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[Music] good morning to everyone and welcome to free grace Baptist Church just a reminder that there's no Wednesday night Bible study this week those studies will reconvene when Pastor Butler returns from his vacation well you can turn with me in your Bibles to a familiar Psalm Psalm 2 which will be our call to worship this Lord's Day morning always good to return to it as a call to worship as it's the thrust and its themes are throughout the Old Testament and throughout the New Testament as well where it finds its fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ a wonderful a messianic Psalm Psalm 2 beginning in verse 1 this is the Word of God why do the nation's rage and the people plot a vain thing the kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Christ saying let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us he who sits in the heavens shall laugh the Lord shall hold them in derision then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me you are my son today I have begotten you ask of me and I will give you the nation's for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession you shall break them with a rod of iron you shall dash them to pieces like a Potter's vessel now therefore be wise o Kings be instructed you judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling kiss the son lest he be angry and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all those who put their trust in him amen well let's stand and sing together our first hymn will sing as a church is in your Trinity hymnal the larger hymnal it's 133 so let's stand and sing that together 133 [Music] let's go to our God in prayer let's pray our righteous and holy God we come to you now in prayer on this Lord's Day Sabbath morning rejoicing that once again we can gather together in the name of Jesus Christ in this place for the worship of Father Son and Holy Spirit we do once again ask that you would help us to hallow your most high name we pray that in this name in this place your name would be praised and Lord God once again throughout the earth that your name would be hallowed we along to to hear of multitude of saints giving praise and honor to the thrice holy God of heaven and earth and we pray that on this your Lord's Day Sabbath that as your churches gather you would receive all honor and praise and throughout the earth we pray that you would give that measure of your holy spirit that all the souls of your gathered Saints would be raised to high praise and we rejoice once again as we know that many people don't enjoy the same freedoms that we do we rejoice that once again we can gather in freedom we can gather in Liberty unmolested by the government unmolested by our own countrymen those who are opposed to the gospel and we thank you that we have this freedom to to gather now we thank you that we have full Bibles in our hands we rejoice in these things and we pray as we would not want to be found in a in a famine for the word of God we pray that you'd help us to count this a high and heavy honor to have your word on our laps and the the fact that we have this this opportunity as we've already prayed that we can so gather in the name of Jesus we do pray that you'd be with those who need prayer for many things as we prayed in this Lord's Day morning prayer meeting we pray for all who are struggling physically as we prayed this morning for a long list of those who are struggling with disease with illness with injury we pray Lord God that you'd be with each and every one of those that you'd strengthen them in body we pray that you'd help them in the midst of physical suffering to know their God to rejoice in their God to be resigned to that fact once again that the judge of all the earth does right for his own glorion for the good of his people and do do bless then Lord God and even heal is the great physician heal your ailing Saints and cause them to know seasons of strength and seasons of a return of physical vigor we do pray that you'd be with those struggling spiritually we ask that you would strengthen them Lord God we pray that you attend to each and every one of your weak Saints you'd cause them to be lifted up from the holes that they may be in and cause them to be set upon the high places and caused them Lord God to rejoice in you to have the joy of their salvation return to them that may they might return unto you honor and praise we think Lord God of Pastor Butler now as he's on vacation we pray that you bless him continue to help him to be restored to be strengthened to be refreshed in his time off and we pray that you'd strengthen him upon his return that he might return to to his office after vacation with with renewal and with much strength to go about his ministry we would ask God that you'd be with the churches near to us as we think of the churches that that we know and that we pray for we pray for other churches as well and not only in Chilliwack and the Lower Mainland but throughout Canada and the United States that you would bless them as they gather we pray that you would strengthen ministers in pulpits that you'd cause them in those churches of yours to proclaim richly the gospel of Jesus Christ that a multitude of Churches this day Lord God would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to worship in spirit and in truth and that a multitude of ministers would be given what they need to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to expound the word in truth and in precision and that a multitudes of congregations would be blessed by the risen and exalted Christ and by the power of their God we think of the persecuted church Lord we pray once again for them there are many brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world that suffer at the hands of oppressors that suffer at the hands of enemies of the gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ we would pray that you just be with our dear fellow Saints you'd cause them in the midst these trials and in the midst of these afflictions to know your presence to know the joy of Christ to know that there is one who has been exalted to the right hand of the Majesty on high who rules and reigns to be resolved with peace of mind to reflect upon the very fact that the nations of this world have been given to the nations or to that the nations of this world are the nations of our God in this Christ and that he rules over all we pray that you would just impress upon them that knowledge and that you would deal with those who persecute them that you would save many by spirit and gospel and Lord God that you would deal with those who would remain in opposition to you taking them out of the way that they again may no longer bring violence against the people of Christ we pray for those who govern over us again as we're called in the scriptures to do so we would pray that those who govern over us would do so in righteousness that they would no longer sanction wickedness throughout the lands we long to see a time where those who rule are not a calling virtue vice and vice versa but are calling good good and evil evil and we long to see this in our own day and we do pray unto that end we pray that we would lead be able to lead peaceable lives that the proclamation of the gospel would go forth unhindered and Lord God that you would just bless the nations with a knowledge of yourself we pray that you'd be with the Surrey church as they gather today we pray that you would be with Mike Kirkpatrick as they as he preaches the word there we pray that you would give him strengthen the pulpit and we pray that you would bless that congregation and we thank you for the news of the the birth of their daughter we pray that you would watch over her and strengthen