Someone once told me, “I just don't get what your church teaches about forgiveness. It makes it sound like you can just live a terrible life and then right before you die, repent and then you're in.” That's a pretty crass way of putting it but yes, that's the gist of it. That's because it's not us suddenly turning around our lives at the last hour. It's Christ's grace and mercy penetrating sinful hearts and saving us by His forgiveness. That's what happens when Jesus saves the thief on the cross. He probably didn't do much good in his life; he probably didn't contribute much to society but rather worked against it. He was a robber and in the last moments of his life, he learned who Jesus was and Jesus saved Him. That's what Jesus does by hanging on that cross. He saves sinners. Sinners who don't have a hope or a prayer other than that Jesus smiles upon them and says that His being on the cross is for them, too.
The thief that is saved bothers us. It seems too easy. It seems like there has to be some price. It seems like if that miserable and worthless man should get to paradise, he's got to do SOMETHING. But all he does is point out what a rotten guys he and the other thief are. How they're getting what they deserve. And how Jesus doesn't deserve anything that He's suffering. And then there is the prayer for mercy, for Jesus to remember this poor thief who knows he's only getting what he deserves. “Jesus, remember me.” He doesn't even say he's sorry. He just pleads for Jesus not to forget him. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we can learn a lot about being a Christian from this thief on the cross. If it's about us, then we ought to talk about what we deserve: punishment and death and hell. But when it's about Jesus, we confess that He is perfect and holy. And yet, the thief knows that this innocent Jesus is the One who can save him. On the cross, Jesus doesn't deserve what the thieves are getting. Yet He suffers along with them because that's why He came: to suffer what thieves deserve. To suffer what you and I deserve. And it's that suffering for us that saves us. Because He suffers like the thief, and for the thief, He can say to the thief, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
It's a good prayer, “Lord, remember me.” And how could He forget you? He made you His own when you were born from above by water and the Spirit at the font. Jesus remembers you. He has issued you a divine pardon from your sins and eternal death by pronouncing Absolution upon you. He doesn't' forget you. He can't forget Himself and that means He must remember you when you are filled with His body and blood eaten and drunk for that same forgiveness the thief received. Lord, remember us. Never fear. Now that Jesus has gone the way of the cross and risen again, the only thing He will forget about you is your sins. You, He remembers because you have His name and seal upon you. And the same Lord whose word spoke the thief into paradise speaks you into eternal life too. By water, word, body and blood, you have the Lord's word that on the day you die you too will be in paradise with the Lord who was on the cross for thieves and for you. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
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