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.”

Luke 23:39-42

At our small group meeting at church tonight we talked about experiencing forgiveness through the story of The Prodigal Son. In that brief story there is a line that stands out to me – “when he came to his senses” (Luke 15:17). This line refers to an epiphany – a moment of awakening. It’s a turning point where someone recognizes their circumstances and seeks to make a change.

In the passage above, one of the two criminals crucified alongside Christ experienced that moment at the last moment in his life, yet Jesus was gracious to him with a promise that “today you will be with me in paradise.”

This man attended no meetings, didn’t offer the sinner’s prayer and there was no baptism, yet forgiveness and redemption were experienced on the day he died.

Who in your life is in need of the epiphany of faith?