"What Changed His Mind?"

Title:

“What changed his mind?”

When Jesus was first placed on the cross both thieves, mocked on Jesus. What caused the repentant thief to change his mind? Knowing the answer to that question will help us, in our efforts in bringing others to that same place of repentance.

Note this text in Matthew and compare that text with what we have just read in the Book of Luke. Something changed in the heart and mind of the thief.

(Mat 27:44 KJV) The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

When a man will change his heart and mind concerning Christ, The Lord will change everything else, including the eternal destination of those that repent.

Let me give you three things that must have contributed to the change of mind of the repentant thief:

1. Knowing that he was going to die.

He must have seen that death was inevitable. There was no way that he was going to wiggle his way off from the cross. His fate was sealed. He was going to die.

How sad it is that man seldom thinks about death. But he is going to die. We must open the eyes of the lost to see that "It is appointed unto man once to die!" (Hebrews 9:27)

2. Knowing that he was a condemned sinner.

The thief was close enough to Jesus to hear him say, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Certainly, the thief must have thought, "that is what I need, forgiveness." In his confession he made the remark that he was being punished justly, but that Christ was innocent of all of the charges brought against him. He saw that Christ was the "lamb of God which was taking away the sins of the world." He looked upon Christ as his sin bearer.

We must preach the Cross. We must help others to see that Jesus to the only hope of their salvation from sin. We must take them to the foot of the cross. This was the view of the repentant thief.

3. Not wanting to go out into eternity alone.

At the foot of the cross, the mother of Jesus stood with the disciple John the Beloved. Jesus said "Behold thy mother, woman, behold thy son."

Certainly the dying condemned thief must have thought, "I have no mother at my feet. I have no brother to care for me. No one cares for my soul. I am about to go out into eternity alone. ALONE!"

Perhaps it was at this moment that the thief repented. He cried out to Christ, "Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom!"

Conclusion:

We cannot complete this message without giving the wonderful response of hope that Christ would give to this dying man. "Today..." Not after, two thousand years of purgatory and soul sleep, but, "Today." "Shalt thou be with me..." He would not die and go into a lost eternity alone. "In paradise." You are no longer a condemned sinner. You are about to enter into the place of your great reward!

Have you trusted Christ? Do realize that if you died today without Christ that you would be forever condemned in your sin? Do you see Christ as your only hope of salvation? Will you cry out to the Lord this simple prayer, "Lord, remember me, when you come into your Kingdom!"