If you would, would you turn your Bibles, please, to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 23? Tonight, we will focus on the thief on the cross, which is found in verses 39 to 43, but I will read verses 32 to 49 to set the context. Let us begin. And there were also two other criminals led with him to be put to death.
And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, There they crucified him and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment and cast lots. And the people stood beholding.
And the rulers also with them derided him, derided him saying, he saved others, let him save himself. if he be the Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, and saying, if thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew, this is the king of the Jews. And one of the criminals, which were hanged, railed on him, saying, if thou be the Christ, save thyself and us.
But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Do you not fear God, seeing that 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 wicked. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, Remember me when you come into your kingdom.' And Jesus said unto him, Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this man was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that site, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts and returned. And all his acquaintance and the woman that followed him from Galilee stood afar off, beholding these things." Well, let us pray. To your Heavenly Father, we just thank you so much for this Lord's Day, God, that we can come and worship you.
We can come and give you praise and honor for the wonderful work on the cross done by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We know this was done out of your mercy and your kindness and according to your wise and holy counsel, Lord God. We know this is done according to your justice and to your holiness as well. We just praise you so much, God, that you save sinners like us this day and many days, Lord God.
We just thank you that we can lean upon one who was perfect, who did not transgress the law as we do, Lord God. We are found condemned justly under your law, under your judgment, yet this one died in our stead. And we want to give you praise and honor for these things. I pray today that sinners would be saved, Lord God.
I pray that saints would be edified, and ultimately, Lord God, that you would be glorified. I do not want to speak today if you are not with me, and I pray that you would be with me today, Lord God, for I feel very inadequate and I need thy strength. Lord God, help us by your Spirit. Give me strength by your Spirit.
Open up hearts today, Lord God, that we might see the truth concerning you. We might see the truth concerning Scripture, and we might learn some wonderful things about your free and sovereign grace this day. Father God, we pray that you would forgive us of our sins for transgressing those 10 words each and every day, each and every hour, and each and every second, Lord God. Again, we praise you for your goodness and your kindness towards us.
We pray that you protect each and every one of us, help our minds to be focused on the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We pray all these things for the glory of your name and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. I just want to read three stanzas of hymn 175 before we begin.
Man of sorrows, what a name! For the Son of God who came. For the Son of God who came. Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior! Bearing shame and scoffing rude. In my place condemned he stood, sealed my pardon with his blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior! Guilty, vile, and helpless we, spotless Lamb of God was he. Full atonement?
Can it be? Hallelujah. What a Savior. The reason I share these first lines of this, of Hymn 175 with you today is because this song has been in my mind for the past two weeks since I've studied this.
You can ask my wife this. As I open the fridge, I'm humming along to it. I must confess I didn't know all the words at that time, I would shout, man of sorrows, what a name, and then quietly simmer down and hum just the tune to it. But there's one thing I always remembered.
Savior. What a Savior.
Introduction
We find ourself in the context of the crucifixion of our Lord. He's battered, bloody, and bruised. And he's different than all of the saviors that the world seeks out. He is one who is glorious, one who's wonderful, and one who's just and good and righteous and holy.
And yet during this time of the crucifixion, Luke enhances something, or gives us a story concerning the interaction with the two criminals that he was crucified with. And we normally call it the Thief on the Cross, and this is exactly how I've titled it today. But if we pay attention, there are actually three criminals crucified that day. Three of them were tried and condemned as criminals.
Two justly and one unjustly. And this is how I've divided up the sermon today. So we will look at them under three considerations. Criminal number one, the wretched one.
That's verse 39. Criminal number two, the repentant one, that's verses 40 to 42, and the righteous one, verse 43.
Criminal One: The Wretched
So let us look at that first criminal. One of the criminals having been hung. Matthew and Mark tell us that these men were thieves. Now, thievery was not necessarily punishable by death at this time, so Gill points out that they may have committed murder at the same time.
As we know, Barabbas was a noted murderer who was sentenced to death. Obviously, he was released, and our Lord was sentenced to that death. I just want us to give us a reminder of the pain of the crucifixion that went on. And crucifixion was reserved for the worst of criminals.
The worst of criminals. It was a slow, painful process, and the Romans did it to set an example so that other people would think twice before they engage in any sort of criminal activity. What they would do, I'm sure you know this already, but I remember learning something interesting about it that just changed the way I thought about it. Obviously, they would nail their feet together on that cross.
