The Dying Thief Rejoiced!

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Thank you. This is the Truth Network. The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day and there go alive, though file as he washed all my sins away.

Maybe for that him before. Maybe you saw met him. There is a fountain filled with blood flowing from Emmanuel's veins. I'm Stu Epperson and I there go I's policy washed all my sins away. I'm grateful Jesus Christ wash my sins away. And unless you become like that thief. The second thief were all like the first one unless you become like that second one. You'll never be born again. How could you be so close to Jesus on the cross here and experience true this week were going into the life in the final words of Jesus from the cross as were studying Luke's account, chapter 23 and I'm fascinated by the first so close to Jesus yet so far away. He was right there right next to the one who could save him the only one who was dying to save him and yet he rejected him, blaspheme him mock him. If you are the Christ, save yourself and save us to contradictory statements. If you save himself, he can't save us any done save us he saves me he comes and saves individuals, not groups.families.countries and so the second thief got it right God to work in his heart were to look closer at him. Robbie read the passage, William will wrap these questions up as we look at these powerful words of life from the tree of death and the people stood looking on, but even the rulers with them sneered saying he saved others, let him 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 also was written over him in letters in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew. This is the King of the Jews. Then one of the criminals who were hanged, blaspheme them, saying, if you're the Christ, save yourself and us. But the other answered rebuking him, saying, do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation, and we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong and 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. What right with the second thief prayer yes to both. These prayed in technically both thieves asked for salvation. We talk about what was wrong with the first despair so close to Jesus yet so far away. Tragically, his prayer was wrong. He was a self-righteous prayer. It was a blasphemous prayer, but the second thief who had once joined in with this combating crime before in blasphemy. We know from the Gospels. He suddenly rebukes the guy he says do you not even fear God so there's is understanding the fear of God. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

Proverbs 910 Proverbs 1 all throughout Proverbs there's this idea of a of a recognizing that there something divine about the person hanging in the middle, King of the Jews in all three of the major languages across that shingle for everyone in this common road brought walking by Calvary to see calories just to see this King of the Jews. He recognized his kingship he recognize there is a need to fear God existing.

You are the same condemnation really recognize because he's God were not were sinners, we need what he's got any said we indeed justly we receive the due reward of our set of our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong. What a beautiful statement Robbie of contrition Lord is near the broken hearted Psalms 3418. What a statement of guilt just basically Jesus does not deserve the cross. He's here, he's innocent.

Behold the Lamb of God, I deserve to be here and he said we are in sin we deserve.

In fact, both thieves deserved worse than the cross, and you know the torment hell would be a lot worse. You will be in hell friend. If you don't know Jesus, you'll wish that your suffering was it ended a Roman cross which is the worst way for anyone to die to be executed to be treated like an animal to be have nails driven through your hands and feet. Denise strike with that cat of nine tails. We went into the grueling passion of Christ on previous programs on this easy go to Lucas and all the Gospels you know that hell is much worse than that hell is agony of soul and body, and it is eternal torment with a worm dive not this guy says we deserve that. But this man is done the wrong he recognize the impact ability of Jesus. He recognized the divinity of Jesus. He recognize all these things about Christ. Then he said to Jesus, Lord, to stop right there. Romans 10 910 Lord, if you confess your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, remember me, Robbie, how weak is that he says remember me say the typical sinner's prayer that we have a gospel tract which are brilliant, which are powerful, which I 90 people prayed to receive Christ he says, Lord, remember me wiser learning so important was last time someone uses words remember me in the Bible. From this point back.

I don't know if you click clue that he celebrated.

We celebrate communion, Lord's supper or the Eucharist. Jesus. Jesus said remember me when you take this cup from me take the chalice the cup we break the bread which is my body.

He said remember me. We take this is the last time the words were uttered in the spacious Scripture remember me or the night before right at the final supper that Jesus Christ said I will not drink of this wine until I come in my kingdom.

And Jesus hears the words of this deep saying, remember me while this also him or me in prison wrongfully accused of seducing Pharaoh's wife knows the other way around. We he committed no sin. He was wrongfully trade and slavery. He was wrongfully abusing was in prison and all he does interpret a dream. It is a big favor for the Baker analyst in the candlestick maker, hemp, yoga, cupbearer, the cupbearer from Pharaoh's court and he always tells guys to say I got the dream interpreter geyser. Thank you. And they got out and what you say to them, he said remember me now yes Important his life and death like what happened if God had put his memory back and that the Baker guy or the cupbearer guy never wasn't survived in then what Joseph would've just died in that prison. When Joseph dies a prison where what is really been delivered and what about the whole story in the in the continuation of the messianic line with the famine came would Jacob and his you know but God use those words of Joseph, remember me to embed that. Think about the power of it when it comes in life and death Hermes very powerful, remember me when you come you look at this idea. When you come in your kingdom. Marin first part of Romans chapter 10 verse nine if you confess your mouth Jesus as Lord was a second part you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. This dying thief. Yes, his words were so profound, but his words recognize Jesus Christ is Lord, unless Rick Mason, Lord, by the way first grade is chapter 11 verse one.

