I AM SECOND

Recap:

We started a series called I AM SECOND.

This is normally to say that God is first and We are second

Which, as a Christian, is true and needs to be true.

That’s why for me, i wear this bracelet as a reminder.

And also my ring even says it. Although I would prefer it to say THIRD or FOURTH.

Personally I would always put my wife and my kids ahead of myself.

Don’t worry, you all are on my list as well…like 20th or something

Anyways, what we’re doing on Wednesday nights for the Month of April is looking at Jesus’ Death and Resurrection.

Looking at the people around Him and looking at what it means to be Second for us.

Last week we talked about Simon from Cyrene. The man who was forced to carry the cross for Jesus

A man who was transformed because he went there for the Passover, but left changed as a Christian

we know that essentially because his two sons are referred to further on in the Bible and referred to as prominent Christians.

Today we’re going to take a look at the people surrounding Jesus at the moment of his death.

Luke 23:32–43 ESV

32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Some of you may have heard this story before.

Some of you may have never heard it.

But this is where we will park for the night.

In this story i want you to see....

3 CROSSES, 3 MEN

When the Bible speaks about these two criminals, the description or the Greek word refers to them not as common criminals, but someone who does evil deliberately; especially someone who deserves to be punished for their acts. This is to the extent of murder.

So i want you to keep that in mind as we continue on.

Let’s take a look at the first one.

Someone quoted this once, and it’s stuck with me.

One man died with guilt in him and on him. A second man died with guilt in him but not on him. The third died with guilt on him, but not in him.

So let’s take a look at the first man

One man died with guilt in him and on him.

So this first thief was an angry man

Probably angry that he got caught and now he’s up there about to die for his crimes

And just angry at life in general

Usually criminals like this situation take a life is unfair viewpoint and are just angry with everything.

But here’s the icing on the cake of life for him...

Next to him is a man who claimed to be the light and hope of the world

a man who was proclaimed to revolution life for all

A man claimed to be the messiah.

and yet, that same man is next to him as a criminal and hanging for his life.

So what does this first man, this thief do?

He mocks Jesus in Luke 23:39

Luke 23:39 ESV

39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

How can you call yourself Christ and yet you’re hanging there helpless?

How can you call yourself Christ and help everyone, yet you can’t even help yourself?

The interesting part is that many of us are like this first man.

We get angry at the wrong we do, especially when confronted

but when we should repent we do the opposite. We get angry and blame others

How can you call yourself God when you can’t even help lead me in the right direction

How can you call yourself God when you can’t even heal my family member

How can you call yourself God when my life is such a mess

If you’re God, then heal my broken heart and don’t let it happen again

You see, we question, we get angry and we do all of that

But just like that thief, we secretly deep down inside wish and hope God would do something for us.

Even though the thief mocked Christ, you don’t think he would’ve been happy to have been rescued all of a sudden?

Then with that act, he probably would’ve believed in Christ…because proof would’ve happened.

Some of you are so lost in your brokenness that you’re hoping and waiting for proof to happen

But if proof doesn’t happen…then you continue on

And what happens in the end?

You end up like this first man…this first thief.

IN the sense that you die with guilt in you and guilt on you

meaning you die with sin in you and sin on you

and no words you’ve ever said in the past as a kid could save you from that

because you never truly repented and surrendered.

that’s the first thief. the first man.

let’s look at the second one…the one who...

A second man died with guilt in him but not on him.

As we look at this second man, this second thief, i don’t want you to think he’s a good person

because he’s not

remember that he’s a criminal just like the first. Someone who got caught doing something extremely wrong and evil to where he is sentenced to be hung on a cross

Even in Matthew 27:44

Matthew 27:44 ESV

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

we see that this man taunted Jesus along with the first.

So he’s no better than the first. but then something happened.

This is in Luke 23: 40-42

Luke 23:40–42 ESV

40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

What we see here is repentance.

For whatever reason, this criminal, a man who did absolute evil

a man who taunted Jesus

a man who was as sinful as you can get

had a sincere change of heart

and was radically transformed in an instant.

And so this man repented of his sins by acknowledging them as sins

and he asks for forgiveness from Jesus

I’m telling you that this is proof that forgiveness of sins and eternal life is given to anyone who believes in Jesus

this man had no time to clean up his life and get himself ready and then go to Christ

NO! He recognized quickly and repented and changed.

Some of you are holding on like the first thief and not repenting

Some of you are holding on to words you said as a little kid, believing that saved you

Some of you are holding on to your church attendance

Some of you are holding on to the idea that you can do some good to outweigh the bad

Some of these things are what a lot of you are holding on to

But what you’re actually holding on to is nothing…because just like those things I’ve listed....that nothingness will not sustain you into eternity.

Do you think this thief deserved the gift of salvation?

Not one bit.....but he accepted it sincerely.

How do we know it’s sincerely…because Jesus responded saying that man will be with him in paradise

and the bible says that God sees the heart of an individual and judges accordingly.