But what I learned a couple years ago, as we know, we see pictures of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we see nails driven through his hands. And I believe that could be the case, that is a possibility. But I have learned in other areas that it may have been driven through the two bones right in the wrist to hold him up. And it wasn't simply just like this.
They held them up. and they had to lift themselves up in agony and pain in order to get just a breath. This wasn't like today, where criminals get to go to prison and watch Sesame Street and eat their cookies and have tea. We spend millions of dollars on those guys. It was a painful process.
A painful process. And this is what makes His comments toward our Lord, utterly wretched. Utterly wretched, verse 39, was slandering him, saying, are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us.
Was slandering. It's continuous. He started, so he had done it for a long period of time. He kept deriding our Lord.
And the word itself is actually blasphemy. He's blaspheming our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Now, if I had to make a list of the top five most wretched people on the planet, I think he would be in there for me. I think Hitler would be there.
I'm sure I should probably say myself would be there. I'm sure one day if my wife and I have some kids, I'll probably put them in there as well. But nonetheless, this guy ranks up there. Listen to Calvin.
Calvin points out how wretched this man is because even in the midst of his torments, he does not cease fiercely to foam out his blasphemies. As we will see in a moment, he's been tried and condemned justly. Yet, he still utters blasphemy against a fellow sufferer. A fellow sufferer.
And notice as well the progression of the blasphemy. Verse 35, the Jewish leaders. Verse 37, the Roman soldiers. And on verse 39, even this criminal.
Even this criminal. Now the word not in the text suggests a bitter taunt, and the word is expecting the answer to be yes. Not only that, to save is an imperative. He's commanding our Lord to save him.
He's commanding our Lord to save him. And I think this shows something of this man's desire for physical salvation. As much as he's taunting our Lord, there's an element of selfishness there. Save yourself if you have the power to do it.
Why don't you save yourself and us? Save yourself and us. But if we really think about it, When our physical life is saved, it's not really saved, is it? It's more prolonged.
So even if the Lord did save him from the cross, he would eventually die, whether it be old age or some other various circumstance that could come. And this highlights the difference between spiritual death physical death. There is a difference between physical death and spiritual death. Physical death is the passageway into eternity.
Physical death is that passageway into eternity. And there are two ways to either be spiritually saved or spiritually die. And we'll see that in a moment. We see an excellent, excellent display of the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Now, I couldn't help but think of this man's desire for physical salvation and relate it to a modern example. He wants a physical example of this man's power. Unfortunately, sometimes that goes on in our church, not our church, but in that church today. Does it not?
People are more concerned with physical healing than they are about spiritual healing. And in Matthew's gospel, the scribes and Pharisees say that if he saves himself, then we will believe him. I remember talking to a lady at our former church about what the church needed for young people. And she asked me what I thought about that and what I thought the church needed.
And I said to her, I think it needs truth, sound doctrine, and expository preaching. And while I said that, she interrupted me and said, no, people need to see healings. and not and they need to see the Lord at work and not the idea of understanding but actually physically seeing the Lord. We don't need physical salvation. We need spiritual salvation.
The only way we can get that is through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I want you to notice as well the response of our Lord There isn't a response of our Lord. Turn with me to 1 Peter 1 verse 20. 1 Peter 1 verse 20. who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently, being born again not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed.
Excuse me. 2 verse 20. Sorry, my bad. Chapter 2 verse 20. I felt a little weird reading that.
For what glory is it, if when you be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently? But if, when you do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps. who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. When he was reviled, reviled not again.
When he suffered, he threatened not, but he committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed. For you were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the shepherd and bishop of your souls." Hallelujah! What a Savior! You know what I would have said to that guy?
What do you think I'm doing, you idiot? Of course I'm saving people right now. It's wretched and vile and it's wrong. This man did.
It just shows the dark hearts that permeate through people. And we all understand that, who are believers now, we know the sinfulness in our heart and the wonderful blessedness of the Savior. But if you are an unbeliever today, this remains true of you, that you do have a dark heart, a sinful heart, and you've sinned against the Lord God Most High.
Criminal Two: The Repentant
Now let us look at the repentant one. Criminal number two, verses 40 to 42. May I say right off the bat, what an amazing display of the free and sovereign grace of our Lord. Of the free and sovereign grace of our Lord.
He saves one, yet not the other. And we will look at the one whom he saves right now.
