It was early on Sunday morning and a group of women went to the tomb to add to the preparation of the body of Jesus. They were concerned that the hasty wrapping by Nicodemus and Joseph was insufficient for the man they so dearly loved.
Instead of finding the body of Jesus, they found the stone rolled away, no body, and two men dressed in dazzling bright clothes. The two men reminded them that Jesus had told them what was going to happen and how He would rise from the dead on the 3rd day.
In Luke 24:8, the Bible tells us something about the attentiveness of the women when it says, “they remembered His words.” Not only were they attentive, but they also obviously believed because they returned to the men to tell them what had happened.
While the men initially refused to believe the women, two of them, Peter and John went to the tomb to see for themselves. They observed what the women told them and left the tomb marvelling at what happened.
Jesus would later appear to the disciples and many others. The Apostle Paul recorded these eye-witnesses in his letter to the Corinthians, in chapter 15.
The resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith. The resurrection proved that Jesus was who He claimed to be, the Son of God. The resurrection validated the promise of Jesus made to a man just two days earlier.
Look back with me to Luke, chapter 23, verse 32. There were two criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Verse 39 records a powerful conversation between Jesus and one of those men.
Jesus made a promise to that unnamed man that was validated to the world in the power of His resurrection. He made a claim and a promise that “today, you will be with me in paradise.”
Imagine the scene in heaven when that thief on the cross, with broken legs, unable to lift himself to take one more painful breath, slumped without another breath. In a few more moments his heart beat its last beat.
In that instant, his surroundings immediately changed as he stepped into eternity. No more the horror and stench of death, but a glory that he had never before experienced as he entered the gates of heaven.
What is it that got him into heaven? If he were asked why he should be allowed in such glory, how would he answer?
Imagine that scene as the man steps into eternity. The hosts of heaven see this man enter. He is amazed that he is there at all. He had no right to be there.
After all, his life was one rampant with sin. He was an unrepentant thief. He knew that one day his life would end like it did. He knew that he deserved the cross.
Yet, here he stood in such glory, beauty, and peace that he had never before imagined. Surely this could not last. Surely his eternity would be in the pain and agony of his final moments.
The hosts of heaven saw this man, and they too, were amazed. They knew what was supposed to happen.
The man wondered, “how did I get here?” He was not the only one. The heavenly servants knew the plan, but surely the first would be someone who knew the prophecies.
Surely the first would be someone of higher moral character. Surely the first would have been one of the Master’s followers.
As everyone was wondering and asking themselves these questions, a voice came from behind the man. It was a voice that was calm enough to draw children to Him, yet powerful enough to raise a dead man from the grave, calm a wild storm on the sea, make the lame to walk and the blind to see.
It was a voice that everyone immediately recognized. It was a voice that commanded attention.
The moment was tense with anticipation. How would the multitude of questions be answered, They all boiled down to one simple question – “how did he make it to heaven?”
The answer came in four simple words that echoed through the halls of heaven. “He is with Me.”
The thief on the cross was no longer seen for his multitude of sin. He was now standing in heaven on a foundation that would never be shaken. He was standing in heaven on the basis of being identified with Jesus Christ.
The thief on the cross would not be able to explain the deep theological issues that took place. He would not be able to explain how Jesus took the sin of the thief on to Himself and gave the thief His own perfect righteousness.
The thief did not have to explain it. He simply received it. “He is with me.”
It is appropriate that God chose a criminal to make the first one stepping into heaven under the new covenant. He was a criminal who had no basis for being right with God – except that Jesus said, “today, you will be with me.”
Let me ask you. If you were to stand in heaven and think about the “why” you should be allowed in, how do you think you would answer?
If the first person pronoun, “I” is a part of that answer, then you may be standing on a false hope. It is not that “I” did anything to stand there.
Everything, points back to what He did on the cross. He paid the price for sin. He took the wrath of God in your place.
He and he alone is the one who will escort you into heaven and announce, “He is with me.”
If there is something tugging at your heart right now at that simple truth, do not quench it. Do not silence it. It is the voice of God calling and drawing you into a personal relationship with Himself.
Will you yield to that tugging and accept Christ as your savior? Experience the hope and assurance of eternal life.
One day, you will take your last breath and your heart will beat it’s last beat. Accept Christ and be assured that you will hear those four simple words, “He is with me.”
(Note: The illustration used was inspired by a message by Alistair Begg entitled, “The Man on the Middle Cross Said I Could Come.” The clip is less than four minutes and I encourage you to watch it.)
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