What Must I Do? Part 1: Criminal Status

It is ironic when we read the Bible. We'll come to parts where the Pharisee's mock Jesus, or how people treat those who are diseased, or the man who insulted Jesus on the cross. I like to think I'd be just like Jesus, at least like Peter. After all there is no way we could be like those unfair Pharisee's, or like the people who do this or that that is not Christ like. We're good people. Some of us believe this good gets us into Heaven and makes God accept and love us more. But the more I humble myself and truly let God reveal to me who I am in the mirror of His Word, the more I see that I am the Pharisee, I am the one who treats the diseased badly, and I insult Jesus on a constant basis.
I was reading in Luke 23 this morning, the conversation Jesus had with the 2 men hanging on either side of Him.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

The thought came to me, what a picture of the grace God is extending to us. He's showing us a picture of who we are, and who we can be using the example of these men. There are times when we encounter circumstances in our lives that seem to nearly crucify us. We shake our fist at God and insult Him shouting, "Aren't you God?! Do something about this! If you were God you would save me from this!" There are sayings out there and some people who say it's okay to do this to Jesus. I don't think it is to be quite honest. The other criminal said the correct thing, he feared God. He saw the sin in his own life, and realized the death he was dying was just, but something in him pushed him to asked Jesus to remember him. Jesus did something shocking, he pushed up on the nails that held Him there and extended grace to this bad criminal. We never do know what his crime is, rape, murder, all we know it's pretty bad to call for crucifixion. It was and probably still is in some countries the most shameful painful form of execution. It took days for some to die on the cross. Of course this grace extended made the Pharisee's furious. Heaven was reserved for them after all, they kept all the commandments, they were drowning in their own righteousness and had faith in themselves. But Jesus didn't come to set up a new order where the good guys keep winning. He became the friend of sinners.
No matter how bad you think you are, or how good you think you are for that matter. You aren't beyond the reach of God's grace. Drown in His ocean of grace and love. Receive, and be clothed in His righteousness. Good people don't go to Heaven, bad people don't go to Heaven...Forgiven people do. People who humble themselves before Jesus and say God I fear you, I am your servant, I admit I'm a sinner, I see it in my life, and that I deserve death! But Jesus you are here, next to me, you died with my sin on you. God if you would just remember me; if you would just think of me I have the faith to know you can and will save me.
Jesus invited everyone to be saved, and everyone gets in the same way, and is able to meet the requirement according John 3:16
"For God so loved the world (everyone), that He gave His everlasting Son (Jesus) and whosoever (everyone) believes (requirement) in Him (Jesus) will have eternal life." The criminal believed. The question is do you? Not did you pray this pray one time. Have you seen the sin that is poison and applied the blood to your life? It's getting a DNA change, it's a new life, another chance with Jesus' blood running through your veins.
God Bless you as you seek Him!