Weakness Made Strong

 March 16, 2022

“And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”” —Luke 23:38-43 

In the first century AD, when the Romans executed people by crucifixion, a sign declaring the crime for which the victim was being crucified was hung above them on the cross. It was meant as a deterrent, a way to keep the peace, for crucifixion was reserved for the most heinous of crimes, those against the state. The horrors of this slow, painful death coupled with the reason for the sentence were thought to make anyone else thinking of crossing Rome think again.

So Pilate wrote out the sentence and had it posted above Jesus: “This is the king of the Jews.” It was a warning to anyone who posed a threat to the authority of Rome. But it turned out to be something more. Two thieves were crucified with Jesus that day. It might be more accurate to describe these two men as not mere petty thieves, but as men whose crimes were determined to be against the state. Perhaps they were caught stealing from a Roman villa, or perhaps they had been engaged in subversive activities against the state. It is unlikely that they were mere bottom-feeders. 

As they hung there, painfully dying, one railed against Jesus, begging him to prove his identity by saving them from their fate. The other realized the error of their ways and asked Jesus a single simple question: “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” How would he have known Jesus was a king? There is no indication he was present at Jesus’ trial, nor at Pilate’s display of imperial power when he had Jesus stand before the crowd with the words, “Behold your king!” It’s possible, but the Bible is silent here.

What we do know is there was a sign hanging over Jesus’ head, a lesson for us today. God used a sign, words written in mockery, to open this man’s eyes and heart. “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He saw these words written as an accusation and realized the truth they proclaimed. And if God can use such words of condemnation, mockery, and shame to bring a soul from death to eternal life, he can use even the worst of whatever I place in his hands. 

My testimony may at times be weak and hesitating; I may stumble over my words and completely miss the mark, but God takes the weakest and humblest, even scrap wood with mocking words scribbled in haste, and uses it to his glory. It’s a good thing, too, because even my best is little more than stubble and straw. But Christ turns it into precious jewels of salvation for anyone who sees those words and believes.