Jump Start # 903

Luke 23:42-43 “And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

I’m off to Texas this morning. I am speaking in a lectureship this evening. There are a total of four preachers that will be speaking this weekend. The theme is the cross of Christ. My lesson is, “Conversations from the cross.” It comes from this passage. It is about the Lord’s last conversation before His death. It is a conversation with the thief on the cross. Two dying men…both being executed by the government. One for crimes against the nation, the other, innocent. Death on the cross was not a pretty sight. It was a form of torture. Death was slow. It was not merciful. It was intended to be painful and horrific. It was not done behind closed doors, but out, often on busy roadways so all could see. Death on the cross, was a statement. It said, “Don’t mess with Rome.” You rebel and you will be crushed. It was a warning sign for others who may have been thinking of doing the same. The hand of Rome wins.

There on a hill that looked like a skull, very fitting, is the execution of three men. A crowd gathered to watch. Many taunted Jesus. They mocked Him. His dying moments were not peaceful and loving. No one holding His hand…no one wiping His brow…no one praying a prayer for Him. Instead, jabs, taunts, ridicule, and mockery. The crowd got into this. The soldiers executing Him got into this. Even the other executed criminals got into that. It was a hostile crowd against Jesus.

Then something happened. Before the sky grew dark. Before the earthquake. Before the graves opened and the dead came out. One of the criminals had a change of heart. He recognizes that Jesus is innocent. He stops talking about Jesus and begins talking to Jesus. He has a request. One sentence. Nine words. “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom.”

That seems odd for one dying man to say to another dying man. He didn’t ask Jesus to rescue him. He didn’t ask Jesus to get revenge. He simple asked to be remembered when Jesus comes in His kingdom. Obviously, he thought and believed that the cross was not the end for Jesus. Why would you tell someone who is dying to remember when he comes, unless you thought that after death he was still going to come. In that atmosphere of hatred, mocking and ridicule, there is a single flower of hope. There is a simple statement of faith. There is a glimpse of belief. Here is someone who gets it. Jesus had talked and preached about His kingdom. Parable after parable illustrated the kingdom of Heaven. Here was one who asked to be remembered when the kingdom comes. No one else had asked that. No one else had connected that Jesus was the king and that death would not stop Him. A ray of faith in a dark day of death.

Remember me. The book of Nehemiah ends with this prayer, “Remember me for good, O my God.” Remember me. King Hezekiah said a similar thing. When he was told to get his house in order because he was going to die, Hezekiah turned to the wall and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight.” Remember.

Those are remarkable statements. I think one of the first things most of us would say is, “God, please FORGET.” Forget all those dumb things I did. Please forget all the times I slept in church and didn’t pay attention. Please forget the times I gossiped and was part of the problem. Forget.

Another word that would be near the top of the list is: FORGIVE. Please God, forgive me for my failings. Forgive me for letting you down. Forgive.

Instead, this one thief, Nehemiah, and Hezekiah all ask the Lord to Remember. Remember me. Remember how I walked. Remember me for good.

A dying man asked the dying Jesus to remember Him. This wasn’t so Jesus would put his name on a plaque or put flowers on his grave or once a year celebrate his passing. He was thinking beyond that. He thought the dying Jesus would come in His kingdom. He thought the dying Jesus would have His kingdom. He thought the dying Jesus would come. Remembering meant that Jesus would include him in the kingdom. If Jesus could do this, couldn’t He stay the execution…overthrow Rome…save his life? He wasn’t asking for those things.

I find it interesting in a desperate final moment that this dying thief wants Jesus to remember him. Did he remember Jesus before this? Was he in the crowd when Jesus taught the parable of the prodigal son? If he was, that lesson didn’t do much good. Did he eat some of the bread that Jesus fed the multitudes with? Had he seen any of the miracles? Was he in the audience to hear the sermon on the mount? Remember me. Had he remembered Jesus?

Here is a thought for us. Remember. Remember me, Jesus. How will God remember you? How do you want God to remember you? Now is the time to do something about that. You have the opportunity to hear and learn the lessons from Jesus. You have the time to grow faith in the Lord. You have life, which means you can decide to walk with the Lord.

One of the most chilling statements in the Bible is when Jesus said, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” Remember what? Remember you? I don’t know you. I never knew you. This is because they never knew Him.

Jesus, remember me…

Roger