The gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion record seven things that he said whilst hanging on the cross. The second is found in Luke 23:43 where we read that Jesus said, ‘Today, you will be with me in paradise.’
His words were in response to a request by a criminal who was guilty of the crimes that he was being justly punished for that day. But despite recognising both his guilt and Jesus’ innocence, the man nonetheless asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom. That he should ask to be treated with such undeserved kindness from the sinless son of God is, in its self, remarkable, but the faith of this now penitent thief is all the more astonishing when one considers that the one he is asking for help, is hanging on a cross and about to die too.
But to trust God in situations of apparent hopelessness, is what genuine faith is all about. And when all hope seems lost, it is by believing that God is guaranteed to keep his promises that hope is actually kept alive. Which is why the penitent thief, despite his dire circumstances, was able to make his famous request – and why Jesus was able to give his famous reply. Because Jesus saw in the thief somebody who, by faith, trusted the power of God despite seeing, what to unspiritual eyes, was nothing but weakness, somebody who saw victory where most saw only defeat, and somebody who understood the mysterious paradox of Good Friday.
That on occasions at least, the reasons why bad things happen to good people, is so that good things can happen to bad people. For isn’t that what happened on that first Good Friday – when the worst possible thing, crucifixion, happened to the best possible person, Jesus, so that the best possible things, salvation, can happen to the worst possible people.
People, that is, not only like the penitent second thief, but people like us as well.
Because make no mistake, just as it was possible for that guilty criminal to be forgiven, so it is possible for you and me to be forgiven too. And just as it was possible, even in the last hours of his life for lifelong sinner to start looking forward to being with Jesus in paradise, so it is never too late for any one of us to put our trust in Christ and so start anticipating an eternity in heaven as well.
But there is more that we can learn from the penitent thief. Firstly, we need to realise that, like the one who had no opportunity to clean up his act, our place in heaven can never be earnt. Rather than relying on our own meagre good works, we must instead throw ourselves on the mercy of a gracious God who promises to forgive all those who, acknowledging their sin, turn to him for help. And secondly, we must not imagine that our becoming a Christian will necessarily improve our current situation. On the contrary, things may just get steadily worse – as they did for the penitent thief who, rather than receiving a last-minute reprieve, subsequently had his death hastened when Roman soldiers broke his legs.
Even so, putting our faith in the promise keeping God of the Bible will undoubtedly do us good. For along with it giving us absolute assurance that our sins really have been forgiven, it will also give us great cause to hope that a day really is coming when we will experience, with the penitent thief, what no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined. For we will discover then what God has prepared for those who love him, a place where every tear will be wiped away and death will be no more. [2 Corinthians 2:9; Revelation 21:4]
Related blogs:
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 1 – ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’, click here.
To read ‘What becomes of the broken hearted – sorrowful yet always rejoicing on Palm Sunday’, click here
To read ‘All’s Well that Ends Well’, click here
To read ‘T.S. Eliot, Jesus and the Paradox of the Christian Life’, click here
To read “Luther and the global pandemic – on becoming a theologian of the cross”, click here
To read “Suffering- A Personal View”, click here.
To read “Why do bad things happen to good people – a tentative suggestion”, click here
To read ‘Monsters’, click here
Some musings 