Luke 23:33-43 (NRSV)
Read Luke 23:33-43 on biblegateway.com
Verse 33When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Verse 34Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. Verse 35And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" Verse 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, Verse 37and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" Verse 38There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews." Verse 39One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" Verse 40But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? Verse 41And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Verse 42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Verse 43He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Devotion
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Luke 23:42
Remembering is a big challenge for humans. And it is not only the aging who have trouble remembering. There are plenty of "twenty-something" folk who have difficulty remembering. The great age of communication we live in bombards us, 24/7, with information, images, noise and clutter. All of that is supposed to be "good" stuff, worthy of remembering. What about those things that are not-so-good, things we would rather forget, yet cannot due to our inability to let go of the past. Whatever the crime of the man on the cross next to Jesus, it did not seem to matter, to him or to Jesus, because he recognized the King. A quiet confidence in Christ's power to save him came from that condemned man. What joyful news for us! Because of Christ's death (and his choosing to not "save himself") we are saved and we are remembered.
Prayer
Jesus, we pray "remember us" when we are the ones who need to remember what you did for us on the cross. You do remember us. Yet you forget those not-so-good things we do and say, if we simply ask. Help us with quiet certain confidence, to live joyfully in the power of your forgiving grace. In Jesus' name. Amen