Luke 23:32-43 New Living Translation (NLT)
32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” and the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.
35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”
40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Reflecting on Good Friday morning, this passage is interesting and causes us to think. Here we turn the spotlight on two criminals who were to be crucified with Jesus, one on his right and the other on his left. In the passage, all three of them had similar punishment but had three different profiles. As they were being crucified, we hear Jesus say, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”. Who is them? What powerful words! These are not the words that we expect to hear or to be said. Can you imagine!? What words to hear when you are about to be crucified for wrong you have done! Would you want to forgive your killers, the ones who are executing you, especially if you are innocent? Yet this was the stance that Jesus took and in the hearing of his fellow death mates. Jesus did not deserve to die in this way.

Notice, the two guys were being rightfully executed as confessed by one of the criminals. Look at verse 41 when he says “We are punished justly/ We deserve to die for our crimes”. These men were not innocent people; they did the crime and now were paying the brutal price for their actions. It is said that when you are about to die you reveal who you really are and so it was in the case of these two. Both were criminals, both were being crucified, one on the right of Jesus and the other on the left. Both heard Jesus’ words of forgiveness about his executioners. Both of them would have heard the rulers sneering at Jesus, saying: ““He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One”. They would have seen the soldiers mocking Him as they offered him wine vinegar to drink and mocking Him as King of the Jews. Both would have known there was a sign above Jesus’ head saying: “This is the King of the Jews”. Both wanted to be saved from meaninglessness.

But at this critical junction is where the similarities of their criminal profiles stop. The first thief who hung there beside Jesus joined with the mockers to hurl insults at Jesus- ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ Despite his spiteful way this thief was seeking salvation. He wanted to be spared this cruel death, he wanted his life to count. But he went about this the wrong way by joining in with the mockers in an hope to provoke Jesus right then and there to do his “greatest miracle” of changing their crucified destiny by coming down. However, notice the reaction of the other criminal who surprisingly made a 180° degree turn. This other criminal used his final moments to do some very courageous actions: Firstly, he rebuked his fellow criminal-“Don’t you fear God since you are under the same sentence”. He recognised not only the sovereignty of God but also feared God. In Proverbs 1:7 we are told that “the fear of God is the beginning of knowledge/wisdom”. So this fear of God brought him to reflect on his mortality and God’s own immortality. He now was not afraid to acknowledge God as being in charge of his life. Secondly, he acknowledged that he had committed crimes for which he deserved to die and was now being justly punished: “We are punished justly/ We deserve to die for our crimes”. He engaged in a cross confession of guilt and shame. Thirdly, he confidently declared Jesus’ innocence-‘this man has done nothing wrong’. The time on the cross gave him the chance to see Jesus for who he really was- innocent of all the charges, forgiving of all guilty or innocent. Fourthly after going through that catharsis and coming to that realization/revelation, this criminal now addressed Jesus and asked him to remember him “when you come into your kingdom”. Notice having seen Jesus clearly he spoke to when not if Jesus would come into his kingdom. This criminal too like his companion was seeking salvation but because he opened himself, he was able to see beyond his life into the Kingdom of Heaven. Perhaps when he reflected on all he had done and deserved and watched how Jesus forgave persons even though Jesus was innocent, it brought him to the mercy seat seeking redemption. He did not know when this would happen but he carried with him the certainty that Jesus would enter his kingdom.

What I find most interesting is Jesus’ words to the criminal: “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in the paradise”. By his very presence, Jesus brings the criminal to the point of seeing himself for what he really is, as he moves from confession to repentance. Jesus, while taking his last human breaths on the cross, is still in the salvation business. Notice Jesus at this point made the truth clear to the criminal:- ‘This crucifixion will not stop me reigning in my kingdom, I have the power over death and life. I have the power to bring you into eternal paradise and I will do so this very day. Do not let this temporary situation of the cross fool you’. In fact Jesus clarifies that the ‘when’ of his kingdom coming was not in the distant future but was just some final breaths away the minute he passed from this life. His destiny in the kingdom was secure and paradise waited. It is important to note that Jesus died first thus being able to welcome His new convert into the Heavenly Kingdom Paradise (John 19:33).

The question for us today, is which criminal are we like: “for all of us have sinned and come short of God’s glory” (Romans 3:23)? Are we hurling insults or have we seen our own transgressions and fall in front of the mercy seat seeking help in the time of our need? Choose this day, whom you will serve!

Prayer
Father we come in our unworthiness, asking for your help. Like the criminal we seek you and desire to come into your eternal Kingdom. May you continue to reveal yourself to us. We come boldly through the blood and name of your Son Jesus Christ that was shed for us so that eternal access would be opened. Amen