Things Jesus Never Said, week 3 -
You Get What You Deserve
Luke 23:32-43
We like the idea of getting what we deserve - it feels right…but we also know how quickly it falls apart…
Does anyone deserve Jesus?
- whether you grew up in Sunday school or not, you probably know the answer is supposed to be ‘no’ - and yet, how much of our life do we spend trying to get what we deserve, and deserve everything we get, including Jesus and what He did for us on the cross
“If you produced perfect behavior, incredible generosity, and incessant kindness starting today - for the rest of your life - would you have earned what Jesus did for you?” —Craig Groeschel
Jesus never said, “You get what you deserve.”
Jesus did say, “Your sins are forgiven.”
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” —Luke 23:32-43
Fair offers us what we deserve.
Faith offers us forgiveness, freedom, and a future.
We have no chance to earn grace or acceptance from God, but we have every chance to show Him our love and our generosity and our obedience.