The Rebuke of the Wretched
verse 40, but having answered the other, he rebuked him. He rebuked his comrade. He rebuked him. He chided him.
What are you doing? Do you not know what you are saying? I wish I had the courage that he did. I really do.
I'm kind of a pansy sometimes. I don't have enough courage to stand up to people when they blaspheme our Lord. I have to be honest with you. One of the commandments that I've been thinking about a lot lately is that taking the Lord's name in vain.
I've been hearing a lot. Hearing it a lot. And every time, it just grinds my gears. And that's because of the work of the Lord God Most High.
It's nothing within me, but it's the Lord God Most High that does that. And people do it so flippantly. I'm a landscaper for what I do now until we moved to California. And we have a policy.
If there's dog business in someone's yard, we don't mow it. So one time, a lady whose yard I skipped came and found me. And she asked me to come and back and do the yard if she cleaned it up. And so I walked back to do the yard.
And I said, oh, there's a few more pieces. She goes, Jesus! Jesus! Over doggy doo-doo.
Again, pansy coming out again. I didn't say anything, but I should have. Do you not know what you are saying? Do you know what words you are saying?
Do you not know who it is you blaspheme? And so quickly? And look at our penitent friend, he rebukes him. What an excellent example of one who does it also in a kind and gentle way, because I probably wouldn't have done it in a kind and gentle way.
But I just, before I go any further, I just want to look at an issue that may come up as you're reading the other Gospels. It could be that there's a contradiction between Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Because in Matthew and Mark's gospel, it says that both the criminals taunted him. In my studies, I came across two explanations.
The first revolves around the Greek language. The word employed in Mark's gospel, the force behind it focuses on the classes of men, that even robbers would revile him. Even robbers would slander him. And we sometimes speak in this way today as well.
If the whole nation is watching Canada go for the gold, is it really true that the entire nation, every single person is watching Canada go for the gold? I gotta be honest, I didn't watch it. So there's one example. So that's one explanation, that the force of the word focuses on the categories of men, and that's exactly what it's called, a categorical plural.
And that's one explanation. The other is this, that they reviled, he reviled first, and then repented. They were crucified at nine, darkness came around noon until three. That's six hours.
I mean, you don't have a whole lot of time to do anything else when you're up there. You have time to think about what's going on. Time certainly flies when you're having fun. I'm sure it's not flying very much when you're hanging on the cross.
So I'm sure he had lots of time to think. And even, too, relating back to how our Lord did not respond and how Pilate was amazed that our Lord did not respond, maybe this man was amazed as well that our Lord did not respond. That's not necessarily explicit there, it's just something I thought of, but that could be the case as well. That could be the case as well.
And notice what he says to him, how he rebukes him. Do you not fear God, since you are under the same condemnation, and I'll add a qualification, under the same condemnation as I? since you are not, since you are under the same condemnation as I." And this refers, I think, to the conviction of sin, especially in light of him being tried and found justly condemned. I think Gill amplifies these words actually very well. Will thou do the same as the priests and the soldiers, and show that thou art an impious wretch, Now thou art just going out of the world, and neither fears God nor regards man, and art without compassion to a fellow sufferer, adding sin to sin." Adding sin to sin.
He's been tried and condemned, and yet he still doesn't fear God. And that relates, I think, even though he's tried and condemned physically, I think there's a relationship as well to spiritually. He's been tried and condemned, and he's been found guilty before the Lord God Most High. And the repentant one is rebuking the wretched one for that.
Unbeliever today, this is true of you as well. You are found condemned justly for what it is that you have done.
Confession of Guilt and Repentance
And look at his repentance in verse 41. And we indeed deservedly. And we indeed deservedly. He confesses his sin.
He confesses his sin before in the eyes of our Lord and before the Lord and before his comrade. And we indeed deservedly, for the suitable things that we committed, we are receiving what is due. And look at this as well, when he repented. I just find, again, an excellent example of faith and repentance in this one man.
He did not complain. that he was placed there because of a false accusation. He didn't make up excuses for why he's there. He just said, I did it, and I'm wrong. And there's no other way that that could happen except by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit in this man's life.
We indeed deserve it. They were deserved, both of them. They both deserve what they're getting right now. They both deserve that.
Again, this highlights the idea of physical versus spiritual conviction. He understood that God was over the magistrate and that his sin was against the Lord God Most High. He understood something of that gill. For sins committed against the law, our sentence is just.
