What is the atmosphere when you are in that place where they know your name, they know your quirks, they know how you aced Jr. High but skidded to a halt your senior year - taking Senior slide a little too seriously. They know you. And they love you just the same.
What’s it like to be home? The couch is familiar, your room still blazoned with those old posters up on the wall. Mom and Dad are lingering in the living room, just waiting for you to rouse from your bed, hair all tousled from slumber.
Everything is peaceful; there is a sense of acceptance in every room of the house. The dog wags its tail when you slip outside. You are home - the food is what you remember. The pies, the brownies, the bowls of popcorn when you settle into a good movie or family game night. Your heart is at peace and you belong here. They don’t bug you when you are at home - they just love on you.
Today we are considering the second set of Jesus’ words from the cross; those words that passed over the dusty tongue of our Savior. Those words spoken to a criminal are also spoken to us: “today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). Those words tell us, “welcome home.”
Let’s set the context of these words. They fall off the lips of Jesus in response to a foul criminal’s request. Two criminals were getting their just rewards and Luke records that one of these criminals, as he was slowly losing energy and life, got rather harsh with Jesus: “One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ ” (Luke 23:39).
How ironic, that is what Jesus was doing - saving them! This criminal does a great representation of every human heart toward God. He would [we would] rather forget our crimes and works of evil. We would rather point out something in God that distracts the shaming words of others. We are defensive in our posture and hoping that all our evils could simply be overlooked. But the cross is his end and the cross is what our end should be.
Our evil may not humanly compare to his. His criminal record became so serious that it tore families apart and became a death sentence for him. But is our record clean? Is our record free of guilt? Is our record even close to right?
Our criminal nature may not seem as severe, but it daily assaults the holiness of God. Our perverted justice tears down the kingdom of God’s goodness and chides the name of others. We oppose correction and hide our intolerance. But like the criminal, naked before Jerusalem’s gates, exposed for mockery - so our records of infractions against the Holy God would cause such shame and embarrassment that we might wish for a painless, quick end.
There is another form that rises from a sinful heart, which becomes aware of its own guilt. THat heart recognizes the shame; that heart knows the offenses that are calloused on their record, and cause bitterness and pain. That heart has bent under the Holy Spirit’s persuasion and asked for help: “But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’” (Luke 23:40-41)
Condemnation - even a criminal can dismiss how corrupt is his soul. One condemned sinner would rather rail on Jesus. The other was cut to the heart; he admitted his real need and asked for help. The drama of the two criminals is striking and pertinent. They are both guilty but the one would rather deflect the abuse and derision he deserves, and in his dying words, point to Jesus and mock him.
The one criminal is still not willing to see that the sentence he is experiencing - that it is deserved. Many of us, the best of us, the worst of us, are not willing to see that this bitter end (Sheol - death - hell - the grave) is deserved. We can force that stubborn resistance to its brink and it brings us no closer to a Savior who is on the cross to Save us. The criminal, in his mocking, even points out a grand truth: “Save us.” That is why Jesus is there. But his derisions only yield a momentary relief from the justice he has earned.
The second criminal cries out, “And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me [Lord] when you come into your kingdom.’” (Luke 23:42). His plea for Jesus to remember him is personal. It asks a dramatic point: remember and care for me! He did not ask that Jesus forgive him or pardon him - although that is what Jesus was earning for him. His words made a simple plea: “have a remembrance of me and care for me.”
This is personal - the criminal makes a personal plea. What does he have to lose? He is already suffering, his end is already near, and he has already been slurred and defamed by his peers. But the reward that he deigns to pry open with his request is grand: “is it possible that you, Lord, could care for me, and remember me?” This is the heart of every sinner, who becomes sure of their sin and dreadfully sorry for the wrong they have done. There is simple resolution and acceptance - “I’m guilty - I deserve nothing - but I sense the passion of this Jesus is real, is beneficial, is maybe even for me.”
“And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”(Luke 23:43). There is no hesitation. Jesus did not ask for scorecards or for SAT scores; no need for references, it has nothing to do with party affiliations. Jesus’ response comes from an eternal longing to be with this criminal, to wash his guilt away. Jesus longs to show that God’s way is about total and free forgiveness.
This man has recognized the state of his own soul - it’s sunk; he is lost! He recognized, by the Spirit’s conviction, that he was destined for hell without Jesus’ saving help. But Jesus had no desire to let him linger in the balance of doubt and fear.“ ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’”(Luke 23:43). Jesus gives him more than he could ever hope for.
“You will be with me!” - personal; heaven is personal. Heaven is forever with God in a distinct and intimate connection with our Creator who invites us to call Him, Father. This is not meant to be an awkward, uncomfortable feeling you have when you first meet a stranger and seemingly have nothing to talk about. This will be pleasant and filled with soul-pounding joy.
What will this paradise be like?
in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:10-11)
The grave will be left behind. Death no longer nags at us. Corruption is erased. We will be home, comfortable, at ease with God.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:10-11).
In Paradise there will be fullness of joy. The English word is “satiety.” That means a condition of being full or gratified beyond the point of satisfaction. God has prepared a place for us, His children, where our needs will be fulfilled but also our deepest desires will be satisfied beyond all expectations. That will happen when we can comfortably be at home, in His presence. The act of coming home is to be fully met, when we come home to be with Him forever.
Blessings, Children of the Heavenly Father!