No one can call him Lord, unless the Holy Spirit works in him, and by the chapter 12 verse one was in first or the guess what you reckon is his Lordship any room recognizes resurrection when you come, your kingdom. He knew this king would be a great long and that something so he recognize those things about Jesus and that was his prayer.

It was humble. It was basic it was just a very meager prayer but we know 100% it was dead on. And we know 100% that God heard it because of what Robbie today and be with his head.

Jesus answered his prayer and in in. This is the question we know the significance of his answer. Jesus said to him, Jesus did not speak to the other thief. He does speak to his tormentors. The only words he gave all those people were the first words in the cross which we studied last time, which were 2334 father forgive them of Luke, for they know not what they do.

What powerful words.

The only words he spoke to the most ungracious evil tormenting blasphemous crowd there were forget words of forgiveness but he gives specific words to this man. Consumer them. By the way we see father forgive them will guess who he was praying for in that moment was sure he was praying for us 2000 years down the road. Sure he was praying for the 3000 new Saints that came to Christ. Acts 3X4X5 and of the saints are being added. Sure he was praying for Saul who murdered Stephen who said don't hold us his account very similar Christ words right in acts chapter 6 and seven. There, but he was praying for thief right room. Drake shot a direct hit right there immediately next to him who prayed a prayer of penitence and Jesus said to him, assuredly, I say so. He said this over and over again right, he said, verily, verily to Nicodemus in John three verily, verily, listening is born again, he said, verily, verily over McGinnis like a surely this is like a punctuation reasons I'm telling you I am signing this in blood and he did literally write assuredly, I say to you during his tortured contusion, you know, filled head right in his face to this man today you you. This is personal. This is the thief that just addressed him as Lord is King as resurrected sovereign today you will right here right now be with me those two words with me are so profound.

Robbie is a you will be like me as I get your act together and say okay Jesus obey the commandments. He says he will be with me those two words with me, indicate a powerful thing called relationship. This is the restoration the curse. This is what you do with your messenger and is what you do in your boot camp getting men reconnected to be with their maker correct exactly. It's all about them. So he brings him in to his family.

He makes in the sun as many as received him, John 112 then gave you the right become the sons of God, even as then the believe on his name this guy is you know Plato thinks as his hands were nailed to that tree. There's no way he could do diesel prices. His feet were attached nailed to that tree to that cross.

There's no way he could walk in the ways writers all you do with whatever he had in him is call upon the name of the Lord to be safe. All you do is believe professed confess he could not act anything out Jesus all his heart said today you will be with me in paradise.

That's where Jesus was going and this guy was going with us if you can say that guy the terrorists. These guys are bad by the legal research thief hear the word thief like all this guy know you probably know, picked up some things in a grab a few things in the dollar store is on his way here and go through Golconda. These guys were notorious terraces that you think Caliban ices these guys were were cut head cutter offers these guys were brutal.

These guys were car bombing right bad guys, very bad guys, the kind guys that need to be on that cross right next to the innocent spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sins the world so there's great help because we can say that thief no matter what you've done matter what light is on your resume. God is offering you forgiveness Jesus Christ is dying there is hands are open wide outstretched loving you, inviting you, Matthew 1128 29 coming to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

This minute never found rest his whole life until he was attached nailed to that tree of death, right next to Jesus and then he had the rest of Almighty God, right next to get the promised land he had the person of Jesus Christ, the only one that could save anyone right there and took him with him. Charles Haddon Spurgeon said this week that our Lord's last companion on earth was his first companion to the gates of heaven that powerful and I can't wait to meet him in heaven he Robbie know me to so this is great help if you haven't trusted in Jesus Christ. You don't know him as your Savior will you call out to him to be saved. He wants a relationship with you. He wants to know you he created you to know him and to make him known. So, do you know him and have you trusted him to be called upon the name of the Lord to be saved. Who are you to tell about this awesome awesome thief. The dying thief joined the ranks of the prodigal, the blind beggar in the public and praying in the temple and even the tax collector Zacchaeus. Jesus came to seek and the save the lost and were invite you to come to know him to think God he saved a sinner like me right Robbie Heyman environment so hey please follow me on Instagram him on twitter I'm on Facebook@Stu Epperson STU EPP ER so and also follow the Christian car guy. He's been gracious to kinda be my tagging partner on today's experience truth keep starting with us in the book of Luke this is chapter 23 versus 35 to 43 and will work our way through Christ final words from across next time on experience. Truth right here.

Thank you to all the awesome affiliates that carry this program make this possible thing for our amazing production team the departed Rachel and Beth and we had a great team here at team truth help us do this were grateful for AFR and all the awesome affiliates that carry the program. God bless you and thank you Jesus for saving my soul. This is the Truth Network