaker 1:And saying if thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in the letters of Greek, latin and Hebrew this is the king of the Jews. How true. That was the king of humanity, the eternal king from glory and one of the malefactors which were hanged. Railed on him saying If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
Speaker 1:But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying does not thou fear god, seeing thou are in the same condemnation. Listen closely, because this is the first step toward, as this reflects the first step for every sinner to come to christ, to come to salvation, he says. 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, notice that, lord, remember me when thou comest in to thy kingdom. And what a blessing here. And Jesus said unto him Verily, I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise. And I want to read verse 44,. And it was about the sixth hour and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
Speaker 1:This interaction between Jesus and the criminal on the cross embodies the essence of salvation. It reflects it, it shows it and it's a beautiful picture painted that. It shows it in every way. It shows us that salvation is solely by grace, access through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone and his redemptive work on the cross. Today we will explore the criminal's journey from doubt and unbelief to repentance and faith. We will also see Christ's passion for sinners, the fulfillment of prophecy and the universal application of his sacrifice, burial and, most significantly, his resurrection, because if he had not risen from the dead, we would not have any hope. Paul said if we only have Christ in this life, we are men most miserable. But praise God, he was buried and three days later he rose from the dead to overcome the grave, to overcome death, to overcome Satan, to overcome sin and to overcome darkness eternally.
Speaker 1:This passage here sets the stage for understanding the steps to salvation, salvation that it is not by works of self-righteousness, but by grace through faith, repentance, grace through faith, and gives insight into how God extends his saving love even to the most undeserving. You know, first we, as we look at this, we see the criminals, repentance, acknowledging sin and turning to god. He says, right here, and this is his repentance, he says now, the other 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, right here. This is where his repentance is, and we, indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man hath done nothing amiss. This man hath done nothing amiss. The repentant criminal rebukes his companion on the other cross, condemned for probably the same crime, because it says, both of them were thieves, both of them nailed to the cross, both of them in the same predicament, both of them guilty of sin. And then the one rails on Christ continually.
Speaker 1:But I want to point something out to you right here, if you will Look with me, in Matthew, chapter 27, verse 44. Matthew gives us a clear picture and something that we need to point out here. The thieves also which were crucified with him cast the same in his teeth. Let's go back up to verse 41. There, likewise also the chief priests mocking him, mocking Christ with the scribes, and elders said he saved others himself. He cannot save. If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him. He trusted in God. Let him deliver him now if he will have him at, for he said I am the son of God.
Speaker 1:Now we go to our verse here, the thieves plural, both thieves also which were crucified with him, cast the same in their teeth. Then, if you will turn with me to Mark, mark, chapter 15. I want to look at verse 32. The same reviling is going on, recorded here by Mark in his gospel. But verse 32 says let's go to verse 31 here. Likewise also, the chief priest Malkin said among themselves with the scribes he saved others himself he cannot save. Let Christ, the king of Israel, descend now from the cross that we may see and believe.
Speaker 1:And they that were crucified with him reviled him. Crucified with him, reviled him. So there was a point of unbelief in this repentant criminal's heart as he hung on the cross. And I, if you notice where he says this, and right after that it says and it was about the sixth hour and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour, so it was probably around the third hour, could have been a little bit past it, I don't know, I was not there. Scripture doesn't exactly tell us but it kind of sets the the process of what was going on here in luke and mark and matthew, the synic gospel.
Speaker 1:But at some point this criminal was joining in with the reviling and the doubt and just the disgrace that they were saying and praise God, jesus didn't do what they said, as he could have done, he could have come down from that cross, but he was there and he knew he was there for a purpose and he had already said Father, if you will let this cup pass from me, but not my will, but thy will be done. He knew his purpose, he knew his mission and he finished it out when he cried it is finished, the redemptive work for mankind to be, you know, purchased off the slave market. Sin was complete. But at some point during this, these six hours, from, uh, you know, the third hour, all the way up to the sixth hour, you know, and the ninth hour, excuse me, the third to the ninth hour, sometime between that time, before the darkness set in, the repentant criminal said, as the other criminal continues to revile Christ, this criminal, something, this other one, something, changed his heart, something changed in his heart, and I can just about guarantee it was the Spirit of God drawing him and opening the eyes of his heart and his mind to see Christ for who he was, of his heart and his mind, to seek Christ for who he was. Because he says, dost, not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation. You're in the same condemnation as I am, and we, indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man hath done nothing of this. That's verse 40 and 41. In these words, the criminal see, this is repentance.
