And Then There Were Three Thieves...

Luke 23:42 – Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.”

I mentioned earlier that the first thief died from the conditions of sin, but THE SECOND THIEF DIED TO THE CONDEMNATION OF SIN. [But] As I get ready to shut it down for now, the first thief was only concerned with his existential safety. He wanted to do what he wanted but didn’t want to pay for it. The second thief was commended for his expectant statement. When he asked the Lord to remember him, he was expecting the Lord to do something for him in the future that he couldn’t see right then. [But] There was one more thief on that cross, and even though the first thief was only concerned for his existential safety; even though the second thief was commended for his expectant statement, I’m glad that THE THIRD THIEF WAS COMMITTED TO [THE CATALYST IN] MY ESCHATOLOGICAL [ETERNAL] SECURITY.

Luke 23:43 – And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

In other words, Jesus is a thief. I’ve always believed it, and I will go to my grave believing that Jesus is a Master Teacher, but He’s also a Master Thief. He’s a thief because He specializes in “pick pocketing”. Now for those of you who are not feeling me, a pick pocket is a person who will come up to you and take something off of your person without you even knowing it’s gone. A pick pocket’s defining element, however, is that he has to be close enough to you to take it without you becoming suspicious of him. The Master is a Master Teacher, but He’s also a Master Thief; I know that people call Him a doctor in a sick room, but in order for Him to heal you, He has to take away your sickness. I know that people call Him a lawyer in a courtroom, but in order for Him to acquit you, He has to take your case. I know that we call Him a Divine optometrist [because He made the blind man see], but in order for Him to restore your sight, He has to take away your blindness. I know that He’s also a Divine podiatrist [because He made the lame man walk] but in order for Him to give you strength in your ankles and feet, He also has to take away your crutches and your wheelchair. I know that He’s a Divine caterer [because He fed multitudes of people with meager portions] but in order for Him to give you physical satisfaction, He has to take away your hunger. He’s a Master Teacher, but He’s also a Master Thief. [And] In this encounter on Calvary’s cross, He took away my sin and stole a soul in the process. The first thief died from the conditions of sin, and the second thief died to the condemnation of sin. [But] THAT THIRD THIEF DIED FOR THE CLEANSING OF SIN! I didn’t know when He did it; I just know that He did, and I’m glad that He “picked my pocket.” Jesus, I thank You for being my pick pocket!

In Conclusion...

Jesus is a different kind of pick pocket; he gives you things in return for the things He took from you. The enemy didn’t come for anything but to kill, steal, and to destroy, but what I have noticed is that Jesus came to kill, steal, and to destroy as well. When Jesus died on that tree, He killed the possibility of me being separated from Him for eternity. When He died, He stole my soul from the possession of the enemy, and when He died, He destroyed the power of sin over my life.