The Thief on the Cross
Luke 23:39-43
“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
Luke 23:42
Few people come to faith in more desperate circumstances than the thief on the cross.
Crucified beside Jesus, he knew his life was coming to an end. There would be no chance to start over. No chance to repair the damage he had caused. No time to build an impressive spiritual résumé. All he had left was a dying plea.
While the other criminal mocked Jesus, this man saw something different. Somehow, amid the pain, blood, and humiliation of the cross, he recognized a King.
Turning to Jesus, he simply said, “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”
What extraordinary faith.
Everything visible seemed to contradict his request. Jesus did not look like a king. He looked defeated. Yet the thief believed that beyond the suffering lay a kingdom that could not be shaken.
Jesus offered one of the most hope-filled promises in Scripture: “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
The thief brought nothing to offer except his faith. No good works. No accomplishments. No record of faithful service. Only trust in Christ.
That is precisely what makes this story so beautiful. Salvation has always been God’s gift of grace, received through faith.
The thief’s story reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy. It also reminds us that faith is not measured by how long we have known Christ but by whether we trust Him.
Even in his final hours, this man discovered that Jesus saves completely and forever.
He brought nothing — no track record, no good deeds, no time left. And Jesus said, “Today.”
How to Live with Joyful Purpose: Renee Dollenmayer
What if the life you’ve been given is more beautiful and purposeful than you’ve allowed yourself to believe? Living with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, mental health struggles, and countless surgeries, Renee Dollenmayer knows what it means to go through the hard. But she’s also discovered something profound—joy isn’t found in perfect circumstances, but in the presence of Jesus.