Speaker 1:The criminal confronts his own guilt, personally owning his sin and acknowledging the justice of his punishment, of his punishment. He recognizes his sinfulness and turns to God by placing his faith in Christ in repentance, revealing the doctrinal truth of the first crucial step that all sinners must take toward salvation. This man had no opportunity to do and perform religious work. He did not have the opportunity to come down off the cross and go make good all that he had ever done wrong. He didn't have time to come down from the cross and go to the temple and offer a sin sacrifice or a wave offering by the priest there. He didn't have any time to do that. These were the final moments of his life. He had no other opportunities to do anything. Hanging on the cross, his repentance came solely from a humble heart affirming emphatically salvation is never. Notice. I say this never, and it's shown right here in the scripture. This is the message that affirming emphatically that salvation is never based on deeds but solely on God's grace. Based on deeds but solely on God's grace.
Speaker 1:But we not only see the criminal's repentance, his acknowledging of his sin and turning to God. We recognize his recognition of Jesus as the Savior, the faith that saves. Amid his suffering, the criminal places his faith in Jesus, uttering the plea there in verse 42. He says Lord, lord, meaning he desired to be Christ. He desired Christ to be his Lord, to come into his heart to come into his life to take control in that circumstance where he had no power to save himself. He recognized that the only way he could be saved, and he realized that Jesus was coming into a kingdom that he didn't know anything about, but something in him, in his heart, in the deepest recesses of his soul, recognized Christ for who he was. He says Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. He realized that there was something greater to have after death. This declaration reveals a profound recognition of Jesus' divine identity. Despite the circumstances, the criminal sees Jesus as the righteous king with authority over sin and over an eternal kingdom, kingdom. His faith rests entirely on Christ, not on his own merit, not on his own ability, not on his own self-righteousness, because he had none.
Speaker 1:He was a thief found guilty by the Roman government and he was suffering a criminal's death on the cross, showing that he had greatly trespassed against someone in the population. He was being crucified for his guilt and his crimes, and he recognized his guilt. He recognized Christ for who he was, the Son of God. And he says Lord, lord, recognizing him. He knew that. I mean, you have to understand. He had to see something. He had to see that Jesus Christ, all God and all man, was going to live again. He knew that his appointed penalty on that cross, even though he had not done anything, he died the just for the unjust, the not guilty for the guilty. Christ died for us. But he knew. This criminal knew, had to know, he had to feel it in his heart. He had to believe it in his heart that Christ would rise from the dead. Otherwise how would he say, lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom? How would he say, lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. He knew Christ was going to do that day. He was going to march into his kingdom Despite the circumstances. The criminal sees Jesus as the righteous king and his authority over an eternal kingdom. Not only that, but we see Christ's passion for the lost.
Speaker 1:The gift of grace, jesus' response to the criminal's flee is immediate and transformative, because sin, flesh and blood cannot enter into the kingdom of God. We know that from Corinthians. Cannot enter into the kingdom of God. We know that from Corinthians. But we also know that sin cannot enter into the presence of God. So there had to be forgiveness here. There had to be as the veil was torn in the way between that wall between man and God, that great chasm. When the veil was rent in the temple, it signified the opening of the way for man to come unto the throne of grace, that we might obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need. He says to this criminal something immediate and transformative.
Speaker 1:But that criminal, at this moment, I believe, was transformed from a sinner to a saint, from a sinner to a son of the Most High God, born into his family, born of the Spirit, born from above. Because Jesus says verily, remember that word, truly, most assuredly. I say unto thee today, shalt thou be with me. The compassion Jesus in his agony. Shortly after this, he would cry my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Because the sin of the world was placed upon him and the sins of this criminal, this repentant criminal, was placed upon him. And at that moment, on the cross, when he gave up the ghost and said, john recorded his words it is finished. The redemptive work for mankind was complete and the compassion of Christ was poured out upon this man that he too might join him in his kingdom. In his presence, in the presence of God, the Father, in his agony, jesus extends salvation to a repentant sinner.
Speaker 1:A repentant sinner, now is the risen Lord. A repentant sinner, now is the risen Lord, god's love, grace, his unmerited, his undeserved favor. This criminal did not deserve anything but to die in his sins and be going out into eternity, into hell and eventually into the lake of fire, for an eternity where the fires are not quenched. The place of suffering, the place of torment, that's what this criminal deserved. But by the grace of God in Christ, he received what he did not deserve, and that was hell and condemnation. By his repentance and by his faith, lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. He repented. He recognized the sinfulness For we justly, for we receive the judgment for our actions. Basically is what he says for our crimes but this man has done nothing amiss. But grace is the gift of God's love.
