The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1921-07-07

endured the cross" and here we are
permitted to see Him tasting little
or that joy before the cross is accom-
plished. He is to have some spells
OF His death before that death occurs.
How different the characters that
appear In Scripture as the subjects of
Gods grace. They range from the
very best of men. like Nicodemus and
the italian Centurion, down to the
lowest of the vile, like the one before
us now. 1t would be difficult to find
man in deeper depths of depravity
than this thief. Not only condemned
to die an ignominous death on account
of his crimes but while standing in the
very doorway of death, he reviled
the Son Of God. But, low as he is,
he is not beyond the reach of the grace
and love displayed in that central
cross. He is just the one in whom
they can manifest their triumph.
A ray of divine light entered that
darkened soul and disclosed his own
lost estate and the glory of that Person
hanging by his side. The light of that
Presence has searched him through. A
sinner In the presence of the Savior
The usual result! He confesses his
sin, owns the business of his condemna-
ton and the spotless humanity of the
Lord Jesus, bears this testimony In
the face of the hostile world, which,
led by It's prince. is gathered there TO
reproach Gods Son.
And thus, self-confessed sinner,
he turns to Jesus with prayer that
is at once cordial for that fainting
heart: Lord remember me when thou
contest into thy kingdom"
He has seen 1t all ! Has seen that this
is the Compromised Messiah, and that
though now He is dying yet He must
come back into His kingdom, accord
ing to all the prophets.
And this dying Messiah is a Savior,
for he could not be ignorant of the
meaning of that name: Call his name
Jesus for he shall SAVE" A sinner
with nothing but sin as his claim, has
cast himself upon the Savior. With
what result?
When did any sinner, malefactor
or moralist, turn to Jesus and not re-
ceive far more than his faith dared
expect?
Far beyond the request of the poor
dying man does the Lord Jesus go, as
always in His delight to save, and, In
effect, He said: I'll do far better for
you than that. You have not to wait
until l come back again. "Verily /
say unto thee. Today shalt thou be
with me In paradise" The believing
sinner has passed from death unto life
and the Savior's soul Is glad!
No questions are asked, no words
Of reproach are uttered, no reference
made to the recent blasphemy, no con-
dtions are imposed. Without works,
except bad ones, without external rites
of any kind, the dying thief is snatched
from the Jaws Of death by the Savior's
eager hands. This Is His glory! He
is seeking to save, and waits only for
the look or the cry of faith from the
sinner that has learned his need Of
Him.
What a miracle of grace! A man
wholly unfit to live on earth Is in the
twinkling of eye, without question or
condition. made fit to associate with
the Son of God in paradise. And He
is the name woodworking Savior to-
day, unchanged and unchanging. None
of His power TO save is lacking. Still
He seeks and still glories to save. o
soul. give Him chance with you.
Men like to say of this story Of a
sinner saved at the gates of death:
There was one such case that none
might despair. but only one that none
might presume" Let us rather say
that II is just a pattern case of sal
walton, outlined in the clearest possible
way In connection with Jesus cross
so that wherever the story of the cross
should he told this story Of what
happened there must be told too 1t
is Gods own story. God help men to
hear!