The Shadow Of Gestas And Light Of Dismas Series

Instead of being defiant or angry with God, Dismas especially realized that he was getting what he deserved. He wasn’t just a run of the mill sinner, he was a robber. He forcefully took money from people, and now that he had hung here and suffered for a while his defenses and excuses and anger finally melted. Not only had he done that, but even on his death bed he managed to mock Jesus and make fun of Him.

When Dismas came to his sense, he didn’t look down on Gestas for what he was saying. He tried to reason with him. He wanted Gestas to realize what he did and who he was. This wasn’t injustice for him to hang there. It was justice under God, and even under a corrupted system it was justice. He felt like he was exactly where he belonged as he hung there.

This is a profound place to be found; when you suffer and as you suffer you know that you deserve it. You feel it down to your very bones. This is what you had coming to you. This is what you deserve. According to God’s Word, this sorrow and pain that we feel is just, because we are sinners and we have earned God’s judgment. Instead of shaking your fist, you shake your head up and down and say to God, “Yes, this is exactly what I deserve. Actually, I deserve worse.” No excuses. No complaints. Only justice. You want others to stop denying it and being angry about it and to simply believe what they fear is true.

In the midst of his despair, Dismas said something completely irrational and completely foolish. After a lifetime of robbery and even a death of mockery, he asked Jesus for something he had no right to ask. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” What did he want Jesus to remember? His mockery? His robbery? What exactly was Jesus supposed to remember about him? What good was there to remember about this failure of a man? What gave the robber the gall to ask such a thing of Jesus?

The only place he could have gotten such gall was in the words and actions of Jesus. In the way that Jesus was suffering and dying; in the words that people were saying about Jesus; in the plague above Jesus’ head; He didn’t portray the picture of someone who would hold grudges. He didn’t portray the picture of an angry and blood thirsty Messiah who wanted to damn people. He wanted to save people. He was gentle and kind, forgiving and caring. His whole death portrayed a powerful picture of mercy and forgiveness. The Holy Spirit worked through this whole picture of Christ and emboldened the robber to ask the impossible; that Jesus would mercifully remember the robber.

Where was Jesus supposed to remember Dismas from? When you come into your kingdom. Yes, somehow and in some way Dismas was convinced that this was not the end of Jesus’ life or the end of His kingdom; but that even through this death that Jesus was establishing His kingdom and entering it. What a profound faith! What a foolish request! It was deeper than any of the disciples who had run from Jesus and any women who were standing at the foot of the cross. He believed that Jesus was going to rule and have memory even from the grave. So in faith he asked Jesus to have mercy and he also believed Jesus would rule.