Today, You Will Be With Me

Luke 23:39–43 ESV

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.”

(pause)

By his own admission, old Joe was not a religious man. He had never gone to church. He lived a pretty wild life. He drank too much, gambled a lot, swore without even thinking about it, and was not above lying and cheating when it was to his advantage. He thought that Christians were missing out on all the fun in life. He never thought much about God. Not until recently, that is.

Joe had retired and was looking forward to doing a lot of fishing. He had been having some stomach troubles. Probably too much beer, he thought. But then the doctor’s report came back: cancer. It had spread to several organs. There wasn’t much they could do. Joe might have six months to live, maybe less.

Joe had a nephew who was a Christian. One day his nephew’s pastor dropped by the hospital and began to talk to Joe about spiritual things. For the first time in his life, Joe listened with interest. What the pastor was saying seemed to make sense.

It dawned on Joe that he had lived his whole life in a selfish, sinful manner. He knew that if he died, he would face God’s judgment.

But the pastor said that Jesus Christ had died on the cross to pay the penalty that he deserved. He offered forgiveness of sins and eternal life as a free gift if Joe would receive it. Joe prayed to receive Christ. He died in peace shortly after, a deathbed conversion.

Whenever we hear stories like that, hand we’re glad and hopeful. But we always have the nagging question, “Was Joe’s conversion real?” Was he truly saved? Can a person live his entire life in sin, but get saved at the very last moment? Are deathbed conversions possible?

Source: https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-110-deathbed-conversion-luke-2339-43?utm_source=chatgpt.com

As we continue today looking at Jesus’ seven sayings on the cross, we see Jesus as he was hanging on the cross. Below him, the people stood by watching. Luke 23:35 does not say this explicitly, but his wording suggests a helplessness on the part of the crowd.

Another supposed messiah had been brought down by the tyranny of the Roman Empire. Their dreams had been crushed once again. So, they watched Jesus dying, sorrowfully, impotently.

Meanwhile, the rulers over to one side scoffed at Jesus. Can you hear them sarcastically repeating various sayings Jesus uttered throughout his ministry? Can you hear them laughing?

“He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”

The soldiers also mocked Jesus. Another failed revolutionary. When would these people learn that Rome was too powerful to resist? When would they give up their deluded dreams of grandeur?

“If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”

Matthew and Mark's gospels both say that the two criminals crucified with Jesus also railed at him.

Matthew 27:44 ESV

And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

Luke, on the other hand, notes that at some point, one of the criminals responded differently.

This is not a contradiction between the gospels. Rather, Matthew and Mark may have been generalizing the criminals' reactions to Jesus.

Or, maybe even more likely, both criminals may have initially heaped insults on Jesus. Maybe they initially blamed Jesus for being crucified that day with him.

(pause)

Think about it.

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It would seem that, since these criminals were hung on crosses with Jesus that they had already been judged guilty of whatever crimes they had committed. Most likely? But for whatever reason, they had not been crucified yet.

(pause)

If Jesus had not been crucified that day, would these criminals have been crucified?

(pause)

We can only wonder, yet we can also suppose that these criminals may have blamed Jesus for being crucified that day with him.

It does almost seem like Pilate was trying to assuage his guilt over condemning an innocent man to death by executing two definitely hardened criminals at the same time.

(pause)

Can you hear the screams and angry shouts of these criminals? Can you hear them cursing the wretched, pagan Romans? Can you hear them bitterly decrying their own people, the impotent Jews, slaves to the empire? Can you hear their invectives against the silent, sinless Son of God in the middle?

(pause)

At some point, however, one of the criminals experienced a change. We see the change in his speech, his mind, and his heart.

And so, even while they were nailed to their own crosses, the two thieves chose a different path in the final moments of their lives, and stepped into two different eternal destinies. One continued his descent to Hell. The other stepped into Paradise, the Kingdom of God, with Jesus.

(pause)

What caused the change in the one thief on the Cross? As we look at his “deathbed conversion” we see three key revelations, three key decisions, that resulted in the salvation at the very last moment of life of this man.

1. He saw his need, v. 40.


Luke 23:40 ESV

But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

At some point, Pilate had judged this criminal guilty, even worthy of death. Then, on this day, he was nailed to a cross. His death had not yet come, but it was certain. He was a goner.

(pause)

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death…

Scripture is very clear about God’s punishment of sin.

Ezekiel 18:20 ESV

The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Isaiah 13:11 ESV

I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.

Galatians 6:7–8 ESV

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

Romans 2:5–8 ESV

But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Hebrews 10:26–27 ESV

For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

It was obvious to everyone looking on what this man’s need was. He was condemned to die and had no way to escape death.

(pause)

Yet it would seem that for some time this robber could not see his own need. Like so many others who refuse God’s grace, this man blamed others. The Romans, his own people, cruel fate, God - all they were at fault, but not he.

