Luke 23
32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull,[a] they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.
39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” 43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23: 32-33,39-43
I have heard this passage preached several times with the sermon title, “The most important question you need to ask yourself is are you on the right or the left?” or “What will you do with the man in the middle?” Both seriously important questions.
But today, on this Easter, rather Resurrection Sunday, I am realizing that I have spent a lot of time, in the middle, on both the right and the left, over the past several years. And also, trying to figure out what to do with the man in the middle in the deepest hours of my grief.
I probably have spent more time identifying with the man on the left saying things like, “IF you are God, then DO SOMETHING???!!! IF you are who you SAY you ARE, then FIX this. MOVE those mountains you say my faith will move. Prove it to me!” While this may feel like blasphemy to many of you, I believe that God can handle prayers of doubt like this. He is our Father and friend. And He already knows I was thinking it anyway.
But just like most of us, I have a yen and yang, a Jiminy Cricket on my shoulder, and the next second, I am thinking, “God is God and He is in control. And He knows my name and every hair on my head, and He has my future in His hands.”
The core issue is trust. My earthly trust has been broken at its foundation repeatedly in unimaginable ways and it has caused me to question the love of my heavenly Father who would allow such grievances against His daughter. “Why would You do that? You knew? You softened my heart to say yes to many things I wouldn’t have by myself. And do hard things, almost herculean, that I know I didn’t do in my own strength. Only to have my heart ripped from my chest while I was following these orders. What the hell, God? Yeah, I don’t want to follow You anymore.” Yet I did. And I keep going.
Because ultimately, my answer to “what will I do with the man in the middle?” is to continue to follow Him. Even if I don’t get it. Even if I don’t understand. Because where else would I go? What else is there but nothingness and hopelessness the world offers? In John 6:68, Peter responds to Jesus’ question of whether his disciples will also leave Him as many others had turned away. He says, “But Lord, where would we go? No one but You gives us the revelation of eternal life.”
Recently, my Hallmark friend sent me a sermon by Charles Stanley preaching on Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”. A verse I openly blog about not liking. Whose good? Whose good are these things happening?
Two things stood out in this sermon. 1. Our definition of good and God’s definition are VERY different. For example, we hate judgement, yet judgement can be good and serve a purpose. 2. He gave this example. He said he was not a scientific man and did not understand how electricity works. But electricity is clearly superior to a candle and match. So just because he doesn’t understand AC and DC current doesn’t mean he will abandon the superior choice and go back to the clearly inferior candle for light. (link below.) Mind blowing, right? Just because I don’t understand God, and just because I don’t understand His ways or why in the hell He would let me go through the hideous things He has, does NOT mean I will abandon my faith. While I may have moments on the left, I will choose to believe and put my faith in this man in the middle, the Christ who died for me, and I will choose to be on the right, knowing I will be with Him in paradise one day.
https://www.intouch.org/watch/sermons/victim-or-victor