The Very First Person
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."
Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom "
Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Luke 23:40-43
Have you ever wondered why it is that
the very first person that Jesus took with Him to Paradise was a thief?
Not a family member……
Not one of the twelve apostles……
Not even one of the Old Testament saints!
It was a thief…a common thief!
Paradise: the abode of God.
A thief was ushered into the very presence of Almighty God
by none other than Jesus Himself!
So what is this telling us today?
What message do these words, recorded so many hundreds of years ago, say to us now?
They are saying that no matter who you are,
no matter what you have done….
God Loves YOU!