One of the Most Remarkable Salvation Stories!

This is Jim Graham from the masculine dirty podcast where we explore relationship instead a religion every week their chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds.

Enjoy it Sarah but most of all, thank you for listening you for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network it's one of the most remarkable salvation stories of all time it happened in the last words of Jesus. I Stu Epperson what an experienced truth alongside within a day is one of my mentors, friends, manner God talk shows in his own right, Robbie door, the Christian gardener Robbie thanks for joining me this will be an epic experience truth. As we jump into some of Jesus very last words as he hung on the cross to die for sins. I'm excited to do it with you know when I this is your passion, but I think well this is a lot came out of that book last words of Jesus. This is what inspired that Luke chapter 23 verse 34 Robbie read the passage will read the whole passage. It's encompasses just under 10 verses and then will go to these questions and we will give many, many people hope. As we read about the grace of God, even in the final moments of Jesus Christ life before he died and rose from the dead and the people stood looking on, but even the rulers went but even the rulers with them sneered saying he saved others, let them save himself if he is the Christ, the chosen one of God. The soldiers also mocked him, coming and offering him sour wine and saying if you're the king of the Jews, save yourself. An inscription was also written over him in the letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. This is the King of the Jews in one of the criminals who were hanged blast from him saying if you are the Christ, save yourself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, do you not even fear God saying you are under the same condemnation, and we indeed justly, for we received a reward for our deeds.

But this man has done nothing wrong and then he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom and Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say to you today you will be with me in paradise is the word of God. Can you imagine getting a brand-new life.

Just moments before dying at the cross, even in his final moments. Jesus is loving and saving sinners in this climactic instance, he grants salvation to one particular sinner, a notorious criminal, a seemingly wasted life as Jesus died. He spoke powerful words of life to the second thief who was taken straight to heaven to be with Jesus.

One commentators or observes about this passage in this account we see strong scriptural reputation for some of the most dangerous heresies that have crept into Christendom. All forms of sacramental is him, such as baptism, the Lord's supper church membership in good works as necessary for salvation are here refuted here the dogma of purgatory.

The notion of soul sleep, the teaching of universalism are all disproved. Dr. Charles R. Erdman said this about the thief on the cross in this account. Quote the story of the printed thief has sometimes been considered the most surprising.

The most suggestive and the most instructive in all gospel narrative. So this powerful exchange of Christ in his final words teaches us so much, Robbie. We get just jump right into the unit with these questions and how your first question is why did the religious leaders, soldiers in criminal asked Jesus to save yourself.

So here is the height of irony, the one who is the Savior self-proclaimed and others proclaim who came to save sinners who came to seek and save the lost. Luke 1910 is being asked by these others that that the rulers sneering at him.and in in in in bold and blasphemy asking him to save others. So now he's at their admitting by the way, in that plea and that in that mockery that he can save others and so but they did not deny his power to heal.

They did not deny his power to forgive and change lives. Yet they persisted in their hate asking the Savior to save himself and others so this is the Messiah that they belong. For this is the Messiah. They been praying for. This is the Messiah that every Jewish lad would get up and do an young lady and mom and dad's. They were praying. The Messiah comes today to save us. And so there is on the cross in their mocking him crack it is not praying to him for their salvation.

Then will see they neither salvation. There clean in their there being throwing evil taunted him so the idea of saving himself.

Robbie think about this notion. Who else told Jesus to save himself in the wilderness right after his baptism right it would be three different times three different accusations are recorded by the way in St. Matthew chapter 4 in St. Luke chapter 4 Satan said save yourself he said do your thing and short-circuit this whole redemptive narrative and don't end up with the cross. Just bow down to me, throw yourself off the building. Attorneys bread. Turn these stones into bread. So here Jesus Christ the serpent crusher Genesis 315 is being tended by the serpent to save himself, yet Jesus Christ is our only hope.

He came to seek and save the lost. God sent his son to save the world. John 316 Jesus and the Savior and came to die. Had to die so we could live so there is a powerful in this whole thought notion of Jesus Christ is the only Savior there's no one else I can save and is exposed in these and opposites in these false premises. These false please these blasphemous taunts and also in that the second question here related to the first thief's what's wrong with the first thief prayer. So the first thief says if you are the Christ. First of all it says we we know it was blasphemy, because Luke tells us in verse three nights and only once a will. I wonder if it was bad what he was saying what Luke tells us when the Bible tells you that he's blaspheming him. Verse 39 of Luke chapter 3 saying if you are the Christ, save yourself and us. While there's a lot wrong with that because fundamentally, Robbie. How can Jesus save himself. What happens if he puts himself above God's mission above his mission and comes out across what happens to us what happens to the blacksmiths thief and what happens to the other thief would have as all of us. If he doesn't go through with it. The really really cool thing here. If you study the ancient the original Hebrew language that was written actually number three, three were somebody would hang on a tree and that word hang starts with the cross killing you. It looks like a little cross and then it goes to this other picture that shows something being made right.

