Jump Start # 82

Luke 23:42 “And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You  come in Your kingdom!”

  The occasion for these words is very sad. It is a death scene. Three men are being executed by the state. Two are criminals and the other is our Jesus. Two deserve this death, our Jesus is innocent. The picture about the cross is not pleasant. A few disciples, mostly women are standing at a distance watching. Soldiers and Jewish mobs are shouting and taunting Jesus. The Gospels do not record anyone saying a prayer nor offering any kind words to Jesus. No one wipes His brow. No one strokes His hand. He dies with people staring at Him, but without any outward compassion or acts of kindness. It seems that the words of our passage today are the only ones spoken to Jesus that are not razor sharp and cutting.

  These words come from one of the two thieves. He has had a change of heart. At first, he was insulting Jesus along with his fellow companion in crime. But now after a few hours he sees something in Jesus. Our Jesus is not shouting back. He is not offering insults. But neither is He dying in fear. Just as no one ever lived like Jesus, no one ever died like Jesus. I have often wondered if Jesus actually took the spot that was for Barabbas. Could these two criminals have been part of his gang? Was Rome going to do away with all of them this day but instead, Jesus is now where their leader was supposed to be? Makes you wonder.

  The words of this penitent thief are very revealing. First, he says Jesus remember me. Understand both men are moments from death. By saying this, he must have understood that death is not the end of the line. There is something beyond death, and that after death we remember. Secondly, he expected Jesus to come in His kingdom, even though Jesus was dying. His death would not stop him from coming. Interesting. He probably had an earthly concept of the kingdom as even the disciples did at that time. It took a while for them to realize that the kingdom was spiritual and it was salvation in Jesus Christ.

  Looking at this dying man’s request, what was he wanting? Remember me when you come in your kingdom…Did he think Jesus would bring him back with him or possibly find a place for him in the coming kingdom? It’s hard to grasp exactly what he was wanting other than he wanted to be with Jesus in the future. That is something we all want. It does little good to live in ease and pleasure only to be lost eternally. Jesus said earlier, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” What is the profit in such cases? There is none.

  Some ask, how come this man wasn’t baptized? Sometimes this is asked because we look for a loophole so we don’t have to be baptized. Jesus wants us to (Mk 16:16). The answer is quite simple. Jesus hadn’t died yet. He was dying, but He was still alive. The new law didn’t go into force until Jesus died and rose again. Hebrews talks about a will. For a will to take effect, someone has to die. After the resurrection of Jesus, people wanting to be saved were baptized (Acts 2:38), there are no exceptions in the Biblical record.

  Nehemiah prayed something similar to this dying thief. The last verse says, “Remember me, O my God, for good” (13:31). Four times in that last chapter Nehemiah says, “remember me.” How will God remember you? Like Abraham, as a friend? Like David, as one who sought the heart of God? Like Nehemiah, for the good done? Some want God to forget, but this thief wanted Jesus to remember him. I like that. I like to remember dear friends. I like to think that Jesus remembers me. How about you?

Roger