You Will Be With Me In Paradise (Luke 23:26-46)

You Will Be With Me In Paradise (Luke 23:26-46)

The court barber nursed his hatred for Birbal and plotted daily against him. One day he struck upon a plan, and so when the Emperor Akbar called him to trim his beard, he said:
    "You know, Majesty, last night I dreamed about your father."

The Great Mughal at once took interest. "Tell me what he said to you."
    "He is very happy in Paradise, but he says that all the inhabitants of Heaven are terrible bores. He would like you to send him someone who can talk to him and keep him amused."
Of course no one possessed a wit like Birbal's, and although Akbar prized him very much, to appease his poor father in Paradise, he would consent to give him up. Naturally the only way of reaching Heaven is through death.

When Birbal responded to the Emperor's summons, Akbar said:
    "I think you love me, Birbal, enough to make any sacrifice for my sake."
    "You know I do, Majesty."
    "Then I would like you to go to Heaven and keep my dear father company."
    "Very well," Birbal said, "but please give me a few days to prepare."
    "Certainly," said the Mughal, delighted. "You are doing me a great favor. I will give you a week."

Birbal went home and dug a deep pit, which would serve as his own grave. But he also excavated a secret tunnel that opened under the floor of his house. Then he returned to the Imperial Court.

"Highness," he said, "in accordance with an old family tradition, I would like to be buried near my house -- and if you don't mind, I would like to die by being buried alive. It is easier to get into Heaven that way, you know."

So, to the great happiness of the court barber, Birbal was buried alive. Of course he made his way at once through the tunnel into his own house, where he stayed in concealment for six months.

At the end of that time, with his hair and beard grown long and shaggy, he came out of hiding and obtained an audience with the Great Mughal.
    "Birbal!" cried the Emperor. "Where have you come from?"
    "From Paradise, Majesty. I spent such a lovely time with your father that he gave me special permission to return to earth."
    "Did he give you any special message for his son?"
    "Just one, Highness. Do you see my whiskers and long hair? Well, it seems very few barbers make it to Paradise. Your father asks you to send him yours at once."

Two criminals who are crucified with Jesus are very similar to each other. Both are suffering the pain of crucifixion. Both are guilty of crime ("We are receiving the due reward of our deeds," v. 41). Both see Jesus, the sign over his head ("King of the Jews," v. 38); they hear the words of his mouth ("Father forgive them," v. 34). And both of these thieves want desperately to be saved from death.

Most of us have all these things in common with these two thieves: there has been, is, or will be suffering in our lives. And none of us will be able to say: "I do not deserve this." Most of us have seen Jesus on the cross and have heard his claim to kingship and his gracious words of forgiveness. And all of us want to be saved from death one way or the other.

But then the ways divide these two thieves and between two categories of people. The first thief says: "Are you not the Christ? save yourself and us!" What a picture of a spiritual destitute, worldly man. It is a matter of total indifference to him that he is suffering "the due reward of his deeds." To him right and wrong, praise and blame, good and bad are of no interest: his one objective is to save his earthly skin. He might even believe Jesus is the Messiah, the King of the Jews. But it's only a matter of convenience to him: he'll take anybody as king who can get him off the cross. The thief had no spirit of brokenness, or guilt or penitence or humility. He could only see Jesus as a possible power by which to escape the cross. He did not see him as a king to be followed. It never entered his mind that he should say he was sorry and should change.

The second thief is the one Luke wants us to be like. He is not sucked in by the other fellow's railing. And if we are to follow his example we will have to stand our ground and not be sucked in by the people all around us who keep blaming God for the things that are happening around us.
He rebukes the other thief, saying: "Do you not fear God?" That is, the second thief fears God. God is real to him. God is his Creator, and he knows that a pot can't take up arms against the potter and come away victorious.
The second thief admits that he had done wrong: "We are receiving the due reward of our deeds" (v. 41). He has no desire to save face any more; he has no more will to assert himself.
He is here and lays open before the God  whom he fears and there is no way to hide his guilt.

Not only does he admit his wrong doings, he accepts his punishment as deserved. "We are under the sentence of condemnation justly." This is the real test of humility before God. Although we confess our sins in our mouths, we may still feel, deep down, that we have some rights before God.

The second thief acknowledges Jesus' righteousness: ""This man had done nothing wrong." This man only speaks the truth. This man is worthy of our faith and allegiance and imitation.

The thief goes a step further and acknowledges that indeed, Jesus is a King. "Remember me when you come into your Kingdom." Even though he is suffering now, Jesus has a mark of a King. For those who have eyes to see, he has a power here on the cross--a power of love that makes him King over all his torments.

The thief does one more thing. He fears God, admits wrong, accepts justice, acknowledges the goodness and power of Jesus. Now he pleads for help.
"Jesus, remember when you come into your Kingdom ."

Both thieves wanted to be saved from death.
But how differently they sought their salvation.

Jesus says to the second thief: "Today you will be with me in Paradise."
This seems to be too good to be true.
There would not even be a delay. Today the Spirit of Jesus and the renewed spirit of the thief would be in union in Paradise. The promise would be without delay.