Rich in Mercy
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
What an unpleasant (and unnecessary) shock it will be to many when they find out someday that getting right with God had nothing to do with good behavior.
The Bible says repeatedly that salvation “doesn’t depend on human willpower or strenuous efforts, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:16). And if mercy is defined as extending favor to those who don’t deserve it, then we can cease striving and simply trust in God’s love.
Like our beloved brother, the thief on the cross.
I call him beloved, but he was certainly nothing of the sort, right up until just a few minutes before his ignoble death by execution—Roman crucifixion style.
The Bible calls both of them rebels and also robbers, a word that described a highway bandit: men who’d swoop down upon unsuspecting caravans of travelers in the middle of some stretch of desert, and take what they wanted and leave them all for dead.
And know this: these bad boys wouldn’t be hanging on a cross had they not murdered someone in the process.
Despicable human beings. Not the kind of guys you’d expect to find in heaven.
Rome, certainly, had no pity for low-life thugs who had zero regard for human life; and so they sentenced them to die, which happened to be on the same day as Jesus’ execution: one crucified on His left, and the other on His right. This fulfilled a prophecy from Isaiah:
I will give Him the honors of a victorious soldier, because He poured out His life to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels (53:12).
As Jesus was languishing on the cross interceding for rebels, those who stopped to gawk ruthlessly mocked Him. And Matthew adds this: ”In the same way, the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on him” (27:44).
Both thieves, mind you, the word is plural—I highlighted the s. This just makes our brother’s conversion all the more glorious.
Both of them were in a hardened, hostile state of unbelief—hurling insults at the sinless Son of God as He was paying for their sins.
And then a surprise.
One of them has a change of heart!
That’s exactly what the word repentance means: a change in your thinking that produces a change in your behavior.
No doubt these men are locals. They’ve heard the well-known Evangelist/Miracle Worker speak; they are familiar with the claims of the Gospel.
But they weren’t buying it.
Even as they hung there dying next to this Most Famous Celebrity who had made claims that would come in handy for men gasping for breath.
And then, for reasons only known to God, one of them had some kind of epiphany.
Perhaps it was something Jesus said or maybe His gracious tone, or was it the regal way in which He suffered; whatever it was, he saw the Light and turned toward it.
And that’s all it takes to escape unspeakable loss and gain inexplicable bliss.
Now, we’d never know he began to believe, but true faith cannot stay hidden for long.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, instead of mocking the Lord, he’s rebuking his comrade in arms.
As the Proverbs say: The wise man senses danger and takes cover; the fool just keeps going and pays a dear price (Proverbs 27:12).
So while the penitent thief takes cover, the fool just keeps blaspheming:
“You claim to be the Savior! Get busy, Man! Save yourself and us while you’re at it!”
The new Believer stands up for Christ.
“Don’t you fear God? We are getting what we deserve” (that’s confession of sin). “But this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 27:40-41).
The Holy Spirit had convicted his heart: Jesus was, indeed, who He claimed to be. And then came his humble request:
“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
That’s faith of the saving kind! He believes Jesus is the King and He’s coming again. And he simply wants to be included, which is something Jesus seems eager to do!
Today you will be in Paradise with Me.
Wow. That was fast.
The former criminal hit that proverbial jackpot—the passcode to the gates of heaven: He called on the name of the Lord.
Eternal life, forgiveness of sins, reconciliation to God in one fell swoop…
And for what? I mean, think about it.
He’s wasted his whole life.
He shamed his parents and broke their hearts. He wreaked havoc wherever He went.
He’s hurt countless of innocent people with his lying and conniving ways.
And five minutes earlier, he was rotten to the core and spewing forth blasphemies.
Then in a twinkling of an eye, he sees the truth and wants to make a U-turn.
No promises made.
No vows taken.
No good deeds wrought.
No tears (none that we read about anyway).
No nothing.
Just a simple trust that Jesus is Lord and He’s able to save a wretch like him.
And that’s enough.
The mercy of God brings such sweet assurance to our souls.
Good Friday is all about that mercy of God and how easy it is to obtain it.
Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. and a refuge in the day of my distress (Ephesians 2:3-5).
