THE CRIMINAL’S PRAYER

Jesus only answers prayers uttered by good people … religious people who are members of an evangelical church, especially those people who have been rewarded for their perfect attendance in Sunday School … Bible students who can speedily name the sixty-six books in order … generous people who write a check to the church every month… Right?

Nope!

On that horrible day two thousand years ago when the sinless Son of God was crucified on a hill outside of Jerusalem, he hung between two criminals. They were guilty. He was not.

One of the criminals cursed Jesus. The other prayed. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42). Jesus heard the criminal’s prayer... and answered, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

The man was a convicted felon. I bet he’d never worked an honest job… he didn’t go to church… he talked like a sailor… he was selfish, dishonest, unethical, and immoral. He deserved to die for his crimes.

But something happened that day. The soldiers saw it too. “When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, ‘Truly this man was the Son of God!’ ” (Matthew 27:54).

When the dying criminal called out, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42), Jesus was listening!

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).