Holy Week: Seven Days in the Sayings (Day 2 of 7) Paradise

Guest Contributor: This is a post from my Best Friend-in Law, Nicole Cooper of Timelessmebymrsc.com!

Luke 23:43: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Paradise

Our concept of paradise has been somewhat skewed. We see a perpetual Garden of Eden full of nature’s bounty and free from the corruption of this world. But as Jesus hung upon the cross in between two thieves we get a different meaning. We get two points of view of one of the final conversations before Jesus would finally rest his head in death. Of course we know the story; Jesus is being mocked by hecklers in the crowd and the thief to his left joins in pretty much saying “don’t just save yourself, save me too!” But the thief to his right having the same fate scolded him and said that this punishment is what they deserved. However the thief on the right was able to recognize who Jesus was. Maybe he had heard of the teacher causing a stir in the streets of Jerusalem or his many miracles. Perhaps he had heard of the teaching of love and the Kingdom of God. But one thing for sure was that Jesus was an innocent man undeserving of such a cruel and humiliating end.

It is here where the thief with whatever life he had left in him asked Jesus to remember him when he enters into his kingdom. Jesus then states in Luke 23:43, “...Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in Paradise”. It’s easy to assume that Jesus means “soon you’ll be in heaven with me”, but here the word paradise is not merely a place, but a state of being. Although he be a thief, the man to the right of Jesus had a moment of clarity and acceptance of who Jesus was. It was in this acceptance that this man entered into paradise before he even took his last breath.

Us entering into this paradise is what Jesus died for. The thief knew this! Jesus didn’t have to teach or preach one word, but rather showed the thief who he was through his actions. If I could imagine Jesus speaking in today’s vernacular he’s telling the thief,  “man you got it! You believe in me, you’ve received me in your heart. That’s why I’m here hanging on this cross: for you and the world!” Our acceptance of Jesus Christ and him dying for our sins is where we first enter paradise. It’s a prerequisite to entering his kingdom. It’s within paradise that believers can confidently stand in the midst of trials and temptations. It’s in paradise that we can endure the pain and suffering of life, even by our own hands. It was within paradise that the thief to his right, was able to die in peace among the mockers and in his demeaning nakedness.

Often times during the most challenging situations when we feel that we’re done fighting, done praying, done fasting, just done with life, we ask the Lord jokingly to just take us in to heaven to escape this world of misery and grief (much like the thief to the left). But we must remember that we already have paradise here with us. God’s Holy Spirit guides our every step, even when it seems we can go no further. So enter into paradise today and accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.