mother and we pray that you would just bless that family and cause them to rejoice in this good gift given to them and might they along with each and every one of us or might they raise their child and might we raise our children and the fear and the admonition of the Lord in due time we pray that this young one would be brought forth by victorious grace to a knowledge of our precious Christ we would ask Lord God for that salvation as well in our own midst here we pray that whether young or old all who entered in these doors outside of Christ today would leave singing the praises of his name we know that this is Paul possible only with you we do pray that you would do that effectual work of amazing and victorious Grace in our midst today that sinners having come outside of Christ would leave rejoicing in Christ we would ask then Lord that you'd continue with us in worship we long as we have often prayed to worship you in spirit and in truth we do pray that you attend to each and every one of the hearts in this room that we would rise up as we pray as we sing hymns as we engage in the reading of the scriptures as we engage in the preaching of the word we pray that we would be attentive that we would be joyous and that we would count it a blessing to be able to gather in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ and it's in his name that we pray amen let's stand and sing again this time we're gonna sing alas and did my Savior bleed that is hymn number 195 in your hymn books that's 195 let's stand and sing that together [Music] please be seated turn in your Bibles with me to John's Gospel chapter 1 our New Testament scripture reading will be a reading of John 1 beginning in verse 19 and reading to verse 34 John 1 beginning in verse 19 once again the Word of God now this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him who are you he confessed and did not deny but confessed I am NOT the Christ and they asked him what then are you Elijah he said I am NOT are you the Prophet and he answered no then they said to him who are you that we may give an answer to those who sent us what do you say about yourself he said I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness make straight the way of the Lord as the prophet Isaiah said now those who were sent were from the Pharisees and they asked him saying why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ nor Elijah nor the Prophet John answered them saying i baptize with water but there stands one among you whom you do not know it is he who coming after me is preferred before me whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose these things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world this is he of whom I said after he comes after me comes a man who has preferred before me for he was before me I did not know him but that he should be revealed to Israel therefore I came baptizing with water and John bore witness saying I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and he remained upon him I did not know him but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me upon whom you the spirit descending and remaining on him this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and I have seen and testified that this is the son of God Amen well just very briefly it's a wonderful statement that we have in verse 29 by John the Baptist the next the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world what a what an occasion that would have been for John the Baptist to behold this Jesus standing before him the language is is very glorious behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world all of that Old Testament imagery and all of that Old Testament practice and all of that Old Testament truth is wrapped up in this one statement the Lamb of God that that lamb or that RAM that was caught in the thicket that God would provide for the sacrifice to Abraham that lamb that Paschal Lamb the Passover lamb that pointed forward to the Lord Jesus Christ that yes remembered or was to call upon a remembrance of the Exodus but yet in its typical fashion pointed forward to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world those multitudinous sacrifices that were offered up by the Old Covenant priests those the blood of bulls and goats which could never take away sin now we have the one the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world what a glorious occasion it would have been to have been John the Baptist on that day but we seeing not by sight yet seeing by faith rejoice in this same Lamb of God rejoice in this same Christ and we can say with eyes of faith behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world let us pray God we rejoice in your scriptures we rejoice in this account of John the Baptist and our Savior Jesus we pray that we would by faith say with John behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world that we would rejoice in so great a savior that we would find in him all in all and we do pray as we continue in worship that you would help us Lord God we pray that you would help us to be focused and attentive in worship we pray that you would richly bless us in worship with the knowledge with instruction from the Word of God and with that equipment to go into this upcoming week to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of grace and it's in Christ's name that we pray amen well let's stand again and sing this time we're going to sing hymn number 87 holy holy holy that's him 87 in your Trinity hymnal let's stand together [Music] [Music] can turn in your Bibles to the Gospel of Luke in chapter 23 number of Lord's days ago in our New Testament reading we read of the occasion of the the dying thief and his companion on that day of execution the Lord Jesus Christ and thought it would be good to return in a larger capacity to that particular episode that wonderful and solemn narrative that concerns our crucified Savior in a particular man next to him on this day of crucifixion Luke 23 will begin reading in verse 38 Luke 23 beginning in verse actually excuse me we're gonna begin reading at verse 26 so this is Luke 23 beginning in verse 26 now as they led him away that is Christ they laid hold of a certain man Simon a Cyrenian who was coming from the country and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus and a great multitude of the people followed him and women who also mourned and lamented him but Jesus turning to them said daughters of Jerusalem do not weep for me but weep for yourselves and for your children for indeed the days are coming in which they will say blessed are the bare bones that never bore and breasts which never nursed then they will begin to say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us for if they do these things in the Greenwood what will be done in the dry there were also two others criminals led with him to be put to death and when they had come to the place called Calvary there they crucified Him and the criminals one on the right hand and the other on the left then jesus said Father forgive them for they do not know what they do and they divided his garments and cast lots 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 of God the soldiers also mocked him coming and offering him sour wine and saying if you are the king of the King of the Jews save yourself and an inscription also was written over him in letters of Greek Latin and Hebrew this is the King of the Jews then one of the criminals who were hanged blaspheme him saying if you are the Christ save yourself and us but the other answering rebuked 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 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 Amen well let's pray God we thank you again for the reading of your scriptures we rejoice