Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
April 14, 2002 A.M.
The "Luckiest" Man In The World
Reading - Luke 23.32-43
This morning we continue our Sunday sermon series on the love of God expressed at the Cross... By examining the last words of Jesus. We are always interested in the last words of a dying individual. At the moment of death, what did he say?
Crucifixion was a cruel inhuman death... A death of shame and pain. It was really death by suffocation. Muscles in the chest would become paralyzed by the hanging weight of the body. One would have to push himself up on the nail in the feet to relax the chest muscles sufficiently to take in enough air to speak a few words. It was during these agonizing moments that Jesus uttered seven phrases. I believe these seven statements allow us a glimpse into the heart of Jesus. They let us see Him for the person he really is.
- We see His purpose and priorities.
- We see His faith and fears.
- We see His hope and His holiness.
You see, when a man was hanging on a cross, suspended on iron spikes...
- He had only one thing in mind... DEATH.
- He only thought of one person... HIMSELF...
Death could not come fast enough... That's what makes the seven statements Jesus uttered during the six hours He was on the cross so INCREDIBLE. Unlike other victims, He was more concerned about others and their needs, rather than about Himself. So... In the next few lessons... Let's see what we can learn... About Jesus... And about ourselves... By examining the words of a dying Jesus.
I think all of us would agree this morning that he was the luckiest man to ever live.
- He was a criminal... A loser.
- Matthew calls these two, robbers... The Greek word really means HOODLUMS.
- We do not know for sure, but some Bible scholars suggest that the two thieves may have been partners in crime with Barabbas, who Matthew says was an insurrectionist and a murderer.
You see, Barabbas was to die that day for murder and other crimes he had committed in an attempt to overthrow the Roman government. So, these two men crucified with Jesus were criminals... Guilty sinners
Again, Matthew tells us that initially both these men hurled verbal abuse at Jesus. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"... In the same way, the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. I think all of us would agree this morning that this man hanging beside Jesus was getting what he deserved as a Thief... a Robber... a Criminal... an Insurrectionist. You see, he was a terrorist... Who... In his enthusiasm for political change, had committed hideous crimes against innocent people... including murder.
Next... We want to note what happened to this man... What was it that prompted Jesus to forgive him... Save him. What caused Jesus to say... Today, you will be with Me in paradise?
First... It was because he saw Jesus for who He really was... The Son of God.
Folk... There can be no salvation without faith in Jesus Christ.
- Jesus said... God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- Unless you believe that I am He... You will die in your sins.
- Peter declared that... There is no other name given among men under all of heaven whereby we can be saved.
- Paul wrote... For it is by grace you have been saved... through faith... a faith in Jesus.
- The Hebrews writer says... Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
The question is frequently ask... Well... How did he know. Jesus?... What convinced and convicted him? We can never know for sure, but
- Perhaps he had met Jesus previously...
- Maybe heard Him preach...
- Witnessed one or more of His miracles.
- Perhaps he heard John the Baptist's proclamation that Jesus was the Messiah.
- Maybe he had been baptized by John... Scripture tells us that all of Judea went to be baptized of John in the Jordan... This thief may have been among them. You see, the three and a half year ministry of Jesus didn't occur in a closet...But publicly. An individual interested in overthrowing the Roman government would have been aware of the talk in Palestine that Jesus was the anticipated Messiah. Even one of the Apostles was a Zealot... One who promoted the overthrow of Rome.
There are other possibilities right here in our text. His conviction may have come as a result some things that happened that very day... For instance...
-His mind could have been changed when he heard Jesus say... Father forgive them... They know not what they are doing. Only a man who knew God intimately could pray such a prayer. And... He knew he was in need of such forgiveness... So... If Jesus could grant such... He wanted to be a recipient.
- He could have heard the testimony of the crowd... He saved others... Did Jesus really save others?... If so maybe he could... And would save him.
- Perhaps he saw and pondered the sign above the cross which read... This is the King of the Jews... Could it be?... Could it be?... Perhaps so... So he cries out... Jesus help me!!
Notice now that the faith of this thief was without much of the proof of Sonship we have today.
- He believed in Jesus when He was hanging, seemingly, helpless on a cross.
- He believed in Jesus before the world turned dark.... Before the earthquake...
- Before the resurrection.... and ascension,
He believed in Jesus in a most IMPROBABLE moment... RIGHT?? He believed that Jesus... This suffering... bleeding... dying man beside him... was his God. What faith... What courageous faith.
Secondly... We note that this criminal was DESPERATE
He became acutely aware that he cannot save himself. We would all agree this morning that the thief's predicament was hopeless... helpless. He is out... absolutely out of options...
- You see... It is too late for doing good deeds... It's too late for good works...
- It is too late for walking in paths of righteousness...
He is nailed to a cross. There are nails in his hands and feet.
Church... Listen to me... Realizing that we are helpless... hopeless... without resource to forgive and save ourselves is not a curse... It is a necessity!!
- We must all come to this conclusion.
- We must have a desperate faith.
- We must stop believing in ourselves... and believe in the power of God to save us. You see, the cross exposes the futility of our own self-righteousness. It reminds us that we are sinners in desperate need of what we cannot do for ourselves. A desperate faith draws us to the only one who can forgive... and save... Jesus... The Christ of the cross... RIGHT?
Nothing in my hand I bring...
Simply to Thy cross I cling;
Naked... Come to Thee for dress...
Helpless... Look to Thee for grace;
Foul... I to thy fountain fly...
