But one zealous school administrator decided to keep the law and had seven large crosses removed from where they had hung since the school’s founding back in the 1920’s. Days later, parents entered the school and hung more crosses – the official promptly took them all down.

The next day two-thirds of the school’s 600 students staged a sit-in. Armed riot police arrived and the students moved out into the streets and to a nearby church where they were joined by twenty-five hundred other students from nearby schools.

Soldiers surrounded the church, but pictures sent from inside of students holding crosses high above their heads, flashed around the world. And so did the words of the priest who delivered the message to a weeping congregation that morning: “There is no Poland without a cross.”

That is the impact of the cross of Jesus Christ. I Cor 12 tells us: “The message of the cross is foolishness to those hellbent on destruction, but we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.”

Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus hung on a cross between two thieves. Let’s imagine, just for a minute, that you are one of those guys. You wake up on a Friday morning and this is THE day. Nothing but pain, crucifixion, and death await you. You probably didn’t sleep all night knowing what was before you. Your stomach is in knots, heart pounding, sweaty palms, and blood pressure through the roof. As you make your way up to Golgotha you are literally a walking dead man!

Two thief’s died side-by-side with Jesus that day. More than likely, both had heard about Jesus – after all, He was a very popular figure in Jerusalem! The Bible tells us that one of the criminals hurled insults at Jesus and mocked Him. The other thief rebuked the first: “Don’t you fear God…we are punished justly but this man has done nothing wrong.” He continued with this, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

This is truly an amazing conversation that’s been recorded for all eternity. These two criminals, more than likely, spent the night in the same jail cell agonizing together about their upcoming crucifixion. And now – even in the midst of all the blood and pain and commotion, the one thief realized that the sign above Jesus was correct — Jesus is a King — and not just the King of the Jews, but He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

USA Today once surveyed rich Americans asking them what they would pay the most for? Turns out their number one desire was not beauty, intellect, power, or even love, but a place in heaven. The article said the rich would pay on the average of

$640,000 for the assurance of a spot there. But, of course, heaven can’t be bought, it is a free gift – which brings us to the other thief on the cross.

He saw and heard the same things the saved thief did. Jesus was right next to him too – he could have easily made the same request and would have received the same response — “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” But just hours away from eternity, this man chose hell over heaven. It’s remarkable that he was a breath away from eternity and missed it. I’m absolutely positive that when he died, he was without a doubt immediately convinced he had made the wrong decision, but his pride had kept him from submitting to the only One who could have saved him.

Now – let’s remember – we’ve been imagining that you are one of those thief’s on the cross. So the big question – which thief do you identify with? The one who received eternal salvation or the one who rejected the gift? Please understand – salvation is never earned or deserved – and it doesn’t cost $640,000 either – it is a free gift.

Here is Martyn Jones on a remarkable truth: “If a man is saved, it is because God has saved him. But if a man is lost, that is to be attributed to his own rejection of the gospel and his own rebellion against God’s way of salvation.” Chose life! Always chose life!!

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The truth is, all of us, in one way or another, fit into Stevenson’s story about these two personalities. Most of us seem to have split natures more often than we care to admit. But thankfully, we’re not the only ones suffering from this malady. Even the Apostle Paul struggled between good and evil.

Reading through Romans 7, we see how much he clashed with these two “persons.” Vs. 21 gives us this interesting insight to life from Paul: “I have discovered this principle of life – that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.” Poor Paul – poor us!! As he discovered, there is a war being waged in all of us between good and evil. Between the things we want to do and don’t do and the things we don’t want to do, and do.

Imagine the total frustration Paul must have felt when he finally throws up his hands in total exasperation and declares these famous words = “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” The answer, of course, is that Jesus Christ can and does!!

The ancient Roman Emperors were known for their ability to think up hideous forms of punishment for criminals. One of their punishments was that of binding the corpse of a murder victim to the back of the murderer. So, shackled to his victim — hand-to- hand, waist-to-waist, and foot-to-foot — the murderer was forced to live out the remainder of his days directly bearing the weight and putrefying stench of the dead body he carried around with him day and night. In time, the rotting flesh would become rife with disease, infecting the killer and leading to a horrible and grisly end.

Paul’s analogy was that without Christ, we are shackled to a dead body – our sinfulness. Thankfully, Jesus Christ has freed us from sin’s penalty and the Holy Spirit frees us from sin’s power. This is the truth that sets us free. But, of course, to enjoy freedom, we need to apply these truths to our daily lives.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Over my dead body.” There are some who claim this has historical background dating back to the days when one king would always need to die before another could ascend to the throne. So the term, “You will become king over my dead body” came into play. This often happened by murdering the ruling king. Literally, one person would need to die for another to reach their goal. But again literally – this is the only way believers enter the kingdom of heaven – over the crucified body of Jesus Christ who died for us as he willingly laid down his life in place of ours!

In March of 1974, Japanese Lt Hiroo Onoda, a World War II holdout for nearly 30 years, emerged from the Philippine jungles. He told Japanese newsmen he hadn’t come out before because he hadn’t received the order. His brother Toshiro was part of the search party who finally located Hiroo and gave him the good news that the war

had ended. Imagine fighting a war for 30 years without knowing that it was over. Crazy isn’t it?!

But this is the same news the Apostle Paul was giving us. The war is over – our sinful nature is dead. It’s been defeated if we will only turn to Jesus in those critical times of decision! Romans 6:11 says it outright – “You should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” Great news — we no longer have to be slaves to sin, those counted among the living dead.

Imagine if I bought a new car battery but kept the old one – because …well – I’ve had it a long time and I like it. Imagine attending a funeral and walking past the casket and winking at the corpse! Again – pretty crazy thinking!

Living dead or alive to Christ? As always — our choice!

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurchg.org

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