The Thief I Am (Part 2)

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23: 40-43 (NIV)

Here on Calvary, the son of man awaits death,

Crying out to God, he gives his last breath,

The hour grows darker, and while night draws near,

Two men on Golgatha, share their doubts and fears

Be quiet! To you on the left…

Do you not recognize the voice God? Have you gone deaf?

Has fear left you like the blood of your body? 

Do you not fear God? We both deserve to die…yet this man has done nothing wrong.

We were born with our ledgers dirtied, yet he was born perfect,

But due to human anger and sin, he was given an unjust verdict,

Now in a few hours, he will bear humanity's burden,

While you and I complain about the physical pain,

Of the nails that are driven into our hands and our body's bloody stains,

We will be spared the worst agony on this day...

Truly, give me a crucifixion seventy-seven times over,

Take rods and break my face, legs, and shoulders

Flog my skin till the blood vessels burst,

Pierce my skull and shatter my bones; do your worst! 

But such acts are only the genesis of true agony,

You see, this man in center is fully human, yet fully God,

If he wanted to, he could destroy this Earth with just a thought,

Legions of angels would descend from the sky at his beck and call,

We cannot comprehend his glory, it is in hell where we belong...

Yet this man will take the punishment that was our birthright since the garden,

He will become sin and be separated from his father,

For his own ministry, he will become a martyr 

Truly this must be the greatest injustice, to be without sin yet come to this sinful Earth

Yet this is the greatest act of love, to have power, and withhold it 

If you healed your sores, ours would remain open,

If you silenced the mockers, our voices could not reach your Father's ears

If you avoid the grave, you seal our doomed eternity...

So truly you are the one to whom the crowd cried Hosanna!

With your resurrection, you will set the captives free!

Forgive me for not realizing that you are the one true king!

Now, I fear neither death nor sin, for you will take away its sting!

So forgive me Lord, if I could, I would beat my breast and cry…

For in order to save me from my sinful nature, you had to die

A pure unblemished lamb without blemish or blot,

Had to become a wretched sinner and pay the cost

So Jesus, I demand nothing, for simply seeing you will suffice
I just ask that you will remember me...in your kingdom, as you enter in paradise