On my motorcycle ride over and back to my church this morning, the words of Charles Wesley’s hymn we sang last Sunday kept going over and over in my mind, “Made like Him, like Him we rise, Christ has opened paradise.” It blessed me so much I sang it over and over in the wind! Turned my thoughts to Luke 23 where we read the story of the two thieves crucified with Jesus.
Both were criminals. Their lives were lived in sin, far from the ways of God. They only sought their own interests. Probably never even considered what He wanted for them, how He would have wanted them to live. Finally they were arrested, then forced up that hill with Jesus to die in the most horrible way imaginable. Such a sad end to their lives!
They looked and saw the Man crucified in between. Above His head it said He was the King of the Jews. But the crowds there were mocking Him. Still, He prayed, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” Even the two criminals mocked at first. But then one, no doubt because of what he saw in Jesus’ demeanor and behavior, somehow knew this Man wasn’t guilty as they were. He rebuked his compatriot, saying they indeed deserved their fate, but this Man had done nothing wrong.
Then, amazingly, this criminal spoke to Jesus, and he “dared” to ask Him something he in no way deserved. He said, “Lord,” (which to me, indicates he perceived that Jesus was the Lord, was divine, he recognized Jesus’ Lordship), “Remember me when you come in your Kingdom.” That’s such an amazing thing! Amazing that he saw Jesus was Lord, was King. Amazing that he came to believe, in spite of the scene there, that Jesus would enter into His Kingdom someday and would reign (after all, He was dying on a cross! What Kingdom? How could He reign someday?!) and most amazing of all, that this criminal would presume, would dare, to ask the Lord to remember him? Why should He?!
Years ago, I heard an evangelist I highly admired, Arthur Blessitt, who’d carried a cross around the world, tell how he crossed the African continent with that cross, and a small, poverty-stricken African boy drew near one time and asked him, “Sir, would you remember my name?” Arthur said it so touched his heart. The boy was a nobody, unimportant to anyone in this world, with seemingly nothing to offer anyone that would make him memorable. But he just wanted this American to remember him, since nobody else would.
I think of that when I read about the thief. He said, “Lord, remember me.” I love Tommy Walker’s song, “He knows my name.” Have you heard it? Jesus remembers our names. We’re important to Him! We’re engraved upon His hands! (see Isaiah 49:16)
Anyway, this thief just wanted Jesus to remember him. I wonder if he thought saying that would get him into a heavenly Kingdom or an earthly Messianic kingdom or what? I wonder if he just thought he was asking to be remembered, not given entrance into any kingdom at all? Who knows? We can only conjecture.
But Jesus didn’t just say He’d remember this man! He said, “Today, you’ll be with me in paradise!” “Christ has opened paradise!!” Can you imagine how hearing those words must have affected that thief? His pain would continue for hours yet, because the Romans would have to break his legs to finally kill him. But somehow, I just gotta believe that what Jesus said to him changed everything that day, don’t you? He suddenly had hope beyond anything he’d ever imagined! He knew there was a future, a recompense he didn’t deserve!
I could go on and on about this – the grace of God that was demonstrated there, the unmerited favor, the mustard seed of faith that man expressed, how salvation isn’t earned, we just have to believe for it, etc., etc.
But the bottom line is this; Christ has opened paradise, and that’s the greatest story demonstrating how it was opened that I know of. It reminded me of a two-part song by Don Francisco from years ago. I so love this song, which is about the thief on the cross. I found it on YouTube, and want to share it here. I hope you’ll listen to the two parts. It brings tears to my eyes.
Happy Easter all over again, folks! “Christ has opened paradise!” Alleluia!
The songs are here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q22c-PKMg0