Remember Me: The Lasting Love of the Cross

Devotional

Day 1: The Centrality of the Cross—Jesus’ Sacrifice for Us

In the darkest moment of suffering, Jesus endured unimaginable pain and humiliation, yet His focus was not on Himself but on those around Him. As He walked the road to the cross, beaten and bloodied, He paused to comfort the women who mourned for Him, warning them of coming hardships and urging them to put their faith in Him. Even as He was nailed to the cross, Jesus extended forgiveness to those who crucified Him and mercy to the criminal beside Him, declaring, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” The cross is not just a moment in history; it is the central event of God’s love story for humanity, the place where Jesus says, “You can come.” His scars remain as an eternal reminder that nothing we have done is greater than His love and forgiveness. [46:13]

Luke 23:32-43 (ESV)
Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Reflection: When you consider the scars—physical or emotional—that you carry, how might remembering Jesus’ scars and His words from the cross change the way you see your own pain and the pain of others today?

Day 2: You Are Forgiven—Grace Is Greater Than Your Sin

No matter what you have done, no matter how far you feel from God, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross covers every failure, every mistake, and every sin. He took upon Himself all your shame, your brokenness, and your regrets, declaring that nothing is beyond His forgiveness. You are not defined by your past or your shortcomings; you are defined by the love and grace of Jesus, who calls you His own. When you confess your sins, you can be confident that you are forgiven, cleansed, and welcomed as a child of God. [55:16]

1 John 1:8-9 (ESV)
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Reflection: Is there a specific sin or regret you have been holding onto, believing it is too much for God to forgive? Take a moment to bring it honestly to Jesus in prayer, trusting that His grace is greater.

Day 3: The Invitation—You Belong in God’s Family

Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, you are invited into the family of God—not because of your own righteousness, but because of what Christ has done for you. This invitation is not exclusive; it is for everyone who hears and believes. You are not alone; you are part of a worldwide family of believers, united by faith and the love of Christ. In the words of the ancient creed, we confess together that we belong to one holy Christian and apostolic church, looking forward to the resurrection and the life of the world to come. [22:53]

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV)
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Reflection: Who in your life needs to be reminded that they belong—that they are loved and welcomed by God? How can you reach out to them this week and share that invitation?

Day 4: The Call to Share—Let Others See Your Scars

God does not call perfect people to share His good news; He calls forgiven people. Your scars, your failures, and your pain are not things to hide, but opportunities to point others to the grace of Jesus. When you share your story honestly, you show others that Jesus’ love is for real people with real struggles. There are people all around you who do not yet know the hope and forgiveness found in Christ. God invites you to be part of His mission, to let your life and your words be a testimony to the love that has changed you. [56:50]

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Reflection: What is one way you can share your story—your scars and God’s healing—with someone who needs hope this week?

Day 5: Lasting Things—Living in the Light of the Resurrection

While the world is full of last things and endings, the cross and resurrection of Jesus point us to lasting things—God’s love, forgiveness, and the promise of eternal life. Jesus’ scars remain as a sign that His sacrifice is forever central, and that we will never outgrow our need for His grace. As you live in this hope, you are called to celebrate God’s gifts, to pray for others, and to look forward with confidence to the day when all things are made new. Until then, you are sent to live as a child of God, shining His light in a broken world. [57:41]

Revelation 21:3-5 (ESV)
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Reflection: As you look ahead to the week and the future, what is one way you can live today in the hope and confidence that Jesus’ victory over death is the lasting thing that defines your life?

Sermon Summary

As we gather on this last Sunday of the church year, we are reminded that while the world marks time by the turning of the calendar, the church marks time by the story of Jesus—His life, death, and resurrection. Today, we stand at the threshold between endings and beginnings, and our focus is drawn not to the “last things” of the world, but to the lasting thing: the cross of Christ. This is the center of our faith, the place where God’s love is most clearly revealed, and the moment that changes everything for us.

We confess together the faith that unites us with Christians across the world and throughout history, even as we remember those who cannot speak these words openly. We are one family, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, saved by grace, and called to be filled with love, hope, and truth. In a world that is broken and often hard, we long for experts to guide us through suffering. Yet, when we look to Jesus, we see the true expert—not because He avoided suffering, but because He entered into it fully for our sake.

