God's Word to the Wise

A Word to the Wise

Alistair Begg in his sermon “The Power and Message of the cross” which he preached at Baylor University’s inaugural National Preaching Conference in 2019 said, “Think about the thief on the cross. He, along with the other criminal, started out cursing Jesus. He had never been in a Bible study. He never got baptized. He didn’t know a thing about church membership. And yet, he made it! How did he make it into paradise?”

That’s what the angel must have asked, “What are you doing here?” “Well, I don’t know.” “What do you mean, you don’t know?” “Well, cause I don’t know.” “Excuse me. Let me get my supervisor.” They go get the supervising angel: “So, I have just a few questions for you. First of all, are you clear on the doctrine of justification by faith?” The guy says, “I’ve never heard of it in my life.” “OK, let’s just go to the doctrine of Scripture.” Now the guy’s just staring. And eventually, in frustration, the supervising angel asks, “On what basis are you here?” And the thief said, “The man on the middle cross said I can come.”

Mike Curtis was a man who understood from what he had been saved. (He was similar to the thief on the cross.) Mike didn’t surrender to Jesus to find a greater purpose. He didn’t know his Bible front to back. It never dawned on him that he was called to do something great for the Lord. Mike remained right where he was found by Jesus; laying prostrate at the feet of his Savior. He was saved from the consequence of sin; the wrath of God, and that is all that mattered to him. 

Now some might ask, “was that enough?” YES it was!!! No, he didn’t leave his current life’s environment behind, but the people with whom he hung out knew that Mike was not the same old Mike. Mike’s life didn’t get better and better, in fact, it got tougher and more difficult. Mike was never shy of hard labor, but suddenly he was not only unable to do such work, but was not allowed to. 

One winter I discovered he was shoveling snow for his neighbors, not blowing or plowing snow; shoveling snow for whatever they were able or willing to pay him. Some didn’t pay and yet he still repeatedly shoveled their area after a snowfall. Why? Because he knew they couldn’t do it themselves or afford to pay to have it done. What he was paid was the only income he had at the time. 

The last few years of his life he was a patient in the veterans hospital in Iowa City more than not. Everyone in the hospital knew Mike. Sure, there were moments he was a difficult patient, but it was moments. Most of the time Mike could be found wandering around visiting others, and he was a welcome visitor. On some of my visits I would not find him in his room and it would take the better part of an ½ hour before I’d recognize that raspy whispering voice and find him visiting someone. As we would walk back to his room he’d ask me to pray for the person he was visiting. 

Many conversations with Mike would begin with him saying, “I have this friend…” He honored his father and mother. He was loyal to a fault to his family. With all his difficulties, Mike was not an overwhelming burden for his family and friends. He accepted help graciously. We all have that friend who is there for the fun but absent when work is necessary. That wasn’t Mike. He was happy to be there for both. 

God graciously permitted me to be present the moment Mike first believed. That moment was what Dr. Brubaker meant when he told me to, “Sail my ship into the storm,” because I would become a witness to the power of God. I saw relief wash over Mike’s face. I saw the tears well up in his eyes. I answered YES when he asked, “So, now I’m a Christian?”

I doubt anyone questioned his presence in heaven. But if they did I know what Mike said; “Jesus said I’d be welcome into His presence. Now would you please move out of my way? Jesus is waiting for me and I want to go see him now.”