Untitled Sermon (2)

Luke 23:43

Intro- At this point Jesus had been through unimaginable agony. He had been betrayed, falsely accused, beaten, and now they had nailed him to the cross. They divided his garments and cast lots for them and now they were mocking Jesus. The chief priests and scribes said “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”. The soldiers joined them in mocking Jesus offering him sour wine and saying “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” And Jesus was sinless and innocent, but He was crucified between two criminals—counted among the transgressors, just like Isaiah 53:12 prophesied. He bore the sins of many and made intercession for us all.

First Point- And then verse 39 says that, one these transgressors, one of us, one of the criminals who were hanged railed at him saying “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” He blasphemed him. “If you really are God why don’t you get yourself down from there? And get me out of this situation that my sin put me in, this situation I deserve to be in.” He wanted Jesus to save his flesh and not his soul. change my situation and not my heart

Luke 23:40–42 “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.”

This criminal had a change of heart on the cross. He admits to his own guilt confessing that he is a sinner and acknowledges Jesus’ innocence. He understood that Jesus didn’t deserve this punishment. As I said before he was sinless he was innocent and suffering the same crucifixion of the guilty so we could be saved. And the thief is sharing this testimony with the other criminal. He’s trying to get him to understand that salvation is at hand. It’s right here next to you. He shows his understanding of this when he speaks to Jesus he says “Jesus, Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Right here he is acknowledging Jesus as Lord. When you get to where I know you’re going! He’s not asking Jesus to save him from the cross he just wanted to be remember Lord I just want to be a part of your kingdom. Lord I’ve seen your grace and mercy just remember me, I’ve seen the way you love me even though I don’t deserve it so Lord just remember me. The Bible doesn’t specify what brought about this change of heart but he had to hear something that made him buy in to Jesus.

Second Point- And after this mans admission of faith, Jesus finally speaks. But then Jesus says Luke 23:43 “And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.””

This promise he made to the thief is the same promise he makes to us today. We might not have a death sentence like this man had, but we all deserve death. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” So when we believe like this thief did we are promised eternal life

And I don’t know how much longer this man lived for after his exchange with Jesus but he had just made the best choice of his life. He is an example of what it looks like to be saved. Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” And right before he recieved death for his sins this thief recieved the free gift of God. This free gift that had been paid off by Jesus Philippians 2:7–8 “but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:9–11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

So this same Jesus that died next to that thief he didn’t stay in the grave. He rose on the third day. So because Jesus got up, you can get up too. So I’m gonna be like that thief today church and say “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus’s promise still stands today that “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”