There are two choices

When Jesus was crucified between two criminals I believe it was a picture for us to see there are only two choices for eternity, one with Him and one without Him.

One criminal acknowledges and believes in Jesus, and Jesus says he will be with Him the other deny’s Him and condemns himself.

We are all guilty before God of breaking His laws, we are all condemned to death for our sin, but Jesus took our place and judgment for our sin, He took the wrath of God upon Himself so we could be free from the penalty of sin, which is death.Jesus willingly laid down His life for me and you, so we could be made righteous.

We no longer need to be bound by sin and death, we can live and walk in freedom because Christ Jesus lives!

When the devil had Jesus nailed to the cross he thought that he had won just as he was ready to scream victory is mine! Jesus snatched it from him and declared victory when He cried out IT IS FINISHED, in doing so He declared His triumph over sin and death for everyone who believes in Him!

He set free those held in captivity, the ground shook, the sky grew dark,the veil of the temple ripped in half from top to bottom ;the earth gave up its dead and victory was His and because victory is His victory is ours!

Jesus was crucified dead and buried but three days later He rose from the grave and brought the keys to Hades and death with Him mocking the devil and his army and giving us the hope of glory only found in Him.

We celebrate Jesus risen from the grave, not rituals or customs but the Son of God, the King of kings and Lord of lords, we serve the risen Savior,and just as He ascended and now sits at the right hand of God the Father, He will return and call His own home when the Father sends Him.

The question remains will you choose eternity with Jesus or without Him?

God’s word says this:

“Two others — criminals — were also led away to be executed with him. When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots.

An inscription was above him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE J EWS. Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God since you are undergoing the same punishment? We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke‬ ‭23:32-34, 38-43‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many. When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”Matthew‬ ‭27:50-54‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God.”John‬ ‭3:14-18‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.” Colossians‬ ‭2:11-15‬ ‭CSB‬‬

“By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. He is now waiting until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.​

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus — he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh ) — and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews‬ ‭10:10-14, 19-23‬ ‭CSB‬‬