Which Cross Will it Be?

The Final Conversation at Calvary

Craig and Wendy Rogers Choose Which Thief to Follow

THE DEATH OF FLESH: WHAT REALLY DIED ON CALVARY

That day at Calvary, three things were crucified on three crosses - but only one death changed everything forever. While two thieves hung dying in their guilt, the sinless Son of God hung naked, bloodied, and apparently powerless between them. Jesus Christ, who spoke galaxies into existence with a word, who commanded legions of angels, who held the power to destroy and recreate the universe in an instant, chose to remain on that cross. He could have called down fire from heaven, could have summoned armies of angels, could have demonstrated His unlimited authority as King of all creation. Instead, He hung there - deliberately, intentionally, powerfully powerless - to kill something far more significant than His physical body.

FLESH DIED THAT DAY - ALL OF IT, FOREVER

What was really crucified at Calvary was FLESH and everything flesh represents - SELF: human effort, human wisdom, human strength, human ability to save itself. Every lie that humanity could earn salvation, every deception that we could work our way to God, every false hope in human goodness died with Christ on that cross. Jesus didn't save Himself precisely to demonstrate that salvation comes without ANY human effort whatsoever. His naked, dying body displayed our true condition - TRUTH - fallen, powerless, unable to save ourselves - while simultaneously providing the only solution. In His apparent weakness, He destroyed the curse of flesh forever, obliterating sin, self, and every form of human pride that dares to claim credit for salvation.

THE TRUTH BOMB: GOD SAVED THE WORLD WITHOUT US

Jesus' refusal to come down from the cross was the ultimate declaration that salvation is 100% God's work and 0% human effort. His humiliation became our liberation. His powerlessness became our power. His death became our life. That cross stands as eternal proof that fallen humanity brings nothing to the table of salvation except our desperate need. When Jesus cried, "It is finished," He wasn't just declaring His life complete - He was announcing the death of every human system, every religious effort, every fleshly attempt to reach God. Flesh died so that spirit could live, human effort died so that grace could reign, and self died so that Christ could be all in all.

A Deep Dive into the Gospel Truth Using Scripture Alone - The Raw, Real Story of Two Lives Standing at the Crossroads of Eternity

The Foundation of All Eternity

Before we stand at Calvary, before we hear the groans of dying men, before we witness the most pivotal moment in human history, we must understand the foundation upon which this entire story rests. This isn’t a tale that began 2,000 years ago on a hill outside Jerusalem. This story began before time itself, in the heart of the eternal God.

Ephesians 3:14-21 reveals the magnitude of what we’re about to witness:

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.”

The God we’re about to encounter at Calvary is the same God who is “able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think.” The love we’re about to witness has “breadth and length and height and depth” that surpasses human knowledge. This is the foundation - the eternal, infinite, incomprehensible love of God that planned our salvation before the world began.

Romans 8:29-30 shows us the eternal scope of God’s plan: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

This predestination isn’t about God arbitrarily choosing some and rejecting others. It’s about God’s eternal plan to transform willing hearts into the image of His Son. Craig and Wendy Rogers weren’t randomly selected for salvation - God knew us before the foundation of the world, and His plan was always to conform us to the image of Christ through the cross.

The Tale of Two Kingdoms

My name is Craig Rogers. Sitting beside me is my wife, Wendy--grandparents. We’re about to take you on a journey to the most important crossroads any human can face, but first, let us paint you a picture of where we came from - because our story is your story, and your story is the story of every human being who has ever lived.

For years, we lived the American Dream. In our Christian worldview, we had our kingdom perfectly constructed - a paid-off mortgage, a fat 401 (k) steadily growing, a family cabin in the woods where we could escape the pressures of life, and annual NFL passes that gave us something to look forward to each year. We had built ourselves a comfortable little empire, and we were the kings and queens of our own domain.

Sound familiar? Maybe your kingdom looks different - maybe it’s a corner office and a luxury car, maybe it’s a perfect family and a white picket fence, maybe it’s a successful business and a vacation home, maybe it’s just making it through each day with a little money left over and some time to binge-watch Netflix. The details don’t matter. What matters is that we all build kingdoms. We all create little empires where we are the center, where our comfort, happiness, and success are the ultimate goals.