Okay. And these are word pictures that the Hebrew was actually pictures of things and some you think about the cross of somebody being made right. The cross is where it all happened.

He was gonna make everything right for everybody but he had to hang on a tree in order to do that and and through that he saved me he saved me none of this happens, none of us get saved so the irony of this guy is in is interesting. Robbie no one ever points this out when it when I studied this prayer when I wrote last words of Jesus. The first sinner I asked this question and in all that you know when I speak asking and chapels young people ask it to seasoned believers.

Very few people do this right and I'll ask you to our listeners. Write your own experience truth on Stu Epperson armadillos with me as were working through the word of God today were looking at Luke 2335 to 43. This powerful second word of Jesus from across to this thief. The dying thief well before the dying thief calls out for salvation. The other dying thief called out for salvation. He actually asked this question, how many people at Calvary's cross asked Jesus for salvation and naturally it was is one of fact I trip you up first and we do this as it will be long enough to not unit. There was is one the dying thief that that the thief that we sing about we write about it that plays have been that of been of per trade and art. The one that called out new genuine well yes he did with the other guy to do because he not only says Jesus, save yourself. He said save us, sure, but what is so wrong with that prayer, save us because there's no belief in its mocking, yet its mismarking as we know it's blasphemy. But think about does Jesus save entire countries does he save entire. In other words, write it, let me put it, let me ask in the form of what the country preacher said the country people said God and got no grandchildren present almost like an elevator but got that does not have grandchildren. In other words, is my parents face enough for me to get into heaven with is Mike. My dad asked if a fellow once he said are you know of. Do you think you are born-again you think you're going to heaven, he said while my wife I'm getting in on her on her face. She's a woman of great faith in a minute, right her coattails into heaven, will wrong Oser because there's no one who is righteous, no not one roll central force. Regards, Lori missed idea of save us is the idea that Steve is like eight were altered to be saved.

Let's all be saved.

Is this greases it's this group of of this group think that well because I'm a collective member of this church, I'm saved because I'm boarding this family I'm saved and that's how I thought I was good to go because I grew up in a Christian horribly very Crist got into hell right on that will have the Bible memorize really got my debt is increasing broadcasting.

I'm not. I'm downward heaven for sure but that so this this first thief. He said save use the afterword he did pray a sinner's prayer but it was noninfectious. It was not effectual.

It was non-efficacious because it was saying, save us. He misunderstood that salvation is for me. He didn't see his own desperate need for that Savior. So it was mocking was blasphemous and are to be bullied nor did you believe and he asked Jesus to save himself, so he didn't understand the reason she's was hanging there was to save him right. He missed the whole point of the cross owners were cross necklace is how is she cross paintings and murals and pictures and even stories even shows like the passion of Christ but we missed the point. We still walk away saying will save yourself and save us the work we have pity on Jesus and were so sad and were so sentimental and we we shed some tears but were not changed because we don't realize that it was for me.

He died was for this despicable center that amazing Grace was poured out and I need him to not save us, save me. But this, this first thief missed it.

And tragically, that's the last will ever hear from this guy in Jesus didn't respond to total silence from the only one that could save them total silence. And now he is in utter hell tormented forever to tragic about that thief right next question.

How could the condemned criminal go from profanity, profanity to prayer in Exodus 22 rebuking his partner and calling out to Jesus now.

So we think that this this second thief who truly was saved or given to the account of that next time is rather time.

The segment we think it all he said is this your rebuking his partner in crime and praying, but it says in Matthew's account that he actually joined in that all both malefactors joined in and berating and in taunting in and mocking and cursing and blaspheming Jesus or something change this man.

His sin was on display that he deserved worse than a cross that he bore these all three of these men were on the cross, the God man in the middle.

The two thieves on either side. Only two of those men deserve sin and hell and death.

The third man the man in the middle didn't but he took it for us. This first thief shared in the blasphemy just as much as the second thief did just as much of the first thief but then something changed.

What changed will talk about next time right here on experience truth. This is the Truth Network