I Was the Man on the Cross
Scripture
“And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” – Luke 23:42–43 (ESV)
Devotion
Pastor Darren said, “I was the man on the cross… I deserved the sinner’s death… I was on my way to a sinner’s hell.” That’s not exaggeration. That’s clear spiritual sight.
In Luke 23, the second thief on the cross has nothing to offer Jesus:
He had one thing: a broken, honest cry—“Remember me.” And Jesus gave him everything: “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
We forget that we are that thief. We may have nicer clothes, cleaner language, and better religious training, but without Christ, we are just as condemned. Until we see ourselves as the desperate criminal in need of grace, we’ll never truly treasure the cross—and we’ll never truly welcome other “criminals” who need that same grace.
The stigma we place on others often comes from forgetting what we’ve been saved from. When we start thinking we deserve to be in church, deserve God’s favor, deserve our good standing, we drift into pride and judgment.
The ground is level at the foot of the cross. You stand there beside the thief—not above him.
Reflection
Prayer
Jesus,
I am the thief on the cross. I had nothing to bring You but my sin and my need. Thank You that You remembered me. Thank You that You welcomed me when I did not deserve it. Keep my heart soft. Don’t let me forget my own rescue. Let remembering Your mercy destroy any pride or superiority in me. Make me merciful to others as You have been to me. In Your name, amen.
“And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.’” – Luke 23:42–43 (ESV)
Devotion
Pastor Darren said, “I was the man on the cross… I deserved the sinner’s death… I was on my way to a sinner’s hell.” That’s not exaggeration. That’s clear spiritual sight.
In Luke 23, the second thief on the cross has nothing to offer Jesus:
- No good reputation
- No cleaned‑up life
- No impressive track record
- No time to “prove” he was serious
He had one thing: a broken, honest cry—“Remember me.” And Jesus gave him everything: “Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
We forget that we are that thief. We may have nicer clothes, cleaner language, and better religious training, but without Christ, we are just as condemned. Until we see ourselves as the desperate criminal in need of grace, we’ll never truly treasure the cross—and we’ll never truly welcome other “criminals” who need that same grace.
The stigma we place on others often comes from forgetting what we’ve been saved from. When we start thinking we deserve to be in church, deserve God’s favor, deserve our good standing, we drift into pride and judgment.
The ground is level at the foot of the cross. You stand there beside the thief—not above him.
Reflection
- Do you still see yourself as someone who needed saving, or has that become just a doctrinal idea?
- Where have you slipped into feeling spiritually superior to others?
- What specific sin or pattern did Jesus rescue you from? Thank Him for that rescue.
Prayer
Jesus,
I am the thief on the cross. I had nothing to bring You but my sin and my need. Thank You that You remembered me. Thank You that You welcomed me when I did not deserve it. Keep my heart soft. Don’t let me forget my own rescue. Let remembering Your mercy destroy any pride or superiority in me. Make me merciful to others as You have been to me. In Your name, amen.