What a wonderful text to conclude our year of Luke in the lectionary cycle.

Luke, who has gone to such lengths to show the seeking, saving love of God in his gospel, now gives us what has to be at least a finalist for the most dramatic story of the God's radical love and grace in the gospels. Here is the Son of God, thrown out on the city garbage dump of Jerusalem, still reaching out to the despised and rejected with his last breath!

There is something astounding about today's scripture readings when you compare and contrast Luke and Colossians. You are seeing Jesus in two mind boggling, absolutely opposite views.

One the one hand Paul lifts a veil -- as it were -- to a profound spiritual view of who Christ is. "... all things have been created through him and for him.... in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell..." Juxtapose with this Luke's gut wrenching picture of someone hanging on a cross between two convicted criminals. This is a death reserved for the "low-lifes" of the Roman world. Those who are supposed to be the leaders of God's chosen people are hurling insults as though to grind salt into the wounds of the crucified One.

Can you fathom this! How can it be? The One whom Paul says is "the image of the invisible God," being ridiculed by the likes of these hypocrites, power mongers and thieves? And what is the response of the One in whom Paul says all powers and rulers and authorities were created? Does he smash them with a Rambo-like sword of terrible vengeance? Or blow them to bits with a breath? How about unleashing all the fury of Michael the archangel's host of warriors?

No. He says, "Father forgive them..." ¹

They shout another insult!

How low can you get? And here is the critical point of our text. Mark it down. There are no depths to which God will not sink to offer you the gift of divine love and grace!

Paul says it this way, "Through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross."

That's the view of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ from the cross. Mere words can never contain the fullness of this truth. Isaac Watts comes close in his hymn, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, "Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."

Perhaps only a parent has at least a partial sense of the depth of God's love. "Nothing you do," God says throughout the scriptures, "...can make me not love you. You can disappoint me, break my heart and grieve my Spirit -- but you can not make me stop loving you."  Years ago, during a winter storm, one of my sons ran my Chevrolet Blazer into a ditch. Amazingly, the thing was totaled!  It is a long story, but suffice it to say that my insurance did not cover the damage.  About $4000.00 would come out of my pocket. That evening as I was watching the evening news, my 20 year old son ( who had been out on his own for a time and then moved back home) came through the family room carrying  a suitcase.  "Where are you going?" I asked.   "I figured you would want me to leave," he replied. It struck my heart like an arrow. "Jay," I said, "I love you. You aren't going to lose your home over $4000.00.  It will be great if you can help out, but nothing you will ever do will make me not love you."

He cried.

Now here's the crux of this gospel lesson. Indeed, the essential point of the entire gospel of Luke... During these weeks in November, we have explored various views of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ --  all of this begs the most obvious question of all.

What is your view of the life and ministry of Jesus?

In the 9th chapter of Luke, Jesus asks the disciples, "Who do the crowds say I am?" (v.18) Then he moves the question directly to them, "But what about you? Who do you say I am?"

In the final analysis, it doesn't matter what anyone else's' view of Jesus is.  Whether it be the thief on the cross, the Pharisee on the sidelines or the soldier at the foot of the cross -- it matters not what they make of this whole scene.  What matters most is this, "But what do you say -- what is your view of this Christ on a cross between two criminals?"

Two questions from the text can help us focus our thoughts.

1. "Are you not the Messiah?" (v.39)

Although the question was asked in a mocking way, it is an important one. If this is simply a great teacher who has met an unfortunate end, then the story is touching, but not truly relevant to your life or mine -- except perhaps as a wonderful example of a dedicated man.

The difficulty with this, of course, that a great teacher who promises "This day you will be with me in paradise.."  is offering a bit of false hope at best and is quite deluded in the worst case.

If this is truly the messiah of God, then there is no more powerful statement in all of history than this crucifixion of the Christ between two criminals. If God sinks this low to claim our love, we must ask the question for ourselves.

"Are you not the messiah?"

2. "Do you not fear God?"

The one convicted felon says to the other in effect, "Even at this worst possible point in your life... have you no room to look to God? Even now?"  

Even at the outer limits of his mortal existence, this man has no room for the possibility of God!  Try to imagine that. Doubt and even agnosticism have at least the possibility of encounter with God.  But this poor soul is locked up in the prison of absolute aloneness. No room for God.  No room for hope.

And yet, even here, Jesus offers no words of angry condemnation.  This grace he brings is too passionate -- to fiery. It is a grace beyond understanding. Silence in the face of vilification? Perhaps even an offer of grace to the one who spits in your face?

My spirit is called to attention by this depth of love and grace -- it is an awesome thought. What does it mean to reject a love such as this?

*****

How deep is God's love?

Our scripture answers very clearly.  There is no such thing as being "too far gone" when it comes to redemption. From one end of scripture to the other the message is the same. The shortest distance between ruin and redemption -- failure and faith -- heaven and hell is a simple prayer, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

So how does Jesus respond to this thief on a cross?  "Sorry buddy, but it's a bit late don't you think?  Trying for a foxhole conversion?   Forget it.  You made your bed -- lie in it!"

Not at all.  The response of Jesus to any honest, sincere reaching out is immediate.  There is no, "I'll think it over and let you know."   There are no classes to take, hoops to jump through or forms to fill out.  The response of God to our deepest needs is instantaneous. "Today, you will be with me in paradise."

The core of this story is that it is never too late to turn our hearts toward God.  Never too late to ask for and receive the love of Christ.  There are times in life when opportunities have passed. The opportunity is missed  -- the moment is gone -- you might say, "The time for that is gone." But this one thing is sure.  It is never too late to seek and find the grace of God!