in your word to the sons of men we rejoice in the fact that it points to our Savior Jesus Christ the the only savior of men in whom we as Christians have put our trust and in whom we pray many who are presently in unbelief would put their trust finding in him all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places and we do just pray God that you'd be with us as we engage in the act of preaching help all to be done to the praise of your glorious grace and it's in the name of Jesus Christ we pray amen well we come as we've come many times in the act of preaching to that that day of days that hour of hours where the just as the Scriptures foretold and just as Christ Himself promised the promised seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent is crucified upon Calvary's cross I don't think it's a stretch to say that all of time and all of creation and all of history were trending towards were tending towards had a trajectory towards this particular occasion where the Son of God would be cast up upon Calvary's cross and I don't believe it's a stretch to say that all history and all time since points back to and has to do with that the redemption wrought by Christ upon Calvary's cross it is as I said that day of days in that hour of hours if if we were to make a list of people in the biblical narratives that we identify with the most who would make your list would it be David I you know a man after God's own heart that hero who took down the Philistine giant of gafe do you identify yourself with with David perhaps some of us think we're a Paul you know we through many trials we we come out and we're we're boldly holding fast to our Christ in the midst of many opposition's that sort of thing perhaps for the ladies you like to think yourselves a Deborah or a Mary or an Elizabeth some of those biblical heroes of biblical history I would submit though that the - that should top our list and perhaps the only - that should make our list of the people we identify with are the gadarene demoniac that lives among the tombs and the dying thief here in the gospel account and hopefully we'll see why as we move along and we'll emphasize why as we move along we'll give you a sneak hint though it is because of amazing and victorious grace it's because of the amazing grace of Almighty God that any of us find ourselves in the company of those professors who own Christ as Lord and who own Christ as Savior one man has written the story of the penitent thief has sometimes being considered the most surprising the most suggestive the most instructive incident in all the gospel narratives in the salvation of one of the thieves vital theology finds one of its finest demonstrations and I would agree with with this particular Presbyterian author in the salvation of one of the thieves vital theology finds one of its finest demonstrations first salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone we can't come away from the narrative concerning the dying thief that salvation secondly is by works or by faith plus works but rather that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as demonstrated by this particular occasion that means then a rejection of salvation by works and a rejection of salvation by faith plus works the thirdly it then also means that the redemption wrought by Christ is solely and alone sufficient for the salvation of his elect fourthly which then also means that there is no earthly mediatorial and institutional priesthood required for the remission of sins which fifthly then also means that there is in the Lord's Supper no real sacrifice made for the quick and the dead but only a remembrance of that once for all sacrifice made upon Calvary's cross there's a lot of theology demonstrated and a lot of theology that is teased out by an examination of this occasion with the dying thief so let's look at it then we want to notice first the sobering inscription in the the passage that we're looking at is verses 38 to 43 so first the sobering inscription notice verse 38 and an inscription also was written over him in letters of Greek Latin and Hebrew this is the King of the Jews the sobering inscription we want to notice that there this reflects this inscription this reflects an accusation made against Christ in Matthew's Gospel it says above him above his head was the accusation written against him this is Jesus the King of the Jews the crime for which he was being crucified is above his head nailed to the cross this was often carried before the condemned or placed on them as they made their march to the execution now we need to note kids and we need to note adults that of course Jesus Christ is upon the cross for no crime he being perfectly innocent as will emphasize a little bit later in the sermon he is holy harmless and undefiled he is that lamb without blemish and without spot so perhaps you've asked the question before because you're you read the Gospel accounts you you're familiar with the fact and you traffic in the reality as Christians or perhaps you're here and you're not a Christian and you know the story in the least about a crucified Savior you've asked the question why was Jesus Christ crucified he's holy harmless and undefiled if he is innocent and he is why is he crucified well I think we can go to two places to see the reason the real reason why Jesus is upon Calvary's cross now in the back of our minds or perhaps in the fore of our minds however you look at it we need to understand that he was delivered up according to the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God but by lawless hands was crucified and put to death turn with me to Matthew 27 so we answer the question why is Jesus upon the cross notice in Matthew 27 beginning in verse 15 now this is Matthew 27 15 now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished and at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas therefore when they had gathered together Pilate said to them who do you want me to release to you Barabbas or Jesus who is called Christ now notice verse 18 for he knew that they had hand him handed him over because of envy so a one verse answer to the question why was Jesus Christ upon Calvary's cross why was Jesus Christ delivered up by wicked hands verse 18 for he knew that is the governor Pilate he knew that they had handed him over because of envy turn with me as well though to John 15 by Christ's own lips and from a different vantage point disclosing the reason which aligns with this envy the reason that Jesus Christ is being crucified notice in John 15 beginning at verse 22 sometimes it's good to flip around in our Bibles so that we know for particular addresses where things are and hopefully it's an exercise that you enjoy is good for you or that you realize is good for you as we engage in the preaching exercise John 15 22 notice if I had not come and spoken to them they would have no sin but now they have no excuse for their sin he who hates me hates my father also if I had not done among them the works which no one else did they would have no sin but now they have seen and also hated both me and my father but this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law they hated me without a cause these are the reasons why Christ is upon Calvary's cross because of envy because of this vile hatred on the part of the unbelieving Jews who could not handle this preacher of righteousness who could not handle this one who rightfully claimed to be the Son of God and son of man yet one Christ the only mediator between God and man and so finding our way back then to Luke 23 this accusation that is lifted above the Lord Jesus Christ is an accusation which we'll find out now secondly with regards to the title not the that the accusation is true but that the title itself is