1. John 19:18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.

2. The Two Other Crosses Look at these two other crosses in your mind. They have much in common.  Both convicted of the same crime by the same judicial system, surrounded by the same crowd, and, equally close to Jesus. In fact, they both began to mock Jesus at first. Matthew 27:44 The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words. But Something happened…one changed…

3. Luke 23:39-43 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

4. The Two Other Crosses Equally profound as the prayer of the one thief is the silence of the other!  Did the first thief see something the other did not?  Could #2 not have made the same request?  Was not everything that they both witnessed the same?  Why does one cry out for mercy and the other did not!?

5. The Two Other Crosses Some of the best questions are often the simplest  In God’s plan, why were there 2 crosses, 1 on one side and on another? Why not 3, or 6, or 10 other crosses? Perhaps these “Two Other Crosses” represent the two choices that we are presented throughout life A Principle to Learn: God gives us eternal choices and eternal choices have eternal consequences.

6. Eternal Choices, Eternal Consequences Details change from story to story and plots vary, but the message is the same!  Abel (chose God) and Cain (chose murder)  Abraham (Canaan) and Lot (Sodom)  David (God) and Saul (power)  Peter (mercy) and Judas (death) Sometimes in life, many choices are made for us But, God has left you and me with this one most important choice How will we spend eternity?

7. Eternal Choices, Eternal Consequences The seriousness of our choices  One good choice for eternity offsets a thousand bad choices on earth.  One bad choice for eternity offsets a thousand good ones on earth. Any injustice about this life is offset by giving us the privilege of choosing where we spend the next. Do we choose:  Narrow gate or wide gate;  Build on rock or sand;  Serve God or riches;  Numbered among the sheep or goats

8. The Choice for Tonight Are you in the line behind the thief who prayed to Jesus or the thief who rejected Him? Joshua 24:15 If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.