Today’s Scripture:
Matthew 27:38 KJV
Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.
Jesus has always been the man in the middle. From birth until his death, he’s been the man in the middle. He was born to be in the middle, to bridge the gap between God and man. The cross is the image of the love and restoration of God to humanity, but it took his Son, Jesus. The man in the Middle.
Man was separated from God when Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was called sin, which is separation from God. This sin or separation from God resulted in a gulf, a gap between God and humanity. Something was needed to restore our relationship with God.
Thus, God sent his Son, Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God through him. In other words, Jesus Bridged the gap; he was the man in the middle. He was God with us; he came as a child through the Holy Spirit and Mary. Now, after Jesus was born, he was always in the middle of his parents, no matter what was going on. He was in the middle so much that Joseph almost divorced Mary because Jesus was in the middle. He is the man in the Middle. Later on, we found Jesus coming toward John the Baptist, who said behold the lamb of God. In other words. John was announcing the man in the middle because the lamb would be slain for the sins of men.
Jesus steps into his ministry, and we find him choosing 12 disciples. After choosing 12 to be with him, he was always found in the middle of them, teaching them, bridging the gap between their lack of faith and their weaknesses; he was in the middle, teaching them how to love each other and breaking up their fights and jealousy that they demonstrate toward each other. Jesus stood in the middle by serving them, washing their feet, and giving them the blueprint to life, abundant life. Knowing that he had come to be the man in the middle, Jesus now tells his disciples, I am going to my father; they did not understand this, but he spoke of his death. He was saying that the purpose for which he came into the world is approaching; I will take my rightful place in the middle on the cross to bring you back into the right relationship with God. It’s called the atonement.
Thus, our text says, “Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.” Jesus was in the middle again, but this time it was not just teaching or leading, but he was in the middle as the Son of God; he was the bridge between sin and righteousness, he was the way back to the Father, he was the man in the middle fulfilling what he was born to do, sacrifice his life so that we might have life. Interestingly, even on the cross, the man in the middle was changing and saving lives; the Bible says, “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? [41] And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.” Luke 23:39-41.
Family, I was that man on the cross who accused Jesus and wanted him to do something to prove that he was who he said he was. But Jesus, the man in the middle, was fulfilling the very thing I was accusing him of not doing; he was saving me, and I was not aware. So many times the man in the middle is saving us, loving us, preventing us from falling into ditches and traps. Still, we accuse him wrongfully and say why don’t you help, that is the very thing he’s doing because his assignment was and is always to be the man in the middle, saving and restoring us back to God.
Lastly, the Bible says, “And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. [43] And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” I am now that man on the other side of the cross beside that man in the middle because I came to recognize that what he did was for me and that his middle position was the position for my restoration and salvation. I am forever grateful for the man in the middle.
Today, never forget that Jesus Christ gave his life in the middle so that you can access salvation and eternal life. You never need to be in the middle because it was and has always been an occupied space through Jesus Christ. He paid the price once and for all, so that I could have life. The man in the middle redeems you. This Easter, forget the Bunnies and the chocolate, see the man in the middle and remember him because he remembered you.
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Awesome reminder of the mediating power of the blood of Jesus standing in between life and earth for us and giving us life.
Thank you