🛣️The Journey begins 🎬

 Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect. 

If you were to read John chapters 13-17 you would read about the last time Jesus would spend with His disciples before His death on the cross. Judas makes up his mind to betray Jesus and leaves before chapter 13 ends. Chapter 14 Jesus tells about the place He is going to prepare. He tells about the Holy Spirit that will come and live inside of each believer.  He teaches about who He is and about this world's hatred and then Jesus says “I have overcome the world.” In chapter 17 Jesus prays. John chapter 18 they leave where they were and go to the brook of Cedron. Judas, knowing about this place, gathers up a band of men and off they go. When they leave they have their man and He is bound. In a little while He will be slapped in the face. Then to Pilate to be questioned, then He is beaten. Then He is led to the place where He will be nailed to the cross He is struggling to  carry. He falls and another is grabbed to finish the journey to Calvary’s hill. People yelling crucify Him, more slaps, more spitting, more yelling.

There He will be nailed to the cross but the yelling does stop. There are 2 other men being crucified beside Him. One sides with the yelling crowd and asks Jesus a question. If you are who you say you are, come off the cross and save us. The other man understands what is about to happen. Did this man who is described as a thief ever go to the Temple? Did this thief ever pray? Did this thief ever read the scriptures? I don’t know, we are not told and at this time it’s not important. What is of much importance is the request he asks, “Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus not only heard with all that yelling going on around them. He responded by saying “today you will be with me in paradise.” The way Jesus responded to those yelling, spitting and having hit Him showed His love for them once again. On the cross moments before He gave up the ghost He said “ Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.” Would you, could you have said those words to angry hateful people yelling harsh words to you? Would you have asked Jesus to remember you? Have you asked Jesus to remember you? Which one of those two men would you have been? Which person are you today at this very moment? Do you know why?