A LAST MINUTE FAVOR

There is so much packed into this brief story in Luke 23: 

39 One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on [Jesus]. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”

40 But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment? 41 We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”

43 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Imagine being a condemned criminal hanging on a cross, a few painful hours away from certain death, and looking at the guy nailed to the cross next to you, also condemned and dying, and saying, “I have a favor to ask once this is all over”! 

Something VERY unusual must be going through your mind … and heart.

From this very brief snippet of the interaction between Jesus and the two thieves, it is clear the second thief knew some things about Jesus. (Had he been among the crowds listening to Jesus’ preaching? Perhaps he was there picking people’s pockets!).

Here are 6 things the second thief knew about the Man hanging on the cross next to him:

1. He knew His name was Jesus – Yeshua – “Yahweh Saves”
2. He knew Jesus was innocent – in contrast to his own guilt. This was a confession of sorts – agreeing with God about his sinfulness.
3. He knew Jesus was some sort of King – He brought up Jesus’ "kingdom".
4. He believed Jesus would somehow – even at this late hour - come into His own Kingdom. 
5. He had come to hope and believe that Jesus had Power – Why else would you ask him for a favor to follow the execution?
6. He had come to conclude that God was good and MIGHT actually love him enough to want him in His presence!

Isn't it interesting that the second thief understood that Jesus had power, but may not use it to rescue them all from the crosses in that moment (like the first thief mockingly suggested)? He understood it to be a power that extended far beyond a last minute physical rescue. 

In my past life I was a high school English teacher. Teaching Shakespeare was one of my greatest joys. And my greatest terror. Much of the world's admiration for Shakespeare came from the fact that he was equally adept at writing tragedies as he was at comedies. 

In a tragedy, the end of the play is all death and destruction. The annihilation of all hope. 

In a comedy, the story first arcs toward that same conclusion (absolute disaster and despair) and then – miraculously – the best of all possible outcomes dawns, leaving the happiest of happy endings. 

On the cross, Jesus took what looked like a surefire tragedy and turned it into a divine comedy, the happiest of all happy endings. 

At least for the thief – and anyone else who recognizes Him for who He is. 

Both thieves knew that Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, the Savior. 

One believed it ... and woke up in paradise.