But here’s the brutal truth that Wendy and I had to face: our kingdom was built on sand, and there was another Kingdom - one built on the solid rock of eternity - and these two kingdoms cannot coexist.

Romans 5 lays out the devastating diagnosis of our condition and the incredible solution that God provided:

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned… But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Romans 5:12, 8-10

We were enemies of God. Not just imperfect people trying our best. Not just good folks who occasionally messed up. We were active rebels against the Creator of the universe, building our own kingdoms in defiance of His rightful rule over our lives.

The family cabin we loved so much? It represented our desire to escape from God and create our own little paradise. The 401k we were so proud of? It represented our trust in our own ability to provide for ourselves rather than depending on God. The NFL passes that brought us such joy? They represented our pursuit of temporary pleasures while ignoring eternal realities.

We weren’t just sinners - we were enemies. And as enemies, we deserved nothing but wrath and judgment.

But Romans 5:8 contains the most shocking statement in all of human history: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

While we were building our kingdoms in rebellion against Him, while we were ignoring Him and pursuing our own happiness, while we were living as His enemies, God was planning our rescue. Not because we deserved it. Not because He saw something good in us. But because of His own love.

The Raw Truth About Our Condition

Let’s get brutally honest here, because that’s what this moment demands. Wendy and I weren’t horrible people by human standards. We weren’t murderers or thieves. We paid our taxes, treated people decently, and lived relatively moral lives. But that’s exactly what made our sin so insidious.

We had convinced ourselves that we were good people who deserved God’s blessing. We thought our family cabin was a reward for our hard work. We thought our financial security was evidence of God’s approval. We thought our comfortable life meant we were on the right track.

But Romans 8:7-8 shattered that illusion: “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Our minds were set on the flesh - on our comfort, our security, our happiness, our kingdom. And that mindset was hostile toward God. We weren’t neutral parties who occasionally made mistakes. We were actively opposed to God’s rule in our lives, even when we thought we were being religious.

This is the condition of every human being born into this world. We all start as enemies of God, building our own kingdoms, pursuing our own happiness, and living as if we are the center of the universe.

The Moment of Truth

But God, in His infinite mercy, didn’t leave us as enemies. Romans 8:29-30 reveals His eternal plan: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

There came a moment when God called us to follow Him. Not because we were seeking Him - we were perfectly content with our "family cabin kingdom." Not because we deserved it - we were living as His enemies. But because He had predestined us from before the foundation of the world to be conformed to the image of His Son--PRAISE GOD!

That call came in the form of a question that shattered our comfortable existence: “Which kingdom will you choose? Your family cabin, or My cross?”

The Choice That Changes Everything

And this is where our story intersects with your story, dear reader. Because you’re facing the exact same choice right now. Maybe you don’t have a family cabin - maybe your kingdom is built around your career, your family, your financial security, your reputation, your comfort, your plans, your dreams. The specific details don’t matter.

What matters is that you have built a kingdom with yourself at the center, and God is asking you the same question He asked us: “Which kingdom will you choose? Your kingdom, or My cross?”

This isn’t a question about adding Jesus to your existing life. This isn’t about making your good life a little bit better with some religion sprinkled on top. This is about the complete destruction of your kingdom so that you can become a citizen of His Kingdom.

Romans 5:17 shows us what’s at stake: “For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

You can continue to live under the reign of death - pursuing your own happiness, building your own kingdom, living for temporary pleasures and security. Or you can receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness and reign in life through Jesus Christ.

But you cannot do both. You cannot serve two masters. You cannot be the king of your own kingdom and a citizen of God’s Kingdom simultaneously.

The Cross: Where Kingdoms Collide

This choice comes to a head at a place called Calvary, where two kingdoms collide in the most dramatic way possible. At the cross, we see the King of the eternal Kingdom hanging naked, bleeding, and dying between two thieves. Here, the eternal God who spoke the universe into existence appears to be defeated by the temporary kingdoms of this world.

But appearances can be deceiving. What looks like defeat is actually victory. What looks like the end is actually the beginning. What looks like the death of hope is actually the birth of eternal life.

Romans 8:32 captures the magnitude of what happened at the cross: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”

God didn’t spare His own Son. He delivered Him over for us - for Craig and Wendy Rogers, for you, for every person who has ever built their own kingdom in rebellion against His rule. And in delivering His Son to death, He freely gives us all things.