The journey to the cross is brutal. Jesus, beaten and bloodied, carries the weight of our sin, shame, and pain. Even in His agony, He stops to show compassion—to the women weeping for Him, to the soldiers who crucify Him, and to the criminals dying beside Him. He offers forgiveness, mercy, and the promise of paradise. The man on the middle cross says, “You can come.” This is not about how well we know Him, but about how deeply He knows and loves us.

Our scars and failures do not disqualify us; rather, they become testimonies to the grace of Jesus. He keeps His scars for eternity as a love story to us, a reminder that nothing we have done is greater than His sacrifice. We are called not just to receive this grace, but to share it—to show our scars, to speak of His forgiveness, and to invite others into the hope of paradise. The cross is not something to “get past,” but the center of our lives and our eternity. In Jesus, we are loved, forgiven, and sent to be His witnesses in a world desperate for good news.

Key Takeaways

1. The Cross Is the Center of Everything The cross is not just a moment in history or a symbol of suffering; it is the central event that defines our faith and our lives. Everything else—our traditions, our knowledge, our good works—flows from what Jesus accomplished there. We are never meant to “move past” the cross, but to live in its shadow and its light, letting it shape our identity and our hope. [53:46]
2. Jesus Shows Grace in the Midst of Suffering Even as Jesus endured unimaginable pain, He stopped to care for others: comforting the women, forgiving His executioners, and welcoming a dying criminal into paradise. This reveals a love that is not self-absorbed but radically outward-facing, inviting us to see others even in our own struggles and to extend grace where it is least expected. [44:28]
3. Our Scars Become Testimonies of Grace We all carry scars—physical, emotional, spiritual. Rather than hiding them, we are invited to let them point to the greater story of Christ’s healing and redemption. Jesus keeps His scars as an eternal testimony of His love for us, and our own wounds can become openings for others to encounter His mercy and hope. [56:50]
4. Forgiveness Is Complete and Unconditional There is nothing we have done, thought, or failed to do that is beyond the reach of Christ’s forgiveness. The cross covers every sin, every failure, every regret. We are not defined by our past, but by the love and sacrifice of Jesus, who declares us children of God and promises us paradise. [55:16]
5. We Are Sent to Share the Good News Having received such grace, we are called to share it with a world that does not yet know the invitation of the man on the middle cross. Our mission is to show our scars, speak of His forgiveness, and invite others to know the hope and love that is found only in Jesus. [56:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[16:00] - Opening Prayer and Introduction
[16:27] - The Last Sunday of the Church Year
[21:40] - Confession of the Nicene Creed
[22:53] - United in Faith and Family
[23:23] - Prayer for God’s Word and Change
[36:16] - Seeking Experts in Hard Times
[37:39] - Lessons from Personal Suffering
[41:05] - The Hardest Part: The Cross
[43:24] - Jesus’ Compassion on the Way to the Cross
[46:13] - The Weight of Sin and Forgiveness
[52:33] - The Centrality of Jesus’ Love
[53:46] - The Scars That Tell a Love Story
[56:50] - Sharing the Good News
[58:34] - Confession, Forgiveness, and Prayer
[66:50] - Communion: Receiving God’s Gift
[68:39] - Benediction and Sending Forth
[81:14] - Closing and Farewell

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 23:26-43 (ESV) — 26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.
27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.
28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’
30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’
31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.
33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”
36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine
37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Observation Questions

What are some specific ways Jesus shows compassion to others while He is suffering on the way to the cross? ([44:28])
How do the people around Jesus—like the women, the soldiers, and the criminals—respond to Him during His crucifixion? ([46:13])
What does Jesus say to the criminal who asks to be remembered, and what does this reveal about Jesus’ heart? ([47:34])
According to the sermon, why does Jesus keep His scars even after the resurrection? ([53:46])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus take time to comfort the women and forgive those who are hurting Him, even in the middle of His own pain? What does this teach us about the nature of His love? ([44:28])
The sermon says, “The man on the middle cross says, ‘You can come.’” What does this mean for people who feel unworthy or far from God? ([47:34])
The pastor mentioned that our scars and failures do not disqualify us, but can become testimonies of grace. How might this change the way someone views their own past mistakes? ([53:46])
The cross is described as “the center of everything” in our faith. Why is it important that we never “move past” the cross, but keep it at the center of our lives? ([53:46])

