Nothing More
A Holy Week Devotional | The Middle of a Murder
As Jesus hung on a cross in excruciating pain, he made time for a tender interaction with a man who was dying beside him.
Luke wrote of the brutal torture of Jesus before the crucifixion and showed Him nailed to the cross, naked and beaten. He understood pain—our God knows what it is like to suffer. But in the middle of the murder, Luke pauses to include an interaction between Jesus and the two other men being crucified.
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 23:39–43 NLT
The criminal didn’t have any time to serve at church or “do good things”—he died right there. He simply acknowledged that Jesus was enough. Nothing more.
Jesus gave His perfect blood, the life that ran through Him, to bring us home to God. And three days later, Jesus raised Himself from the grave, with more than enough power for that criminal, and the men who hated Him, and for me. And that’s the point. We can’t be enough to reconcile ourselves to God. We can’t do enough to enter the kingdom of heaven. But the Person who is most important to please? He is already pleased with me. When God looks at me, He sees Jesus’ perfection. He will never stop loving me.
Today’s Reading | Luke 23:32–56 CSB
Crucified between Two Criminals
32 Two others—criminals—were also led away to be executed with him. 33 When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots.
35 The people stood watching, and even the leaders were scoffing: “He saved others; let him save himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him. They came offering him sour wine 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 An inscription was above him: This Is the King of the Jews.
39 Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The Death of Jesus
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three, 45 because the sun’s light failed. The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”1 Saying this, he breathed his last.
47 When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous!” 48 All the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their chests. 49 But all who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
The Burial of Jesus
50 There was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin, 51 who had not agreed with their plan and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God. 52 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. 53 Taking it down, he wrapped it in fine linen and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever been placed. 54 It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how his body was placed. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
What stood out to you from today’s passage?
Ps 31:5