Not family cabins and 401ks and NFL passes. All things. Eternal life. Righteousness. Adoption as children. Inheritance in His Kingdom. Transformation into the image of Christ. Glory beyond imagination.

Standing at the Crossroads

And so, Wendy and I stand at the foot of Calvary, having made our choice. We have abandoned our family cabin kingdom to become citizens of the eternal Kingdom. We have traded our temporary pleasures for eternal joy. We have given up our role as kings and queens of our own little empires to become children of the King of the universe.

But our story isn’t complete until you make your choice. Because this isn’t just about Craig and Wendy Rogers. This is about every human soul that has ever lived. This is about you.

As we take you to Calvary in the pages that follow, you will see exactly what we saw. You will hear the same groans of agony. You will witness the same choice between two thieves that represents the only two paths available to every human being.

And you will have to decide: Humility or family cabins? Your kingdom or His cross? Temporary pleasure or eternal joy? Death or life?

The choice is yours. But choose wisely, because your eternity depends on it.

Romans 8:18 gives us the eternal perspective: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Your family cabin - whatever form it takes - is not worthy to be compared with the glory that awaits those who choose His cross.

Let us take you to Calvary, where the most important decision of your life awaits.

Standing at the Foot of the Cross

My name is Craig Rogers, and alongside my wife Wendy, we stand today at the most crucial crossroads any human soul can face. We’re not standing at some comfortable church altar or in the safety of a Sunday morning service. We’re standing at the blood-soaked hill of Calvary, where three crosses pierce the darkened sky, and we must make the most important decision of our eternal existence.

This isn’t theology. This isn’t philosophy. This is life and death, heaven and hell, light and darkness. And like every human being who has ever drawn breath, we must choose which of the two thieves we will follow into eternity.

The Scene: Calvary’s Brutal Reality

Luke 23:32-33 places us at the scene: “Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him. When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.”

Wendy and I are not observers here. We are participants. The blood spattering the ground isn’t just historical fact - it’s the price paid for our souls. The groans of agony echoing from those three crosses aren’t ancient sounds - they’re the soundtrack of our eternal destiny being decided.

These weren’t petty shoplifters hanging beside Jesus. The Greek word “kakourgos” tells us they were hardened criminals, likely insurrectionists or murderers who had committed capital crimes. They deserved death. They were guilty beyond question. And in their guilt, they represent us - Craig and Wendy Rogers - two sinners who deserve nothing but eternal judgment.

But here’s where the story gets real, where it cuts through all religious pretense and gets to the raw truth of the human condition.

Craig and Wendy Face the Mirror of Truth

Standing here at Calvary, Wendy and I must confront the brutal truth about ourselves. We are not good people who occasionally sin. We are sinners by nature, rebels against the holy God who created us.

Romans 3:23 doesn’t mince words: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

That “all” includes Craig Rogers. That “all” includes Wendy Rogers. We have both lived lives centered on ourselves, making decisions based on our own wisdom, pursuing our own happiness, building our own kingdoms. We have been, in essence, playing God in our own lives.

Isaiah 53:6 captures our condition perfectly: “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”

Each of us - Craig and Wendy - has turned to our own way. We’ve lived as if we were the center of the universe, as if our plans and desires were what mattered most. We’ve been spiritual criminals, rebels against the righteous King of the universe.

The Two Thieves: Two Paths for Craig and Wendy

Now, hanging beside Jesus, we see two responses that represent the only two possible paths for our lives.

The First Thief: The Path Wendy and Craig Must Choose

Luke 23:40-42 shows us the believing thief: “But the other answered, and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!’”

This thief - this dying criminal - saw something that religious leaders, political authorities, and even Jesus’ own disciples missed in that moment. He saw the King of the Kingdom of God hanging on a cross.

Wendy and I must ask ourselves: Can we see what this thief saw? Can we look at a bloodied, dying man and recognize the eternal King? Can we see past the circumstances, past the apparent defeat, past the physical suffering, and recognize that this is God Himself paying the price for our rebellion?

