Luke 23:32 Two criminals were led out to be put to death with Jesus. When the soldiers came to the place called “The Skull,” they nailed Jesus to a cross. They also nailed the two criminals to crosses, one on each side of Jesus. Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people! They don’t know what they’re doing.”
While the crowd stood there watching Jesus, the soldiers gambled for his clothes. The leaders insulted him by saying, “He saved others. Now he should save himself, if he really is God’s chosen Messiah!” The soldiers made fun of Jesus and brought him some wine. They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” Above him was a sign that said, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals hanging there also insulted Jesus by saying, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and save us!”
But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don’t you fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man? We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into power!” Jesus replied, “I promise that today you will be with me in paradise.”
The story of two criminals that were nailed on both sides of Jesus is a great lesson for all of us. These two individuals had similar stories. They both came from the same life style with common background. They also had the same information about who Jesus was according to the Roman soldiers and the witnesses of the people near the cross.
Both had seen the soldiers insulting Jesus and demanding him to save himself if he is God’s chosen Messiah. They were also near the end of their life and death was around the corner. Even if they both share similar stories, they had completely different perspective about Jesus.
The first one took the broad way and joined the ideologies of the soldiers and he too had ridiculed Jesus. He didn’t take the leap of faith and think for one second that Jesus was indeed what he said he was. Given the same information, one criminal had a negative impression about Jesus but the other one had completely different opinion.
The second criminal during the brink of his life on earth, didn’t dare to say any bad word to Jesus. In fact, he condemned the act of the other criminal for his insult. What a great transformation he had made that has saved him from eternal distraction! The mercy of God has no expiration date. He can save any one at any given point of time in one’s life. No one knows when since his timing is not like ours. Here we see again Jesus’s saving power even at the brink of his physical life on earth.
The criminal defended Jesus against the most wicked men. How many of us when we are in great trouble honor and love God as we used to when we are in comfort. When Job was in a great pain and misery, his wife recommended him to insult the Lord for the bad things that had happened in his life and die.
But Job answered her that she is wrong and God can take whatever he has given before.
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. -Job 13:15
Job not only surrendered his family and belongings to God but even his own life. What a great man of faith. We all know Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son to God according to God’s request to do so. Moreover, we see that Job was willing to die for the will of God.
The quality of any person is determined by the decision he/she
akes whether to honor
r insult God when approaching difficult life issues including death.
The criminal man not only defended Jesus but also had faith in Him. He said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”.
What a great revelation this man had? He knew that Jesus is indeed the son of God and He will soon go to His kingdom. His revelation is like that of Peter when he confessed that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. The story didn’t end there, Jesus heard his prayer and promised him that he will enter the kingdom of God with Him.
But no promise was given to the other criminal who had insulted Jesus. Why did Jesus promise him to enter the kingdom? It is because of his faith in Jesus to enter the kingdom of God where Jesus reigns.
The man believed him at the time and for the same reason Jesus was about to be crucified. Even if the authorities, the high priests, so many people and the criminal took the kingdom of God like a joke, this man strengthened his heart to believe in it and boldly fought and begged for him to be in the kingdom.
This is in fact, a great revelation and a wonderful opportunity for this man to get saved. He was not ashamed of asking it in front of the Romans who could possibly make his death worse. He wisely used the last moment of his life to be with Jesus. Jesus knew this man’s heart and he was craving to be saved. Thank God for his awesome love. He never gives up on any one of us who was once lost and was willing to come back to Jesus with pure heart.
What a compassionate creator we all have? He is indeed full of mercy and forgiveness. There is no one like him on earth or above the earth who goes a great extent to correct and save his children.
Probably this is the shortest prayer ever. The prayer of “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” should be the prayer of every one of us. Without Jesus remembering us in his kingdom, we have no place and right to be in it.
This prayer has also resemblance to the story of Rahab on Joshua 2: 9
I know that the Lord has given Israel this land. Everyone shakes with fear because of you. 10 We heard how the Lord dried up the Red Sea[d]so you could leave Egypt. And we heard how you destroyed Sihon and Og, those two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River. We know that the Lord your God rules heaven and earth, and we’ve lost our courage and our will to fight.
Please promise me in the Lord’s name that you will be as kind to my family as I have been to you. Do something to show that you won’t let your people kill my father and mother and my brothers and sisters and their families.
Rahab in the old testament had similar type of faith that the criminal had in the new testament.“By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace” (Hebrews 11:31).
She had faith in God and how he led his people out of Egypt. By faith she hid the spies not fearing her government that could execute her for hiding and aiding the enemy.
Faith is acting in the physical world by believing God and his promises in the Spiritual. I am amazed by the similarities of the stories here between the old and the new testament. By faith, she asked and begged for the same type of request as the criminal in the new testament, “Please remember me when...”
Even if she was a prostitute and unbeliever, by faith she was included to be part of God’s people and nothing prevented her from entering the kingdom of God. The act of faith always moves God from his throne, and makes him interfere on our behalf. God loves to see his children stand strongly believing in him and his promises. It is not pleasant to see any one wavering on faith. The most important aspect of our Christianity is our faith and we must stand still believing in him no matter worse
he circumstances are.
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All the gospels of Jesus Christ, our faith fathers and the apostles made a great emphasis on having faith and believing God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, let us fix our eyes on Jesus who can give us eternal life to whoever trust and believe competely on Him and no one else.