Jesus and the Theives on the Cross

Happy Palm Sunday Journey, we are excited to celebrate Resurrection Sunday with you next week! As Carlyle said we will have breakfast, egg hunts for Journey Kids. By the way I just want to say we have an awesome Kids Ministry in Journey Kids. I love how our Kids Director Jenn is leading and serving our kids volunteers and our kids. Here at Journey kids ministry isn't glorified babysitting, we believe that when kids believing in Jesus they don’t get the junior Holy Spirit, they get the real deal. I believe that the next generation is going to make the largest impact for the kingdom of God this world has ever seen and it starts with our kids and our students. So if you see Jenn this morning, say thank you, and if God is pulling on your heart to serve at Journey, maybe Journey Kids is exactly what you are looking for.

We are continuing our series called, “Pieces” where we have looked at pieces of the last hours of Jesus and how they are pieces of our story as well. So I want to get you all caught up so in the last episodes of Pieces…Part one we looked at Peter and Judas and how we are to return back to Jesus and not run away from Jesus. Part 2 we looked at the Sanhedrin’s and Nicodemus, and we asked the questions, Is Jesus nothing, a nuisance or is he necessary in your life? Part 3 we looked at Pilate and Herod and how following Jesus is inconvenient but that does not mean it is inessential. And part 4 The powerful story of Jesus and Barabbas, how God had the treat Jesus like Barabbas in order to treat Barabbas like Jesus. Part 5 this week we will look at the amazing story of Jesus and the Theives on the Cross. My prayer for you in the next 15-20 minutes is that you will be filled with hope of Jesus, and inspired to do the work of Jesus.

Lets Pray.

To set the scene, Jesus was just flogged by the Roman’s, stripped naked, forced to carry his cross to the place he we die and he was nailed to the cross and placed in the upright, standing position. He would be in excruciating pain, far worse than anything you or I could possibly imagine. This barbaric act of Crucifixion wasn’t invented by the Roman’s, but my God it was perfected by them. Every breath would be painful as you would have to lift your weight on the nails to get yourself higher in order to breath in. But it wasn’t just Jesus who was being crucified, there were two others with him, hanging on their own crosses, facing their own deaths as well. And Luke tells us in Luke 23 starting in verse 32-43

32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

I want to break down this story with you into two different parts. Part 1: The Theives on the Cross and Part 2: Jesus on the cross. So for Part 1: The Theives on the Cross This account is incredibly moving for many different reasons, but it is first and foremost an account of a decision that all of us will have to make at some point in our lives. Two people placed in two identical situations and yet there were two completely different outcomes. And you either today, or some time in your life will either be the thief that believes or the thief that doesn’t. But interestingly enough both of the Theives on the cross started out the same. In Matthews account of this story it tells us that both of the theives on the cross were hurling insults, mocking and screaming profanities at Jesus just like the people in the crowd. But this account shows us that what we do even in the last moments of our lives matter. It shows us the great mercy, the great love and the great grace of Jesus.

As all three men are hanging, all three men are in agony and pain and hard of breath one man decides to use some of this last breaths to say sarcastically to Jesus, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” The other, after doing the same thing as his thief companion has a change of heart. “But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” One thief was sarcastic towards Jesus, the other viewed Jesus as sacraded, one wanted something from Jesus, save yourselves and us also, the other one wanted only Jesus. I think you might know some people like this, people who only want things from Jesus, they want protection, guidance, to win the lottery, to have all their hopes and dreams come true. And if Jesus doesn’t do it for them, well they might just throw insults towards him, not believe in him. Then there are others that regardless of how life is going, all they want is Jesus. They want to know him deeper, they trust in him completely to give them what they need, not just what they want.

