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to the gospel of Luke in chapter 
23. A number of Lord's days ago, in 
our New Testament reading, we read of the occasion of 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 and a particular man next to 
Him on this day of crucifixion. Luke 23, we'll begin reading 
in verse 38. Luke 23, beginning in verse, 
actually, excuse me, we're going to 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 barren, wombs 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 green wood, 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 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 blasphemed 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. Rejoice in the fact that it points 
to our Savior Jesus Christ, 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 day of days, that hour 
of hours, where 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 the redemption wrought 
by Christ upon Calvary's cross. It is, as I said, that day of 
days and that hour of hours. 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, a man after 
God's own heart, that hero who took down the Philistine giant 
of Gath? Do you identify yourself with 
David? Perhaps some of us think we're 
a Paul. Through many trials, we come 
out and we're boldly holding fast to our Christ in the midst 
of many oppositions, 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 two that should top our list and perhaps 
the only two 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 been 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 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 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. 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 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 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 we'll emphasize a little bit later in the sermon, He is wholly 
harmless and undefiled. He is that lamb without blemish 
and without spot. So, perhaps you've asked the 
question before because you read the gospel accounts, 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 wholly 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. 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 handed him over because of envy. is 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 particular addresses, where things 
are, 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 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 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 truthfulness 
of his kingship. Again, it's fuel for mockery 
by the Jews, this this inscription, this is the King of the Jews, 
and it is what Pilate wrote because he conversed with Christ, and 
because of 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 praetorium again, 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. Pilate therefore said to him, 
Are you a king then? Jesus answered, You say rightly 
that I am a king. I love this, 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 the sheep before its shearers is 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. We're back in Luke 23, 38. This 
is the King of 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 his Old Testament, can make that profession 
concerning Jesus Christ. He would have had Micah 5 too 
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. If you follow 
the track of Psalms 22, 23, and 24, we have the Psalm of the 
Crook, not the criminal, but the Psalm of the Shepherd's Crook 
in 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. 
Nathanael 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 in putting to death their 
promised king. The madness of the Jews in putting 
to death their promised king. Melito of Sardis writes, why, 
oh 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 who made you 
to live. Why did you do this, O Israel? O frightful murder! O 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 2nd century bishop, though. But I believe he had 
Acts 3 in his mind when he's preaching these words. It was 
a Paschal sermon that he was preaching, and I believe he had 
Acts 3 in his mind when he's preaching, which reads this way, This is Acts 3. 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, Melito 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 seat 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 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. 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 him to death. Not 
seeing what the scriptures testify to, not seeing that the scriptures 
that Moses, the law and the prophets all spoke concerning him, they 
in their unregeneracy, they in their unrepentance, they are 
putting to death their promised king. What a gross injustice 
that is the height of sin and depravity. gross injustice. As 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. But 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 a moment to this particular scene 
in Luke 23. This one who was the praise of 
angels, one who is the praise of angels this one whose hem 
could barely fit in that that temple scene 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 whichever it may be 
nevertheless Jesus was disclosed to the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 
6, so glorious and so majestic that only a hem, 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, a 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 it by so glorious in 
his immensity and so glorious in his disclosure of his glory 
that only the hem of the garment fills the temple. That's what 
some people believe is going on there. Not an anthropomorphic 
appearance as a manifestation of the king and king of kings 
and lord of lords, the lord of hosts. In some sort of man, human 
appearance with monarchical 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 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 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 1 Corinthians 11, where it says, do this in 
remembrance of me. I believe it's this sermon where 
he rehearses Golgotha or he rehearses Gethsemane 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 a scepter of righteousness, and crushes nations 
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, Lord, 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 and chief 
among 10,000 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, the salvation 
of a multitude which no man can number. Blessed Savior, glorious 
King. Augustine 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 marches and in processions and all the pomp and circumstance 
that attends monarchy. We don't often think about kings 
as a mess 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, the cursed 
robber. So we noted the sobering inscription, 
and notice, secondly, the cursed robber. Verse 39. Then one of the criminals who 
were hanged blasphemed 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. the scene here. I don't want 
you to look with vain imagination, but consider the scene here for 
a moment. This one, this one crying out, 
if you are the Christ, save yourself and us, is at 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 blasphemed 
by this criminal who, with his breath in unrepentance, is 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. 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 cursed robber, 
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 cursed robber, notice in verse 8, 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 blasphemed the name of God who has power 
over these plagues and they did not repent and give him glory 
Don't you see the cursed robber there? 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 him. He has 
the one 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 cursed robber 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 cursed 
robber blasphemes. horrible picture or it's an an 
honest depiction of man in depravity and of man in sin and we are 
to marvel at this and it's 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 sin right with our doctrine of man the biblical 
doctrine of man, 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 the Bible. There's two types of marveling. 
