MAX ON LIFE

17. My uncle lived like the devil and made life miserable for my parents, who are godly, humble people. My dad tells me that my uncle got saved just a few hours before he died. Can such an awful person be saved on his deathbed after doing so many terrible things?

Jesus told a parable about workers in a vineyard (Matt 20). Some got hired at the crack of dawn. Others around midmorning. Still others around noon, late afternoon, and then at sunset. All of them received a day's salary.

The early-birds-who-got-the-worm were not happy with this. They wanted the boss to either pay the latecomers less or pay the early risers more. Not all workers deserve to get the same wage, do they? The landowner replied:

"Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?" (Mat 20:13-15)

When we accept salvation from Jesus Christ, we all accept the same deal - eternal life with the Savior of our soul.

So if someone accepts Christ at ten years old or at the age of eighty-five, lying on his deathbed...... what's the difference?

God has the right to give the full amount of salvation to whomever he wants. Are we envious of his generosity? No! His generosity gave us salvation in the first place. We love his generosity. Don't ever change that, God!

The thief on the cross is the best practical example of that generosity.

"In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him." (Matt 27:44)

Both robbers mocked Jesus, hurling insults at him.

Yet as death approached, Luke 23 records a shift. While one thief still cursed, the other defended Christ. What happened? In just a few short hours, the second thief went from angry atheist to repentant sinner. Wasn't Jesus offended, those curse words still ringing in his ears?

"Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise'." (vv 42-43)

Jesus forgave him in the final moments.

The time of forgiveness does not matter. Anytime is the best time to receive Christ and the reward of a lifetime.

By: Max Lucado