the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads. Matthew 27:39. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him. But the other said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him. Verily, I say unto thee. To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Luke 23:39-43. Jesus saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! John 19:26-27.
They revile; He saves. They wag their heads in order to hurt His feelings; He moves the hearts of sinners in order to do good to them. Yet, while they all, the priests as well as the people, railed at Him; while they all rejected and cursed Him, there was one who prayed to Him. He was, to be sure, only a thief, and no saint; yet his prayer was granted. He did not pray to be delivered from the cross, but that he, after death on the cross, might enter into the kingdom of ’heaven. It was a large petition. A thief desires the kingdom of heaven! What connection is there between heaven and a thief? Yet his prayer was granted on the spot. The more others curse and scoff, revile and despise, the more trustfully may you pray, and the more will you receive. The fewer they be around you who seek Christ and love Him, the more trustfully may you confess Him; then shall you be received all the more lovingly and be all the more welcome. Though you regard yourself as unworthy of grace and the kingdom of heaven as the thief, if only your heart be penitent and believing as his heart was; if you are not ashamed to confess yourself before all the world as a malefactor guilty of death, and Christ as Lord of the kingdom, as your Rescuer and Savior, then you will receive the same answer and promise as the thief received. He condemned himself, and Christ declared him saved. He sailed against the tide of the whole world; he did not conform himself to the railing priests nor to the reviling people, nor to the scoffer who was crucified with him; but he yearned for Christ and His kingdom, and it all became his portion. Go and do likewise. When Christ on the cross looked to sinners, and received them, how can He forget His friends and loved ones? His words to Mary and John bear clear testimony to His unchangeable love for His friends until the end. He is the most tender friend. No human heart loves as His heart loves,
Jesus sinners doth receive,
When they fall contrite before Him,
When His teachings they believe.
And with new life will adore Him:
Blessed he who can believe
Jesus sinners doth receive.
