Love whispers
Albert Bogle
April 17, 2025
Add to Favourites
Listen to this daily worship
Luke 23: 32-43 (NIV)
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left.34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Here is the enigma of Jesus, we have no historical description of how he looked. We are told however in the gospels that compassion and kindness flowed from him. Yet the prophet speaks of one who is ‘despised and rejected of all, someone who has nothing in his appearance that would make him attractive.
In an atmosphere of noise and cruel excitement with shameful mocking. There he was stuck in the middle crucified between two criminals who knew what it was to be despised and rejected. One of them keeps up the hateful banter while the other allows a crucified love stripped bare to reach his soul. Here is the outsider, the sinner, defending his Saviour from the taunts of the other and he goes down in scripture as Kingdom bound.
We must never overlook the inclusive nature of the cross and the gospel. Jesus said referring to his death, ‘If I be lifted up I will draw all types of people to me.’ We need to remember that in his life and in his death Jesus reached out to those who were seen as outcasts and despised by those who saw themselves as God-fearing law keepers. Oh the danger and the folly of a church that is uncomfortable with the sinners the cross shaped space attracts. Such a church will attract perhaps many members but Jesus will be left outside with the sinners.
Prayer:
Lord,
It’s appalling
The things we humans do to each other
Justified in the line of duty
Crucifixion was such an act
An act of unspeakable cruelty
A crowd puller
A crowd pleaser
A day out for the family
A chance to rant and rail
And mock those who were being afflicted
Lord,
They couldn’t see you
Let alone hear you
They shouted
They cursed
They laughed
They sighed
And some cried
Oh Jesus,
Deep inside every heart
Each one knew
They were hiding
Denying
Betraying
Their own search
For freedom and deliverance
And among them all
One man dug deep
Pulled himself up in agony
He recognised you
The suffering servant
His sin bearer
His saviour
His love stripped bare
And while the crowd
Ignored their consciences
And shouted their curses
He whispered
‘Remember me’
Login to comment.