This is the script of my Gospel talk at Grandad’s funeral, February 2006. JESUS’ WORD OF ASSURANCE (Luke 23:38-43):

Many of you know that Grandad loved Aussie Rulers football. He loved to watch his twin nephews, Peter and Norman Web, play for East Launceston. Only a few months ago he gave this football to my son Elijah, with the words written on it “To my Great Grandson Elijah Beau Towns, love from Great Grandad R. Towns, 26th Dec 2005”. This will be cherished for generations to come!

Many of you will also know that Grandad had another love – a love of the Lord Jesus Christ. And it was because of this love that Grandad asked me in particular to share with you the message of the Lord Jesus today.

The greatest words of encouragement that I can give everyone of us here today are the words of one in whose power it was to bring in death, life! They are words of the Lord Jesus himself. And in particular I want to share with you his words of assurance in Luke 23, that have just been read out for us, spoken to one who, beside him at the cross, was facing death.

3 men were waiting for death to come. All 3 appeared to be criminals. 2 of them were, whose crimes were plainly written on notices above their heads. But the one in the middle, who hung between them, what did his notice read? “There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Luke 23:23).

This is Jesus, and his written notice reads “The King.” How would the ones dying beside him respond to this? One of the criminals rejected Jesus as King: “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” “ (v. 39) He joins in with all those standing around the cross that day, “hurling insults” at Jesus. “Aren’t you the Christ, God’s King?” he mocks. “Save yourself, and us!” he ridicules.

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” (v. 40-41). The other criminal rebukes him, because not only didn’t he fear punishment by God, he had no reverence for God – the Supreme Judge, the Ruler of the Universe! But instead he rejects Jesus as King.

Well I’m here to tell you that Grandad did not do this. This is the reason why he asked me to speak about Jesus at his funeral. Grandad had a tremendous fear of God: A deep reverence for his Lord and Maker.

Well, if the first criminal insulted Jesus, How does the other criminal respond to Jesus? The other criminal treated Jesus as King. “Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”” (v. 42) After rebuking his fellow criminal, this second criminal now directs himself to Jesus, and asks with amazing faith “remember me when you come as King.” Even though everyone else was mocking Jesus this condemned man looks at Jesus and sees all the way in to the future when Jesus will come again in Kingly power.

And what does he ask? To be remembered on that Day; to not be forgotten. So can you see what this dying man is asking of Jesus? He is praying to be remembered by Christ and therefore included in his kingdom when he comes back.

This is exactly what Grandad also did, at 25 years of age: He prayed to Christ. “King Jesus, include me in your kingdom!” And right up until his recent death Rex Towns was one who lived with Jesus as his personal King.

Well how does Jesus response to this second criminal who treats him as his King. Jesus gives him the promise of Paradise. Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”(v. 43) Although Jesus gave no response to the insulting request of the other criminal, not even a single word, he immediately responds to this man with an answer promising more than he could have imagined. The criminal asked only hoping, but Jesus replied with certainty: “I tell you the truth…” The criminal had asked about the distant future when Jesus would come again, but Jesus gave his something immediate: “Today”, he said, meaning this very day they would both die. The criminal only asked to not be forgotten in Jesus’ mind, but Jesus promised him his own company: “you will be with me”. He had asked simply for a place in Jesus memory, and was given a place “in Paradise”!

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” At that very moment, upon his request of faith he was assured of the certainty of his salvation!

What does this mean for Grandad? It means nothing less than on the 17th February, 2006, after his death, Rex Towns (My Grandad) went directly to be with Christ in the Paradise of Heaven.

In closing, please understand this, we are all criminals before God, like these two men either side of Jesus on the cross. It was Grandad’s prayer and greatest wish, as it is mine, that today you would take this wonderful opportunity to turn to Christ, and pray this prayer: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Amen.

When the news of our dear Pop’s passing came to me, I put off sharing it with my son Elijah (5 yrs old) for a few days. I knew he’d almost be as sad as me. What made it harder was the disappointment of knowing that he would now miss the richness I had from growing up admiring his Great Pop. When I did break the news he sat on my lap weeping for what seemed like hours. Later Cath asked Elijah if he’d like to draw a picture for Nanny to make her feel better, because Nanny was even sadder than him.

And this is what he drew (below), that will remain for me one of my great encouragements. He first drew our dear Pop, whose body lay dead. But then he wrote above that the words “God” with a kingly crown. And beside Pop’s body he drew the “tree of life”. And with a great X he crossed out that first picture, and next to it drew again Pop, this time standing alive in a new body and with a great smile on his face. And circling this picture and God who was above all, he explained that in the new heaven and the new earth, Pop will be living with Christ and us forever.

I realized in that moment that not only were those things so true, but also that Pop’s firm faith, and living hope and deep love were alive and growing in us all, right down to the third generation. It was to me as a youngster that I recall Pop warmly reminding that of all things there were only three of lasting value: faith, hope and love. And of all the things we have, I’m so thankful to Pop that those are the things that he passed on to us and our children.