How many of you remember when you were growing up, watching western TV shows on Saturday morning television? Perhaps you watched Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, or Hopalong Cassidy, or even Gene Autery? How about “The Lone Ranger”? Do you remember that one? I still like watching that show. At the end of each episode, as we watched the Lone Ranger and Tonto ride off to another quest to help save someone else, there would always be someone who would ask, “Who was that masked man?” And the one whom the Lone Ranger had helped would always respond, “Why, he’s the Lone Ranger!” And then we heard the words, “Hi-ho Silver, and away!” Remember?
Well, that got me to thinking. I know it’s not the Easter season, but think with me a moment. Have you ever wondered about the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus, one on either side of him, upon Calvary’s hill? The Bible tells us at first that both of these thieves railed upon Jesus, but then Luke’s Gospel tells us that one of those thieves began to believe in Jesus as his Savior. In fact, he told the other thief, “Hush up, man! Don’t you know who this man is? He has done nothing to be hanging here on a cross, but we deserve everything that has come to us!” Then he turned to Jesus and said, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And do you remember what Jesus said? He said, “I assure you, today, this very day, you will be with me in paradise.” Have you ever realized that this thief was the very last man to believe in Jesus as his Savior before he died? That thief entered into heaven that very day!
Now let me ask you a question. Who was that man that hung next to Jesus? Why was he there? What had he done to receive such a blessing as that? The obvious answer is, he didn’t do a thing to deserve his being in heaven! What does the Bible say about him? It says in three gospels that he was a thief, a common criminal who had done absolutely nothing to get into heaven! In fact, he told his fellow thief, “We deserve to be here on the cross for our sins, but not this man. He has done nothing at all to deserve this!”
