Remember Me, April 6, 2014

Remember Me

Words to the Cross

Jeremiah 31:31-34, Luke 23:32-43

April 6, 2014

Grace Presbyterian Church

Rev. Dr. Richard E. Miller

Background Two weeks ago we heard the crowd shout “Crucify Him!” and discovered that in like manner, whenever we exceed God’s moral, spiritual and physical boundaries of behavior and speech, we are shouting “Crucify him!” Last week we heard of the many times people dared Jesus to establish his kingdom by military might and that he refused each time. In like manner, we must decide each day whether or not to accept the dares of the world to conform to its moral values and standards.

This morning we turn to an incident that occurred while Jesus was hanging on the cross. As we heard in our morning scripture, there were two thieves being crucified along with Jesus. One thief, caught up in physical pain and the fear of dying said, “Are you not the Christ?  Save yourself and us!” As we heard last week, this was one of the many dares, double dares, and double dog dares thrown at Jesus. However, before Jesus had a chance to respond, the second thief rebuked the first one by saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” In other words, “We deserve to die for what we did.  However, this man is innocent.”

The Request is made Whereas the one thief dared Jesus to prove he was the messiah, the second thief knew he was the messiah. It was out of that conviction and faith that he then turned to Jesus and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Several observations can be made at this point.

1. First, he starts his request by using the given name of Jesus. He didn’t say ‘Christ’ as did the other thief. He just said, Jesus. It was as though he knew Jesus previously, or that they had become acquainted in the brief time they were on the cross.

2.  Then the thief says to Jesus, “ Remember Me”.

These two words reflect a most compelling need of all human beings - the need to be remembered. Remember me! It’s not difficult for us to identify with this request. One of the deepest needs we human beings have is to be remembered. Why? Because we don’t want to be ignored and the thought of being forgotten frightens us greatly. We hear that need in such phrases as: “Don’t be a stranger” “Don’t forget to write” “Call me some time” “Keep in touch” “See you later”. Each of these, in its own way, says, “Remember me”

We want people to remember us at Christmas. We want people to remember our birthdays. We want spouses to remember our anniversaries. We want people to remember our name. Folks in nursing homes want to be visited and remembered. And we want people to remember us after we die. And so tombstones are erected with the name of the deceased. Memorials are established to perpetuate one’s name. Foundations are established with the name of the donor.  

Why? Because we want to live in peoples’ memories as one who had value and as one who really mattered. We want to live in peoples’ memories. One person wrote, “One lives in the hope of becoming a memory.” [Antonio Porchia}. Another said, “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” [Thomas Campbell]

Memories affect us every day With each of us, many people live in our memories and those people impact our lives every day. For instance, the name of a deceased loved one can bring tears. The name of an enemy can cause one to be angry all over again. Recalling a funny incident of years ago can cause laughter to erupt with great abandon. Reminiscing at a high school class reunion brings to mind events and places. And as we know, loved ones who have died influence our lives long after their death. Our parents or grandparents, even though in heaven, continue to impact our daily decisions. In fact, it is likely that our thoughts and actions right now are directly influenced by grandparents six and seven generations back.

Remembered in mercy However, as important as being remembered was, the thief didn’t want to just be remembered in memory, he also wanted to be remembered in mercy. To be remembered in mercy means to be forgiven. Having repented of his sin, he asks Jesus to remember him when Jesus becomes king and will have the power to grant mercy to those guilty of crimes. Jesus was his only chance to be cleansed from the stain of sin which he had carried to the cross. Yes, the thief asks Jesus for mercy even though had done nothing to merit it and had nothing to offer in return. He didn’t deserve mercy, and he knew it.

In like manner, we want God to remember us in mercy by forgiving us even though we don’t deserve it. Even though we have nothing to offer in return.

Old Testament In our scripture from Jeremiah we heard of God’s prophecy that one day a new covenant would be established between God and his people. God said,  “It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.”

No longer remember our Sins Forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more. When we repent and ask for God’s forgiveness, it’s as though God has a senior moment. He no longer remembers our sin!

The story is told of a young man who told his pastor that he had a vision of Jesus. The pastor was a bit dubious so said, “The next time you have a vision, ask Jesus what my primary sin was before I became a minister.”  Two weeks later the young man returned. The pastor asked if he had asked Jesus the question about his previous sin. The man affirmed that he had. “And what did he say?” asked the pastor. “Jesus said, ‘I don’t remember.’”

Jesus Responds to the Thief’s Request Now let’s return to Jesus and the two thieves. As Jesus listened to each of them, he knew what was in their hearts. With the first thief, he knew there was no inward repentance of sin, but rather a last-ditch effort to save his own skin. However, with the second thief, he saw genuine sorrow for sin. As a result, he never answered the request of the first thief, but instead turned to the second criminal and said, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.”

So even though the thief had asked Jesus to grant him mercy when he became king, Jesus said, “You don’t have to wait to receive my mercy. In fact, right now you are forgiven. You will be with me in paradise.” The thief was forgiven that very moment and thus became the first sinner to be assured of his salvation by the shed blood of Christ.

Reflections  As we look back upon the thief’s request to be remembered, several thoughts come to mind.

First of all, whether we like it or not, through the years of our lives we’re going to hurt one another, usually not on purpose. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they would cover, hide and cast away our sins and never again hold our sin against us? They would be remembering us in mercy.

People that Sin Against You  What about people who sin against you? How should we respond to them? At a convention with their wives, two businessmen who had been roommates in college crossed paths. They sat in the lobby all night talking. They knew they would be in trouble with their wives. The next day they happened to see each other. "What did your wife think?" "I walked in the door and my wife got historical."

"Don’t you mean hysterical?" "No, historical. She told me everything I ever did wrong."

If we wish people would forget how we hurt them, then we must do the same for them. When others seek our forgiveness, we have the power to remember their sins no more. This doesn’t mean their sins are blotted from our memory. And it doesn’t mean that we’re saying what they did or said was OK. It simple means that never again will we hold their sin against them.

1. First, we have no more right to be saved than did the thieves on the cross. We have done nothing to deserve God’s mercy. But because of Jesus, God remembers our sin no more.

2.  Next, when we repent and turn to God for forgiveness, we experience Paradise and the presence of Jesus in our lives right now.

3. Finally, Jesus says to us, “No matter what you have done in the past, when you turn to me you are forgiven.”  Can you imagine that? If our repentance is sincere and our desire to change is strong, God will forgive and remember our sins no more.

Final thoughts I leave you with two simple questions: How are you writing your script of gift-giving and your script of life-remembrance.

First, your script of gift-giving. From this moment on for the rest of your life, how are you going to respond to the sins of those who hurt you? Will you hang on to them forever with perfect recall? It really doesn’t matter if the person who hurt you deserves to be forgiven. Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself because you choose to let go of a past wrong and no longer be hurt by it. Remember, those whom you don’t forgive are holding you as a hostage. You are writing your script of gift-giving every day by thought, word and deed.

Next, your script of life-remembrance. How do you want to be remembered after you die? How will your words and actions of today influence the generations to come? What will they celebrate about you when they remember your name? You are writing your script of life-remembrance right now.

Amen.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 NRSV

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.
Luke 23:32-43 NRSV

As we know, Jesus was not the only man to be crucified that day.  This account from Luke tells us of the other two.  

Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[ Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ There was also an inscription over him, ‘This is the King of the Jews.’

 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’