Lord, Remember Me (2)
As Jesus hung, dying on the cross, He forgave one of the criminals who was also dying, crucified beside Him (Lk 22:43). It is a staggering act of mercy. Not only was the criminal a sinner, but he was a robber of such magnitude that he received the death penalty, and he confessed that it was “just”, “the due reward of our deeds” (Lk 22:41). But Jesus forgave Him when no one else would.
Forgiveness is for all sinners
Not only was the criminal a robber, but he had initially joined in on the blasphemy, mocking, and taunting that those who crucified Jesus hurled at Him. Matthew and Mark report that “Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing” (Mt 27:44; Mk 15:32). Jesus forgave him even though he had initially rejected Jesus and joined His worst enemies.
Forgiveness is for all sinners
We don’t know what caused the thief on the cross to change his mind, to repent. We don’t know how he knew that Jesus was innocent and had “done nothing wrong” (Lk 23:41). We don’t know how he knew to call Jesus, “Lord” (Lk 23:42). But somehow, he changed and somehow he knew. And in an act of incredible faith and insight he then said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (Lk 23:42). On the cross, Jesus didn’t look like a “lord” of (having authority over) anything – yet he still sees and confesses Jesus as Lord. How was Jesus going to establish a kingdom when He was dying? Yet, the thief trusts that Jesus is still going to come into His kingdom. It is with this kind of faith that he asks Jesus, “…remember me…” (Lk 23:42). The other thief insisted that Jesus save “Yourself and us” from death on the cross right now (Lk 23:39). But this thief looked to the future, asking to be remembered in a favorable way by Jesus when He is ruling in His kingdom. He received an immediate, merciful response from Jesus: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Lk 23:43).
Forgiveness is for all sinners
Whoever will turn to Jesus in humble submission and faith can be saved. He is not offering deliverance from all suffering and earthly consequence of sin, but He assures us that we will be remembered – He will know us and we will know Him – in His eternal kingdom. No matter where we are in life or what we have done – we need to submit to Him now. dd