Title: Strange Executioner
Contents
20010401-11 p.m. "A strange death row prisoner" <Luke 23:39-43>
There is this song. "The world is a slogan, it's a deception..." I thought it was a really good world, but it's not. It is said that there are too many cases of being deceived or getting stabbed in the foot by a trusted axe. I'm sorry, but since I'm getting a little older, I see a lot of things in the world that go hand in hand. I am worried because it seems that such anger is boiling too often, like an adolescent boy who rebels for no reason. Maybe that's why today has a day like April 1st.
By the way, the really strange death row inmate is the other one. In fact, it's up to you to see who's weirder, but at least to me, this later death row prisoner looks really weird. In verses 40-42 he says several things. 1) that you are a sinner, 2) that you will be condemned as a result of that punishment, 3) that you must fear God because this is what God does - these are the three things you know about yourself. 4) That Jesus did all the right things, 5) Your kingdom means heaven, so acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God - these are the two things we know exactly about Jesus. And he asks the Lord. 6) "Think of me" This death row inmate is a very strange death row inmate. Obviously he is a sinner who commits a terrible crime and deserves the worst punishment and death...
This event has a very symbolic meaning for us. If we are all sinners deserving of death, we will be no different from those dying on either side of Jesus. But we are sinners who know that we are sinners, who know who Jesus is, and we are sinners who ask Jesus to remember us. So he is a sinner who can be saved. We are really strange death row inmates. It's because I got to know Jesus. Now, if there is a prayer topic we should ask the Lord for, it would be “Lord, think of me.” Never forget this prayer...