Application Questions

The sermon talked about how Jesus showed compassion to others even while He was suffering. Can you think of a time when you were struggling but still noticed someone else’s need? What helped you do that, or what held you back? ([44:28])
Jesus forgave the people who crucified Him and welcomed the criminal beside Him. Is there someone in your life who is hard to forgive? What would it look like to take a step toward forgiveness this week? ([46:13])
The pastor said, “Our scars become testimonies of grace.” Is there a scar—physical, emotional, or spiritual—that you usually try to hide? How could sharing your story help someone else see God’s grace? ([53:46])
The cross covers every sin, every failure, every regret. Is there something in your past that you still feel disqualifies you from God’s love? How does the message of the cross speak to that? ([55:16])
The sermon challenged us to “show our scars, speak of His forgiveness, and invite others into the hope of paradise.” Who is one person in your life who needs to hear this good news? What is one practical way you could reach out to them this week? ([56:50])
The pastor said, “We are never meant to ‘move past’ the cross, but to live in its shadow and its light.” What is one way you can keep the cross at the center of your daily life? ([53:46])
The message reminded us that we are “sent to share the good news.” What is one fear or obstacle that keeps you from sharing your faith? How can you ask God to help you with that this week? ([56:50])

Sermon Clips

Honestly, you shouldn't be worried about surgery. Surgery is easy because all you do is you show up and lay down. Job done, right? They take care of all the rest of it. It's the after the surgery part that's a little rougher and that's what you want to know. How long? Well, if you're going to have knee replacement, here you go. I'm going to give it to you. First two weeks after knee replacement are why did I do this time? This is awful. Why did I do this? The next two months after that are I think I can get through this. [00:40:02] (35 seconds) #SurgeryRecoveryJourney

And then after two and a half months it's why did I wait so long to do this? That's how it's going to go. There's your expertise on knee replacement surgery unless it gets infected and then it's a whole different deal. But I can tell you about that too. Oh. I say all that because in our text today we have a piece of scripture that is the hardest part of all of it. And I was really surprised by it this time because we are the last Sunday of the church here and generally on the last Sunday of the church you deal with last things. [00:40:37] (42 seconds) #GraceInSuffering

It's the central thing of all the things. It's Jesus going to the cross for us. And with that kind of thing I think a lot of times what we want to hear is when we're going to have to go on that journey at Good Friday each year is when are we going to get past this and what does that mean? And so you come to an expert and I hope that at some level I'm an expert on this text and maybe I can tell you when you're going to get past it. [00:41:29] (37 seconds) #JesusStopsForUs

And so that's the thing so many times when we see really hard things we go well when can I get past this it kind of makes me think about all these scars on my body three different surgeries on this wrist it's pretty scarred up nine on this knee if you were to see it it's it's pretty it's pretty scarred up the right one just one but that's a big scar right they are all over me but one of the things I know whenever Jesus comes back and the new creation comes and he makes this all new I'm not going to have those scars anymore but Jesus scripture tells us he's going to keep his because he never wants you to get past this moment which is central to everything. [00:53:16] (54 seconds) #OvercomeByGrace

It's the central piece of everything and throughout eternity we're going to see those scars and we're not going to be overwhelmed by them we're not going to be filled with grief by them instead we're going to see what they do as they speak a love story to us and they say there is nothing that you have done that is bigger than the cross of Jesus thought or said to someone that he does not have forgiveness for because he suffered and he died for every bit of it and now he says you're mine you're a child of my father because of what I have done and when you die you get to be with me in paradise and this is good news. [00:55:16] (51 seconds) #PrayerAndCommunity

``The last Sunday of the church year we talk about last things but in the text we get this we get lasting things we get the love of Jesus we get the centrality of the cross we get something that points us to the empty tomb that will last forever you're never going to get past it and thank God that you won't because it speaks grace to you you are loved Jesus in this world so let's go amen our God is good. [00:57:37] (40 seconds) #ConfidenceInPrayer

I've got good news for you our Savior Jesus Christ has overcome for you he has overcome your failure and your sin and your sickness and even those of you who are out there saying you don't know what I've done no there's nothing that you have done that he didn't already die for so I tell you with complete confidence that uponeast is from west you are a child of God and you will be with our Savior in paradise and all God's people said amen he is good. [01:00:28] (38 seconds) #ProtectAndServe

The Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you the Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace amen hey if you're new with us make sure to talk to me and some of the others out there we got some things to share with you we are so glad that you are here whether it's your first time or you been here for 56 years we thank you big and loud now one family welcome to the journey God bless you. [01:20:48] (29 seconds)

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