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
This man came to the conclusion that he was LOST... And that the only way he could be saved was to throw himself into the mercy and grace of God... So he does!!... So he does!!
Thirdly... This thief was willing to see himself as the sinner he was.
I think we will all agree this morning that facing up to and admitting our sins is not easy... IS IT? NO!!... And it wasn't easy for this man either. In fact there are two criminals here... Only one is willing to acknowledge his sins... We are getting what our deeds deserve... He admitted he was a sinner.
We must know this morning that forgiveness, salvation is not possible unless and until we are willing to make such an acknowledgment... Without such a confession, in practical terms, we will never forsake sins that we are unwilling to acknowledge... to confess. Listen to 1 John 1.9... If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
Church... We cannot take our sins to paradise, if we want to go there. We must admit that we are sinners... Sinners in need of God's grace and forgiveness. Indeed... If we cannot see ourselves as the sinner we are... We cannot be saved.
Then fourthly... He was willing to become a changed person
Repentance means... To turn... To change... SPECIFICALLY To change for better. It is the word from which we get our word metamorphosis... That complete change which takes place when a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. Folk... METAMORPHOSIS is a change for the better... So is repentance!!... So is repentance!!
Repentance literally means... To think differently, but it goes much deeper than that.
- It is a change of direction in mind... heart... and life.
- It is a deliberate turn from... Self... Sin... Satan... Turning back to God.
- Repentance is a change of heart that is so strong... That it results in a change of behavior.
- Repentance is a change in principle... That results in a change in practice.
Listen to this criminal's statement of repentance... Don't you fear God... We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong..
Do you see the change... Just a few moments ago he too was hurling insults toward Jesus... Now he is confessing Him... defending Him. Why wasn't the other criminal blessed with Jesus' statement... Today... You will be with Me in paradise???... Simple...
- There was no faith...
- No acceptance...
- No remorse...
- No repentance...
- No change for the better...
- No confession.
You see... Struggling with his own death... Struggling with his own pain... Struggling to get enough breath to utter one more sentence... This thief on the cross turns toward Jesus saying... Remember me when you come into your kingdom.
- This is faith.
- This is acceptance..
- This is acknowledgment of sin.
- This is repentance.
- This is a change for the better.
Let's finish the lesson this morning by noting some practical applications for us.
First... We learn that no sin or sinner is too bad to bring to Jesus. I suppose that we have all known those whom we thought were so bad... So into sin... That they would never come to Jesus. Perhaps you're one of those who think that some sin in your life has been so ugly... so mean that Jesus would never be able to forgive you. I have people tell me... I am not good enough to live the Christian life. Hey... If we were good enough... Jesus would not have had to come and die here on the cross. He died for sinners... All sinners... And we are one... All of us. And we can know the forgiveness He came to make possible if we will come to Him... Believing that whatever sins we have... however bad they may be, can be forgiven by His blood.
Secondly... We learn that our faith must lead to a changed life.
Like this thief... Our faith must be A DESPERATE FAITH... Nothing in my hand I bring... Simply to Thy cross I cling..
It is foolishness to think that we can become...
- God's child... a Christian...
- Forgiven... Saved...
- Heaven-bound people
Without giving all of life to God.... Without letting Him have complete control over our attitudes and behavior... Are we willing here?
Folk... Accepting Jesus includes our becoming changed people.
Nowhere is this more evident than in Romans six... Where Paul says... What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a... (WATCH IT NOW)... that we too may live a new life... For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.
The death He died... He died to sin once for all... But the life he lives... He lives to God... (LISTEN NOW!!)... In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin is no longer your master... Because you are not under law... but under grace. Paul is telling us that... With our baptism...
- We die to sin.
- We are raised to live differently.... As instruments to God... As living sacrifices... Not as servants to Satan.
Indeed... Our faith must lead us to repentance... confession... obedience...to a new... and a different lifestyle. We are wrong when we think we can come to Jesus each Sunday... And then go home to live as we want with no regard for His will and way in our lives... RIGHT??
Then thirdly... We must accept Jesus before it is too late.
Paul says... Today is the day of salvation... Now is the right time. I have met several people who... for one reason or another... have decided that they would put off becoming a child of God until just before their death. Listen to me now... There are two thing wrong with this kind of thinking...
- ONE... Not everyone has a death warning... Not everyone dies of a terminal illness... knowing within days of their impending death... Many die unexpectedly...
- TWO... Most people who refuse the Gospel when they are healthy reject it when it is time to die. I have held their hand as they slipped into eternity... Unprepared to meet Jesus. I believe the unrepentant thief proves the point... He is about to die... But he retains his stubborn will... He dies as he lived... LOST!! No wonder the Hebrews writer asked in rhetoric... How shall we escape... If we neglect such a great salvation?
Well... We started this lesson by saying... This thief was the luckiest man in the world. But the truth is... It wasn't luck at all... Was It??... There is no such thing as luck. This man's promise of Paradise was not based upon luck at all... But upon his faith response to the Christ of the cross.
Now we must know this morning that each of us can share in his salvation... By faith... Repentance... Confession and New Testament Baptism... Immersion in water for the forgiveness of sins. Then... As children of God... We too can share in his good fortune by...
- Living a new life...
- Becoming changed people?
You see... We can live in such a way that... We too can hear Jesus say... You will be with Me in Paradise... Welcome into the joys of heaven... Prepared for you since the creation of the world.
Come to Jesus... As we stand and sing this invitation song.
