Month: February 2026

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“With Me in Paradise”

Grace. Mercy. Acceptance. These come to mind as we read the words of the dying Savior to the thief on the cross next to him, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” Jesus’ words were in reply to the man’s prayer, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

You know the details of the story. Here was a dying man in agony of body and soul. He was a condemned criminal experiencing the cruelest form of Roman retribution, execution by crucifixion. The scene is a cacophony of mockery, cursing, shrieks of pain and groans of mourning. Amid the confusion, he has a moment of clarity: “Jesus, remember me.”

Luke’s gospel (23:40-43) tells us he feared God, acknowledged his guilt, and recognized the kingly authority of Jesus. A skeptic might dismiss this as a desperate man’s dying delusion. But seen in contrast to the  other thief’s obstinate rejection of Jesus, his plea for salvation is familiar to all who have faith in Jesus. He had faith, and it was faith alone that brought forth the Lord’s promise of life beyond death.

We do not know much about Paradise. In ancient history it was a word for a beautiful garden. In the Bible, Paradise is a synonym for heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4; Revelation 2:7).

Nor are we told much about the intermediate state of souls between death and resurrection. Jesus gives us this certainty: the spirits of the redeemed enter into conscious and happy fellowship with him. “Today,” tells us it is immediate.  “With me,” tells us that it is his presence that makes Paradise a state of blessedness. (John 12:26. 14:3, 17:24). “To depart and be with Christ … is better by far” (Philippians 1:23).

The dying thief had no opportunity to do good deeds. He did not benefit from any ceremony of religion. He could not make restitution for his sins. All he could do was ask, “Jesus, remember me!” And the Lord did.

Jesus’ second statement from the cross is a word for us. No matter who we are or what we have done, Jesus offers grace, mercy and acceptance. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). This is a word of assurance that death, for a  believer, is not the end of life.

Pastor Randy Faulkner

 

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“Father, Forgive Them…”

We might be tempted to wonder, Why a sacrifice? Couldn’t God simply forgive sins without requiring the death of Christ? After all, God is love and it is his nature to forgive. Why was the cross a necessity?

An answer may be found in the first statement of the dying savior from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).  We cannot understand, any more than Jesus’ tormentors could, the depth of our sin or the height of God’s holiness. If we did, we would more fully understand the necessity of Jesus’ sacrifice as an atonement for sin.

A reading of the crucifixion narratives in the four gospels arouses our amazement. Jesus offered no resistance during his arrest, unjust trials, savage flogging, public mocking, and torturous crucifixion. We hear no cry for revenge. There is only empathy: “They do not know what they are doing.”

This fact did not relieve them of responsibility, however. Their ignorance was willful ignorance. They rejected him in the face of the overwhelming evidence that he was the divine Son of God. It was lazy ignorance, the apathy of indifference to the truth that he preached. It was blind ignorance because “they loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

It is the same for us. We must recognize that we, too, are guilty of sin (Romans 3:9-20). If not the same sins as of those who crucified our Lord, they are sins that are equally offensive to God’s righteous nature. His perfection requires the satisfaction of a perfect sacrifice in order for forgiveness to be possible. He must be true to himself (2 Timothy 2:13).

“He was numbered with the transgressors,” Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 53:12). It is noticeable, then, that Jesus prayed for their forgiveness as he was dying on the cross. It was his death on the cross that accomplished satisfaction. It was on the basis of his sacrifice that Jesus was asking the Father in heaven to withhold his wrath. Yes, God is love, and he is willing to forgive sins. But his love is a holy love. His holy nature requires satisfaction (1 John 2:2).

Their forgiveness depended upon their response to Jesus’ sacrifice. One of the hardened Roman officers at the scene confessed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54). Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish high council, had “become a disciple of Jesus” (Matthew 27:57). The faithful women disciples who had followed Jesus from the beginning of his ministry mourned his death amid the mockers at the foot of the cross.

This precious word, “forgive,” means to remove, to send away, to release from a debt. It refers to restoration of a relationship that is broken by sin. It involves two parties, the one offended, and the offender. There must be a granting and an acceptance of forgiveness. This acceptance involves confession and confession involves a change of outlook toward sin. This is called repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10).

What about those who deny their moral responsibility and who refuse to acknowledge their sin? Are they covered by Jesus’ prayer from the cross? Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus was not forgiven. Jesus said of him it would have been better if he had not been born (Mark 14:21). Caiaphas and his co-conspirators thought it would have been better for Jesus to die than for them to lose their political influence (John 11:49-53). They remained embittered toward Jesus and his followers (Acts 4:5-7). The criminal dying at Jesus’ left side joined the chorus of defiance against Jesus (Mark 15:27-32; Luke 23:39). These who rejected Jesus then represent all who now exempt themselves from the benefits of his prayer for God’s forgiveness.

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” shows us the compassion of the Lord Jesus, even toward those who reject him. It shows us God’s willingness to forgive those who confess their sin and trust in his Son. It shows us that forgiveness before a holy God is available for all who believe the message of the cross: “Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” ( 1 Peter 3:18).

Pastor Randy Faulkner

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Seven Words of Love

In 1986 the Journal of the American Medical Association published an article detailing the likely physiological and psychological effects of the crucifixion of Jesus. In 2004 Mel Gibson produced “The Passion of the Christ,” a movie that graphically portrayed the extremity of the Lord’s sufferings.  The descriptions we have in the gospels seem relatively tame when compared to the violence and terror of the actual event.

We are approaching the time of year when Christians are called again to contemplate the cross and its significance. The writers of the New Testament must have felt a deep reverence and devotion as they described the crucifixion. But they were remarkably restrained.

