The Thief and the Cross

The thief on the cross, who was a companion in murder, theft, and political insurrection with Barabbas, beheld the meekly suffering Lamb of God beside him. He saw that Jesus offered no resistance to defend His kingdom. In his dying moments, he saw how his own life of misguided dreams for an earthly Messianic kingdom had led him into evil in order to procure it. He cast His whole soul on Jesus in faith, repented for his misdeeds, and asked Him to take him to heaven when He came in His kingdom. This very first soul to accept the message of the cross gave Jesus courage that His sacrifice was not in vain. Pastor Bohr also draws out an important lesson from the thief's getting in with the wrong crowd in his desire to attain political power. Those Christians today who attempt to control the government to bring about their desires for an earthly Christian utopia are in danger of following a false Messiah like Barabbas, who will teach that the end justifies the means in using force in making oppressive laws against those who choose their beliefs differently. This is one of Pastor Bohr's finest and most heart-appealing sermons. It calls us to come to the cross just as we are today and not to put it off any longer. It ends with a gripping story that may well cause you to shed tears as it shows how we should never give up on a soul but to keep praying and planting seeds in hearts. We never know if they will ripen into fruition when someone is brought into a straight place and needs to make a decision about Jesus. This is a wonderfully effective sermon about the goodness of God's mercy that can be shared with those who need a powerful and loving call to give their hearts to Jesus, no matter what they have done or how far they have strayed from Him.