The Second Time Jesus Spoke from the Cross

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

His life is slipping away. Earth is receding, and eternity is beginning to loom large. It’s right on the horizon. He had not planned on this, and he had not prepared for it either.

As a Jew, he’d always believed in God, but it had never made any difference to his life. Now he sees with awesome clarity that before the day is done, he will stand in the presence of the God he is cursing and give an account for his life.

As these thoughts run through his mind, he hears the voice of his friend, still cursing and hurling abuse at Jesus, and he says, “Do you not fear God?” Then he says to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus says to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (23:40, 42, 43).

A man who is right on the brink of eternal destruction is given full access to the joys and privileges of eternal life with Christ. There was hope for this man, and so there is hope for you, and for every person you will ever meet.

At what points do you most relate to this man on the cross? What would keep you from doing what this man did?