“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1)

One of the two criminals hanging on the crosses on either side of Jesus must have had that kind of faith (certain of what he did NOT see) because what he did see certainly wouldn’t have prompted him to say to the man hanging on the cross next to him these words –

“Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

This would seem to be a ridiculous request given that the current circumstances of both men (all three men actually) were identical at the moment those words were uttered. Both the one asking the favor and the one to whom his request was addressed, appeared to be suffering the same fate. Their situation is described by Luke –

“Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him (Jesus) to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals – one on His right, the other on His left. . . . The people stood watching and the rulers even sneered at Him. They said, ‘He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ ” (Luke 23:32-33)

These three men, each one nailed to a cross, were suffering a slow, agonizing death. There was no escape. If the man hanging on the cross next to Jesus was going to ask for help, why didn’t he appeal to one of the bystanders in the crowd, or better yet to one of the guards or to one of the rulers in charge. Any one of them was in a much better position to rescue him than the man nailed to the cross beside him.

In fact, to all appearances, the man next to him, who was Jesus, appeared to be powerless to alter His own fate, let alone anyone else’s. This unnamed criminal hanging next to Jesus heard the conversations surrounding them –

“The soldiers also came up and mocked Him (Jesus). They offered Him wine vinegar and said, ‘If You are the king of the Jews, save Yourself.’ There was a written notice above Him, which read: This is the King of the Jews. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: ‘Aren’t You the Christ? Save Yourself and us!’ ” (Luke 23:36-39)

And yet, despite these seemingly irrevocable, dire circumstances, the other criminal said this –

“But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ ” (Luke 23:40-41)

How did he know this? This man hanging on the cross next to Jesus had bold, unreasonable faith. He had a faith that didn’t depend on his current circumstances or on what he could see. Instead, his faith was “sure of what he hoped for.” He believed Jesus was indeed God’s Messiah, who would reign over God’s eternal kingdom, and so he made his outrageous request of Jesus – that Jesus would “remember him” when Jesus “came into His kingdom.”

His simple request showed that this man on the cross next to Jesus had a bold, unexplainable faith in the person who hung on the cross next to him, who was none other than Jesus Himself, God’s gift to the world of a Savior. Otherwise, why would he say to the guy hanging on the cross beside him, a man obviously suffering the same fate that he was currently suffering, someone in the same predicament as he was in – someone with no apparent way of escape – why would he say to Him –

“Lord, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.”

unless he believed that Jesus was going to inherit an eternal kingdom and that Jesus had the power and the authority to grant him a place in this eternal paradise. Well, as it turns out, his bold faith was rewarded immediately with these words –

“Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.’ ” (Luke 23:43)

I think this unnamed man on the cross should have been included in Hebrews chapter 11, which names many people of great faith, such as Abraham and Noah and Joseph. Just as the criminal on the cross believed Jesus for a seemingly impossible outcome of his situation, so too, Abraham believed God for the seemingly impossible. Abraham was old and his wife, Sarah, was barren, unable to conceive and bear children. So they had remained childless their entire marriage. And yet, God said this to Abraham –

“Then the word of the Lord came to him: (Abraham) ‘This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.’ He took him outside and said, ‘Look up at the heavens and count the stars – if indeed you can count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ ” (Genesis 15:4-5)

What was childless Abraham’s response to God’s incredible promise to make Abraham’s descendants as numerous as the stars?

“Abraham believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6)

Abraham believed that God would make good on His promise even though he had no children at the time. (faith – “the evidence of things not yet seen.”) Noah had faith to obey God and build that very large boat despite the fact that it had never rained on the earth and he was landlocked. Noah’s obedient faith paid off. He and his family survived the great flood that covered all the earth because they took refuge in the ark God told him to build.

The criminal on the cross next to Jesus was no different. He had faith enough to ask the impossible of Jesus and faith enough to believe that Jesus would make good on His promise despite the apparent hopelessness of their shared current situation. I want faith like that – faith that believes God for the impossible every day of my life. Why? because God’s word says this about faith –

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

and because –

“We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

I want to have faith that dares to obey the Living God – faith like Daniel in the lion’s den, faith like his three friends in the king’s furnace, faith like Rahab defying the king and hiding the spies, faith that walks on water and soars on wings like eagles – obedient, courageous faith like the man hanging on the cross next to Jesus. Everyone there was mocking Jesus, taunting Him, ridiculing Him with scorn and derision. BUT – the criminal on the cross boldly called upon Jesus in faith to save him and he was not disappointed! He was rewarded with Jesus’s promise that he would be with Jesus that very day in paradise.

In this life, I too often find myself in tough, excruciatingly painful, scary, grievous, seemingly impossible and inescapable situations with no apparent way of escape or good outcome – much like the criminal on the cross next to Jesus. In my “hanging on my cross” moments, when I feel powerless, unable to change my circumstances or to rescue myself from the situation – I want to remember the bold, unfathomable faith of that man on the cross who knew he could do nothing to save himself, but believed that Jesus could rescue him from his otherwise certain sad ending.

And I have something in common with this man. He had Jesus right next to him. How fortunate for him! Well, dear readers, you and I have Jesus with us twenty-four/seven. How fortunate for us! Like the man on the cross, I can cry out to Jesus anytime and He will answer me. I just have to have faith bold enough to ask, faith trusting enough to believe that God will answer. After all, God promised in Jeremiah –

“Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

and the apostle Paul says this about God’s response to my bold faith requests –

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)

“immeasurably more” – that’s God’s response to my bold faith cries for help – that’s His response to yours too, dear readers

sincerely, Grace Day