Reflection on Luke 23:33-43

“Let him save himself!”

“Save yourself!”

“Save yourself, and us!”

These are the words that those who are “of the world” tell Jesus.  These are the words that those who are “of the world” say to each other.  “Save yourself.”  “Pull yourself up by the bootstraps.”  “Take some time for yourself.”  “Save yourself, and us!”  “God helps those who help themselves!”

Did you know that last one is not in the Bible?  It is quoted constantly as if it were.  “God helps those who help themselves.”  It is a better known phrase than John 3:16:  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” 

The two phrases could not be any different from one another though.  The one that is actually from the Bible, John 3:16, tells us about how God saves us through faith.  The one that is not from the Bible tells us that we need to be the ones who take the initiative to save ourselves. 

“Be the author of your own story.”  “You can do it.”  “Trust in yourself.”  “God helps those who help themselves.”  “Save yourself.”

Those of us who are “of the world” take great pride in our self-made accomplishments.  Those of us who are “of the world” can clearly see that if it were not for our own hard work, we would be nowhere in life.  And, maybe we are right.  Maybe, we care a lot about making our way in this world, and we have accomplished exactly that.  Maybe, that has been our focus in life.  Maybe, that is what drives our life.  Maybe, at the end of the day, all we care about is saving ourselves…or more graciously, ourselves and our friends and family. 

“Save yourself,” we whisper to ourselves when the times get rough.  “Save yourself,” we whisper to ourselves because we are too afraid to lay our burdens on anyone else’s shoulders.  “Save yourself,” we say into the lonely night as we twist and turn and try to figure it all out before the sun comes up.

Do you know what Jesus did not do?  Jesus did not save himself. 

Jesus was not the focus of his own life.  His own welfare was not the center of his own actions.  Instead, Jesus healed people who were blind.  He found people who were lost.  He ate with people who were tax collectors and sinners.  Hanging out with known sinners is not how to write a book on how to influence others and get ahead in life. 

I know of a faithful member of a church who was given a harsh warning from the pastor when he started hanging out on the front porch with some…what shall we say…”white trash” neighbors.  You know, the ones with the beer in hand, playing shoot the squirrel, sitting on the old couch in the front yard.  Come to think of it, that pretty much describes a lot of us in college.  In any case, we have all learned from an early age that “you are who you hang out with,” so if we care about getting anywhere in the world, we will not follow the Lord’s example and hang with people like them. 

Jesus hangs out with the wrong people all the time.  In addition, Jesus hangs out in the wrong places and he winds up sitting on the wrong throne.  Christ’s worldly throne, after-all, is a cross.  No one will fight each other to the death to sit on that sort of throne.  That throne sits in the middle of a kingdom of dying criminals.

Those who taunt Jesus by walking up, asking him to “save himself” and spitting in his face do not actually think that Jesus can save himself.  It is a display of mockery for the benefit of all who pass by on the road into the heart of Jerusalem.  But, these people who mock Jesus do end up saying one thing that is absolutely true; “He saved others.”

Yes, that part is absolutely true.  Jesus did save others.  He healed others when other people could not.  He guided others when other people would not.  He accepted others when other people refused.  “He saved others.”

And, he is going to do it one more time before he dies.  You see, Jesus, our King, may refuse to use his powers to save himself (after-all he is not a king of this world) but, he will go to any length to use his powers to save others.  One of the two criminals hanging with Jesus at the very end of his life refuses to join with those who taunt.  Instead, that criminal admits that he wasted his opportunities in this life. 

“We indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds,” the man admits.

He is one who did not help himself.  He is one who actively destroyed himself.  He is one who deserved his cross.  But, he is also the only one who turns his head toward Jesus and asks, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 

That man is the man who Jesus chooses to save; not himself; not someone who was found deserving; rather someone who simply and profoundly asked.

"Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Jesus did not save himself, but he does save others. 

All those who ask will find that they are welcome in Jesus’ kingdom.  That was true on that last day, and it is still true today. 

Come to the cross with your burdens, you need not bear them alone.  Come to the cross with your sins, Jesus offers to remain next to you.  Come to the cross with your pain, Jesus desires to heal you.  Come to the cross and worship your king; a king who understands pain and the temptation to sin; a king whose throne is a cross of shame; a king who helps those who are unable to help themselves. 

Come to the cross. 

Come.