Jesus Suffered Alongside Us

Two criminals were crucified with Jesus, one on his right and another on his left. In the midst of pain and imminent death, it’s clear that both of them had learned very different things about themselves and Jesus.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ 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.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’(Luke 23:39-43)

The one who hurled insults at Jesus believed the Messiah would come to take them out of their mess, but the other one recognized his own sin, and that he didn’t deserve better than the death he was facing. Instead of believing that the cross somehow disqualified Jesus as king, he asked Jesus to remember him when he came into his kingdom. And yet neither of them addressed a distant and inaccessible God, but one who suffered alongside them.

As we near the end of COVID restrictions, what have we learned about ourselves and Jesus? Are we frustrated that he didn’t take us out of this mess earlier, or do we ask Jesus to remember us in the mess we find ourselves in? Are there any ways that we believe him less in charge of our lives and this world because of COVID? It’s important we recognise how Jesus is faithful to us, provides for us, and does a good work in us in this crisis or any crisis, not as one who is distant and inaccessible, but as one who suffered alongside us.

This reflection introduces the Sunday teaching on 25 April about what we’ve learned this past year. You can listen to it below.