<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Mark 15;27-32<div><br></div><div><b>27. &nbsp;And with him, they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.</b></div><div>28. &nbsp;And&nbsp;the scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was reckoned with the transgressors.”</div><div><b>29. &nbsp;And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Aha!&nbsp;You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days,</b><br><b>30. &nbsp;save yourself, and come down from the cross!”</b></div><div><b>31. &nbsp;So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with scribes, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.</b></div><div><b>32. &nbsp;Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>‘Seeing’, will be believing. &nbsp;<i>“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, everyone who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail&nbsp;on account of him. Even so. Amen.”</i>&nbsp;(Revelation 1;7) &nbsp;Their ‘seeing’ will not be by faith, but by fact. &nbsp;Such ‘seeing’ will not be counted as faith.<b></b></div><div><br></div><div>What the chief priests, the&nbsp;crowds, and the thieves&nbsp;mockingly demanded of Jesus, they <u>will</u>&nbsp;see, on the Last Day. &nbsp;But for those who refused to believe in Jesus, their knowledge of the truth will be too late.</div><div><br></div><div>Jesus said&nbsp;to Thomas, <i>“Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” &nbsp;</i>(John 20;29)</div><div><br></div><div>We do not know at exactly what point the thief on His right, saw by faith who Jesus really was, and&nbsp;asked Jesus to be merciful to him (when He came into His kingdom). &nbsp;&nbsp;What was it that changed him from a mocker into a Believer?&nbsp; I believe he saw in Jesus no anger or hatred for those who crucified and mocked Him, only pity and love. &nbsp;He&nbsp;may have&nbsp;heard Jesus’&nbsp;prayer for those who crucified him, and&nbsp;His words to His&nbsp;mother Mary and disciple John, and&nbsp;His plea to the Father, quoting Psalm 22.</div><div><br></div><div>In the end, the repentant&nbsp;thief knew he deserved his fate, and he knew Jesus<span>&nbsp;was&nbsp;innocently yet willingly&nbsp;</span><span>enduring His suffering. &nbsp;There was a peace in Christ throughout his torment.&nbsp; Further, he knew by faith&nbsp;even this death was not going to stop Christ from taking His</span><span>&nbsp;throne as King.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Even in His suffering, Jesus’ own heart was rejoiced to pronounce grace, mercy, and hope to the penitent thief.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;What is it that God looks for in all of us? &nbsp;Repentance, founded upon brokenness, where we cry to Jesus&nbsp;for mercy. &nbsp;<i>“ The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O&nbsp;God, thou will not despise.” </i>(Psalm 51;17)<u></u></span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>What are we, if we believe Jesus is the ‘coming King’? &nbsp;&nbsp;We are His most&nbsp;unworthy and&nbsp;humble subjects; subjects who still hope in Him, even as we suffer and die to sin&nbsp;with him.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, open our eyes to believe, even as we&nbsp;not yet see. &nbsp;Forgive us&nbsp;when in our most deserved sufferings, we have&nbsp;joined&nbsp;with the scoffing&nbsp;mockers. Teach us to suffer with Jesus&nbsp;in His own&nbsp;patience,&nbsp;hope and love. &nbsp;&nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Love,</span></div><div><span>Dad/Baba/Eric</span></div><div><span>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</span></div><div><span>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b><br></b><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Mark 15;27-32
27.  And with him, they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.28.  And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was reckoned with the transgressors.”29.  And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days,
30.  save yourself, and come down from the cross!”31.  So also the chief priests mocked him to one another with scribes, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.32.  Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
‘Seeing’, will be believing.  “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, everyone who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.” (Revelation 1;7)  Their ‘seeing’ will not be by faith, but by fact.  Such ‘seeing’ will not be counted as faith.
What the chief priests, the crowds, and the thieves mockingly demanded of Jesus, they will see, on the Last Day.  But for those who refused to believe in Jesus, their knowledge of the truth will be too late.
Jesus said to Thomas, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”  (John 20;29)
We do not know at exactly what point the thief on His right, saw by faith who Jesus really was, and asked Jesus to be merciful to him (when He came into His kingdom).   What was it that changed him from a mocker into a Believer?  I believe he saw in Jesus no anger or hatred for those who crucified and mocked Him, only pity and love.  He may have heard Jesus’ prayer for those who crucified him, and His words to His mother Mary and disciple John, and His plea to the Father, quoting Psalm 22.
In the end, the repentant thief knew he deserved his fate, and he knew Jesus was innocently yet willingly enduring His suffering.  There was a peace in Christ throughout his torment.  Further, he knew by faith even this death was not going to stop Christ from taking His throne as King.
Even in His suffering, Jesus’ own heart was rejoiced to pronounce grace, mercy, and hope to the penitent thief.
  What is it that God looks for in all of us?  Repentance, founded upon brokenness, where we cry to Jesus for mercy.  “ The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou will not despise.” (Psalm 51;17)
What are we, if we believe Jesus is the ‘coming King’?   We are His most unworthy and humble subjects; subjects who still hope in Him, even as we suffer and die to sin with him.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, open our eyes to believe, even as we not yet see.  Forgive us when in our most deserved sufferings, we have joined with the scoffing mockers. Teach us to suffer with Jesus in His own patience, hope and love.   In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”





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