Luke 23
Maybe he was scared. Earlier he had been bold, angry, even cocky as he joined the others in mocking this Messiah. Now the fear of facing God grips his heart as he asks, “Jesus, will you remember me?” I find this to be one of the most remarkable moments in the gospel records. Not his last-minute change of heart. Death bed conversions happen. Perhaps he was recalling Bible verses taught as a child or the conviction of a mother’s prayers were digging deeper than the big slivers in his back. With a dying man’s faith, he reaches out to Jesus…who welcomes him. This is what I find most remark able; the patient and unwavering dedication of Jesus to His ministry – people, and to his mission, reconciling us to God.
All during His hour of suffering we see this. He speaks to the women who mourn for him, offers forgiveness to His executioners, even arranges for the welfare of his mother. And now, having endured torture, betrayal, desertion, and injustice, He who had lived among sinners is about to die with them. Yet in this moment Jesus turns to his dying companion and declares, “This day you will be with me in paradise.” Not until He is able to snatch one more soul out of the fire does Jesus say, “It finished.”
Today is Palm Sunday when we typically welcome the coming King with pomp and celebration. And how we love Easter with its bright colored candy, flowers and fine clothes. But between those days was a blood soaked cross where we were made right with God. We cannot run to the empty tomb with fellow saints, until we kneel at the cross with fellow sinners.
All during His hour of suffering we see this. He speaks to the women who mourn for him, offers forgiveness to His executioners, even arranges for the welfare of his mother. And now, having endured torture, betrayal, desertion, and injustice, He who had lived among sinners is about to die with them. Yet in this moment Jesus turns to his dying companion and declares, “This day you will be with me in paradise.” Not until He is able to snatch one more soul out of the fire does Jesus say, “It finished.”
Today is Palm Sunday when we typically welcome the coming King with pomp and celebration. And how we love Easter with its bright colored candy, flowers and fine clothes. But between those days was a blood soaked cross where we were made right with God. We cannot run to the empty tomb with fellow saints, until we kneel at the cross with fellow sinners.
There is a green hill far away, without a city wall,
where the dear Lord was crucified; who died to save us all.
We may not know; we cannot tell what pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us He hung and suffered there.
There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate of heaven, and let us in.
Cecil Alexander
where the dear Lord was crucified; who died to save us all.
We may not know; we cannot tell what pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us He hung and suffered there.
There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin;
He only could unlock the gate of heaven, and let us in.
Cecil Alexander
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