Remember

I am reading the most intensely beautiful book for Good Friday. It's called Heaven: How I Got Here, and is written by Collin Smith from the perspective of the thief on the cross as he reflects from heaven. It begins with his last meal and walks us through his history - his upbringing, and how he came to be on the cross. It also walks us through this being affixed to the cross, to his hanging, to his contemplation of Jesus, the man dying next to him who claimed to be the Son of God, the man who offered forgiveness to his ridiculers, the man over whose head hung the sign, "King of the Jews". And it tells us how he came to believe that Jesus was indeed the Christ, and what it took for him to ask to be remembered, and how he felt when Jesus said He would indeed remember him. I am not yet finished, but as I sit here with the weight of Friday, I'm thinking about remembering and being remembered. About knowing and being known. About loving and being loved. About receiving and being received.

What did Jesus do the night before his betrayal?

the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me. In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me". For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:23b-26 

He tells His followers to remember Him. We proclaim His death because of the life it brings. We can remember Friday's death because we know Sunday's life.

And so, when the thief hangs dying, he remembers this Jesus. He remembers that he has saved people. He has healed. He has done miracles. He remembers the God he was told of from youth, the God who would save His people. And he asks Jesus to remember him.

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 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." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise." 
Luke 23:39-43

Consider what it would be like to be that thief (selections from Heaven: How I Got Here, by Collin Smith). 

If Jesus remembered me when He came into His kingdom, there might be some hope for me. But what would be in it for Him? I couldn't think of anything. If He took an interest in me, it would not be because of anything I had done or anything I could offer. If He remembered me at all, it would be an act of undeserved mercy and kindness. But that was exactly what He offered to the soldiers who crucified Him. He showed them mercy and kindness. Would He do the same for me? I asked Him to remember me. 

I gave up all the hostility in my heart and I abandoned my illusion of having a life that would somehow be impressive to God. I placed my life, as it was, with all that I had done, into the hands of Jesus. 

After all my wasted years, it would not have been surprising if He had responded with caution: "Don't you think it's a little late for you to be thinking about my kingdom?" After the hatred I had shown toward Him just a few hours before, I could hardly complain if He had said, "The Kingdom of heaven is not for people like you" But that is not His way. He did not place me on probation. He did not send me on a spiritual journey or tell me to wait and see. Instead, He joyfully accepted my prayer and took His stand with me as I took my stand with Him. I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and asked Him to save me. He accepted me freely and gladly, without hesitation or condition. "Amen", He said, and then, after a short pause, "I tell you today you will be with me in paradise." 

Remember Jesus. He will remember you.

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound in chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for if we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:8-13

So we are to remember Him in His death, and we are also to remember Him risen for the dead. Today we will remember Jesus on the cross. We will proclaim His death. But we will not forget His life, because He has not forgotten ours.