(Luke 23:32-43) "The thieves also..."
Matthew tells us that they BOTH railed on the Lord at first.
At first, both thieves mocked and reviled the Lord.
But, one of them saw something over the course of the next few hours...
He saw something that changed his mind about who this man, being crucified with them was!
> He began his ordeal mocking the Lord, but changed his mind and later defended Him.
Something happened to change this mans mind.
> He began by ridiculing the Lord, and then began to defend Him.
> And, then later to trust Him as his own Savior.
These two represent all of humanity.
The cross of Christ separates all of humanity.
THE ENTIRE WORLD CAN BE SUMMARILY CLASSIFIED AS BEING ON ONE SIDE OF THE CROSS OR THE OTHER.
You are either a sinner who repented, or a sinner who has not repented.
> You are on one side of the cross or the other!
There is no other option...
> You're either a saved thief, or a lost thief.
> The both started out mocking the Lord, but one saw something that changed him...
What Did the Sinner See
That Made Him See the Savior?
I. He Saw His Sin (v. 39-41).
A. "And we indeed justly..."
1. He realized that it was his sin that brought him into the condemnation he was receiving...
> "We receive the due reward of our deeds..."
2. We want to blame everybody else for the troubles we have...
> Its always someone else's fault that I can't do right!
> But every man sinneth when he is drawn away of HIS OWN LUST!
3. We make choices and when they blow up in our face, we look for someone to blame.
> You don't even have the character of the thief on the cross .
> At least when he saw it, he saw HIS OWN SIN!
> He didn't blame someone else!
B. Until you see your sin, you CANNOT be saved.
1. Common words of lost church members...
> "I'm basically a good person..."
> "I help my neighbor..."
> "I'm not that bad..."
> "The man upstairs knows me..."
2. Until you see yourself as a lost, wicked, hopeless sinner, YOUR NOT SAVED!
> Until like the thief you say, "We indeed justly..."
> "We receive the due reward of our deeds..."
> "I ought to go to hell; and if God sends me to hell, I would just be getting the DUE REWARD of my deeds.
C. What changed the thief's mind?
1. What made him stop mocking Christ?
> Why the change of attitude?
> Why repent, and trust the one he previously mocked?
2. Because he saw his sin!
> He realized that he was getting the DUE REWARD of his deeds.
> And, you will never be saved until you see your own wicked sin!
HE SAW HIS SIN...
II. He Saw His Situation.
A. This was not some picnic: They were being crucified.
1. Hung by their hands and feet.
> Had to push up to get a breath, then fall down to rest.
> Push to inhale; Fall to exhale.
2. While resting, your lungs burned with desire for air.
> And the blood on your back would begin to coagulate.
> When you pushed up for air, the blood would flow again, causing excruciating pain.
3. To Speak, Was No Easy Task.
> They would have had to push up, inhale, then hurriedly talk before collapsing...
"Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?"
"And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds:"
"But this man hath done nothing amiss..."
B. Add to this the humiliation of crucifixion.
1. A shameful death.
> "Putting Him to an open shame."
> Done out in the open, to bring shame to the entire family.
2. He was stripped of His clothes, and hung naked.
> In front of His mother, His family, His friends, and His enemies.
> He was put to an open shame.
C. This thief saw his situation.
1. He felt the agony he was going through.
> He felt the burning in his lungs as he gasped for air.
> He felt the rugged wood of his cross against the open cuts on his back.
2. He knew the humiliation of his friends and family seeing him crucified naked.
> And, he realized that his own sin had brought him into this condemning situation.
3. But, he also saw that the man next to him was going through the same thing, but unjustly.
> He saw that Jesus was going through the same agony and didn't deserve it!
> Jesus was being given the same punishment, when he had not done the same crimes.
> He knew that he indeed was being crucified justly, but Jesus had done nothing amiss!
HE SAW HIS SIN.
HE SAW HIS SITUATION...
II. He Saw His Sentence.
A. They weren't going to take him off of the cross, after a couple of hours.
1. He had been given the death penalty.
> He was not coming off of that cross alive.
> He had been sentenced to death!
2. The thief knew that in a few hours he would be dead.
> In a few hours, he would face eternity.
> He saw his sentence!
B. (Heb. 9:27-28) He had an appointment with death.
1. The Apostle uses this truth to point out another truth.
> He said, "It’s appointed unto men ONCE to die..."
> "So Christ died once..."
2. In doing so, the Apostle reminded us of TWO appointments we must all keep.
<1> An appointment with death!
"It is appointed unto men once to die..."
<2> An appointment with the judge
"But after this, the judgement!
3. I hate the sorrow of death.
> I have followed the hearse too many times to ever feel any different about it.
> "The last ENEMY that shall be destroyed is death..."
> Death is my enemy!