The believing thief’s response reveals four crucial elements that Craig and Wendy must embrace:

1. Fear of God - Recognizing Who We’re Dealing With

“Do you not even fear God?” Even in his dying moments, this criminal maintained reverence for the Almighty. He understood that he was in the presence of the holy God, not just another man.

Proverbs 9:10 tells us: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Wendy and I must recognize that we’re not dealing with a religious figure or a good teacher. We’re dealing with the eternal God who spoke the universe into existence, who holds our very breath in His hands, who will judge every human soul.

2. Acknowledgment of Our Guilt - No Excuses, No Blame-Shifting

“We indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds.”

This is where most people stumble. This thief made no excuses. He didn’t blame his upbringing, his circumstances, society, or anyone else. He took full responsibility for his actions and acknowledged that he deserved death.

Craig and Wendy Rogers must do the same. We must stop making excuses for our sin, stop comparing ourselves to others, stop justifying our rebellion against God. We deserve judgment. We deserve hell. We deserve eternal separation from the holy God we have offended.

Romans 6:23 is crystal clear: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We’ve earned death. That’s our wage, our payment for a lifetime of sin.

3. Recognition of Christ’s Righteousness - Seeing His Perfection

“but this man has done nothing wrong.”

In a world where everyone was condemning Jesus, this dying criminal recognized His innocence and righteousness. He saw that Jesus was perfect, sinless, undeserving of punishment.

1 Peter 2:22 confirms this: “WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH.”

Wendy and I must recognize that Jesus is not just another sinner like us. He is the sinless Son of God, the perfect sacrifice, the only One qualified to pay the price for our sins.

4. Faith in Christ’s Kingdom - Believing in His Eternal Reign

“Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”

This is the heart of faith. This thief believed that the dying man beside him was a King with a Kingdom, and that this King would remember him. He placed his eternal destiny in the hands of the crucified Christ.

Wendy and I must make this same leap of faith. We must believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal King, that He has a Kingdom, and that through faith in Him, we can be part of that Kingdom.

The Second Thief: The Path Craig and Wendy Must Reject

Luke 23:39 shows us the other path: “One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, ‘Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’”

This thief represents everything that’s wrong with human nature, everything that keeps us from salvation. His response reveals the deadly attitudes that Wendy and I must reject:

1. Mockery Instead of Worship

He “hurled abuse” at the very One who could save him. Instead of recognizing Jesus’ true identity, he mocked Him.

This is the natural response of the human heart to Jesus Christ. We don’t want to bow the knee. We don’t want to surrender. We want to remain in control, even if it means mocking the King of Glory.

2. Conditional Faith - Demanding Proof

“If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us!” His faith was conditional on immediate physical deliverance. He wanted proof before belief.

But Hebrews 11:1 tells us: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

True faith doesn’t demand proof. True faith believes in spite of circumstances.

3. Self-Centered Thinking - “What About Me?”

His concern was only for his own immediate relief. He had no concern for righteousness, justice, or eternity. It was all about escaping his current suffering.

This is how most people approach God - as a cosmic vending machine who exists to solve their problems and make their lives comfortable.

4. Blindness to Spiritual Reality

He could not see past the cross to the crown, past the suffering to the glory, past the apparent defeat to the ultimate victory.

2 Corinthians 4:4 explains this blindness: “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Our Personal Calvary Moment: Craig and Wendy’s Decision

Standing here at Calvary, Wendy and I face the same choice as these two thieves. We can respond with faith like the first thief, or with mockery and unbelief like the second thief.

For years, we lived like the second thief - demanding that God prove Himself to us, expecting Him to make our lives comfortable, focusing on our immediate circumstances rather than eternal realities. We were spiritual consumers, not worshipers.

But God, in His infinite mercy, opened our eyes to see what the believing thief saw. We began to see Jesus not as a religious figure or a good teacher, but as the eternal King who came to earth to die for our sins.

Wendy’s Testimony: Seeing Through Eternal Eyes

Wendy shares: “I used to look at many people in Christianity and see weakness. I saw people who needed help, who couldn’t handle life on their own. I was strong, independent, and successful. I didn’t need Jesus as much as everyone else.

But standing at Calvary, I realized my strength was an illusion. My independence was rebellion. My success was meaningless in the face of eternity. Like the believing thief, I had to acknowledge my guilt, recognize Jesus’ righteousness, and place my faith in His Kingdom.

