The Thief on the Cross and Me By: Alfred Toole, Jr.

Matthew

Guilty. It’s all over. No more appeals. I can’t believe they’re doing this to me. I don’t even know how I ended up here. It all seemed to be going so well. I did what I wanted. My wife always nagged me to be a better spouse, a better parent, a better neighbor. But it doesn’t matter anymore…in just a few hours, they will execute me.

Matthew Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”

Matthew In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

We have learned how to live, but not how to die.

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” --Deitrich Bonhoeffer

John

John Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Bran The Hard Outer Shell Endosperm The Nutrients Germ The Embryo

The Dormant Seed Yes, seeds are living organisms in a sense (life that is dormant). In the seed organism is all the life needed to grow, it just needs the addition of water, nutrients and, various amounts of sunlight per species requirement to spark that plant to start living and growing. Some seeds also need to be scarified (scratched up) or others need to be burned like in a forest fire before they have the right conditions to start growing. They are not dead, just dormant.

John Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and Separates, it remains only a single seed. But if it separates, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who Protects their life will Ruin it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

We have learned to count the seeds in an apple, but failed to count the apple trees in the seed.

How do you call a man to a cross while attempting to meet them where they are?

Luke , 33

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple…. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.

Luke

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

What are you dying for?

A cross isn’t a trial; it’s a death.

No one dies because we think too much of ourselves.

The Mission must become greater than the man, not the man greater than the mission.

Must you live?

Choose your way and no transformation occurs; choose God’s way and transform the world.

Sacrifice is always costly.

Romans 12.1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

You kill what needs to be dead and let God bring to life what needs to be alive.

Philippians For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Luke Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?

Christianity was never meant to be you doing what you want with God’s help. You do what God wants with your help.

The Missing Shovel

Japanese guards carefully counted tools at the end of day’s work, and one day the guard shouted that a shovel was missing. He walked up and down the ranks demanding to know who had stolen it. When no one confessed, he screamed, “All die! All die!” and raised his rifle to fire at the first man in the line. At that instant a man stepped forward, stood at attention, and said, “I did it. I lost it.”

The Missing Shovel The guard fell on him in a fury, kicking and beating the prisoner, who despite the blows still managed to stand at attention. Enraged, the guard lifted his weapon high in the air and brought the rifle butt down on the soldier’s skull. The man sank in a heap to the ground, but the guard continued kicking his motionless body.

The Missing Shovel When the assault finally stopped the other prisoners picked up their comrade’s corpse and marched back to the camp. That evening, when the tools were counted again, the work crew discovered a mistake had been make; no shovel was missing.

John

Bran The Hard Outer Shell Endosperm The Nutrients Germ The Embryo

Bran Millfeed Endosperm Flour Germ Wheat Germ

John Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Every man dies, does but not every man truly lives for Christ.

Luke One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. [d] ” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”d

What have you got to lose?

Finish What God Started I am the Thief on the Cross. I am… And You are the thief on the cross. As Christians, we don’t have a choice in whether we die, but how. We are dead men walking who live for Christ. Why the short sermon--I am counting on a Spirit filled body to finish what God started. Is today the day that there will be more of you standing up here with me than sitting out there? Will you be the one to say, “It was me—I lost it?” As you look up thru your prison bars, What have you got to lose? Step forward as we stand and sing…

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