Remember Me

Tombstones, memorials, photo albums, history books; we all want to be remembered when the time comes and we die. This is all looking backwards on where we are leaving. Many people live their entire lives focused on the rearview mirror. The problem with this is that we end up at the end of our journey having never considered where we were going.

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Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Luke 23:42-43

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The thief on the cross wanted to be remembered as well. However, his focus was not on being remembered by those he was leaving behind, but by the one who would determine where he was going. At the very end of his life he knew it was important to take care of his eternal future. He almost waited too late!

"Remember me" tells us that he deemed Jesus as someone worth to be remembered by. Though he had just really met Jesus, he knew that there was something different about Jesus. We know from a previous statement that he believed Jesus was innocent (v. 41). Somehow, he realized that Jesus was dying a sacrificial death and he chose in that moment that he wanted Jesus's sacrifice to be for him as well.

"When you come into your kingdom" tells us that he did not simply believe Jesus was dying an innocent man, but that he was a "King" as well. There is only one king who can reign after dying and that is the King of Kings. His statement tells us that he not only believed that Jesus was innocent, but that he was God as well. His statement was a profession of faith that Jesus was indeed that "Lamb of God" that was actively taking away the sins of the world. This thief wanted his sins included in those that were being taken away.

All this is nice, but it is meaningless without the response of Jesus. Jesus responded to the thief, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise". Jesus began by assuring him that what he was about to say was true. Then he promised that on that very day the thief would be with him in Paradise. The word "today" is important because death by Roman crucifixion could take days. This is why the Jews had the Roman soldiers break the legs of the thieves on the cross; so that they would die before the Sabbath began. The word "Paradise" is a euphemism for Heaven. The thief was not just Jesus in death, but he would be joining Him in Heaven. It is the promise of all who place their trust in Jesus as the Savior of their souls.

Jesus thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Thank you that you do not forget those who call upon your name. We are so grateful for the peace, comfort, and security that comes from your faithfulness. "Great is thy faithfulness!"