So what exactly happened here? How in the world did a thief who only moments before was hurling insults in Jesus’s direction, now has not just an invitation to paradise, but has a seat at the table of Jesus? How is this criminal dying on a cross for his crimes now all of a sudden has a hope for a future in eternity with his creator and his savior? The same that is true for you and me is true for this criminal, 3 things this thief did, that all of us have to do if we want the same outcome. 1: He was Changed. You can’t explain it, in fact there is zero explanation, but with his excruciating breath in his last moments he says, “Don’t you fear God? Since you are under the same sentence.” He went from mocking Jesus to rebuking the other thief. Something in him changed, when you believe in Jesus you are changed, the Holy Spirit enters you and you go from death to life. Your actions change, thoughts change, desires change all of it. If you are a Jesus follower, especially if you believed in Jesus later in life you know what I am talking about. There was a moment in your life where you didn’t believe and then you did, as if the matrix was pulled back, the veil was pulled over, and you knew you were different. This man was changed. And maybe thats apart of your story, you once were a mocker of Jesus, you once were someone who would debate or challenge Jesus followers, you thought they were in folly…until Jesus captured your heart, soul and intellect. You were changed.

The second 2: He confessed that Jesus was innocent and that he was guilty. We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” A part of following Jesus is knowing that he is innocent, not just innocent of what the religious leaders accused him of, but innocent of sin. He never once sinned, he was the perfect person, the perfect individual. He did nothing deserving of death, but he took your place because you are guilty of sin. Following Jesus requires that you confess and repent, turn from, your sin. Have you confessed your sin? Not just once but are you continually oging to God to repent and confess? Do you know apart of being in Jesus communities is to confess your sins to trusted brothers or sisters in Christ. So that you might be healed. I heard it said once, that we confess our sins to God to be forgiven, and we confess our sins to others to be healed. This man confessed his sins, and was forgiven and soon would be healed.

3: He believed in the resurrection of Jesus and Lordship of Jesus. Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Why would this man say for Jesus to remember him and in his kingdom of all places if he didn’t believe that Jesus would be resurrected, that Jesus would be king and Lord. A crucial element to belief if beliving in Jesus rose from death, defeating death and sin once and for all, for all who believe. Then submit yourself to his lordship for the rest of your life.

This is a story all about Jesus and his ability to save people from their sin. This man on the cross did nothing to save himself. So if I were to ask you, if you were to die tonight and you were getting into heaven what would you say? If you answer that in the first person, we have immediately gotten it wrong. Because I…because I believed, because I have faith, because I have been baptized…because I belive in the right doctrine. Because I have this or I have that. Church the only correct answer is in the third person, because HE…because He. Because of what Jesus did.

I heard one pastor say it this way, “when i go into heaven I can’t wait to go and find that theif on the cross and ask him, “how did that work for you?”You were cussing the guy out, you were never in a bible study, never been baptized, you didn't know anything about church membership, and yet you got in. You made it! How did you make it? Thats what the angel must of said, “What are you doing here?” I don’t know the thief responded. What do you mean you don’t know? Well because I don’t know…confused the angel must have gotten a supervisor to come over and check in on things. So the supervisor says to the thief on the cross, “Just a few questions first of all, are you clear on the doctrine of justification by faith?” And the guy said, i understood 3 of those words. “Well what about doctrine of scripture?” Nope. Finally the angel asks, “on what basis are you here?” And he said “The man on the middle cross said I can come.” Now thats only answer. It is not you who get you to eternal life in heaven. It is only Jesus.

This is such a crazy story because it is the only story in the entire bible we see of a deathbed confession. Which means their is hope for anyone and everyone in their last moments to believe in Jesus no matter the life they lived. It is a beautiful story of God’s love, grace and mercy even in the last moments. But it think it is the only one we see because God can and will save even in the last moments, but it is not God’s desire for it to happen that way.

A lot of people use this piece of scripture as an excuse not to take their next step in their faith. Well the thief on the cross never went to church, or was baptized, in a small group, he never gave or served, or any of that. So they don’t do it. Journey lean in, God’s desire for you is to believe and live like Jesus. You can live like hell your entire life and believe in the end and still make it, but God would rather start that relationship and help you take those next steps earlier. He wants you to being heaven to earth in this life. So I just want to say this, if there is a next step in your faith that you know you need to take, take it. Watch and see what God can and will do in your life. If it is serving, serve, if it is giving, give, if it is confession, confess, if it is getting baptized, get baptized. Next week on Easter we have our baptism Sunday, it is a powerful outward expression of what you internally believe. Stop waiting, and start taking your next step.

