Good Friday Message for 2010 (Luke 23:32-43)

The second criminal that was heard to speak from a nearby cross said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (v.42).

This of course was a huge contrast to the first criminal who was heard busily deriding Jesus. What caused this second man to say … “Jesus, remember me…”? What led up to him being able to say these words to Jesus? Here was someone who was expressing, in the clearest terms, confidence and trust in the person of Jesus. In this man on the adjoining cross, we see someone who was thoroughly regretful for the life he had lived, and for the actions he had taken.

But what had made such a difference in him? Well, let’s think about Jesus, and what he had said from the cross. In the midst of his own personal suffering, and the mockery and torture being inflicted upon him by the religious leaders, Roman authorities and the crowd, Jesus was able to say (in v.34), “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing”. Who of us could have said this?

Who of us, in this situation of innocent suffering, treacherous betrayal and blatant rejection, could have said “Father, forgive them…” about those who had initiated such injustice? But indeed Jesus did just that! This was such a remarkable statement!

It wasn’t as if Jesus’ opponents were unaware of the brutality they were inflicting, they just didn’t recognise who they were actually doing it too – they were brutalising God! Jesus’ pain was God’s pain too! Oh God’s outrageous love for his creation … that he could respond to this scene with the same level of mercy that brought Jesus to earth in the first place!

In these sincere words, Jesus showed himself to truly be the Son of God, God in human flesh, representing so impactingly God’s heart of mercy, even for those so destructively working against God in their lives. This criminal from the nearby cross heard this, and understood these words to have come from a Divine source. Even in this his most darkest hour, this dying man would have to reach out, and just hope it wouldn’t be too late to connect with this Jesus.

In the greatest irony of all, Jesus’ innocent death on a cross, despite being such a horrible injustice, was going to bring salvation to the world. Jesus was going to endure the worst humanity could conjure up, and then transform it into the path of forgiveness, even for those who put him there. This is the depth of God’s gift to us. In a sense, Jesus takes upon himself our worst, and offers us forgiveness in return. This is the power of the cross we consider today.

Jesus was tempted again here (v.35), just as he had been some three years earlier by the “devil” in the wilderness, to divert from God’s plan – this time by the so-called “leaders”. But Jesus had determined through prayer in the ‘Garden of Gethsemane’ to take the way of the cross – if this was what was needed to activate God’s plan of salvation. Some in the crowd had their eyes and ears firmly closed and refused to recognise the significance of what was happening this day. One particular person however, saw and heard all he needed to – to respond, to repent, and to be able to experience a total change in his future prospects.

From where this poor criminal hung, how good it would be to hear Jesus’ response that day! He probably had feelings of having wasted his life, and felt such a sense of pain at the desperation that had led him to break the law and finish up here like this (in such misery). And then to hear the words back from Jesus … “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (v.43)! This is such a huge turnaround!!

This man had really only simply asked to be remembered whenever it was that Jesus would reign in the future. He would not have had much idea about the detail of what he was asking for, where or when this would be; all he knew was that he believed in Jesus (which of course is the most important thing anyway). But Jesus surpassed this simple request and promised him instantaneous peace and joy in God’s intimate presence. Today his suffering would end, and his experience of “paradise” would begin. This broken person, pain-ridden, gasping for air and dying, could only cry for pardon; and pardon he immediately received – and a whole lot more with it!

So, where are we in this scene? Are we in the crowd … not really seeing, hearing or understanding, but rather just shouting “Crucify him, crucify him”? Do we continue to deride Jesus in our unbelief? Or are we drawing close … understanding our culpability and our need, reaching out to the one who is literally dying to save us?

Will we gain that sense of living in God’s paradise even here and now … because we have come to know Jesus, and accepted him as our Saviour? For in this way we will be liberated from the hopeless task of trying to make everything right by ourselves, and freely enter new life in the Spirit of God.