(pause)

Then, as he continued to hang on his cross, struggling to breathe, pain from the nails searing his body, this man finally began to come to grips with reality: he was a dead man! There was no escape! He was going to die. And he was not ready to eternity and face almighty, holy God!

And so now we see also a second revelation and decision that took this criminal on a different path.

2. He confessed his guilt, v. 41a.


Luke 23:41 ESV

And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; …

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; …

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

An evangelist was once conducting a session with high school teenagers. He told them that they could ask him any question on any subject, and he would try and answer it. Their questions were typical of ones he had received in similar sessions scores of times before.

As the session drew to a close, one girl toward the back, who had not said anything, raised her hand. He nodded, and she said, "The Bible says God loves everybody. Then it says that God sends people to hell. How can a loving God do that?"

He gave her my answer, and she came back to him with arguments. He answered her arguments, and she answered his answers. The conversation quickly degenerated into an argument.

He did not convince her, nor did she convince him. After a few more questions he dismissed the session. After the session he approached her and said, "I owe you an apology. I really should not have allowed our discussion to become so argumentative."

Then he asked, "May I share something with you?" She said, "Yes." So he took her through a basic presentation of the gospel. When he got to Romans 3:23 and suggested that all of us were sinners she began to cry.

It was then that this high school senior admitted she had been having an affair with a married man. The one thing she needed was forgiveness. When he finished the presentation of the gospel, she trusted Christ.

The reason she did not believe in hell was because she was going there. In her heart she knew she had sinned. Her conscience condemned her, but rather than face the fact of her guilt, she simply denied any future judgment or future hell. 

M. Cocoris, Evangelism, A Biblical Approach, Moody, 1984, p. 163.

The enemy of our souls will do his best to give us excuses not to feel guilty for our sins. We may blame our parents, our school, our upbringing, our DNA, our environment, the circumstances, our friends, fate and more. But if we want real relief from sin, if we want to escape God’s judgment, we must admit our guilt before God.

Someone has said:

Guilt is like the red warning light on the dashboard of the car. You can either stop and deal with the trouble, or break out the light.

Unknown.

(pause)

Thirdly, note that the thief on the Cross…

3. He trusted Jesus as Savior, vv. 41b-42.

Luke 23:41–42 ESV

… but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Consider the amazing theology of this condemned robber on a cross. First, he acknowledged that Jesus was innocent. Jesus had been unjustly condemned to die. He did not deserve this punishment.

The truth is, of course, that Jesus was not merely innocent of the charges brought against him by the Jews and ratified by Pontius Pilate. Jesus is the sinless Son of God. He had no sin and had never committed sin.

1 Peter 2:22 ESV

He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

But notice also the thief apparently believed in life after death: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Yes, all three men on the crosses were going to die that day, but the thief believed Jesus would be raised to life because he was right with God.

Even more, he believed Jesus would establish his kingdom. So, apparently the thief no longer regarded Jesus as a failed messiah, but as the true King!

Notice also that the thief trusted that Jesus would have power to affect his condition in eternity.

“Jesus, remember me.”

(pause)

This man was guilty. He was a wretched sinner. He had no hope in himself before God. He had lived a wicked life. He was receiving just punishment. But if Jesus would put a good word in for him…

(pause)

Simple trust.

(pause)

While in his words, we find wonderful theology, truly this was just a desperate man realizing his desperate condition and grasping desperately for hope.

(pause)

But even though both men’s hands were nailed to crosses, the Son of God reached out and grabbed the hand of this sinner, pulling him up out of Hell’s clutches, opening Heaven’s door and ushering him in.

(pause)

Jeff Stratton is a pastor in Evansville, Indiana. A few years ago he was called to visit a 93 year-old man who had terminal cancer. His name was Adolph Allen and he had been a hard-living, hard-drinking, union ironworker for most of his life.

Two minutes into their first conversation, Adolph looked at Jeff and asked, "Is it fair for someone to live their whole life one way and then at the end of their life to ask God to take them to heaven?" 

After thinking for a minute, Jeff said, "No, Adolph it's not fair. But luckily for you and me, God is not fair." 

Jeff shared the plan of salvation with him and this 93-year-old man bowed his head and asked Jesus to come into his heart. 

Four weeks later Jeff preached at Adolph's funeral and he talked about how some football games come down to a final play. The team that's behind might have been outplayed the whole game, but on this last play the quarterback fades back and heaves a Hail-Mary pass into the end zone as time expires.

The ball might be batted around but if an offensive receiver catches it, the game is over, and they win. Jeff said, "That's what happened with Adolph. The devil was in the lead for most of his life, but the final score was Jesus 1 and the devil 0!"

(From a sermon by David Dykes, That's not FAIR! No, that's GRACE! 8/19/2012)

(pause)

Notice with me … while scripture tells us that we should repent and be baptized, this was a true deathbed conversion. There was no opportunity to be baptized with water as a symbol of his conversion to Christ. But that truly wasn’t essential as this man by asking Jesus to remember him made a public profession of faith.