true this is the King of the Jews the accusations that remember they wanted Pilate not to write this is the king of the Jews but they wanted Pilate to write he said he was the King of the Jews but this title while it may be fuel for mockery by the Jews and the words chosen by Pilate by virtue of his conversation with Christ and the interaction with the venomous mob it is nevertheless true this title this is the king of the Jews if you if you make your way back to John a lot of Bible flipping but again hopefully you don't mind and hopefully you're able to navigate quickly notice in John 18 this is a glorious scene with regards to the the truthfulness of his kingship again it's fuel for mockery by the Jews this act this inscription this is the King of the Jews and it is what Pilate wrote because he conversed with Christ and because of the the venomous mob he writes this above Christ's head but it is nevertheless true notice in John 18 beginning at verse 33 this is a glorious scene to remark after the glory of our Savior Jesus coming against God haters then Pilate entered the praetorium that's the governor's headquarters then Pilate entered the Praetorian again called called Jesus and said to him are you the King of the Jews so he's using the language that's written on the inscription are you the King of the Jews and notice jesus answered him verse 34 are you speaking for yourself about this or did others tell you this concerning me Pilate answered am i a Jew your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you to me what have you done jesus answered my kingdom is not of this world if my kingdom were of this world My servants would fight so that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now my kingdom is not from here and Pilate therefore said to him are you a king then jesus answered you say rightly that I am a king I love this on our Jesus on the part of our Lord Jesus Christ prior to his crucifixion coming up against a God hater yes it is true and it would be fulfilled that as a sheep before it's Shearer is silent sure as a silent so he opened not his mouth when it came to occasions where he might try to defend himself not that he would but where someone might try to defend themselves Christ was silent but when it came to assertions with regards to his identity he very strongly answers and here he answers you say rightly that I am a king the vigor and the strength and the resolute determination of Jesus the Son of God in this instance in answering Pilate and notice he continues for this cause I was born and for this cause I have come into the world that I should bear witness to the truth everyone who is of the truth hears my voice an inscription was written over him in letters of Greek Latin and Hebrew were back in Luke 23 38 this is the king the Jews and that is most certainly true Jesus Christ was their Messiah he was their king if we had kept reading in John 1 this morning in the New Testament reading we would have landed upon John 1 49 and there Nathanael confesses the kingship of Jesus he says rabbi you are the son of God you are the king of Israel Nathanael knowing his Old Testament I believe and knowing knowing his Old Testament can make that profession concerning Jesus Christ he would have had Micah 5:2 in his mind that this one would come forth from Bethlehem Ephrathah though it was the littlest among the thousands of Judah yet one would come forth unto Israel to be ruler in Israel whose goings forth are from old from everlasting he would have no doubt had Psalm 24 in his mind the King of glory you know that if you follow the the the track of Psalms 22 23 and and 24 we have the the psalm of the crook not the criminal but the psalm of the shepherd's crook in Psalm 20 excuse me Psalm 22 the psalm of the Cross it's the cross before the crook we have the psalm of the cross in Psalm 22 we have the psalm of the crook in Psalm 23 the shepherd's crook the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want and then in Psalm 24 we have the Psalm of the crown that king of glory that enters in Nathaniel would have had in his mind as he says rabbi thou art the son of God thou art the king of Israel he would have had that glorious Old Testament reality in the background and this is the madness then of the Jews and putting to death their promised king the madness of the Jews in putting to death their promised King Melito of Sardis writes why o Israel did you do this why O Israel did you do this strange injustice you dishonored the one who honored you you held in contempt the one who held you in esteem you killed the one whom you to live why did you do this Oh Israel Oh frightful murder Oh unheard-of injustice that's what's going on here Oh frightful murder Oh unheard-of injustice I think Melito of Sardis probably had he was a second century bishop second century I believe into the did he go into the third century I don't know I know he was a second century Bishop though but I believe he had acts three in his mind when he's preaching these words it was a Paschal sermon that he was preaching and I believe he had acts three in his mind when he's preaching which reads this way the son of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob this is acts three you don't necessarily have to turn there verse 13 the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the god of Our Fathers glorified his servant Jesus whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go but you denied the Holy One and the just and asked for a murderer to be granted to you and notice killed the Prince of life whom God raised from the dead of which we are all witnesses you killed the one who made you to live Milito said Oh frightful murder Oh unheard-of injustice as they look upon him as these unbelieving Jews who are crucifying the Lord of glory as they look upon him they're looking upon the seed of the woman who would crush the head of the serpent they knew their Old Testament Scriptures they're looking upon the seed of the woman who crushed the head of the serpent there who would crush the head of the serpent they're looking upon the seed of Abraham that promised seed of Abraham they're looking upon that promised prophet greater than Moses who would come and speak the good things of God that they're looking upon the son of David who is even David's Lord they're looking upon that one who is the fulfillment of all of the washings and of all of the ceremonies and of all of the sacrifices they're looking upon this one and they put them to death not seeing what the Scriptures testify to not seeing that the Scriptures that Moses the the law and the prophets all spoke concerning him they in their Unruh generously they and their unrepentant they are putting to death their promised king what a gross injustice that is the height of sin and depravity gross injustice so we move along or before we move along in the discourse an application I believe for all of us is one that I've made 27 times perhaps more what an application is to remember your king these didn't remember their king they didn't even know they looked upon the one that was the seed of the woman the seed of Abraham the Prophet greater than Moses the son of David David's Lord they missed it completely you having come by grace to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ remember your king peculiarly as wrapped up and confined in it confined in a moment to this particular scene in Luke 23 this one who was the praise of angels this one who is the praise of angels this one whose hem could barely fit in that that temple seen in Isaiah's ecstatic vision whether it was a vision or whether he was truly carried off into a place where God manifested his glory which ever it may be nevertheless Jesus was disclosed to the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 