Jesus, Remember Me!

   

   Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 

   One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

   But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
   Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

   Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” 

                                                                                                (Luke 23:32-33, 39-43 NIV)

Whenever I hear or read this promise of paradise to the criminal, I cannot help but smile. It is such good news! The criminal hanging on a cross next to Jesus asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus comes into His Kingdom. The criminal knows that Jesus is about to die. They are both being executed. The criminal knows and acknowledges that he is a sinful man and deserves the punishment that he is receiving in this world. He will die to this world for his sins. Yet, his request of Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom testifies to his faith in the Kingdom of God where Jesus will reign is met with good news. Jesus comforts the criminal by assuring him that he will enter into paradise. What good news! He is forgiven his sins. Although; he is about to die, the criminal will live in the paradise of God for all eternity.

Thanks be to God! All who believe, who trust in him, will enter into paradise; into His Kingdom. It does not matter what you have done or what you have left undone. By faith, your sins are forgiven. The promised paradise is received and entered into by faith that we are forgiven our sins and welcomed in the home of our Father, through the sacrifice of Jesus for us, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God." (Eph 2:8)

God's Peace - Pr. J