The moment I stopped demanding that Jesus prove Himself to me and started believing in Him despite my circumstances, everything changed. I found myself saying with the thief, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your Kingdom.’”

Craig’s Testimony: The Humbling Truth

“For most of my life, I was the mocking thief. I looked at Jesus and saw a man who couldn’t even save Himself. How could He save me? I demanded signs, wonders, immediate deliverance from my problems.

But God showed me that faith isn’t about getting what I want from God. Faith is about surrendering what I want to get God Himself. The believing thief didn’t ask to be saved from crucifixion. He asked to be remembered in the Kingdom.

That’s when I realized the cross wasn’t God’s defeat - it was His victory. Jesus wasn’t failing to save Himself - He was choosing to save me. And like the believing thief, I had to choose to believe in the King while He was dying, not wait for Him to prove His power by coming down from the cross.”

Jesus’ Response: The Heart of the Gospel

Luke 23:43 records Jesus’ response to the believing thief: “And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.’”

This single verse contains the entirety of the Gospel that Craig and Wendy Rogers have embraced:

Immediate Salvation - “Today”

The thief didn’t have to wait. He didn’t have to do good works, get baptized, or prove his faith. The moment he believed, he was saved.

Ephesians 2:8-9 confirms this: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Wendy and I received the same immediate salvation the moment we believed. Not because we deserved it, but because of God’s grace.

Personal Relationship - “With Me”

Salvation isn’t just about going to heaven. It’s about being with Jesus. The thief’s reward wasn’t just paradise - it was paradise with Christ.

This is what Wendy and I discovered. Christianity isn’t about following rules or being good people. It’s about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Eternal Destination - “Paradise”

The thief was promised paradise - not purgatory, not probation, but immediate entrance into the dwelling place of God.

2 Corinthians 5:8 tells us: “we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.”

When believers die, we go immediately into the presence of Christ, just like the believing thief.

The Eternal Perspective: What Scripture Reveals About Death and Eternity

Death: The Great Separator

For Craig and Wendy Rogers, understanding death has been crucial to understanding life. Death isn’t the end - it’s a doorway. But it’s a doorway that leads to one of two destinations.

For Believers: Immediate Presence with Christ

Philippians 1:21-23: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better.”

The believing thief experienced this immediately. The moment he died, he was with Jesus in Paradise. This is the promise for every believer.

For Unbelievers: Immediate Separation from God

Luke 16:22-23: “Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom.”

The mocking thief, like all who reject Christ, faced immediate judgment and separation from God.

The Harpazo: Our Future Reunion

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.”

The believing thief, having died “in Christ,” is currently in Paradise with Jesus, awaiting his glorified body. At the Harpazo (the Rapture), he will rise first, receiving his resurrection body. Then those of us who are alive - including Craig and Wendy if we’re still living - will be caught up together with him.

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, ‘DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.’”

The believing thief will receive a glorified body - imperishable, immortal, perfect. This is the hope of every believer.

Being “In Christ”: Our Position

The moment the thief believed, he was placed “in Christ.” This is the position of every believer:

Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Ephesians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

Craig and Wendy Rogers are “in Christ.” Our past sins are forgiven, our future is secure, and we have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

The Deception of Self-Reliance: Why the Second Thief Failed

The mocking thief represents humanity’s fallen tendency to trust in self rather than Christ. This is the deception that nearly destroyed Craig and Wendy Rogers, and it’s the deception that destroys most of humanity.

The Lie of Human Goodness

Isaiah 64:6: “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

We used to think we were good people who occasionally did bad things. The truth is, we are sinful people who occasionally do good things, and even our good deeds are tainted by selfish motives.

The Lie of Self-Sufficiency

Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?”

We can’t trust our own hearts. We can’t rely on our own wisdom. We need a Savior.

The Lie of Temporal Thinking

2 Corinthians 4:18 “while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

The mocking thief could only see the temporal - the pain, the circumstances, the apparent powerlessness of Jesus. The believing thief saw the eternal - he saw a King where others saw a criminal.

The Gift of Faith: How God Opens Blind Eyes

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Even faith itself is a gift from God. The believing thief’s ability to see and believe was granted by divine grace. Craig and Wendy’s faith is also a gift from God.