6 so glorious and so majestic that only ahem that the hem of the garment filled the temple and the angels flew crying out holy holy holy imagine someone so glorious so immense in His Majesty that in a condescending disclosure and manifestation of his glory because remember the Son of God by virtue of his deity is invisible he's without body parts and passions the most pure spirit to condescend to the capacities of mankind and in this case the prophet Isaiah he has to manifest himself in his glory physically and how does he do this he does so glorious in his immensity and so glorious in his disclosure of his glory that only the hem of the garment fills the temple so what some people believe is going on they're not an anthropomorphic appearance as a manifestation of the king and king of kings and Lord of lords the lord of hosts in his in some sort of man you know human appearance with the monarch achill glory but only the hem of a garment that's your king upon Calvary's cross having assumed man's nature for your Redemption and for your recovery that's your Jesus that's your your king you don't cry out crucify him crucify him you look with eyes of faith upon that bloody Jesus upon that bleeding Savior upon upon that bruised and battered Christ and you see your King so one of the sermons that Spurgeon preaches I believe it's on his sermon on the Lord's Supper in the 1st Corinthians 11 where it says do this in remembrance of me I believe it's this sermon where he rehearses gaagaa thar he rehearses guests M&E first and he rehearses Golgotha and he says something like Christ is no doubt to us glorious in his now ascended glory as the potentate of time who sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high rules over the nations with the scepter of righteousness and again and crushes Nations under the under his mighty bootstraps and who raises up and casts down Kings but to the believer he is also in Gethsemane when he's on his knees crying out my god my car crying out Lord if if it is possible take this cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done as he's on the cross crying out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me as he's hanging between two criminals he is still altogether lovely in chief among ten thousand to the heart of the Saint because we know what he's affecting we know what he's doing we know what he's rendering we know what he's executing here this salvation of a multitude which no man can number blessed Savior glorious King Agustin writes with regards to this the Kingdom which was not of this world overcame the proud world not by the ferocity of fighting but by the humility of suffering and thus the grain of corn that was yet to be multiplied was sown amid the horrors of shame that it might come to fruition amid the wonders of glory a king not so much a king that we might with our human minds think upon or think about you see the human mind is drawn to pomp and power isn't it it's drawn to regal things the human mind is the human Kings a human potentate a human monarch all dressed up in the regalia of his monarchy in in marches and in processions and all the pomp and circumstance that attends monarchy we don't often think about Kings as as a mass upon a Roman gibbet of execution the human mind doesn't think that way but the Christian heart the Christian mind lands upon those truths and it rejoices with much rejoicing what a glorious King though gross injustice though the height of sin and depravity we have nevertheless our glorious King there upon Calvary's cross notice secondly notice secondly the curse at robber so we noted the sobering inscription and notice secondly the curse at robber verse 39 then one of the criminals who were hanged blaspheme him saying if you are the Christ save yourself and us if you are the Christ save yourself and us to the last breath he is unrepentant consider the consider the scene here I don't want you to look with vain imagination but consider the scene here for a moment this one the one the this one crying out if you are the Christ save yourself and us is that that very time being upheld by the word of Christ's power you ever thought about that you ever thought about scenes like this the very one who gives life breath and all things is the one who is here being blaspheme by this criminal who with his breath in unrepentant PSA's crying out blasphemies against the Savior the one whom he blasphemes is the one who is upholding him and the one who gives him breath and he says if you are the Christ save yourself and us make no mistake here Oh before we get there I want you to turn somewhere turn to Revelation 16 for a moment because this is a demonstration this scene with the curser draugar it is a demonstration of the sin and depravity of man remember we noted to his last breath he is unrepentant the picture of man in sin isn't one where he is simply marred and crippled a little bit in his sin but rather one where he is totally depraved totally unable totally captured in sin of his father the devil doing the desires of the devil notice in Revelation 16 and I liken this to the curse of robber notice in verse 8 of revelation 16 then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the Sun and power was given to him to scorch men with fire and men were scorched with great heat and they blaspheme the name of God who has power over these plagues and they did not repent and give him glory don't you see the cursor drawbar there that look at this look at this look at this language here they blaspheme the name of God note first off blaspheming the name of God in and of itself horror of Horrors but then notice who has power over these plagues God is pouring out these plagues on these people they're blaspheming and he has the one who in in whom is the power to stop these plagues he is the one in whom we have the power for him to stop these plagues and yet they continue in this blasphemy against him and they did not repent and give him glory that's the curse that robber and in in a nutshell blaspheming the name of Christ and not giving him glory the very one who has the power to redeem the very one who at that moment is upholding him by the word of his power that one who at that very time is giving him every breath with which he blasphemes that's the one that the that the the cursor drawbar blasphemes it's a horrible picture here it's an an honest depiction of man in depravity and of man in sin and we are to marvel at this and that's it it's it I don't know if we should we should qualify this because in one sense we ought not to marvel that men's sin right with our doctrine of man the biblical doctrine of man and the biblical doctrine of total depravity in one sense we ought not to marvel from that vantage point that one is blaspheming Christ but from another vantage point we are to marvel you see there's a couple types of marveling in in the Bible there's two types of marveling you've heard that sort of language before and in modern parlance there's two types of people those who love bacon and those who are wrong there's two types of marveling and if you don't love bacon you're you and you're not wrong you have your own opinions broccoli is fine too but there's two types of marveling getting back to sacred things here getting back to sacred things there are two types of marveling in the Bible there's that marveling of a first John 3:1 behold what manner of love the father has bestowed on us that we should be called the children of God that's a marvel that John is engaging in there it's almost as if he stops with his flow of thought and he interject with an interruption behold what manner of of the father has bestowed on us that's a marveling it's a lo it's a look it's a it's a it's a grip your thigh and rouse