4. But, like it or not, we all have an appointment with death.
[Job 30:23] "For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living."
[Eccl 9:5] "For the living know that they shall die:"
C. The dying thief said, "We are in the same condemnation..."
1. HE SAW HIS SENTENCE. He realized that he was just minutes from death.
> He understood the terrible condemnation that he was in.
2. And, unless you stop burying your head in the sand of denial...
> Unless you open your eyes and see the condemnation you are in...
> Unless you see the sentence already placed against you...
> You will die and face the judgement of God!
This thief, repented and changed his eternal destiny,
because He saw something...
He saw his Sin;
He saw his Situation;
He saw his Sentence;
And...
IV. He Saw His Substitute...
A. The Scapegoat (Lev. 14:3-7; 16:6-10)
1. Dictionary defines "scapegoat" as one who bares the blame for others.
> Or, "someone who is punished for the sins of others."
2. But, in the Bible, the scapegoat was the one that escaped the judgement...
> Two birds were brought: One was killed, the other was dipped in its blood & released.
> Two goats were brought, one was killed and the other released.
> In both cases, one was killed, the other went free!
B. (Matt. 27:15-22) Two men stood before Pilate.
1. One was a wicked, murdering, robber, filled with hatred and sin.
> He deserved to suffer the death penalty.
2. The other was the sinless, Son of God.
> Who did not deserve it!
3. Yet, they took the sinless Son of God, and brutally beat Him.
> They mocked and spit upon Him.
> They brought Him to an agonizing death on the cross.
4. And, the wicked, low down, sinner was set free.
> Jesus was crucified, and Barabbas was set free!
> I'm like Barabbas; I'M LIKE THE SCAPEGOAT; I'M LIKE THE BIRD THAT WAS SET FREE...
LIKE A BIRD OUT OF PRISON,
THAT'S TAKING IT'S FLIGHT.
LIKE A BLIND MAN THAT GOD,
GAVE BACK HIS SIGHT.
LIKE THE POOR WRETCHED BEGGAR,
THAT'S FOUND FORTUNE AND FAME.
I'M SO GLAD THAT I FOUND OUT,
HE WOULD BRING ME OUT THROUGH HIS HOLY NAME.
THANK GOD I AM FREE, FREE, FREE,
FROM THIS BURDEN OF SIN.
I’VE BEEN WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS, I’VE BEEN BORN-AGAIN...
C. The thief on the cross began by mocking and ridiculing the LORD.
1. But, something happened to him.
> Something made him change his mind.
> Something caused him to realize just who he was mocking.
2. He saw something in those last hours of his life that made him repent and trust Christ.
HE SAW HIS SIN:
> He realized he was receiving his DUE REWARD.
HE SAW HIS SITUATION:
> He was a condemned man. He had no hope of restitution.
HE SAW HIS SENTENCE:
> He was facing his appointment with death!
BUT, THANK GOD HE SAW HIS SUBSTITUTE:
> Someone else was willing to die for him, that he might go free.
V. He Saw His Salvation.
A. "Lord, remember me..."
1. By speaking these words he declared three things.
<1> That he believed Jesus was who He claimed to be.
<2> That Jesus could and would SAVE him.
<3> That if he would call on the Lord, he would be saved.
2. He didn't pray some elaborate prayer, nor make promises...
> He said: "Lord, remember me!"
B. Many live in doubt.
1. They have seen their sin...
> They know and believe that their sin has brought them into condemnation.
2. They have seen their situation...
> They realize that the penalty of sin is death in hell.
3. They have seen their sentence...
> They know that it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgement!
4. They have even seen their substitute...
> They truly believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior...
5. But, they have not seen their salvation...
> They haven't seen it!~
VI. He Saw His Stunning New Home.
A. He said, "Lord, remember me!"
1. And, Jesus said, "TODAY you will be with me in Paradise..."
> Not tomorrow; Not next week:
> BUT TODAY!
2. Today, you will see your Stunning New Home.
> Your going to see the kingdom of God, TODAY.
B. Just wait till you see my brand new home.
1. If your awed by this world, and all its beauty...
> Many stately mansions daily you may see.
> But, without great wealth, I know I’ll never own one,
> And you will neither if your no more rich than me.
> But, if your eyes could look beyond what man is building,
> You would see what earthly mortals cannot see,
> On the other side of Jordan there’s construction,
> On a mansion being build just for me.
> Just wait till you see, my brand new home.
> Wait till you see its beauty rare, there’s nothing down here that can compare,
> Just wait till you see, my brand new home.
2. Heaven is real, and I'm going to be there someday.
> Two thieves, one on each side of the Lord.
> Typical of every person on earth. On one side of the cross or the other.
> You need to see what the dying thief saw, that made him see the Savior.
