A Sinner’s Prayer
Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
1 Cor 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
As we go to Calvary in the Spirit, let us gather around the foot of the cross on Golgotha’s Hill. We can watch and listen to the activity going on while three men are dying on crosses. Much concentration is placed on the man in the middle. Soldiers gamble for his clothes, a few weep for him, and a mass majority hurl insults at him. Of the man on the right and the man on the left, not much is said of them or for them. They are insignificant to the onlookers. No one is said to weep for them, or even care whether they lived or died. Outcasts dismembered from society, and no good for nothings. They share the same fate, in the same helpless condition, yet earlier on, although not recorded by Luke, but captured by Matthew and Mark, it is stated that they shared in hurling insults at the man in the middle.
Matt 27:44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.
Mark 15:32b And they that were crucified with him reviled him.
Let us tune out the onlooker’s and gaze at the scenery of the cross. I know its difficult, but please take a look at the bloody mass of flesh, in the center hanging on a cross. His face is indistinguishable right now, but try and get a glimpse of the torture he has been through. Up all night long, from judgement hall to judgement hall, beaten, punched, and spit upon. His body is a testimony of the pain and torture he has received.
Hell must have been having a party. He preached his last message. Opened his last set of blinded eyes. Served his last meal and raised his last dead person to life.
But Hell never counted on The Sinner’s Prayer. It wasn’t in the scheme. It wasn’t in the plan. His fate was sealed. He was a sure candidate for Hell.
In the midst of Jesus final hour. As dark as it was, a light shown as one more sheep straggled into the fold. In the midst of His sorrow, in the midst of His pain, on his way through deaths door, he heard in the distance the bleating of a lost lamb. He heard a sinner’s prayer.
In our text, when it seems that everyone has turned away, a crook on a cross places himself between Jesus and his accusers. It is a shock to the other thief. It is a shock to the onlookers, as this man rises to the side of defense for Jesus. No one else said anything in his dyeing hour in defense. One of his diciples denyed him, one betrayed Him, the other’s ran off and left Him. Those that should have been witnesses Evang. Exum through the thick and the thin, when things got thick, they thinned right out. But here is a man whom has taken the last step down the spiral staircase of failure. One crime after another. One rejection after another. Disowned no doubt by family, and he has no friends. He can’t hide who he is. He is a disgrace to society, no fancy jargon or impressive resume’. No awards, no honors, and no great achievements. Yet he for some reason of which we don’t know but can speculate has a change of mind. The angels weep and the demons are stricken with awe.
His request; Lord remember me, when you come into your kingdom.
He request no special seat or position. Don’t need my name on the program, no fancy title, just remember me. Something got a hold of him as he hung next to Jesus after hurling insults at him and hearing him say Father forgive them for they know not what they do. He must have reflected on his life. In the face of death it is typical to reminisce in one’s mind of all that he or she has done. He knows he’s been a mess up. He had spent all his life disassembling himself from society. He was disenfranchised, dysfunctional, a misfit, disconnected, dejected, and rejected.
The sinner’s prayer, Lord remember me. I’m no longer a part of society. I am reaping what I sowed. Guilty as charged. I was born in sin, shaped in iniquity, in sin did my mother conceive me. I lived a selfish life. But I hear you practicing what you have preached. There’s something about you that rings true to my heart.
Nicodemus came in the middle of the night. The centurion came in the middle of the day. The leper and sinful woman came in the middle of crowds. Zacchaeus appeared in a tree. Matthew threw you a party. The educated, powerful, rejected the sick the lonely and the wealthy. They all had empty hopes, with nothing to offer, yet they asked for everything. A new birth, a fresh start, a second chance, a clean conscience and without exception they’re requests were honored. Here I am, a sinner, with nothing to offer, but a prayer. Lord remember me. Just as I am without one plea…
When you come in your kingdom. Can you put me back together? Can you reassemble the broken pieces of my life? Can you mend my broken heart and make my crooked paths straight?
Jesus tells death, I can’t sign off on the contract just yet. I got one more soul to save. It’s my darkest hour, and how fitting to receive my brightest crown. Then he speaks.
Verily I say unto thee, Today you will be with me.
Today you shall be my companion
Today you are no longer a sinner, but a saint
Today you are no longer lost, but found
Locked out, but locked in
Failure, but a success
No longer darkness, but light
You didn’t walk with me, but you will die with me.
The thief could now die with a promise.
Tell Hell, I’m not coming. I’m going into eternity with a promise. I never had any hope, but I have a promise. Where I am is not as inportant as where I’m going, I have a promise.
I live today, because of a promise. I have life today because of a promise.
1 Cor 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The devil doesn’t know everything. He didn’t count on certain events happening. He underestimated God, when he killed Jesus, He was releasing Christ into the world. Another day, another message.
But, he underestimated God, when he bound Jesus, He was setting us free.
He underestimated God, when he whipped Jesus, He was healing me.
He underestimated God, when he killed Jesus, He was giving us life.
He underestimated God, when he failed to realize the power, the strength
Of a sinners Prayer.