Speaker 1:The apostle Paul would write in his epistle to the Ephesians, in chapter 2, verses 8 and 9,. We will repeat this verse many times throughout the messages that we preach, because it is by grace, it is by God's unmerited favor in Christ, that we can repent as this criminal. We can repent and place and recognize Christ as the risen Son of God and we can be born into the family of God and we too can join him one day in eternity in his kingdom. But the word of God tells us in Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 8 and 9, for by grace are ye saved, through faith. Notice that. For by grace are ye saved through what? Through works? Through doing this or doing that or not doing this or not doing that? No, for by grace are ye saved through what? Faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.
Speaker 1:As I said, the criminal could not come down off the cross and go receive, have the priest to do a sin offering or sprinkle blood upon the mercy seat for the forgiveness of his sins. No, he didn't have time to do all that. This was the moment of his death. He was going to die. The next step in his life was to step into eternity, either in hell or in paradise, with the Savior and praise God. He placed his faith, he repented and he placed his faith in the one who could save his soul, jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:Paul gives us a great reflection on grace in Titus, chapter 2, verse 11, and this speaks to the glory of Jesus Christ and the glory that we should have for our great God and our Savior, jesus Christ, because Paul reflects it here. He says for by for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. Grace is the heart of salvation. It is unearned. Notice this. It is unearned, it is undeserved and freely given to all who believe, verse 5.
Speaker 1:And Christ in grace, in the grace of God, bridges the gap between a holy God and sinful humanity. He reconciles us back to God. He justifies us through faith by his resurrection. Therefore, romans, chapter 5, verse 1 and 2, says the apostle Paul writing to the believers there in Rome. He says therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into the disgrace wherein we stand. Praise God for that and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Through grace, we are reconciled to God, the Father, and invited into his eternal kingdom. As this wretched criminal who repented and placed his faith in the only one that could save his soul, and that was Jesus Christ. By that he was invited. He was reconciled to God right there, at that very moment. It was not through works of self-righteousness, it was not through any righteous work. Again, he was nailed to a cross, but yet he repented. He owned his sin before the Lord and he recognized Jesus as the Lord of all, the King from glory, the King who was about of sin back into heaven.
Speaker 1:Then, fourthly, we see the fulfillment of prophecy Christ's sacrifice, burial and resurrection. The events of Calvary fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah 53, which describes the suffering servant. Isaiah 53, 5 says but he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquity. The chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed. That day, that day that criminal was healed eternally. His soul was transformed, his heart was transformed, right there, at that very moment. But Jesus' burial fulfills Isaiah 53, 9. And also Isaiah 53, 12 says he was numbered among the transgressors and he, verse 9, says and he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death. Finally, the resurrection confirms his victory over sin and death.
Speaker 1:Romans, chapter 4, verse 25, declares who was delivered for our offenses and listened closely and was raised again for our justification. The word of God says he made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. And that is exactly what justification is. It's just as if, just as if it never happened. God does, he does not hold our sins and our iniquities against us. Once we repent and receive Christ, by faith, and faith alone, our sin record is wiped, clean and righteousness, god's righteousness in Christ, is imputed. It's placed upon our record in the place of the sins that had been washed by the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:Jesus' sacrifice, burial and resurrection are the cornerstone of our hope. Folks realize that he did not just stop at the cross, because if he stopped at the cross and he didn't rise from the dead, we would be worshiping, serving a dead martyr. But no, he rose from the dead, victorious over death, hell and the grave for us, that we too might have life and habit more abundantly. His sacrifice, burial and resurrection are the very cornerstone of our hope, joy and peace, and those are eternal. Through his redemptive work, he secures eternal life for all who believe, for all who believe. Finally, we see the invitation to all. The criminal's conversion reflects the journey of every lost soul that comes to christ. Like him, we are powerless to save ourselves, but through repentance and faith we receive the free gift of salvation. God's grace in Christ is available to all Notice. I said all the apostle Paul, writing to Titus, would tell us, for the grace of God, that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men. Let this message, today's message, today's after Easter Easter message, let this message be a call to repentance and faith and transformation if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Speaker 1:Easter is not just a day of remembrance once a year. It is a call to daily gratitude and proclamation. We are to be the salt of the earth, the light that shines into the darkness of this world. We are to be seen and not heard. Our actions must match up with the words that are coming from our heart. We can't just talk the talk and not walk the walk, because that destroys our testimony. We can't say repent or not, or ask forgiveness of our sins, claim to be saved, pray a simple prayer and expect to live like we want to. No, we are changed. We are transformed, transformed.