We are righteously punished, which shows that he had a true sense of sin. he had a true sense of sin. Is this not what repentance is? The change of mind concerning what sin is and who our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is? And even the men in the Scholastic era, I believe that's, I can't remember the timeframe for that, but they defined it in such a way that he had deep anguish and remorse, deep anguish and remorse over his sin.
Do we not fear God in our own lives sometimes? Do we not understand the seriousness of sin? It is a serious, serious thing. Very serious thing.
And I know I've been convicted of that too often, often, often. And again, a good example for us of one who didn't complain. How is it when we get a speeding ticket? We usually try to think of excuses.
Oh, we were going with traffic, or I had to get somewhere very quickly. How about we just say, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I was speeding. Give me what is due to me.
Sometimes we just get our knickers in a twist because of little things. How about we just say we're sorry and repent? I pray the Lord would give us strength and that gift of repentance to do that, both for salvation, unto salvation, also in our sanctification as well. And we see something of his confession about what he thought of our Lord and Savior in verse 41.
Oh, but this one committed nothing wicked. This one committed nothing wicked. This one who's being condemned with us, who's been punished with us, who is suffering with us, has done nothing wrong. And I think this is Luke's point.
This bruised, battered, and bloody Savior is innocent, is perfect. If we notice in verse 32, he's highlighting the criminals went with him. Verse 33, the criminals were crucified on either side. Verse 39, the criminal blasphemed him. and in verse 23 at verses 1 to 4, highlighting his innocence.
And the whole multitude of them arose and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a king. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.
Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. Verse 14. And Pilate, or verse 13, anyone? And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said unto them, ye have brought this man unto me as one that perverted the people.
And behold, I have examined him before you. Have found no fault in this man touching those things where ye accuse him. Verse 47, the acknowledgment of the centurion in verse 47. Now when the centurion saw what was done, He glorified God, saying, certainly this was a righteous man.
In another translation, it was an innocent man. Do we not have so great a high priest who is not unable to sympathize with our weakness, but was tested as we are, yet without sin? He became sin, who knew no sin, that we might become the righteousness of God. God, in His justice, would have been legit to send us all to eternal damnation.
Yet He sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who are under the law. And he had to be perfect. He did. The only way to satisfy a perfect God is for a perfect sacrifice.
We needed our Savior to live the law in perfection and die as that perfect sacrifice. He was innocent. And that is Luke's point. This Savior is innocent.
Hallelujah, what a Savior. Hallelujah, What a Savior! Again, what a remarkable instance of free and sovereign grace in this confession and repentance of faith. Again, Calvin highlighting the work of God in this.
For it was not by the natural movement of the flesh that he laid aside his fierce cruelty and proud contempt of God, so as to repent immediately. But he was subdued by the hand of God, as the whole scripture shows, that repentance is his work. Salvation really is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord.
Confession of Faith in Christ's Kingdom
Now verse 42, this man's confession of faith. We've seen his rebuke, we've seen his repentance, and now we see his confession of faith. Jesus. Some translations say, Lord, remember me.
Jesus, Lord, remember me. Notice what he didn't ask for. Physical salvation. He didn't ask for physical healing.
Not saying that's bad to ask for physical healing. But he asked to be remembered. Remember me, Lord, when you go into your kingdom. Remember me, Lord, when you go into your kingdom.
And this idea of remember me, Reinecker and Rogers, two grammarians. If you actually are into language studies, they have an excellent little book to help you with understanding the Greek language. It's very short, very concise, and they have some excellent insights into the ancient language. They kind of sound like a show as well.
Reinecker and Rogers is next. But no one would go because they teach Greek, but I would go. This is what they say concerning Remember Me. A prayer petition found on gravestones that one be remembered at the resurrection.
Remember me, Lord. Remember me, Lord. After he repents, who does he cling to? The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the only one that can save him from his sins.
Now this is an, if you're ever thinking about an example where faith is the instrument by which the Lord God grants us acceptance into his kingdom, look no further than this man. He only lived for, like, what, three more hours, potentially, three to six more hours, maybe. And this is an excellent example to combat the workspace theologies of Rome, of the new perspective, N.T. Wright and some of his colleagues, and even some other men known as the federal vision within reform circles.
They mix justification and sanctification. This man was sanctified only for a couple hours, but he was justified fully. He was justified. He was clothed with the righteousness of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
He says, remember me when you go into your kingdom. Remember me when you go into your kingdom. He understood something of this Savior. He understood something of this man that was crucified beside him.
