Luke 23 - Jesus Remember Me When You Come Into Your Kingdom!


39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.
The two other men crucified beside Jesus were both getting what they deserved, presumably after committing murder, which was a capital offense.  Earlier Jesus had replaced the murderer Barabbas, when the Jewish people demanded he be crucified, even when Pilate could find no charge against him. So as the two guilty men hung next to Jesus they showed to very different responses to their situation.
The first criminal insulted Jesus and said, "If you are really the Messiah prove it.  Save us and yourself!" He didn't care about the injustice being done to Jesus.  He didn't ask for mercy but demanded that Jesus do something about his problem.  He wanted to be set free because he felt entitled to it, even though he was guilty.  
The second criminal had a different attitude.  He rebuked the other criminal.  He couldn't believe what the first criminal was trying to pull off.  After all they were both getting what they deserved, and Jesus was the one being unfairly punished.  He realized he had no right to demand anything from Jesus.  The only he could do was ask him for mercy.  He knew Jesus was special and it appears he may have even believed that he was the Messiah by his words, "Remember me when you come into your kingdom".  Though he didn't deserve to be with Jesus in his kingdom he asked Jesus if he would remember him when he got there.  
The man realized the only hope he had was the innocent one being crucified next to him.  The one who was sinful turned to the one who was sinless and Jesus recognized his faith and told him that this very day they would be together in paradise.  
In this short story we see the heart of the gospel.  Like the two men next to Jesus we are also guilty of sin and deserving of death. Paul says in Romans 6:23, "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus."  The one man realized that the only hope he had was to turn to the one without sin. He knew he was guilty and was getting what he deserved but he asked Jesus to remember him.
Which man will you be like?  As we trust in Jesus he says to us, "Today you will be with me in paradise."  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Acts 22 - Paul Sees the Light

Image
6  “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.   7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me,  ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’  8  “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.  “  ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,  whom you are persecuting,’  he replied.   9  My companions saw the light,  but they did not understand the voice  of him who was speaking to me.  10  “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. “  ‘Get up,’  the Lord said,  ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do. This is the famous story of the apostle Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus.  Paul was going there to persecute Jewish Christians and throw them into prison and he meets Jesus is a spectacular way.  Not only is he blinded by a briliant light, but he hears the Lord's voice audibly.  And the Lord asks him, "Lord, Lord why a...
Read more

Hebrews 6 - Have You Graduated From Elementary School of Faith Yet?

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the...
Read more

2 Timothy 4 - Fight the Good Fight! Finish the Race!

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul gives a closing charge to Timothy. First of all, he is to preach the word. God's Word speaks to all situations and seasons. The Word of God will sometimes correct us. Our lives can get of out alignment with God's will as outlined in ...
Read more