Remember Me
Jesus spent 3 and a half years traveling Israel and the surrounding areas, preaching, teaching, healing, and delivering people. He said many things and only a portion of them are actually captured in scripture. We can't talk about things Jesus said and not talk about some of his final words before His death.
Here's a short summary of Jesus's final week before the crucifixion:
- Jesus comes into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Everyone hears of His coming and takes palm branches with them to meet Him on the road at the entrance to the city. That’s how we got “Palm Sunday”.
- He spends time speaking and teaching in the local synagogues.
- He washes His disciples’ feet.
- He tells Peter that he will deny Jesus 3 times.
- Jesus has the last supper/communion with His disciples.
- He is betrayed by Judas for 30 pieces of silver and arrested. He is
beaten, tortured, and crucified.
- He’s whipped 39 times and has a crown of thorns put on His head.
- He is nailed to the cross.
- He is hung on the cross between two criminals.
While Jesus is hanging on the cross, He says "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing", speaking about those who are crucifying Him. One of the criminals mocks Jesus, but the other one says, "Jesus, REMEMBER ME when you come into your Kingdom." Jesus replies, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
Nobody wants to be forgot. Even as little children, we have this need to be seen, to feel like someone is thinking about us. If you've ever been in a situation where you've been forgotten, you definitely know the devastating feeling of being overlooked.
Even the criminal hanging next to Jesus recognizes who He is, and his last request is - please, remember me?
Yes, the criminal was asking Jesus to not forget him, but it goes deeper than that - Jesus, will you please RE-MEMBER me?
- I'm broken...
- Can you fix me Jesus?
- Can you put me back together?
Jesus's response to this request answers all of those questions - "I assure you, TODAY you will be with me in paradise."
- The criminal has no questions after that statement. Jesus completed his request in that exact moment.
Do you need to be RE-MEMBERED?
Are you broken? Do you need Jesus to pick up the pieces and put you back together?
If the answer is yes, we'd love to talk to you at Ascend and walk you through next steps, but please know all you have to do is ask Jesus to fix you, like in the prayer below.
"Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I ask you to forgive me, wash me, cleanse me, and make me brand new just like You. I want to live my life for You, so come live Your life in me. In Jesus name, amen."
The Bible tells us
1. You need to BELIEVE...
2. You need to be BAPTIZED...
What is baptism?
Baptism is an outward, physical representation of what has happened spiritually. Being baptized signifies that we have died to self and to sin. We go under the water as if buried to symbolize being dead to those things, and we come out of the water a new person. We are made new in Christ.
If you have not been baptized, and you want to be baptized, or if you have been baptized, but you want to be baptized again, please let us know here in the Ascend App or tell one of the leaders the next time you're at Ascend.