Part 2 — LESSON XL. THE CROSS—PART II. Luke, xxiii. 35-43.
Reading edition
Pontius Pilate wrote these words on the top of Jesus’ cross: This is the King of the Jews.
Who were the Jews?
The people who lived in Jerusalem were called Jews.
All the wicked people laughed when they read these words; they shook their heads, and pouted their lips at Jesus, and said, If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.
Could Jesus have come down?
He could do everything; but he chose to stay to die for sinners.
The wicked people said, If God loved him, he would not leave him to die on the cross.
But his Father let him die to save us.
There was a cross on each side of Jesus, and a thief nailed upon each cross. One of these thieves laughed at Jesus; he said, Why do you not save us, if you are the son of God?
The other thief was sorry for his sins, and he loved Jesus.
The thief who was sorry said to the other thief, We have been naughty, we deserve to be crucified; but Jesus is quite good. Then he spoke to Jesus, and said, Remember me when you come to be king.
And Jesus said, You shall be with me in heaven to-day. So Christ heard the poor thief’s prayer; for Jesus died that he might save all who believed that he was the Son of God.
If you go to heaven you will see that poor thief.
Upon the hill where Jesus died A thief was plac’d on either side, Each nail’d upon a tree. The one revil’d Christ’s name in death, The other cried, with dying breath, “O Lord! remember me.” The Saviour heard the poor thief’s prayer, And promis’d he would take him where Our God and angels dwell. Alas! his life was spent in sin: What joy a heaven at last to win And to escape from hell! And oh! for him what glad surprise When heavenly glories met his eyes, And Christ array’d in light! He just had seen the dying pains, That had releas’d his soul from chains And everlasting night. Ah! sure of all the hosts that sing The praises of their heav’nly King, His voice will loudest sound: For when just trembling on the brink And just about in hell to sink, Pardon and grace he found.