In Part 1 of this message, we discovered the role perspective plays in how we interpret events around our lives. Our perspective or perception of an event affect our attitude towards that event and largely affect its outcome.

In all of the bleeding from His body and of the agony of the occasion, the thief on the left said, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us”. The thief on the right said something different. 

v40 “Do you not even fear God, seeing You are under the same condemnation?”
v42 Then he said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom”.
v43 “And Jesus Said to him “Assuredly, I say to you, today, you will be with Me in Paradise”.

Know and understand this, that the blood, the agony, the pain of Jesus on the cross, has not diminished his opinion of the man in the middle tree. This is the revelation, people don’t die, they just transit to another life. Death means life. Without death, there will be no burial, and without burial, there would not have been resurrection. Without resurrection, there will be no redemption.

This thief caught a revelation that death is the door that was about to open to take Jesus into everlasting inheritance, everlasting Kingdom and that Jesus would be the king there. So he said ‘Lord Remember Me’, Why? When He called Him Lord, he was appealing to his humanity as the Son of David so he could be mercifully treated instead of judgment.

I recall the story of Blind Bartimaeus in Mk 10:48 also appeal to His humanity by calling Him, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” He was healed of his blindness. Dictionary meaning of remembrance says “CALL ME TO YOUR MIND” or THINK ABOUT ME”

However, another level of understanding brings you into additional revelation when you consider the ARAMAIC WORD OF REMEMBER. It means the opposite of DISMEMBER.

So if something is dismembered, it needs to be REMEMBERED. What this thief is saying is that, life has turned him apart. His character has been torn open and disjointed.

May be as you’re reading this message you noticed that your family, career, your finances have been torn apart or dismembered like the thief, a door of opportunity is opened to you now to go to the Lord God in prayer and supplication.

The thief is saying, “so when you come into your Kingdom, would you please put me back together again = REMEMBER ME!

That’s why in modern organisations and businesses you hear phrases like the company is undergoing a Restructuring, Re-engineering or Re-organisation exercise. If the existing structure functions efficiently, that would be no need restructuring.

Remember also during the time of Noah [Genesis 6:5-7] Genesis 8:1, scriptures says, “God remembered Noah”. The human race has been dismembered, torn apart by evil and high level of wickedness, even doing genetic engineering. Genesis 6:5-7.

This revelation was highlighted in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 by Apostle Paul when giving doctrinal guidance about our conduct at Communion service. Know and understand that death allowed the blood to be separated from the body. That’s why Paul wrote, “as often as you drink this cup do Remember the Lord’s death till He comes”.

No matter what, however life has dismembered you or torn you apart, I encourage you to smile when you think that there is a smiling, joyful former thief in heaven walking the golden streets of Paradise who knows by experience, about the grace of God than many Christians and many theologians and religious people of this age could know and understand.

No one else would have given him a prayer. However, in the end, that’s all he had and my God he did not miss the opportunity. Take time out and ask the Lord to Re-member you and reset your life in any way you have been dismembered.