Steadfast, Immovable, Abounding

This is the fifth and final installment of my series of posts entitled: “180°: lives turned around by God’s grace.”

I must admit, I have saved my favorite for last. The story of the thief on the cross next to Jesus always touches me with wonder at our Lord’s amazing grace. But when I planned this post several weeks ago, it didn’t occur to me that it would be published right after Easter Sunday. From social media to sermons in pulpits, the Christian community has been flooded with mentions of this one unknown man whose last moments were shared with Jesus, our suffering Servant. Perhaps his story is so captivating to us because it mirrors our own—our hopeless state, God’s transforming love, and an eternal promise to which we cling.

Luke 23:39-43 says, “One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, ‘Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’ But the other answered, and rebuking him said, ‘Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he was saying, ‘Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!’ And He said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.’”

Remember, the thief had – physically speaking – been through everything Jesus had. He too was suffering the worst form of execution Roman civilization could devise. Yet his focus isn’t on his own pain. He sees past his own life and realizes that his death is not the most important thing that’s happening. When the other thief ridicules Jesus, daring Him to prove His identity, the first thief says, “‘And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’” This story isn’t about someone who “identified” with Jesus or felt sorry for Him because they were in the same boat. Instead, the amazing part about this story is that the thief recognized the difference between himself and the Man on the middle cross. Restoration doesn’t come when we think that Jesus is just like us—it comes when we realize that Jesus personifies everything we are not.

So many of Jesus’ followers believed in Him after seeing Him do something. But the thief confesses faith in Christ at the moment when it seems the world has won: Jesus is hanging on the cross, dying a slow death of suffocation and blood loss. He does not look like the conquering king so many had expected the Messiah to be. Yet in that moment, the thief still has perfect confidence that Jesus’ kingdom will come. While our faith can be prompted because we have witnessed God’s power, it shouldn’t end there. What happens to our faith when God seems to go silent? How do we respond when it appears the kingdom of this world is defeating the kingdom of heaven? As Jesus says to Thomas after His resurrection, “‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed’” (John 20:29). The thief doesn’t make his faith conditional on Jesus’ actions. He knows they are both about to die yet believes that there is so much more to the story.

It reminds me of what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego tell Nebuchadnezzar when he threatens to throw them in the fiery furnace: “‘If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up’” (Daniel 3:17-18). Even if He does not…just like the thief on the cross, these men believe in God’s power whether He chooses to display it or not. How many of us have that attitude towards God’s sovereignty?

There’s one more thing about this story I want to mention—the thief’s redemption proves that there are no prerequisites to grace. This man obviously hadn’t lived a life to be proud of. He was dying a horrific death of which he was self-admittedly worthy. Yet Jesus still promises him a place in paradise. As Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We know so little about this man who died at Jesus’ side. Yet the one thing we do know about him is the most important thing of all—he was bought by Christ’s blood. Jesus said He would see the thief in paradise. Will He see you?

This is how Love wins, every single time,

Climbing high upon a tree where someone else should die.

This is how Love heals, the deepest part of you,

Letting Himself bleed into the middle of your wounds.

This is what Love says, standing at the door,

You don’t have to be who you’ve been before.

Silenced by His voice, death can’t speak again.

This is how Love wins.

“Thief” by Steven Curtis Chapman