(Click HERE to LISTEN to this message)
Mark Wheeler
Luke 23:43
Seven Last (pre-crucifixion) Words of Christ: “TRUTH”
03/10/2019
Lidgerwood Presbyterian Church
Through the Written Word,
And the spoken word,
May we know Your Living Word,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Father forgive them for they do not KNOW what they are doing.
That was last week’s “word” from our Lord. And we talked about how Christ’s prayer for God’s grace might also be our prayer when we are offended or injured or betrayed – respond with the possibility that perhaps the offending party just “did not know”. They should have known, but maybe they didn’t know. That possibility opens our doors for forgiveness to be offered as well.
Today’s “word” is TRUTH.
How do we know what’s true? In John’s Gospel, during the trial just before the crucifixion, Pilate is interrogating Jesus and Jesus says, “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me”; and Pilate bounces right back with, “What is truth?” (John 18:37-38).
A day earlier, while Jesus and His disciples were preparing to eat in that famous Upper Room, Jesus told His disciples, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me….” (John 14:6).
Sometimes what is true is easy to see. Sometimes it can be very difficult – because of conflicting evidence, because of differing backgrounds and opinions, because of shifted perspectives due to pains and hurts.
Remember the last time you were in so much pain that the only thing you could see was the pain itself – physical pain from a fall or an accident, or from violence or age; emotional pain from a loved one’s betrayal or neglect; fearful pain from financial threats or debts.
When we’re in pain – that is often the only truth we can know! The injury or sadness occupies every cubic measurement of our minds and hearts. Right? Who here relates to what I’m saying? But, from an objective standpoint we can look in and know that there is more truth than merely the hurt and pain. It is easy to focus on the hardships and forget all the good things that surround us, the people who care for us, the big and small ways we are loved every day. All of that can be overshadowed when we’re in pain, but that does not make it any less true!
For this series, because Lent is a season of personal reflection and devotion, I am starting each message with a couple questions to set the stage, questions for you to ponder, and maybe to answer at the close of the message:
- Who makes you feel better when you are sad? How do they do that?
- How do you imagine Paradise? What is Paradise like in your mind?
Today’s reading comes from Luke 23:43, Jesus is already on the cross, having endured the pains of betrayal, a late-night arrest, an all-night, illegal trial, a predicted denial, and a conviction resulting in being whipped with a scourge and forced to carry His cross to the place of crucifixion where He was nailed and hung to die.
Hear the Word of our Lord …. —-
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The Gospel According to Luke tells us that Jesus was not crucified alone. There were two others, hung on crosses on either side of Jesus. And one of them asks of Jesus, “Remember me when you come into Your Kingdom.” And Jesus gives a nearly unbelievable response: “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
I wonder if Jesus knew how unbelievable this response would sound. Is that why He started it by assuring the thief next to him that He really meant it? Truly I tell you! KJV says, Verily! “Hear this TRUTH! Today we’ll be together in Paradise!”
All of this pain you are in the middle of – public scrutiny and humiliation, sin and guilt, desecrating the family name, leaving your children fatherless, your wife widowed and in poverty – all of this is not everything that is real! It is absolutely intense. “Overwhelming” is not a big enough word. “All-consuming” barely scratches the surface.
It would be understandable if Jesus and the man next to Him felt like their pain was the only certainty, the truly only real thing in that moment. Right? It would have been understandable if they had trouble seeing anything beyond the horror of the immediate situation they were in.
What was this nameless criminal being justly crucified next to Jesus thinking? What did he expect? “Remember me in your Kingdom.” Was he claiming the hope from Psalm 25 we read in our Call to Worship? “Guide me in Your TRUTH and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my (only) hope is in You all day long. Remember, Lord, Your great mercy and love, for they are from [everlasting to everlasting].”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
I would guess that this man knew something about Jesus, had heard stories of His healing, His walking on water, His turning water into wine, maybe His raising Lazarus, or the centurion’s daughter, from death. Seemingly impossible things were very real in this Jesus’ hands. Was he hoping for release from the cross? Did he wish for an empirical pardon?
Jesus gave this man hope beyond just merely sleeping in his own bed tonight. 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
When we’re confronted with suffering, when our family and friends fear for their lives and their loves, what words do we offer? Can we also share hope for tomorrow?
This man requests some kind of salvation from Jesus whilst they suffer together in their terrible shared-moment. When we share times of struggle or sadness or grief or pain with another, we might find our own sadness deepen. Sometimes it feels like it’s too much to bear. We avoid someone else’s pain because it reawakens our own. Ash Wednesday would have been my parents’ 65th wedding anniversary – and while I was anointing one of our member’s foreheads with ashes I almost lost it over my own grief. Some of you know very well of what I speak.
But there’s also a blessing in being with each other through our struggles. We find kinship. We are not alone! Pain connects us with each other in important ways. A couple weeks ago Kathy, here, prayed for herself and the other two in our congregation all going through Kidney Dialysis. That’s a shared struggle no one wishes on their enemies, but when we find fellow Dialysis patients we also discover life-long friends. What do they say? When we share our sorrow we halve it, when we share our joy we double it.
What Jesus offers does not lessen their current struggle, but He promises joy without measure – together in Paradise.
When pain feels like that’s everything that’s “true”, how do you remember God’s promises?
Jesus teaches us to pray that God’s love, God’s power, God’s will, be made real “on earth as it is in heaven”. Jesus promises that while the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; [Jesus has] come that [we] may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10). Abundant life here and now – and way more when we are with Him in Paradise through faith in His revealed Word!
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
As we move into our time of prayer, let’s begin with
- sharing stories of who makes you feel better when you are sad? How do they do that?
- How do you imagine Paradise? What is Paradise like in your mind?
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Resources:
Illustrated Children’s Ministry, LLC; 2019.
lidgerwoodpresbychurch 