Read: Luke 23:43
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, 
“Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Mohammad took his first steps toward extremism as a teen. His cousin took him to hear many of the most radical of jihadist preachers. He joined their ranks and was ready to kill or do whatever it took to help advance his agenda.
But, after years of watching and aiding the violence; of harboring an anger so volatile it frightened his relatives, he realized it made no sense for Muslims to kill Muslims. He left the terrorist group he was involved with and fled with his new wife to Turkey.
Initially he was still zealous for Islam, but then his wife became ill. As her 
condition grew worse, Mohammad called the cousin who had initially introduced him to extreme Islam. Shockingly, his cousin was now living in Canada and had converted to Christianity! He asked Mohammad to put the phone close to his wife and the prayer group meeting at the cousin’s home in Canada began to sing and pray for her health.
Within a few days, his wife was feeling better! Her healing prompted Mohammad to a journey that ended in his faith in Christ. Now, Mohammad leads a group of former Muslims as they seek to know Jesus more deeply. God has transformed his anger and given him a humility and love for others.
Many don’t believe God could forgive a Muslim – especially one as extreme as Mohammad. Yet such persecution was exactly what Paul himself did to Christians in the book of Acts before he was miraculously met and converted on the road to Damascus.
In today’s text, Jesus is crucified between two criminals. As the mocking of the religious leaders dies away, one of the criminals mocks Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” If you are who you say you are, get us down from here! Prove your power!
Jesus is silent, but the second criminal speaks up. “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” How can you say such things to Jesus? He’s done nothing wrong!
This criminal had a clearer understanding of who Jesus is than even some of his disciples at that point. He fears God and knows his judgment is deserved. But, watching Jesus and perhaps hearing him speak or the people talk about him, he sees something different. He believes. This really is the Son of God. He really has a kingdom. He says to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Even on the cross, as he struggles for breath and draws closer to his own death, Jesus is all about forgiveness. First, he asked the Father to forgive those who had mocked, beaten, and killed him. Now he tells this criminal who looks to him with faith and repentance and tells him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” The forgiveness you seek; the life that you want…you have found it in me.
When we repent, when we turn to Jesus in faith, our forgiveness and eternal life and hope and transformation is instantaneous. There isn’t delay or probation. A man like Mohammad; a criminal like the thief on the cross; you and me…Jesus promises that when we turn to him, the moment our life on earth ends, we will be with him in Paradise.
What a glorious hope! What a beautiful promise! When we put our trust in Jesus, we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory (Ephesians 1:13-14). Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 54, 55, 58).
What thoughts go through your mind when you read about someone like Mohammad or the thief on the cross? Why do you think that?
Do you find it difficult to believe God could forgive certain people? Do you find it difficult to believe God could forgive you?
How does the promise of going from this life directly to Jesus’ presence in paradise encourage you? How does Paul suggest we live in light of this truth?