24 Apr Prisoners, Thieves and Me
Spring has arrived and new life is all around us! The Dogwoods are in full bloom along with the beautiful Easter flowers reminding us that Resurrection Sunday is right around the corner.
A few years ago I read a book about the Easter story and the people involved. I reflect back on that book every year about this time.
The two thieves on either side of Jesus is a reminder of this world in many ways. The one, making fun of our Lord, without hope for all of eternity, the other seeing his need and receiving hope even though he had done nothing to deserve it. He never served the Lord or even prayed – just ask of the Lord with his last dying breath and he received the most wonderful gift. Why did the Lord love him so much? The same reason He loved you and I. We cannot do anything to deserve God’s love. I’m so glad Jesus’ love does not depend upon what we do for Him. Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Amazing Grace!
I’ve often thought about Barabbas and what he might have heard there in his prison cell. The town had many visitors and then to hear the words, “Crucify him, Crucify him”. What was going through his mind? My time is short, surely must have been in his thoughts. Then to hear, “your free to go”. Someone else will take your place. Can you imagine if he had said, “That’s OK, I’m willing to take my punishment”. They would have thought he was out of his mind. Barabbas is like all of us, a prisoner who was freed because someone he had never seen took his place. Barabbas received that undeserved gift and – so can we.
We have a prison ministry out of our church and we go into a lot of prisons. I get to go and speak in the women’s prison. The clanging of that last gate on our way out is a wonderful sound and to know we are truly free to go on with the rest of our lives. Many of those we leave behind don’t have that assurance. I can’t even imagine them saying they would rather stay behind than to walk out with us. Yet some stay behind in their prison of sin when the cell door has been opened unto them. Some mock during our services like the thief on the cross. Sometime they become very unruly and flaunt their sin of homosexuality during our services. We continue to go back and share Christ with them. I’m so glad He gave me many chances before He walked off and slammed the cell door that would have sealed my eternity, lost and without hope. As long as the Lord will allow, we will continue to go and share with them, through the cross there will always be hope!!
The cross is what all of history hangs on. Our calendars read BC before Christ came and AD after the death of our Saviour. Why do we as Christians take it so lightly? We to get wrapped up in all the new outfits, candy and all the bunny activities. We to are playing games at the foot of the cross like the soldiers.
On behalf of New Testament Church Planting and the humble role I serve in this great ministry of helping churches take the wonderful story of the resurrection to the lost, I say thank you for your part in helping us. Without the help you give, our building teams and loan fund would not be able to meet the many needs of these struggling churches.
With Resurrection Hope, Brenda Moody