A Picture of Grace

The event. Three men hanging from rough wooden crosses on a hill above Jerusalem, one with a sign over his head, King of the Jews. A crowd surrounding them hurling insults and spitting on them. The two thieves hanging on either side; both ridiculing the man in the middle. “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us,” they both gasp with the air they have. Then, the man in the middle, Jesus of Nazareth, does something amazing. He cries out, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. At that moment, one of the thieves comes to himself. He tells the other, “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.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” And here you see a perfect example of grace. The one thief admitted to himself and confessed before men he was deserving of the punishment he was receiving, asked for forgiveness and mercy, and showed faith that Jesus was the Christ whom could give life after death. And Jesus, seeing his change of heart and faith, gives mercy and promises him life eternal with him in Heaven. We have come to our time of communion. Our communion is open to all who have come to yourselves and admitted they are a lost sinners in need of a perfect savior and have given your faith and life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ who has risen from the dead and will bring you to live with him in paradise when you die. As the trays are passed, you take the bread and eat it and drink the juice and pass the tray to the next person.