This is also proof that baptism is NOT needed for salvation

Some faiths around here state that baptism is needed to be saved…but it’s not

Now, just because i said that, it doesn’t mean that if you got saved or get saved that you don’t need to be baptized.

It’s needed to start down the path of obedience..but not needed to be saved.

Some shy away from baptism because of the attention and the show

or becuase they were baptized before in the past

let me tell you this…if said words in the past and got “baptized”, but the words weren’t sincere and you didn’t surrender to GOd…then you didn’t get baptized, you got dunked. And essentially you did put on a show.

But when you get saved, then it’s true baptism to follow through in obedience.

Because if you don’t immediately start down the path of obedience as a believer…will you ever?

But as this guy, we need to recognize our sins and repent.

He gave us all a picture of what it takes to come into the eternal family of God.

Because this second man died with guilt in him, but not on him.

Sin in him, but not on him. Meaning he is a sinner, but it’s not held against him…because he’s eternally forgiven.

Which leads to the last man

The third died with guilt on him, but not in him.

Yes this is Jesus Christ we’re talking about

you see unlike the first two, unlike all of Humanity…Jesus did not have sin in him.

He was perfect and blameless on the outside and on the inside.

But on that day, Jesus died with Guilt on Him.

With Sin ON him

What i mean by that?

i mean that he shouldered the guilt of the world that day.

The world past, the world present, and the world future. all of the guilt and sin was shouldered by him that day.

He died with the weight of the world’s sin on him, but not the slightest wrong in him

Jesus had taken the world’s place in death

the judgment of God had fallen on Him instead of us.

So because of us, and for us…Jesus died with our guilt, our sin on him…but no sin was ever in his heart.

With this tonight, we learn 6 quick things:

We all deserve eternal death

Like the two criminals, every person who has ever lived is a sinner

NO matter how society judges the severity of our sin, compared to the holiness of God, we are all violent, hardened criminals. Our sin has earned the death penalty

We can do nothing to save ourselves

Both criminals were nailed to the cross.

The repentant one, made a decision, but he didn’t save himself

he was still nailed to the cross. couldn’t walk down an aisle, get baptized, join a church, get plugged in, help others in life, perform good works.

All he could do was receive Jesus’ gift of eternal life.

That criminal went to Jesus with empty hands and a repentant and believing and surrendering heart.

Jesus died for every sinner

The two criminals represent the worst of humanity.

These evil men violently took what they wanted.

No one, no matter how grievous their sin, is beyond the grace of Jesus.

He willingly suffered the most brutal of deaths so He could cover the most heinous of sins.

Jesus knew that he was dying for the man who mocked him…and he still died for him.

Only Jesus can save

IF Jesus saved himself, humanity would have no hope for eternity.

Only by staying on the cross could Jesus provide salvation.

He was the perfect substitute sacrifice.

His death paid our sin debt.

That’s why Jesus is the only way of salvation.

Neutrality is not an option

There are only two eternal destinations – life with Jesus in heaven or eternal judgment in hell.

We cannot sit on the fence.

Failing to choose Jesus is choosing to reject Him.

Everyone will choose.

And that choice directs our eternity.

The second thief chose Jesus and life.

The first thief rejected Jesus, thus choosing eternal condemnation.

Jesus receives humble belief

The second thief humbled himself and believed and surrendered. KNowing he can’t do anything

That’s what we need to do

So my question to you tonight is...

WHICH ARE YOU?

We can’t be the third person…we can’t be Jesus

So…are you the FIRST Person?

Or Are you the Second Person?

Are you first?

or are you Second?

What will take to get your attention?

Is it being nailed to a cross?

or how about being pinned by life’s tough situations

or overwhelmed by stress

or consumed by lust

or distracted by desire

or confused by substances

or guided by wrong friends

or what....?

What are you tonight?

Are you First....or are you second?

If you’ve never truly repented within your heart…then do so tonight.

Don’t bet your eternity on words you’ve said in the past. If you made a decision in the past but it wasn’t sincere or true or showed change…then can you truly say you’re the second person in this story?

Because in Matthew 7:21 Jesus says

Matthew 7:21 ESV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Are you truly saved?

Here’s an opportunity for you.

I’m going to give you a moment to pray tonight.

but before so, if you’ve placed your phone up here, i’m going to ask that you come grab it now.

And then as you all sit back down…take a look at the screen

Are you saved? Text Yes or No to 405-204-6349

Don’t text yet.

Answer this truly. Remember…there are plenty of people who think they’re Christians but once they die…Jesus said he’ll tell them He never knew them. Which means they’re not saved.

Are you confident in what Jesus will say to you? Can you answer truthfully to yourself how you know?

if you’d like to talk more, we can. But i want to give you this opportunity to get this off your chest now. To let someone know.

Go ahead and text…everyone now so that no one is singled out.

And then bow your heads and pray.