{"id":203,"date":"2022-12-21T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reflectivebiblestudy.com\/gospeladventure\/?p=203&2022"},"modified":"2022-12-19T17:00:49","modified_gmt":"2022-12-20T00:00:49","slug":"choosing-the-cross-luke-23-32-43","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reflectivebiblestudy.com\/gospeladventure\/choosing-the-cross-luke-23-32-43\/","title":{"rendered":"Choosing the Cross: Luke 23:32-43"},"content":{"rendered":"
Focus Passage: Luke 23:32-43 (NIV)<\/div>

\u00a032<\/sup> Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33<\/sup> When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals\u2014one on his right, the other on his left. 34<\/sup> Jesus said, \u201cFather, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.\u201d And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. <\/p>\r\n

\u00a035<\/sup> The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, \u201cHe saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.\u201d <\/p>\r\n

\u00a036<\/sup> The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37<\/sup> and said, \u201cIf you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.\u201d <\/p>\r\n

\u00a038<\/sup> There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. <\/p>\r\n

\u00a039<\/sup> One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: \u201cAren\u2019t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!\u201d <\/p>\r\n

\u00a040<\/sup> But the other criminal rebuked him. \u201cDon\u2019t you fear God,\u201d he said, \u201csince you are under the same sentence? 41<\/sup> We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.\u201d <\/p>\r\n

\u00a042<\/sup> Then he said, \u201cJesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.\u201d <\/p>\r\n

\u00a043<\/sup> Jesus answered him, \u201cI tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Read Luke 23:32-43<\/a> in context and\/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!<\/p><\/div><\/div>\r\n

While many people read Luke’s version of Jesus dying on the cross to draw out His promise to a thief about instant salvation (and deathbed confessionals being possible), in our journal entry for today, let’s look at Luke’s description of what happened from a slightly different angle.<\/p>\r\n

In this journal entry, we have a pretty simple idea that has profound implications: Jesus didn\u2019t get what He deserved, but He chose it so that we wouldn\u2019t have to get what we deserve!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

I want to point out that Jesus \u201cchose\u201d the cross. The whole salvation plan was developed in heaven before earth was created, and Jesus was within the planning process. Jesus was involved in the creation of the prophecies that were given in the Old Testament, and He could have easily changed things to have pointed towards a different type of death.<\/p>\r\n

However, that is not the most profound way to view this idea.<\/p>\r\n

There are two views I have seen floating through the internet (and books that were written before) that are completely inaccurate to this idea:<\/p>\r\n