The thieves on the cross give us two choices, and you have two choices as well, will you believe, or will you not?

That is the first part of this story. I want to look at Jesus.

Part 2: Jesus on the Cross

Jesus is hanging on the cross, bleeding, hurting, and all he hears is shouts and yells from the crowd. These are his last moments and Jesus died as he lived…canceling sin, giving life, being for people. The theif on the cross professes faith and as Jesus, with every breath is in excruciating pain, he speaks the words, ”Today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus being Jesus he gives this sinner this theif more than the theif could ever possibly imagine.

The thief on the cross had some distant time in mind; Jesus told him today.

The thief on the cross asked only to be remembered; Jesus said you will be in my presence

The thief on the cross looked only for a kingdom; Jesus promised him paradise.

We see the heart of Jesus in his final moments, never stopped caring for, looking for, people. He never stopped give people more than they could ever possibly imagine. That is the heart of our God, that is the heart of our lord that is the heart of our savior for anyone and everyone regardless of their life or life style would come and submit their lives to Jesus. If Jesus’s heart is for people, church than we too should go after the heart of Jesus. If Jesus’s heart was for people then our heart should be for people as well.

And now I would like to introduce you to Robert the Bruce:

He was king of the Scotts from 1306 until his death in 1329. He led the armies of Scotland in the first wars of Scottish independence. Robert the Bruce would eventually dies form leperosy. Prior from being able to join the crusades from finally retaking Jerusalem from the muslim invaders.

The legend goes that Robert the Bruce instructed his generals that after his death they were to cut out his heart and carry it with them in a silver casket until they finally reached Jerusalem to fight.

And on the night before their greatest battle the general of the army stood before his soldiers held up the heart of Robert the Bruce and threw it in the direction of the enemy and announced “Tonight we fight for the heart of the king.”

Every single week Journey church we fight for the heart of the king. Every single week we place on the armor that God has given us in Ephesians 6, and we fight against the devil, his demons and the schemes he deploys. He wants people to be distracted and detoured from the destiny God has for them.

We fight for the heart of the king as we help people overcome their disbelief, their sin and their hidden life. We fight for the heart of the king with every prayer we pray, every encouragement we give, and every group we lead. We fight because with the last words of Jesus when he said it is finished it means the war has been won, but there are battles to be fought. We fight because the devil would want nothing more than for apathetic Christian’s to stand idly by while those they know and love are choosing the path of the second thief. We fight because we have tasted the goodness of God and we know bringing heaven to earth is a fight worth fighting.

Every time we serve, every time we give, every time we invite, every time shout for worship, every time we hand out a new to journey bags we fight for the heart of the king because we know that we are connecting to God and helping each other connect with God. We fight and we tell to the devil and his demons they have no authority in this place because this place is covered by the blood of the lamb.

Why do we fight, we fight because our King Jesus fought first, we fight because your neighbors and the next generation are too important to the heart of God to stand idly by and teach behavior modification and not the life transformation that only comes from Jesus. We fight after the heart of the king because it is worth fighting for, we fight for the heart of the King because the king’s heart is after us. So we fight and fight and fight and fight because the kings heart is for anyone and everyone to come to faith, no matter how old or young you are, and as soldiers in the kingdom of God it is our job to do exactly as Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples, make disciples in your homes, make disciples in your neighborhood, make disciples in your communities, make disciples in your work, make disciples in north peoria, and baptize them in the name of the father the son and the Holy Spirit. We fight after the heart of the king because we have given allegiance to the king of king and lord of Lord and his word never returns void.

So Journey stand on your feat. This week, as you go, as you leave here, fight. There is no greater week to invite your friend, family and neighbors, to experience the power of Jesus that Easter. Be bold, be strong, fight for the heart of your king and as you go, remember the war is won, which means as you fight battles you fight from a position of victory. So be bold. Be steadfast and be all that Jesus calls you to be.

Let me pray over you.