Approaching Easter, Icould not get out of my mind the image of Jesus hanging on the cross with twocriminals suffering their own death and agony next to him. It is a fascinatingstory and one that teaches us a great truth about what Jesus has to offer inhis death and his resurrection and the two possible responses to that offer.Both men next to Jesus are criminals and both because of their crime deserve todie. One of the criminals I am told mocks Jesus in fact Luke in his account hashim screaming insults at Jesus and saying, Aren’tyou the Christ. Save yourself and us! The other criminal is drawn to Jesusand says to the other criminal don’t youfear God since you are under the same sentence. We are punished justly, for weare getting what our deeds deserve. Butthis man has done nothing wrong! And then he turns to Jesus and sayssomething that would change his life forever. He says, Jesus, remember me when you comeinto your kingdom.

 Doyou see what is happening here? One criminal dies shaking his fist at Jesus whilethe other one dies with the sweet words of Jesus ringing in his ears when Jesusturned to him and said, I tell you the truth, today you will be withme in paradise. One man dies still wearing his own crown, King of hisown life, getting what he wants and that is to be in control to the very end,and the other man dies having given over his crown to Jesus. Jesus wore hiscrown!

There are only two kinds of people in our world, one on Jesus right if I can put it thatway, and one on Jesus left.  In the endwhen it is all over you will either be wearing your own crown, or you willdie having given that  Crown to Jesus.You will either die King of your own life, or you will die having given toJesus that right to rule. There are noother options but those two. Romans 3:23 puts what is happening on thehill with those three crosses this way: The wages of sin is death, that was criminal number one, but hereis the story of criminal number two, but the gift of God is eternal life.

 Thedifference between these two men is that one man died to die again, while theother man died to be raised again when Jesus rose again from the dead.  Our world is divided into two groups ofpeople. Let me call them the haveand the have nots. Onthis side of Jesus are those who havegiven him their crown and they are promised life. On this side are the have nots who insist on rulingtheir own life to the very end. Every soul in our world falls under these two categories.Those on the right and those on the left of Jesus. Those who have accepted thatoffer and those who have not. Have you?