Thursday, April 2, 2015

Do you want to be remembered?


Jesus Remember Me 
Jesus, remember me
When you come into your kingdom.
Jesus, remember me
When you come into your kingdom.
           Composed by Jacques Berthier
           1981, Les Presses de Taizé; GIA Publications, Inc., US agent


This song accompanied a video that was part of Biola University’s The Lent Project devotional compilation for March 27, 2015.  The words repeat over and over throughout the video making them impossible to miss. They are a direct quote from Luke 23:42 (ESV).

 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 

As I listened I was struck by an initial impression of arrogance. This thief, this common criminal being punished rightfully for illegal acts committed is asking Christ, The Messiah! to remember him! This man who seems to have been mocking Jesus just a short while before, as recorded in Matthew 27:44, now seeks to connect to the man dying beside him.

What has taken place in between these two interactions - a few dark hours, an anguished cry from Jesus to His Father and an about face.  

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying,“Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 ESV)

As the thief observed the suffering man beside him, he recognized something amazing in Christ that changed his heart. It changed him so dramatically, so completely, that He realized he was in the presence of “the King of the Jews.” So changed was he that he felt compelled to ask Jesus to remember him when Jesus was in heaven.

This thief was stripped of anything that might have held him back in life. This enabled him to see that Jesus was truly the Messiah.

So was the thief arrogant in his request? 

 No, no more so than I! 

             For I, too, long to be remembered by my Saviour and Messiah.


                     I, too, long to be with Him in Paradise.


The Lent Project Biola University Center for Christianity, Culture and the Artshttp://www.biola.edu/copyright/?_ga=1.8602741.1961895131.1403628847

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