yourselves to a observation of the glory of a thing well there's another type of marveling and that's the marveling of Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are so soon turning from the gospel of grace to another gospel which is no gospel at all this is that second type of marveling that we ought to have here that this one being this one crying out with breath is blaspheming against the one who gives him breath is blaspheming against the one who is promised to give life to those who believe in him and make no mistake he is not pleading for salvation when he says if you are the Christ save yourself and us we not we're not to see hear him calling out and crying out for salvation pleading for salvation here but rather joining in with the sneering and the mockery of the crowd that's what's going on here he's joining in with the sneering and the mockery of the crowd notice at the end of verse 35 he saved others let him save himself if he is the Christ the chosen of God that was the people who stood looking on and the rulers who sneered and so the thief here cries out if you are the Christ save yourself and us again not pleading for salvation but joining in with the mocking crowd some commentators have noted perhaps he's trying to to get an in you know to get to get an in with the rulers that may be oh this guy's with us maybe we should let him down from the cross maybe that's there maybe it's not but he's joining in with the rulers who are sneering in echoing the rulers maybe he's looking for a reprieve in a in a cancellation or a stay of execution but in any event he's not pleading for salvation he is blaspheming in his unrepentant and he is blaspheming the Lord of glory and Prince of life and I would I would submit here here excuse me I would submit that there are echoes of the battle with the devil in the wilderness here excuse me one moment in this episode there are echoes of the battle that Christ had with the devil in the wilderness remember that occasion where Christ as spirit well as Spurgeon describes it the Lion of the tribe of Judah goes toe-to-toe in battle against the lion from the pit in that desert in that wilderness occasion where the Christ is tempted for forty days and forty nights he fasts for 40 days and 40 nights and is tempted and remember what the devil does during that occasion he says if you are the son of God he temps and he tests the Lord Jesus Christ he as many have noted there's there are efforts on the part of the devil to try and do to try and get Christ to do an end run if you will around the cross trying to offer up messianic investitures to the Son of God prior to having go through going through his suffering and glory we don't the devil not wanting perhaps whatever the devil knew whatever the devil knew as far as the propositions concerning the promised seed of the woman who had crushed his own head to whatever extent the devil had knowledge nevertheless the devil is trying to stymie the son of God and his messianic investiture in that wilderness episode and it seems here getting back to Luke 23 39 that the devil could be animating that the courser dra burr to do the same thing if you are the Christ save yourself and us don't follow through on this crucifixion exercise save yourself and us animated by the devil seeking to steal away the glory of the crucifixion seeking to steal away the victory that would come upon the heels and by virtue of the crucifixion what's an application here then what's an application with regards to this if we have here in this final hour his obedience being tested the cunning serpent of old seeking to tempt the last Adam off the tree if we have here something with respect to not something with respect - but an obvious instance of sin and depravity blasphemy unrepentant to the last breath I think what we need to do here is we need to for a moment remember our former state it's also an application that I maybe it's because I it's hard for me to come up with application but I think it bears witness your church a place where no new things are said by by Cameron Porter but but remember your former state I've often done this I've I've quoted a more modern hymn that says that says ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scuff of the scoffers ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers you've heard me use that line before it's true it's true if we know ourselves if we know our former states we know that we would have been with those scoffers and those rulers sneering together he saved others let him save himself if he is the Christ the chosen of God we need to remember our our former States we were those dead in trespasses and sins who would have been no better than this cursed Robert do we think that way do you think that way because sin is so bad and depravity is so bad the human condition is so bad we are to think that way now do we stay upon that exercise no we move on from it but remember from at the outset if I'm right and that the only two people who should identify with or the gadarene demoniac who was living among the tombs who Christ came to he saved him and clothed him and put him in a right way and he was sitting clothed in his right mind prior to that he was yelling and screaming throughout the cemetery cutting himself chains couldn't hold him that's a picture of the sinner outside of saving grace that's a picture of all of us and that the curse said Robert it's a picture of all of us prior to saving grace it's a picture of all of us you know an exercise in remembering your former state before God came to you and amazing in victorious grace a reflection upon your former state before God came to you with the glorious mercy and condescending loving kindness in Salvation the exercise in doing that will only do what well I think first it will bring us to a point of humility before God remembering that state that we were once like the courser DRA bur bring us to a point of humility because it is so easy in our humanity to be puffed up so easy in our in our humanity to think well of ourselves and we are to love ourselves and within the biblical confines of how its prescribed to us and loving ourselves but I think it can be the the the reality of our humanity that we think very much too highly of ourselves we are to be sometimes brought to a point where we realize ashamed I hear my walking my mocking voice call out among the scoffers moving on then because we will come to an exercise that we move on to from that particular reflection we want to know now the dying thief the dying thief moving on to him notice in verse 40 but the other the other that is the other criminal that was hanged with Christ that was crucified with Christ we have already seen the first criminal now verse 40 but the other answering rebuked him saying do you not even fear God what we have first is we have his salvation we are to see his salvation here now I want you to turn with me for a moment to Matthew 27 to see the parallel account you want to witness the parallel account here in Matthew 27 and when you get there you can turn to verse 38 Matthew 27 verse 38 I want you to see here because we're noting the salvation of this robber when did it occur well it occurred at some point during the crucifiction notice in verse 38 of Matthew 27 then two robbers were crucified with him one on the right and the and another on the left and those who pass by blaspheme him wagging their heads and saying you who destroyed the temple and build it in three days save yourself if you are the son of God come down from the cross likewise the chief priests also mocking with the scribes and elders said he saved others himself he cannot save if he is the king of Israel let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him he trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the