Speaker 1:This criminal was transformed at that very moment into a new creation in Christ Jesus. All of his old stuff had passed away. Remember he was raised again for our justification, just as it never happened. He was raised again for our justification, just as it never happened. This is a call to not just a celebration of one time a year or three times a year, at Thanksgiving, christmas and Easter, but it is for us to live in daily gratitude and proclamation of what Christ has done for us, daily gratitude and proclamation of what Christ has done for us. We must recognize the depth of God's saving grace in Jesus Christ alone, rejoicing every second of every day in the eternal hope, joy and peace that we have in him. He secured for us, through his sacrifice, burial and resurrection, eternal life. But this truth must stir our hearts beyond mere celebrations once a year. It must drive us to share the gospel boldly with a lost and dying world.
Speaker 1:Look again at calvary. Two criminals hung beside Jesus. One perished in his sins but the other, through repentance and faith, received eternal life. That moment was his last opportunity to turn to Christ. If he had continued to revile and continue to reject, he would have suffered the same condemnation as the other criminal on the other cross. And every lost soul that has died without Christ and not come to the cross of Calvary, not been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ, every soul that has died and went out into eternity without Christ failed. They reviled Christ. They rejected him, everything. But all we have to do is repent and receive.
Speaker 1:What about you? Do you remain lost, condemned to eternal separation from God, eternal condemnation in hell and in the lake of fire for an eternity? Will you waste your final breath in rebellion or will you, like the repentant criminal, cry out to the Savior before it's too late? You say well, why do you say my last breath? You are not guaranteed another second of life. We are not guaranteed anything. It is by the will of God and it is by the compassion of God. It is by his long-suffering that we, and by his mercies that are new every morning. It is by his mercies that we are not consumed. It is by his mercy, if you're rejecting Christ right now, that you're still living.
Speaker 1:Sin is death. The apostle Paul would write, for the wages of sin is death. And he also said for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and come short of the glory of God. But just as Jesus offers salvation that day, he offers it to all now, not tomorrow. Don't think you have a tomorrow, not next year. You might not have another year. You might not have another breath. The Lord might see fit to take you out now, or he is long suffering to let you live long enough to receive his son by faith, repentance and faith, as this criminal did. For the criminal, there was no second chance after that moment. The same is true for every lost soul still lingering in the valley of darkness, death and decision.
Speaker 1:Luke, chapter 23, 42 through 43, records the simplest yet most transformative cry Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, and Jesus' eternal promise. Today, shalt thou be with me in paradise. Do you recognize your need for salvation? Do you realize the urgency of eternity? Every soul, every person is going to spend eternity somewhere, either in hell, in condemnation, eternal condemnation, or in heaven, in paradise, in the presence of the Savior who died to open up the new and living way, who, when he cried it was finished. The veil was torn from top to bottom in the temple, signifying the opening of the way to come freely to God the Father, through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, his sacrifice and his blood for our sins.
Speaker 1:Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 6, verse 2, and I'll close here in a moment Behold, now is the accepted time, behold, now is the day of salvation. I plead with you don't delay. Do not wait for a more convenient moment. Do not assume there is more time. Call upon Jesus right now, just as the criminal did. Confess your sins, repent and place your faith in the risen Christ. Let his saving grace transform you today and for those of us who are already saved, never, ever, let this truth grow dim. We were once lost and condemned, justly just as this criminal was, but Christ redeemed us when we repented and received him by faith as the risen son of God. We were a sinner. Now we are the sons and daughters of the most high God in Christ. So let the gospel message overflow from our hearts. In a world drowning in sin and darkness, we must be the light. Share this message everywhere, with everyone, so that others might experience the remarkable salvation that comes through repentance of faith in Christ.
Speaker 1:Easter is not a day, it is a commission. It is our commission. Not a day, it is a commission, it is our commission. Let us live it, let us share it, let us proclaim it every second of every day. He is risen. He is risen indeed. May that be our battle cry. May that be the cry to the world as our light shines to the dark in the heart of the sinner, that the love and light of Christ may shine from our hearts to theirs, that they may come to the saving knowledge of his gospel. With that I close. Thank you all so much for joining me for this episode of Words from the Word of God. I look so forward to the next time that we can join together and share words from the word of God. God bless you all.
