1. When our divinely-intended destiny has been stifled by ...

Luke 23:42-43 - And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom!"
And (Jesus) said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise."

Title: Two Tickets to Paradise

Our opening story is a narrative of hope in a seemingly hopeless setting. It touches a chord
within our hearts by reminding us that,

1. When our divinely-intended destiny has been stifled by sin, derailed by disappointment,
suffocated by cynicism, or pummeled by pain God’s saving work isn’t stymied. He will still set
us free wherever and whenever we call to Him in faith. Even if the wherever is a place of
capital punishment and the whenever the 11th hour of life. We continually need this reminder
because,

2. God has placed within us a stubborn desire - for fresh starts and better results - meant to
draw us to Him. We instinctively long for better because goodness is older than sin! That’s
why our hearts resonate with the poet Tennyson’s words, “Ring out the old, ring in the new.”
Even when hope looks like the friend who always promises to call but never does we still
answer the phone with anticipation. But before we can ring in the new some things have to
change. Tennyson continued by saying, “Ring out the false, ring in the true.”

3.Behind every defeat or despair there’s a spiritual deception that requires the antidote of
truth (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:5). A prison constructed of thoughts, painstakingly
erected one lie at a time by the father of lies; often with considerable help - from others and
ourselves! These lies have to be detected then rejected before our transformation can further
unfold. And this short story offers substantial truth! It declares,

4.Where we’ve been doesn’t have to determine where we’re going (2 Corinthians 5:17;
Ephesians 4:22-24). Your past need not dictate your future. We know nothing about the
repentant thief prior to his crucifixion. We don’t know if his feet found the path of crime due to
greed or laziness, desperation or bad company. But we do know his destiny changed in one
moment of faith. When he encountered Jesus he was securely fastened to a cross; out of op-
tions; on the fast track to a tragic end! But as quickly as you can say “faith” both his heart and
his forwarding address changed. He became one of two men holding non-stop tickets to
Paradise.

Paradise was one name for the place where the spirits of the righteous dead waited under
God’s protective care; anticipating the promised moment when God’s victory was complete
and their souls could be translated into heaven. When that moment arrived Jesus was
scheduled to appear in person; appear in His spirit while His body was in the tomb; appear to
announce His triumph and then lead them out. The thief would accompany Him as a
personified exclamation point to His announcement!

In saying “where we’ve been doesn’t have to determine where we’re going I’m not

suggesting past experiences and relationships don’t exert powerful influence. They do! That’s
why,

5. God frequently calls us to visit the past - in order to understand how it gave rise to spiritual
deception - but never to accept the past as our permanent address or a dumping ground for
blame. The eternal God is far more powerful than our past. Those who trust Him aren’t
trapped. Their future destination is shaped by grace. Our story also affirms,

6. We can get anywhere from where we are right now because any place can be a starting
point for faith (Romans 10:13; 2 Corinthians 5:20; 6:2). No one witnessing his crucifixion
would have suggested the thief was standing on the threshold of Paradise. Common sense says
you don’t get to Paradise from a cross. But he did! We don't have to let life bully us. We can
grow in grace in any environment, precisely because it’s growth in grace - not great conditions.
So

7. Don’t wait for everything to line-up with God’s desires for you. Align your heart with God’s
desires and they will unfold. Our tale also affirms,

8.Your traveling companions don't have to determine how you travel. That’s why the final
judgment won’t be on the group plan! All kinds of people cross our path. Some bring baggage,
others blessing; some inflict pain, others introduce peace; some flatten our tires, others inflate
them. But

9. While we can’t always pick who impacts our lives, we can decide who will have power over
them! The penitent thief rejected the far-too-easy mockery of the calloused and cynical
onlookers and the embittered fellow criminal just a few feet away. The latter died tragically
with curses upon his lips. Our subject died confidently with a promise reverberating in his
heart. His story indicates,

10. How we’ve traveled in the past doesn't dictate how we must travel in the future
(Galatians 5:16). We all start our journey on the path of addiction to sin, fueled by the illusion
of self-reliance. The ability to walk in submission to God’s Spirit doesn’t come naturally; it
requires a miracle. Once that’s occurred, we can choose a different mode of travel. We can
follow God's directions. Prior to his encounter with Jesus the thief had taken matters in his
own hands and it hadn’t worked out for him! When he put himself in God’s hands everything
changed. Finally, our story reminds us

11.Faith doesn’t guarantee a painless trip (John 16:33). The path to Paradise for the
repentant thief wouldn’t be easy! He still suffered physically and died. Every trip has ups and
downs - big problems and little irritations - no matter how much we trust God. Ask Job! Ask
Paul! The suggestion life should always be painless is like suggesting all stories should have
happy endings or all colors should be blue. Life is never unanimous or one-colored. But that
doesn’t mean we have to live in frustration. Frustration comes from expecting a smooth trip
and then arguing with life over every pothole. The best life still awaits us, so

12. If we demand too much too soon we will overlook the treasures we already possess.
The story of the thief who found himself one of two people holding tickets to Paradise invites
us to discover,

13. Our biggest disappointment can become our divine appointment (Revelation 21:5).
Many people who have been instructed in God’s truth from childhood – who’ve repeatedly
been encouraged, warned, prayed for, and invited - have not come to Christ, while this man -
when all appeared lost - believed and received eternal life!

Where you are at the end of 2014 can be forever changed by a simple call to the Messiah
who hung upon the cross and a simple request for His intervention.