Luke 23:33-43 • 1 John 1:8-9
The Rev. Dr. Israel Ahimbisibwe
At the cross on Calvary, Jesus suffered the most horrible and painful death ever devised by sinful people. Added to this shame and pain was the sarcasm and mockery that He received from the people who stood by, the leaders who planned the death, the soldiers who executed the death, and one of the criminals who was hanged with Him.
Did Jesus know that all this would happen? Of course He did.
But in humility and humbleness, Jesus was determined to go through this because he knew that death on a rugged tree was the perfect way to reconcile sinners with God.
He even did the most wonderful thing – he extended forgiveness to all his enemies in His statement, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
But it turned out that all the irony about Jesus became the truth.
Was Jesus “King of the Jews”? Yes, he was. First for the Jews, and second for non-Jews in the rest of the world.
Could he save? Yes. Jesus did not only save but promised paradise, a place of new creation and blessing. And since salvation and paradise are the two most important aspects of His death, what lessons do we take home? What do we learn and emulate?
At the cross of Jesus we have the means of personal self-acknowledgement that we are sinners. One of the criminals said, “We indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds…Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.” In this statement, the man acknowledges and accepts that he did criminal things but begs Jesus to forgive and remeber him in the kingdom of those who will be forgiven.
The man took personal responsibility for his crimes.
At the cross of Jesus, all of us should come not with half-truths, not in denial, not with excuses (like, I think people do not like me, or my children or my spouse or my boss do not like me), and not to accuse someone else. It is where one should say: “Forgive me, Jesus, for my contribution to this problem. Forgive me my pride, forgive me my selfishness, forgive me my stubbornness, forgive me my indifference, forgive me my ingorance when I have assumed that I know when in actuality I do not know.
Saint John, faithful servant of Jesus, wrote this: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” That is paradise.