Dear Christian friends:

A Sunday School teacher was teaching her class that God has all power and can do anything. When she finished explaining that to the children she asked them: "Is there anything God can't do?" The children were quiet for a short time. Then one boy raised his hand. The teacher thought he did not get the point of her lesson. She said to him, "Well, what can't God do?" The boy replied, "He can't please everyone."

The one thief on the cross with Jesus shows that is true. He was not pleased with Jesus. He wanted Jesus to use His power to free himself and the other thief from their crosses. He means to say to Jesus, "If you free Yourself and us two, then I will believe that you are the Son of God, the Christ." Jesus could not do what he asked. Jesus could not please the one thief.

Tonight we ask this question:


The one thief on the cross hanging at Jesus' left side shows that God can't please everyone.

In the beginning Adam was not pleased with God. When Eve tempted Adam he ate with her from the tree God forbad to them. Then when God came to see them and ask them, "What have you done?" Adam said to God, "The woman You gave to me, she tempted me and I ate." I'm sure that many husbands have complained to God about their wives and also many wives have complained to God about their husbands. Parents often are displeased with God about their children. They think or say, "Why did God give me a deaf child?" One mother in Montana told me that when she found out that she had a deaf baby, she was very upset and angry against God. She quit going to church. She quit praying for twelve years. Then she woke up and accepted God's will. Some people complain against God when they have cancer or other sickness or losses.

Many people were not pleased with Jesus. The Jewish leaders said, "He eats and drinks with sinners. He is not Christ." "He does many wonderful works. All people will believe on Him. We must kill him and be free of Him."

The Jewish officials near the cross are now pleased with Jesus because He is on the cross and is dying. They think, "Soon we will be free of Him! Then He can't preach to us anymore and He can't do His miracles anymore!"

Also the soldiers are pleased that Jesus is dying. They divide up his clothes among themselves, and gamble to see who will get his beautiful robe. They are pleased for the wrong reasons!

God can't please everyone. God does not answer everyone's prayers. Some people when they pray try to make a deal with God: soldiers in war, persons who are dying and want to escape such as this thief on the left side. God does not make deals with individuals. Some people even try to threaten God. They say, "If you do not help me in my need, I will quit church or I will not serve You." God is not frightened by our threats. He does not accept such prayers. And we can thank Him for that. We are glad that Jesus refused to free Himself and the two thieves from their crosses, although He had the power to do that.

God does not please everyone, because His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. Jesus hanging and staying on the cross was following God's plan, not man's. God's plan did not permit Jesus to be freed from the cross. Also His plan did not permit the two thieves to be freed from their crosses. God was not thinking only of one man's need: He was thinking of all peoples' need for eternal salvation.

God's plan was to save all people not just the two thieves. His plan was not what the thief on the left asked. God's plan was that His Son stay on the cross and suffer until He had paid for all peoples' sin.

Really by staying on the cross Jesus is doing exactly what that thief asked. Jesus is the Christ! He is saving that thief, not in the way he wanted just for a few more years of life on earth, but in God's way, that he may have eternal life in heaven. The other thief on the right side of Jesus understood that and believed that. He was very pleased with God and with Jesus. Although he was still hanging on the cross and suffering much pain; although he knew he must die in a few hours he is very pleased with God and with Jesus. He has forgiveness of sins, peace with God and hope for heaven.

All who like this thief, believe in Jesus are pleased with God. They pray with Jesus: "Thy will be done, not my will, but thine be done." In time of sickness or other trouble they pray, "Lord, if it can be take this trouble away, free me of it, nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done."

Let us be pleased with God, the same as the thief on Jesus' right, and let us tell others who complain why we are pleased.

Amen.