The Way Of Suffering: Good Friday, Part Two

Luke 23:39-43 (NIV)
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’  Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

The second thief is precisely right. Jesus has done nothing wrong, so why does he hang on a cross? In the words of the songwriter Stuart Townend:

It was my sin that held him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished 
(emphasis added)

Theologians refer to this as ‘The Beautiful Exchange.' Humanity sinned and rejected God as king. Brokenness and death entered the human experience through this rebellion. More than that, we were rendered spiritually dead, cut off from the life of God. But in his kindness, God sent his son to bring that life back into the human experience. On the Cross, Jesus took all our sins from us and exchanged them for his resurrection life: the Beautiful Exchange. But this is not automatically applied to all. One thief mocks Jesus; the other chooses to accept him. 

This is a remarkable encounter: by the world's standards Jesus has completely failed, yet the second thief still sees something deeper about Jesus and his kingdom. The kingdom he is anticipating goes beyond the limits of human understanding. Good Friday anticipates the resurrection. 

I have no idea how the timeline of paradise works. But in my mind's eye, I have this picture of the thief dying on the cross and then instantly waking up surrounded by pure, bright light in a beautiful, peaceful garden. He looks at his hands and is astonished to see the nail marks gone. He hears a familiar voice say, ‘Welcome!’ Overwhelmed, he looks up to see Jesus smiling at him. With a wide grin, Jesus says, ‘See… I told you.’

Prayer - Jesus thank you for taking my sin to the cross and for bringing me forgiveness and healing. Like the thief, I rejoice that you will remember me when you come into your kingdom.