Key Passage
They also put two robbers on crosses beside Jesus. They put one robber beside Jesus on the right, and they put the other robber beside Jesus on the left.
— Mark 15:27-28 ERV (Read Full Text)
Key Thought
Jesus came to earth and lived as one of us. He made his home among real people—he wasn’t tucked away in some neat and tidy place protected from the dirt, sin, and filth of our world. So it is not surprising that when he was killed on the Cross that he was crucified between two criminals. He placed God’s love in a place where any of us, no matter how great or how small, no matter how spiritual or how vile, could find him.
Prayer
Dear God, I am truly saddened that Jesus had to die among the worst of us in the most horrible of conditions. At the same time, dear Father, I am truly thankful that your love is shown so clearly and offered in a place so dreadful that none of us could ever legitimately think we could not find its grace. In Jesus’ name I praise and thank you. Amen.
Related Scriptures
In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus. Christ himself was like God in everything. Christ was equal with God. But Christ did not think that being equal with God was something that he must keep. He gave up his place with God and agreed to be like a servant. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself by being fully obedient to God. He obeyed even when that caused him to die. And he died on a cross. Christ obeyed God, so God raised Christ to the most important place. God made the name of Christ greater than every other name. God did this because he wants every person to bow for the name of Jesus. Every person in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth will bow. Every person will confess (say), “Jesus Christ is Lord (Master).” When they say this, it will bring glory to God the Father.
— Philippians 2:5-11
The Word was already in the world. The world was made through him. But the world (people) did not know him. He came to the world that was his own. But his own people did not accept him. Some people did accept him. They believed in him. He gave something to those people who believed. He gave them the right to become children of God. These children were not born like little babies are born. They were not born from the wish or plan of a {mother and} father. These children were born from God. The Word became a man and lived among us. We saw his glory—the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father. The Word was full of grace (kindness) and truth. John told people about him. John said, “This is the One I was talking about. I said, ‘The One who comes after me is more important than I am. He was living before me.'” The Word (Christ) was full of grace and truth. From him we all received more and more blessings. The law was given through Moses. But grace and {the way of} truth came through Jesus Christ. No man has ever seen God. But the only Son (Jesus) is God. He is very close to the Father (God). And the Son has shown us what God is like.
— John 1:10-18
God made us free from the power of darkness (evil). And he brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son (Jesus).
— Colossians 1:13
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2016. All rights reserved.
