Luke 23 - 9.23.25
SCRIPTURE: Luke 23:39 – 43
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[d]”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
OBSERVATION
In this section of Scripture, we read about Jesus’ crucifiction. He is on the cross between two criminals. We don’t know the criminals exact crimes but it must have been severe to warrant a crucifiction. The word “criminals” in Greek (lēstēs) means a robber, bandit; rebel, revolutionary.
As one insults Jesus, the other criminal recognizes Jesus as the Messiah and comes to His defense. He doesn’t just acknowledge Jesus as King, but recognizes something even the disciples had trouble understanding – that Jesus would be King in heaven and not on earth. The disciples and religious rulers all thought that Jesus was talking about being King on earth. They couldn’t see or understand his ruling was in heaven and not on this earth.
I love how the criminal flat out tells the other criminal, “Don’t you fear God?” He’s basically chastising him! They know their death is imminent. The one criminal is not realizing or taking his death very serious. The other, knowing who Jesus is, asks that He “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus acknowledges his faith, his belief in God, by telling him “today you will be with me in paradise.”
This portion of scripture fascinates me. The one criminal is oblivious to what’s coming after he dies, yet the other one acknowledges Jesus as God. He has faith in Jesus! He knows Jesus will be King in His “Kingdom.” Then Jesus readily accepts him into heaven. God’s love transends all situations making salvation available to the criminial in his last moments on earth.
APPLICATION
We are all sinners but these criminals had done some terrible things – bad enough to be crucified - yet Jesus was willing to accept the one criminal because of his faith. This criminal, who is about to die, acknowledges his sin (his crimes), yet because of his faith in Jesus, he was received into heaven. What a wonderful example of God’s perfect love in the most unusual situation.
This scripture is a beacon of hope for any loved one that might have had the chance to declare their faith before passing. We can have hope for now but honestly won’t know until we’re in heaven if they made that last minute confession of faith and asked Christ into their life. Our hope is based on what Jesus did for the criminal on the cross.
Romans 10:9 says “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The criminal didn’t have the opportunity to witness Jesus coming back from the dead, but he did declared Jesus as Lord, believed in Him, and that’s what saved him.
This is not to say we can just party up our life and squeeze in a quick confession before we take our last breath thinking that will work. God knows our heart. His amazing grace doesn’t work that way either. Paul wrote about God’s grace and the subject of Christians who continue to live their life in sin in Romans 6:1-2 “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” So if your plan is to try and test God’s grace and forgiveness, I highly doubt it will work. Plus, why chance your eternity in that last moment? You never know if you’ll even have that last moment chance. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. If you have any doubts about where you stand before God, make your confession of faith today. Confess your sins and need for God’s salvation, believe in the salvation message, and give your life over to God. Then live a life that is pleasing to Him!
“For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” 2 Corinthians 6:2
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for sacrificing your life on the cross and providing salvation to those who believe. Help me Lord to never forget your precious sacrifice on the cross. Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Your love goes deep and beyond what I could ever fathom. Help me to remember that your rule, your Kingdom, is not on this earth but in heaven. You will rule there for eternity with all those who believe. I take comfort in knowing that you receive into heaven any and all, at any point in their life, who have committed any crime or sin, as long as they believe, confess, and repent. Your saving grace and love for us is beyond comprehension. Thank you for it all. In Jesus name, Amen!
- Mary Oberg