That this one was an eternal King. Christ has a kingdom. Christ has authority in that kingdom. Christ has the power to save those of His kingdom.
And Christ has a kingdom that has no end. Christ has a kingdom that has no end. And this is the poster boy for faith. Calvin highlights how this man even exceeded the apostles.
The apostles sought a temporal kingdom. This one sought an eternal kingdom. Here's Calvin. It's a lengthy quote, but I'd like to read it.
A robber who not only had not been educated in the school of Christ, but by giving himself up to execrable murders, had endeavored to extinguish all sense of what was right, suddenly rises higher than all the apostles and the other disciples whom the Lord himself had taken so much pains to instruct. And not only so, but he adores Christ as king while on the gallows, celebrates his kingdom in the midst of shocking and worse than revolting abasement, and declares him, when dying, to be the author of life. To be the author of life. He looked upon a broken savior and believed.
He looked upon a broken Savior and believed. Calvin also gives us an admonition concerning this as well, a warning. If this thief believed on a crucified Savior, woe to our sloth! If we do not behold him with reverence, while sitting at the right hand of God, he has died, he has rose again, and he now sits at the right hand of God, according to Hebrews.
If we do not fix our hope of life on his resurrection, if our aim is not towards heaven where he has entered, woe to our sloth. An excellent example of faith in the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Criminal Three: The Righteous One
And finally, the third criminal, the righteous one. Verse 43, obviously he's not a criminal, but he is the righteous one. He was tried and condemned as one. His response to this one who claimed to him, look at his goodness.
Christ's Promise of Paradise
Truly, I say to you, you will be with me in paradise. Truly, I say to you, you will be with me in paradise. An exhibition of Christ's authority is in. Truly, truly, I say to you.
He could have said, sure. Yes. Yet, while this one was suffering, notice what he says. You will be with me In paradise.
I'm not talking about Fiji, or Tahiti, or wherever your paradise is. If you think Chilliwack, it's totally allowed. You will be with me in paradise. Look at His goodness in that.
We have a spiritual Savior. I can just picture that thief sighing in relief if only but for a moment, you'll be with me in paradise. Oh, what a wonderful picture, he says. The word paradise is used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament to refer to Eden.
In the New Testament, it means that celestial city, Revelation 2.7, the paradise of God. Again, Reinecker and Rogers commenting on this. It's a Persian word used in Judaism as the abode of the redeemed between death and resurrection, between death and resurrection, you will be with me in paradise. And
What Makes Paradise Wonderful
notice what makes paradise so incredibly wonderful. You will be with me. You will be with me. Why would you want to go to paradise if our Lord and Savior is not there?
This is what makes death such a wonderful passageway into eternity for believers. It is an encouragement for us as believers, when we're suffering and trudging through life, that one day we will be with our Savior in paradise. where there'll be no more sin, no more pain, and no more sorrow. And I do long for that day. I do long for that day where I get to see my Savior.
And notice, obviously, with the idea of Eden and Paradise relating to one another, Henry makes a comment concerning the relationship between the first Adam and the second Adam. In the second Adam, we are restored to all we lost in the first Adam. and more to a heavenly paradise instead of an earthly one. A heavenly paradise instead of an earthly one. We can go to a paradise where the law of God has been fulfilled and we cannot break it because of our Savior who did not break it.
In Eden, there was that chance. If you eat from the tree of knowledge and good and evil, you will surely die. There's that condition there. As to steal the title from Barcelos' book, it's better than the beginning.
It really is. This highlights something of the power of our Savior. Even in His weakness, our Savior still saves sinners. And not from physical death, although He has the power to do that, from spiritual death.
Calvin sums this up wonderfully. And in this way, he shows that he was never deprived of the power of his kingdom. For nothing more lofty or magnificent belongs to a divine king than to restore life to the dead. Hallelujah, what a Savior.
Hallelujah, what a Savior. And as I alluded to already, Jesus does have power to save that wretched one. But notice, he's carrying out the eternal plan according to the will of his Father. Luke 4, verses 34 and 35, Jesus demonstrates his power over demons.
In Luke 5, verse 24, he heals that paralytic. And as we see in relationship to the idea of the will of his Father, Luke 22, 42, the prayer at Gethsemane If not my will, Lord, let yours be done. Not my will, Lord, but yours be done. Acts 2, 23.
