Luke 23:42&43

Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.

From what scene is this passage taken?
From the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.
Who did say these words to the Lord Jesus?
The repentant criminal.
What are we told previously about him?
He rebuked his fellow criminal.
Why did he rebuke the other criminal?
Because he hurled insults at the Lord Jesus.
What is remarkable about the rebuke?
He acknowledged the justice of his death sentence.
What does this teach us?
That the first step to forgiveness is an acknowledgement of guilt.
What did the repentant criminal say to Jesus?
"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

What did the repentant criminal express with these words?
His faith that the Lord Jesus would become King.
What is remarkable about this?
It was addressed to the dying Christ.
What else did the criminal express with these words?
That his existence wouldn't be finished when he died?
What did he ask of the Lord Jesus?
To be remembered - receive a favour - in the distant future.

What was the effect of the appeal?
It brought an immediate response.
What makes the Lord's answer full of comfort to us?
The fact that the Lord had time for a sinner when he was in agony on the cross.
How does this answer compare to everything else the Lord Jesus said at the cross?
It is the longest of all.
What can we learn from that?
That our Lord gave Himself extra agony to bring comfort to the dying robber.

What was the Lord's response?
"I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Why does the Lord say "I tell you the truth." (Literally: Amen, Amen)
Because of the greatness of His promise.
What two great facts of this promise went far beyond the request?
"Today:" - not after a long time
"With me:" - not just a remembering
What else is remarkable about the "today"
Dying through crucifixion could be a slow process lasting several days.
What special word does the Lord Jesus use here?
In Paradise
What does this word mean?
A special, enclosed garden
What idea would it convey to the criminal?
That he would be on that very day in a special place of blessing with the Lord.

Adapted from:
"The one hundred texts of the society for Irish Church Missions."
T.C. Hammond, Dublin. 1939