Entering the kingdom of God
Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
Luke 23:43
It wouldn’t surprise you if, after announcing yourself to the Medical Centre receptionist, that you went and sat down in the waiting room and waited. You’d expect to wait a time, and often well past the appointment time, before the doctor finally called you in. It would be surprising if the doctor was standing at the front door, waiting for you to arrive. Imagine your G.P. welcoming you and ushering you straight in for your consultation! You would feel as if you were the only person your doctor was seeing today.
Jesus' second word from the cross is, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise’ (Luke 23:43).
Jesus directs this declaratory statement to one of the criminals who hung dying with Him, in fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy that the Christ would be
…numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12).
Luke writes that, ‘Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed’ (Luke 23:32). In His dying as in His life (Luke 19:1-10, John 4:7-30, Luke 15, Matthew 9:9-13), Christ is found in the midst of sinners; those who despise and reject Him and those who despise their sin and ask for mercy.
Today we find ourselves waiting for the morning, for the world to return to Paradise, for the kingdom of God to come, for things to be set right. But where the King and His Word is present, there His Kingdom comes.
In the Lord's Prayer we pray, "Your kingdom come." What does this mean? God's kingdom comes indeed without our praying for it, but we ask in this prayer that it may come also to us. When does this happen? God's kingdom comes when our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and live a godly life on earth now and in heaven for ever. (Luther’s Small Catechism)
God's kingdom came to the penitent thief that day. There was no waiting involved. The kingdom of God was revealed to him in the King hanging next to him: He who was dying for the sins of the world. The thief saw with his own eyes the exposed flesh of Jesus, the blood falling to the ground below, the crown of thorns piercing His brow, the nails in His hands and feet. Then he heard the kingdom of God come as he heard Jesus' first word from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34).
Both criminals had mocked Jesus. Luke records the impenitent thief mocking him saying, ‘Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ In response, Jesus spoke His first word from the cross (which we reflected on last week), the word of forgiveness, and the whole scene changed for the other criminal. His eyes and ears were now opened.
In those healing, restoring and releasing words, the penitent thief came to the realization that this King of the Jews was not dying for His own sins, but rather for the thief’s. The penitent thief was now the first to confess that he was in the wrong and that he deserved punishment. For we read, ‘But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” ‘ (Luke 23:40-41). The sign above Jesus had been inscribed, ‘The King of the Jews’. The penitent thief turned to him and said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’
Jesus' absolution incorporated him into Christ and invited him to the ongoing feast of heaven, begun on the day of his salvation. By grace through faith, the penitent thief was united with Jesus in a death like His, and according to the promise, he would certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. In Holy Baptism, we also die with Jesus today, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his (Romans 6:5).
Whether the word 'Paradise' is synonymous with the phrase the ‘Kingdom of God/heaven' has been debated. But what Jesus tells us is that, where He is, there is the Kingdom. Only He has the power and authority to say to the penitent thief, ‘Today you will be with me in Paradise’ (Luke 23:43), because the life in Paradise we forfeited by sin is restored through His suffering and death. Jesus, the Lamb of God accomplishes salvation for you today. Open the Word of Christ, the Holy Bible, and trust that you do not have to wait until tomorrow.
Lord Jesus, keep us from postponing repentance and faith. Teach us to trust Your promise now. Let Your kingdom come to us through the forgiveness of sins, that we may live with You today and forever. Amen.