PROMISE MAKER
TEXT: One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, ”.Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, ”Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And He said to him, ”Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23.39-43)
Even on the cross, Jesus got no peace from being abused. Both of the men He was dying with yelled at Him (see Matthew 27.44). But then one man had a change of heart. “Stop that,” he says to the other man. “We deserve what’s happening to us, but this Man hasn’t done anything wrong.” I’m not sure how he figured that out — had he met Jesus before, back in the days when both of them were free? Or was he just judging based on Jesus’ behavior on the cross?
Whatever it was, he now looks at Jesus and says, “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” I have no idea whether he actually believed in Jesus’ kingdom, or whether he thought he was humoring a crazy man pretending to believe in order to comfort Him. But it doesn’t matter, because Jesus took His words very seriously: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”
What a gift for Jesus to give a dying man-and one who had no reason to expect God’s mercy! But because of Jesus, he would receive it. This man would be with Him in paradise, forgiven, saved, and full of joy-walking with Jesus in His triumph. Because Jesus was not returning home by Himself-He brought at least one man along with Him, the firstfruits of His victory over death and the devil. This man would be the first of countless others Jesus is bringing home to His Father as the fruit of His death and resurrection. And you and I will be among them, too.
WE PRAY: Dear Savior, bring me home to You also, when the time is right. Amen.
——————– Reflection Questions
• Do you think the man had met Jesus before? If so, when?
• What might have impressed him about Jesus’ words and actions on the cross?
• What do you look forward to the most, about the day Jesus brings you home to Him?
Responses