Federal agent Elliot Ness assembles a personal team of mob fighters to bring Chicago crime boss Al Capone to justice using unconventional means during the mob wars of the 1920s. The Untouchables was a 1987 movie with Kevin Costner who played Elliot Ness and because of the methods he used was said to be untouchable. Back in Biblical Times anyone with the disease of Leprosy was untouchable. They were to stay clear of anyone and proclaim that they had Leprosy. People were to stay clear; not to touch anyone who has Leprosy and neither was the Leper to touch anyone. They were to be isolated from everyone, their children, their wife, their family members and their friends; it must have been awful. I don’t know anyone that has Leprosy and I have never heard anyone cry out saying stay clear of me for I am a Leper. No, but I am afraid we have isolated some that didn’t have leprosy. The little boy whose Dad was a drunk; we sure don’t want our children associating with a child whose dad is a drunk. Then there are the divorced persons let’s stay clear of them, the handicapped, the unemployed, the less educated, the unmarried Mom. We keep our distance from the depressed and avoid the terminally ill. We have neighborhoods for the immigrants, convalescent homes for the elderly, schools for the simple, centers for the addicted and prisons for the criminals. The problem with all this classifying and rejecting is this, how did Jesus treat people. One quick look at Calvary will tell us a different story. To those that spit on Him, slapped Him, drove nails in His hands and feet, to those who beat Him, stripped Him and then gambled at the foot of the cross; He had just three words to say “Father forgive them.”
Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
Then there were the two thieves on either side of Him he wanted to reach both of them; one refused but the other one said;
Luke 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
Now we are about to see how Jesus handles this request. This man didn’t deserve paradise; he was a thief for crying out loud. What does Jesus say?
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Do what; today! You see we are busy making sure everyone is in their right place or center but Jesus is saying everyone’s right place is with me; why do we find that so hard to believe? We may look so sweet and nice today but what about the days before now? We don’t want anyone to know about those do we. The only untouchables are those who like the thief beside Jesus refused paradise, once he rejected Jesus he was untouchable. Jesus doesn’t care what we have done in this life He just wants to touch us with His hand of mercy. If we reject Him or put Him off then we are becoming untouchable. Don’t reject Him or put Him off; let Him touch you! You’ll never be the same. Have a blessed weekend!