son of God now notice verse 44 even the robbers who were crucified with him reviled him with the same thing we don't have this information in Luke but we have it here afforded to us in Matthew even the robbers plural that is both criminals crucified with Christ even the robbers reviled him with the same thing so back to Luke 23 then in verse 40 something has happened here something has occurred here because now we only have this one robber blaspheming and we have the other robber answering rebuking that robber saying do you not even fear God we have an instance of Amazing Grace instanced on this day of crucifixion in this day of days and in this hour of hours we have a robber that reviled Christ turned into a saint who praised Christ what a glorious glorious instance we have here I love I think I quoted this when when we were reading in the New Testament reading it Cyril of Jerusalem who was a a theologian in the 4th century he's from Jerusalem Cyril of Jerusalem he was preaching at the site of the crucifixion so he's preaching at Golgotha he's preaching at Calvary and he's preaching concerning the dying thief and he notes this and this is what we have in this instance he he's preaching as if he's interviewing the robber is what I take from this the the sermon that he's preaching he's interviewing the robber and then he's answering as the robber so he says what power o robber led thee to the light who taught thee to worship that despised man thy companion on the cross we'll stop there for a moment what power o robber read the levy to the light who taught thee to worship that despised man he's the the thief is looking upon a man despised not rightly of course but he's looking upon a man despised by the people a man of sorrows acquainted with grief who in his earthly ministry had nowhere to lay his head the Foxes did the birds of the air did but the son of man had nowhere to lay his head he came to his own in his own did not receive him his own having never received him put him to death upon Calvary's cross and this thief is looking upon this despised man thy companion on the cross so what our robber led thee to the light and the robber or Cyril as the robber answers o light eternal which gives light to them that are in darkness that's what happened on this occasion of this crucifixion with this robber turned from a rut revealer to a worshipper o light eternal which gives light to them that are in darkness this robber was saved this criminal was saved by amazing in victorious grace just he was just like that cursor DRA bur reviling and he is now one who praises and worships the Lord Christ Almighty doesn't this give you hope if you know it know anyone who's outside of Christ there can be different flavors of unbelief some are so animated in their hatred of all things Christianity all things God and His Christ there are others that aren't so animated but are nevertheless in the same spot is that one who is so animated in their hatred the gospel whatever flavor it may be they are outside of Christ and for all intents and purposes would be just like this venomous mob who cries out crucify him crucify him doesn't it give you hope that a revealer is turned into appraiser of God and you have friends you have co-workers you have family members who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ but are opposed and unbelief to the Lord Jesus Christ they will if they were to die today die in their sins doesn't it give you hope that a revealer has turned into a praiser of God I know I've said that line four times but I feel I have to keep repeating it a revealer is turned into appraiser of God that family member that co-worker that friend who reviled God he can be turned into one who praises God because God is so great God is so gracious God is so merciful he condescends and his appointed and accepted time in rips stony hearts out replaces them with hearts of flesh that beat for the Savior we can have hope because we are witnessing it now in this true narrative concerning a thief who was once a revealer now appraiser of God there is much hope in this we see his faith demonstrating that he had new life in Christ it this occasion of the thief I think we need to appreciate here that the thief knew more then some or many may think once more time the thief knew more than some or many might think you know unfortunately some people in the the yamir Christianity movement that's sort of a movement that seeks to reduce the propositions of Christianity down to a handleable minimum and and that sort of thing so that there are only a set of propositions that we really need to confess and now to a certain extent we want to we want to say that largely that principle is true whereas there are certain non negotiables with christianity that to people that are to be believed in order for to be called a Christian and you know we don't need to list those but I think if we think about things like the like the Apostles Creed and those sorts of things we confess the tri-unity of God the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone and those sorts of things but the mere christianity movement isn't that it seeks to reduce Christianity to an even lesser thing and some will come to the occasion of the thief and think this to be a good instance of an occasion where someone entered in with almost the the smallest amount of faith now he does have he it does not have a lifetime of faith to to you know to bring before God but we don't bring our faith before God anyway do we we don't argue before God and say look how long my time of believing was and is that enough to enter into glory we enter into glory by virtue solely and alone of the perfect and finished work of Jesus Christ the Savior we enter into eternal glory by virtue of his doing his dying in his rising again but getting back to the point the thief knew more then some are many may think notice first he acknowledges the necessity of the fear of God and rebukes the other robber for the lack of it do you not even fear God verse forty seeing you are under the same condemnation this goes back to a previous point the the curse of robber is being crucified or maybe that we didn't make this point that the curse and robber is being crucified and he's unrepentant to the last breath he's being crucified for his crimes and he doesn't even fear God in the midst of that but is rather unrepentant he says you're seeing you are under the same condemnation the thief acknowledges the necessity of the fear of God and rebukes the other robber for the lack of it the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and here we see wisdom in the thief having the fear of God and rebuking the other thief for the lack of it notice as well the thief acknowledges sin and the due penalty for it notice verse 41 and we indeed justly that is being under condemnation and we indeed justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds a mark of salvation a mark of New Life a mark of our Christianity is the recognition that we receive the due reward of our deeds if we are to fount be found in unbelief that sin deserves condemnation that sin deserves condemnation for it this man recognizes that we he says we receive the due reward of our deeds if you're here and you're outside of Christ you need to know that you will receive the due reward for your deeds sin merits and deserves punishment in this life and in the life which is to come you will receive the due reward for your deeds if you die in your sins Christ Jesus remember said if you do not believe that I am you will die in your sins that doesn't mean die in the act of committing sin it means die under the condemnation for sin you do not want to be one who receives the due reward for your deeds but you want to be found