Acts 16:14 “A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.”

God must open our hearts to respond to the Gospel. He must give us eyes to see and ears to hear.

John 6:44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

God draws us to Himself. Salvation is entirely His work, from beginning to end.

The Urgency of the Choice: Today Is the Day

2 Corinthians 6:2 “behold, now is ‘THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,’ behold, now is ‘THE DAY OF SALVATION.’”

The believing thief made his choice in his final moments and received eternal life. But we don’t know when our final moments will come.

Hebrews 9:27 “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”

Every person will face death and judgment. The question is: Will we face judgment as forgiven sinners trusting in Christ, or as unforgiven rebels standing on our own righteousness?

Craig and Wendy’s Final Decision: Which Thief We Choose to Follow

Standing at Calvary, looking at the King of Glory hanging between two thieves, Wendy and I have made our choice. We choose to follow the believing thief.

We acknowledge our guilt before holy God. We recognize that we deserve nothing but judgment. We see Jesus Christ as the sinless Son of God who died in our place. And we place our faith in Him as our Savior and King.

Our Declaration of Faith

Like the believing thief, we say: “Jesus, remember us when You come in Your Kingdom!”

We’re not asking for immediate deliverance from our circumstances. We’re not demanding proof of His power. We’re simply believing in the crucified and risen King and trusting Him with our eternal destiny.

Romans 10:9-10 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

We confess Jesus as Lord. We believe God raised Him from the dead. We are saved by grace through faith.

Our Message to the World

Standing at Calvary, having made our choice, Craig and Wendy Rogers now proclaim to the world: You must choose which thief to follow.

You can follow the mocking thief - trusting in yourself, demanding that God prove Himself to you, focusing only on temporal circumstances, rejecting the spiritual reality of who Jesus is.

Or you can follow the believing thief - acknowledging your sin, recognizing Jesus’ righteousness, placing faith in His Kingdom, and trusting Him with your eternal destiny.

There is no middle ground. There is no third option. There is no other way.

John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Wedding Feast: Our Eternal Destiny

Revelation 19:7-9: “Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready. It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”’”

Those who choose to follow the believing thief become the Bride of Christ. We will participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb. The believing thief will be there, glorified and perfected, along with every person who has ever placed faith in Jesus Christ.

This is our eternal destiny - not because we deserve it, but because of God’s grace.

The Lake of Fire: The Eternal Destiny of the Mocking Thief

Revelation 20:14-15 “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Those who choose to follow the mocking thief - who reject Jesus Christ and trust in themselves - will face eternal judgment in the lake of fire. This is not God’s desire, but it is His justice.

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”

God doesn’t want anyone to perish. He wants all to come to repentance. But He will not force anyone to believe. The choice is ours.

Our Final Appeal: The Decision Before You

Reader, you are standing at Calvary with Craig and Wendy Rogers. You are looking at the same three crosses, hearing the same groans of agony, witnessing the same scene that has determined the eternal destiny of every human soul.

The question before you is not whether you’re a good person. The question is not whether you’ve done more good than bad. The question is not whether you’re religious or spiritual.

The question is: Which thief will you follow?

Will you follow the mocking thief - trusting in yourself, demanding proof from God, focusing on temporal circumstances, rejecting the spiritual reality of who Jesus is?

Or will you follow the believing thief - acknowledging your sin, recognizing Jesus’ righteousness, placing faith in His Kingdom, trusting Him with your eternal destiny?

The King of Glory hangs before you, bloodied but victorious, dying but conquering death itself. He offers the same promise to every soul: “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

But you must choose to believe.

Romans 10:13 “for ‘WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’”

The invitation is open. The King awaits your decision.

Which thief will you follow?

Your eternal destiny hangs in the balance.

Choose life. Choose Christ. Choose to follow the believing thief who saw a King in a dying man and received Paradise as his reward.

Today is the day of salvation. Tomorrow may be too late.

Which thief will you follow?

Craig and Wendy Rogers have made their choice. They stand with the believing thief, trusting in the crucified and risen King, Jesus Christ. They invite you to make the same choice today, while there is still time.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” - John 3:16

The choice is yours. Choose wisely. Choose today. Your eternity depends on it.