A Tale of Two Men

Luke 23:39-43

Luke 23:39–43 (NLT)

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?

41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

INTRODUCTION:

A- Tonight we are going to look at the men on who were crucified on either side of the Lord Jesus.

1- They picture for us the two types of people in this world.

a- Those who respond to Christ.

b- Those who refuse to respond to Christ.

2- Both were broken men.

a- Spiritually, emotionally, physically.

1- Because of their sins.

2 They had made choices that led to dying for robbery and murder.

3- Jesus was also broken, but for a different reason.

(Isaiah 53:5-6)

Isaiah 53:5–6 (NLT)

5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

1- Jesus was broken for our sin and iniquity.

(2 Corinthians 5:21)

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

2- The difference of the two men in our text was how each man chose to respond to Christ.

I- THE FIRST MAN REFUSED TO RESPOND TO CHRIST IN FAITH (Luke 23:39).

Luke 23:39 (NLT)

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

A- The condition of this man. (Luke 23:39a)

Luke 23:39 (NLT)

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

1- He was a criminal.

a. He was a sinner

(Romans 3:23).

Romans 3:23 (NLT)

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

b. He was unrepentant, only wanted to use Christ for his purpose.

(Luke 13:3).

Luke 13:3 (NLT)

3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

c. He was an unbeliever

(Revelation 21:8)

Revelation 21:8 (NLT)

8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

B- The attitude of this man. (Luke 23:39b).

Luke 23:39 (NLT)

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

1- Irreverence

2- Selfishness

3- Ignorance

C- The end of this man.

1- He died physically. (John 19:30-34)

John 19:30–34 (NLT)

30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

31 It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down.

32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus.

33 But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs.

34 One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

2- He went to Hell

3- He is still there. (Luke 16:26)

Luke 16:26 (NLT)

26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’

II- THE SECOND MAN CHOSE TO RESPOND TO CHRIST IN FAITH. (Luke 23:40-43).

Luke 23:40–43 (NLT)

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?

41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

A- The man on this cross had a change of heart and mind. (Luke 23:40).

Luke 23:40 (NLT)

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?

1- He had a change of heart toward God

(Matthew 27:44)

Matthew 27:44 (NLT)

44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way.

(Luke 23:40)

Luke 23:40 (NLT)

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?

2- He had a change in attitude about his sin (Luke 23:41)

Luke 23:41 (NLT)

41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

B- The man on this cross had a conversion of life.

1- He confessed his sin (Luke 23:41)

Luke 23:41 (NLT)

41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

2- He confessed Christ’s Lordship (Luke 23:42)

Luke 23:42 (NLT)

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

(Romans 10:9-13).

Romans 10:9–13 (NLT)

9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”

12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him.

13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

3- He called upon Jesus for mercy (Luke 23:42)

Luke 23:42 (NLT)

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

a. Like the publican did (Luke 18:13).

Luke 18:13 (NLT)

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’

III- WE NEED TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN RESPOND TO CHRIST IN FAITH. (Luke 23:43)

Luke 23:43 (NLT)

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Jimmy Scroggins, Lead Pastor of Family Church in Palm Beach, FL (SBC), developed a simple way to share the plan of salvation with the broken people around us … The Three Circles.

A- The first Circle represents God’s Design .

(Genesis 1:31)

Genesis 1:31 (NLT)

31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

1- God has a design for the way we live.

a. The God’s law speaks of that design.

(1) God’s law describes how we are to relate to God.

(2) God’s law describes how we are to relate to each other.

(3) Jesus summarized his law this way:

(Mark 12:29-31)

Mark 12:29–31 (NLT)

29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.

30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

2- All of us have departed from God’s design.

a- The Bible word for this departure from God’s design is sin. (arrow #1)

(Romans 3:23)

Romans 3:23 (NLT)

23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

B- The second circle represents Brokenness (our spiritual condition).

1- We are dead in our tresspasses and sins, resulting in an inner emptiness. (Ephesians 2:1)

Ephesians 2:1 (NLT)

1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.

a- Like King Solomon, we try all kinds of ways to fix our brokenness.

(Ecclesiastes 1:2)

Ecclesiastes 1:2 (NLT)

2 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

We try relationships, activities, education, drugs, alcohol, etc., only to find it all empty and meaningless.

2- God has made a remedy for our problem of brokenness.

C- The third circle represents the Gospel.

1- Gospel means good news.

2- God has given us good news that can address our brokenness.

(1 Corinthians 15:2-4)

1 Corinthians 15:2–4 (NLT)

2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.

4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

3- We must repent and believe the Good News of Christ in order to escape our brokenness. (arrow #2) (Mark 1:15)

Mark 1:15 (NLT)

15 “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

4- When we turn from our sins and believe the Gospel, we begin to recover and pursue God’s design for our lives. (Arrow #3)

(2 Corinthians 5:17)

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

5- Invite the person to repent and believe in Christ.

CONCLUSION:

A- This diagram can be used as a structure to witness.

1- It can be used with or without the scriptures.

2- You can draw it on a piece of paper or napkin.

B- The key to using it is practicing it.

C- In the next few weeks I will be teaching about each of the circles in more depth to help you and we will be practicing it as I share with you.

D- It is also available on the Apple store.

1- The title of the app is “Life on Mission”