safely in the one who bore the punishment that was do unto us even Jesus Christ the Lord the companion of this dying thief on this day of crucifixion he acknowledges sin and the due penalty for it he confesses the innocence of Christ their companion on the cross noticed the language here but this man has done nothing wrong he acknowledges the innocence of the companion the innocence of Christ their companion on the cross this man has done nothing wrong this was prophesied in Isaiah 53 this very scene you ever thought about the the the two robbers and this statement by the thief when you read Isaiah 53 particularly I first off Isaiah 53 and verse 12 therefore I will divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he poured out his soul unto death he was numbered with the transgressors but he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors transgressors notice he was numbered with the transgressors that's the pre of the the thief occasion that we're reading of here is a fulfillment of isaiah 53:12 he was numbered with the transgressors but the thief has this in mind isaiah 53:9 and they made his grave with the wicked but with the rich at his death because he had done no violence nor was any deceit in his mouth this man has done nothing wrong Pilate had already confessed his innocence three times indeed having examined him in your presence I have found no fault in this man verse 15 of Luke 23 no neither did Herod for I sent you back to him and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by him verse 22 what evil has he done I have found no reason for death in him I will therefore chastise him and let him go yet he caved to the venomous mob and the venomous mob ultimately wins the day Christ is crucified and fast forwarding to this occasion the dying thief having known more than a lot of people will give him credit for confesses the innocence of Christ their companion on the cross and this is the confession of every Christian since and every Christian before the innocence of Christ holy harmless undefiled that one who is an unblemished Lamb who gives himself for guilty sinners he confesses the lordship of Christ and pleads for remembrance notice he confesses the lordship of Christ and pleads for remembrance Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom confesses the lordship of Jesus Christ this is an instance of first Corinthians 12:3 we're talking about the evidence of the you don't need to turn there but the evidence of Christ is BR thief rather the evidence of this dying thief is being saved we see in first Corinthians 12:3 that one can only call Jesus Lord who is born of the Holy Spirit or you can only call Christ Lord if you're of the Holy Spirit we see the thief here having received the Holy Spirit he speaks these glorious words Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom we're gonna stop there and close I'll continue the rest this evening perhaps as I have once again ran out of some time but I'll continue with the prince of life and some ending thoughts with regards to the thief this evening but a closing application is simply this we have the previous application remember your former state ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers well the application in light of this glorious occasion concerning the dying thief is remember when by grace you came to know Christ your king isn't that a but maybe you can't remember the day maybe is there some some that can remember the day in the occasion it was it was pronounced it was a it was a day of days that can be recollected upon and reflected upon in that sort of thing but perhaps you don't remember the day but reflect upon this the fact that you have been brought forth from being a curser dra burr to being this saved robber this gloriously this dying thief who was brought from a revealer to appraiser of God remember that day because there was a day whether you can remember it or not remember that day when by grace you came to know Christ your king and glory in the amazing grace of God it's a it's a hope filled thing that we have will notice tonight with regards to family members with regards to yourselves and in those sorts of things those who have died and those who have come to the eleventh hour and those who have passed on past the eleventh hour this glorious language assuredly I say to you today you will be with me in paradise that languages is true for all of you who have were once the curse at robber but are now the dying thief that language is true for each and every one of us when we arrive at that peculiar in particular day we will be with Christ in paradise won't that be glorious these words to the thief are words to us as well assuredly I say to you today you will be with me in paradise if you're here this morning and you might not find yourself as a curse at robber but know for a truth that you are in his company if you're outside of Christ and in unbelief you don't want to hear fearful words come from the lips of the mediatorial kingdom art from me for i never knew you into the lake of fire reserved for the devil and his angels you want to hear language like this assuredly I say to you today you will be with me in paradise believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved see in this king not someone to be mocked and not someone to be reviled but someone to be glory din and praised someone to hear words Lord remember me might your words be Lord remember me and not the mocking words of if he is the Christ the chosen of God let him save himself don't be a mocker and a revealer but be a praiser of this Christ believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved you will see him in paradise that one whose inexorable glory is such that even the hem of the garment only fills the temple you'll cast your eyes upon so glorious a king so glorious a Jesus so glorious a savior let us praise this Christ and let's go into this the rest of this day praising this Christ and reflecting upon how great a Christ that we have and might we conduct ourselves by His grace and for his glory in a manner worthy of the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ let us pray God we thank you for your word we rejoice in your truth we thank you for what it speaks to us with regard to our Savior the Lord Jesus Christ and salvation by him and we thank you for an exploration in the narrative concerning his crucifixion however brief it may have been and we rejoice in our king upon Calvary's cross working out the salvation of men and might we Lord God go into this day seeking to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of your gospel God give us the grace to make this Lord's day your Lord's Day help us as we return this evening to rejoice in you to seek to honor you as gathering a second time and we do just pray that you go in go into this week with us and we long to raise our heads thinking of Christ to rest our heads at night dwelling upon your glorious grace and and upon our Savior we do pray then that you would just bless us now and make this day be one lived for your Glory's sake and might we again seek to conduct ourselves worthy of your glorious grace and we pray in Christ's precious name Amen well if you'll stand with me let's sing it our doxology if you don't know it it's Roman numeral 16 and your Trinity hymnals will sing the doxology and then we'll have a brief time of Prayer let's stand and sing [Music] a reading of the end of Jude his doxology and benediction at the end of his particular epistle reads this way now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to God our Savior who alone is wise be glory and Majesty Dominion and power both now and forever amen well please be seated we'll have a brief time of prayer when the piano is finished you're dismissed