When Peter is condemning the people of Israel, what does he say? You killed the Messiah. according to the plan of God the Father. According to the plan of God the Father. Our Lord and Savior is truly able to save for all time those who draw near unto Him.
Gail also admonishing us upon this as well. This instance of grace stands on record not to cherish sloth, indolence, security, and presumption, but to encourage faith in this one and hope in sensible sinners in their last moments and prevent despair. This one was not in despair after he heard the words of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah, what a savior.
Application
I just want to close with a few applicatory comments. There is a difference between physical death and spiritual death. There is that difference between physical death and spiritual death. Now, these guys, I know they're in a lot of pain, but you know, they knew their death was coming, which is kind of an interesting circumstance, isn't it?
Normally, we're probably not going to know when we're going to die. We could be smacked. We could be hit. We could be shot.
Something could happen. But we may or may not know when that's coming. They're hanging there, and they know it's coming. They can think about it.
They can understand that. We may not be so lucky. I call you now to repent. Believe on the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Because physical death is inevitable. It is coming. And if you do not believe on him, spiritual death is coming as well. Why would you not believe on him and have everlasting life?
Henry highlighting this idea of the difference between physical death and spiritual death. Note that there are some that have the impudence to rail at Christ and yet the confidence to expect to be saved by him, and conclude that if he does not save them, he is not to be looked upon as the Savior. That is not true. He can save you from spiritual death.
Death is fixed, but the day is unknown until it's coming. Believe now on that Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Second comment. I think this is for believers.
We need to learn how to rebuke and reprove those who blaspheme our Lord. We need to do it with meekness and with gentleness, which is something I struggle with sometimes. I just want to say to them, you're an idiot. But I thank the Lord I don't all the time.
We need to do it with gentleness and respect. And we pray that the Lord would give us courage to do that. When someone utters a blasphemy against our Lord, do you not know what you are saying? Do you not fear God?
Don't forget, we have the truth. They do not. Who cares what they have to say? We have the truth.
It means to rebuke and reprove in meekness and gentleness. Thirdly, for believers as well, we need to develop, even for us, a right and holy fear of God and a proper understanding, I think, of the seriousness of sin. Our God is just. Our God is a consuming fire.
But by His goodness, by His mercy, we can believe on Him. And we have, some of us have believed on Him and we are saved. Yet even in our daily lives, there is still a seriousness to sin. There is still a seriousness to sin.
Praise the Lord God Most High that those sins are no longer covered. Nonetheless, we pray that we ask the Spirit to give us strength and aid in our sanctification that we might be conformed more and more to the image of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Fourthly, an encouragement. Believers, you will one day be with our Lord in paradise.
That makes me happy. You will be with our Lord in paradise one day. No more pain, no more sorrow, no more suffering, no more sin. Praise the Lord God Almighty.
What a Savior. And fifthly, this is for unbelievers, and a good reminder for us as believers, the Lord saves the worst of sinners. The Lord saved the worst of sinners. If he can save a wretch like that guy, if he can save a wretch like me, he can certainly save a wretch like you.
He certainly can do that. cast yourself upon the One who can take away your sins, who bore your shame and scoffing root, who procured full atonement. Believe on that One You will die in your trespasses and sins. Why would you not want to go to paradise? Why would you not want to go be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?
Believe on him now and do it now because I we don't know when death may come do it now Hallelujah what a Savior let us close in prayer
Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we just thank you for this day, Lord God. We just thank you for your immense grace upon us. We thank you for this wonderful work that you have done to save this sinner, Lord God, to save this wretch. And we know that you save wretches like us all the time.
We give you praise and honor for those things. We thank you for your strength each and every day, Lord God. Help us to be conformed more and more to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ Give us boldness to rebuke those who contradict you who do not understand you help us to do with meekness and respect Lord God help us to have a healthy and holy fear of you and understand the seriousness of Sin, even in our in our justified lives Lord God can we praise you and give you honor for your goodness? goodness and kindness in sending the lord and savior jesus christ that that you procured justification you you atone for our sin in him we just thank you for that wonderful gift lord god we pray that you would strengthen us each and every day as we go out into the world lord god can help us to be conformed more and more into that image of the lord jesus christ help us to follow his example to look to him for aid and would you sanctify us by your holy spirit this day we thank you for an incredible savior lord god And we pray that you would be glorified, you would be lifted high, and all these things would happen according to the name of the Lord Jesus. Amen.