Also, this man was not able to go to those he had wronged and make restitution, nor was he able to begin doing all the things that Christians “do”. Yet that did not make this man’s conversion any less real.

Yes, it is unfortunate that some will wait till the very end of their lives to trust in Jesus. Yes, it is extremely dangerous and presumptuous for a person to wait until near death to turn to Christ.

(pause)

But here is the great grace of God… he loves us and is not willing that any should perish, even the one who has lived in sin all their life and now near death, and has little to offer him.

Because… that’s the point. Salvation is not about how good we are because we have all sinned and are “bad” in God’s sight. Salvation is not about our promises to do better. Salvation is not about what we can offer God in return.

(pause)

Salvation is God’s free gift to us… and…

Big Idea: Salvation is available for anyone who humbly trusts in Jesus.

Here is love vast as the ocean, Loving-kindness as the flood, When the Prince of Life, our ransom, Shed for us His precious blood. Who His love will not remember? Who can cease to sing His praise? He can never be forgotten Throughout heav’n’s eternal days.

VERSE 2 On the Mount of Crucifixion, Fountains opened deep and wide; Through the flood-gates of God’s mercy Flowed a vast and gracious tide. Grace and love like mighty rivers Poured incessant from above; Heaven’s peace and perfect justice Kissed a guilty world in love.

(Source: Here is Love)

As we have gathered again at the foot of the Cross to listen as Jesus speaks, we feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of God’s love.

Here were two wretched sinners on either side of our Savior. Both apparently began their crucixion cursing at Jesus, jeering at him, railing insults because that’s the only thing their black hearts could do, pinned to their crosses, their life slowly ebbing away.

Then, one of the men had an epiphany. He saw his need for what it truly was: he was going to die! He confessed his guilt. He had sinned.

His situation was not the fault of anyone else. He was in the wrong. He trusted Jesus as his Savior. Hope beyond hope, he simply asked, “Jesus, remember me.”

And the Savior responded: “Today, you wil be with me in Paradise.”

That very day, these two men would enter eternity together to meet Father God - the only begotten Son of God and this long-lost child of Hell who now was also a child of God!

Should not we rejoice for the salvation of one all but lost to an eternity in Hell?

(pause)

But for a moment, I would like to call our attention to the other thief on the cross. Have you ever considered what this man’s final moments were like as he struggled for life?

Surely, as he grew weaker he must have been unable to cry out bitter recriminations at Jesus, the Romans, the Jews, and the world.

(pause)

Did he ever recognize his true spiritual condition? Did he desire to repent? Did he dare to hope that Jesus was the messiah also?

(pause)

Years ago, there was a Christian country group that sang a song that tried to picture this other thief. Listen to the lyrics of that song:

Just a few feet from the Savior Hanging on the cross Dying was an aweful price to pay

How he'd like to start all over  And try to right the wrong His wishes could have come true that day

Chorus: So close, but yet so far away Chances slowly slippin' away Paradise was just a prayer away So close, but yet so far away

He heard another two men talking Something 'bout eternal life And oh it sounded too good to be true

Could this really be the Savior Or is he out of his mind He hangs his head and dies so confused

Chances slowly slippin' away. ) Paradise was just a prayer away ) So close, but yet so far away. )

(pause)

The other thief died and entered eternity without hope… but it didn’t have to be this way.

(pause)

Why?

(pause)

Big Idea: Salvation is available for anyone who humbly trusts in Jesus.

I think we all know of someone - maybe several someones - someone close to us, maybe family, maybe dear friends, who are far from God today. The reasons are varied and many. But the truth is… their hearts are hard, their minds are made up.

We might despair. Is there no hope?

(pause)

Yet the grace of God gives us hope - salvation truly is available for anyone who will humbly trust in Jesus.

So our challenge is clear: let us recommit to pray for this lost loved one. Let’s recommit to engage with them and do our best to share God’s love, even if they don’t appreciate it.

Let us believe God hears our prayers and loves even this lost sinner, and will surely extend his arms of love to them if they will turn to him.

(pause)

Thank God for his wonderful grace!

As we close today, I would like us to join together in singing a wonderful old hymn titled, “Here is Love.” I quoted a couple verses of this song a little earlier.

Milton is going to lead us in this song. As we sing, if you are not right with Jesus, I would urge you not to wait. Don’t wait till the end of your life. Don’t waste your life on living for the world. Give your heart to Jesus.

The altar is open for anyone who wants to receive God’s salvation today.

But also, for all of us who have trusted in Jesus, let’s sing this song of God’s love as a prayer for lost loved ones. Let us pray for their salvation and redouble our efforts to be a witness to a lost and needy world.

Let us sing…

Here is Love