To be sure, they reveal much in their telling of the scenes of mockery, flogging, hardened soldiers, condemned criminals, thorns, nails, and spear. But there is no lurid sensationalism or cheap emotionalism. Instead, their purpose is instructive, not merely descriptive. The writers want us to see beyond the physical horrors of the crucifixion to something deeper, its spiritual meaning and purpose.

This is evident in the recorded words of Christ from the cross. Students of scripture have always found in these statements a revelation of the divine-human nature of the Lord Jesus, and of the value of his redemption. For this reason, I invite you to join me in meditating on the “Seven Last Words of Christ” during the coming weeks.

I hope a re-reading of these seven words of love will attract us to the dying Savior. This was his intention. He said, “And I if I am lifted up from the earth, “will draw all people to  myself.” “He said this,” the apostle John reports, “to show the kind of death he was going to die” (John 12:32-33). 

This is the universal attraction of the gospel. It is for people of every nationality, economic status, and ethnic identity. People of all cultures can identify with the emotional, relational, physical and spiritual states reflected in our Lord’s seven words from the cross.

Beginning next Friday, in this space, we will contemplate his prayer for his tormentors, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). This will be followed by an examination of his promise to the criminal on the cross next to him, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43)..

“Woman, here is your son,” spoken to Mary, and to the apostle John, “Here is your mother” (John 19:26-27), provided an earthly home for his mother, whom he entrusted to that beloved disciple who stayed with Jesus until he died.

The words “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) take us into the mystery of the Holy Trinity and the meaning of Christ’s sacrificial death. “I am thirsty” (John 19:28) is a stark reminder of the Lord’s humanity and his identification with the rest of humanity.

The final words are rich in spiritual and theological significance. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” ( Luke 23:46) and “It is finished” (John 19:30), remind us that the Lord Jesus gave his life voluntarily to pay the debt for the sins of the world. This is the teaching of the New Testament.

Whether or not you were brought up in a church that observed the liturgical calendar of the Christian year (I was not), it can be spiritually edifying to use the weeks between Ash Wednesday and Holy Saturday as a season of preparation. To meditate on the Lord’s death, remembering what he endured on the cross. To give thanks for his sacrifice. To worship the One who came to draw us to himself for salvation. To repent of our sins and deepen our faith in him.

Pastor Randy Faulkner

 

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The Freedom of Forgiveness

Imagine a man who feels conflicted because of anger and resentments inside. They are all-consuming. He talks to his pastor about it. He seeks help because he knows he has to learn to forgive. His mental, physical and spiritual health depend on it.

Imagine a woman who does the opposite thing. Instead of releasing her hatred, she remembers every negative thing that anyone has ever said about her. For over twenty years she has nursed grudges by recording grievances in a little book.

Then there is the wife of an abusive alcoholic who keeps on loving and forgiving him. When she was asked how she could do this she answered, ” I cannot look at him without seeing the desperate captivity that holds him. My forgiveness and love are his only link to God. How can I withhold it?”

Whatever you may think about these real-life examples, Jesus offers a powerful antidote to the toxic effects of hatred and bitterness. He says, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins” (Mark 11:25).

Forgiveness is what Jesus would do.

Our Lord’s teaching corresponds to one of the most frequently-emphasized themes of Jesus’ ministry. Over and over he said things like this. “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44). “So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them” (Luke 17:3-4).

Jesus lived what he taught. At the last supper he said, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28). As he was dying he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).

We who believe in Jesus are called to imitate him. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

Forgiveness is costly and difficult.

Jesus’ words are broad and inclusive: “If you have anything against anyone.” Forgiveness is like the cancellation of a debt: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12).

Forgiving another person is not fair. It is not cheap. It is done for God’s sake, out of obedience to Christ. Forgiving is not excusing bad behavior. It recognizes that individuals are responsible for their actions.

Forgiving is not forgetting. There will still be memories of the hurtful event. These memories may still cause pain. We may recall the hurt, but we choose not to relive it by rehearsing old grievances.

Forgiveness is not tolerance. When we forgive, we are not condoning the offense or letting the other person off the hook. The offender is not getting away with anything. Forgiving does not deny or trivialize the pain caused by the offense.

It may or may not lead to reconciliation. For reconciliation to occur, there must be evidence of sincere repentance and reestablishment of trust. That takes time. Forgiveness is something we do for Christ and for our own healing and growth, whether or not there is ultimate reconciliation with the offender.

Forgiveness is a process.

Forgiving is not a one-time act. It involves repeated actions and decisions. When Jesus told his disciples to forgive “seventy-times seven times” (Matthew 18:22), he was saying that this is a spiritual discipline that we have to keep learning. We keep forgiving because he has forgiven us.

Several years ago in Alabama, three members of the Ku Klux Klan were upset with a jury verdict that freed a a black defendant. They were so filled with racial hatred that they decided to look for a black person to kill. They encountered 19-year-old Michael Donald, kidnapped him, and drove him out of town. They beat him, cut his throat, and hung his lifeless body from a tree. Then they burned a cross.

The three were eventually arrested and brought to trial. One of the offenders, Henry Hayes, was sentenced to death. Another, Tiger Knowles, was given a sentence of life in prison. Six years later, in a subsequent civil lawsuit against the KKK, Knowles was brought into the courtroom from prison. He had become a Christian.

Knowles approached the mother of the slain teenager. He stood before her and said in a quivering voice, “Mrs. Donald, I want you to know if I could change places with your son now, I would do so. Will you forgive me?”

“Son,” she said, “I’ve already forgiven you.”

Pastor Randy Faulkner