You've heard that sort of language before 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 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 interjects with an interruption behold a 
What manner of love the father has bestowed on us? That's a 
marveling. It's a low. 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 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're not to see here 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 get an in, to get an in with 
the rulers that maybe, 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 
and a cancellation or a stay of execution. But in any event, 
he's not pleading for salvation. He is blaspheming in his unrepentance, 
and he is blaspheming the Lord of Glory and Prince of Life. 
And I would submit 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 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 Christ is tempted for 40 days and 40 nights, where 
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 tempts and he tests the Lord Jesus Christ. 
As many have noted, there are efforts on the part of the devil 
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 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 would crush 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 the cursed 
robber, 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 to, 
but an obvious instance of sin and depravity, blasphemy, unrepentance 
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 it's hard for me to come up with application, 
but I think it bears witness here. Church, a place where no 
new things are said by Cameron Porter, but remember your former 
state. I've often done this. I've quoted 
a more modern hymn that says, ashamed I hear my mocking voice 
call out among 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 former states. We were those 
dead in trespasses and sins who would have been no better than 
this cursed robber. 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 
at the outset, if I'm right, and that the only two people 
we should identify with are 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 the cursed robber, it's a picture of all of us prior to saving 
grace. It's a picture of all of us. An exercise in remembering 
your former state before God came to you in amazing and victorious 
grace. A reflection upon your former 
state before God came to you with the glorious mercy and condescending 
loving kindness and 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 cursed robber. Bring us to a point of 
humility because it is so easy in our humanity to be puffed 
up. so easy in our humanity to think well of ourselves. And 
we are to love ourselves within the biblical confines of how 
it's prescribed to us in loving ourselves. But I think it can 
be 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 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 note 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, 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 crucifixion. Notice 
in verse 38 of Matthew 27, then two robbers were crucified with 
him, one on the right and another on the left. And those who passed 
by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying, you who destroy 
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 we were reading in the New Testament, reading Cyril of Jerusalem, 
who was a theologian in the fourth 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's preaching as if he's interviewing 
the robber, is what I take from 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, led thee to the light? Who taught 
thee to worship that despised man? 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. came 
to his own, and 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 power, O 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, where this robber turned from 
a reviler to a worshiper. O light eternal, which gives 
light to them that are in darkness. This robber was saved. This criminal was saved by amazing 
and victorious grace. He was just like that cursed 
robber, reviling. And he is now one who praises 
and worships the Lord Christ Almighty. Doesn't this give you 
hope? If you 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 as that one who is so animated in their hatred 
against 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 reviler is turned into a praiser of God? You have friends, you 
have co-workers, you have family members who do not believe in 
the Lord Jesus Christ, but are opposed in 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 reviler is 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 reviler 
is turned into a praiser of God. That family member, that co-worker, 
that friend who reviles 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 in His appointed 
and accepted time and 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 reviler, now appraiser of God. There is 
much hope in this. We see his faith demonstrating 
that he had new life in Christ. This occasion of the thief, I 
think we need to appreciate here that the thief knew more than 
some or many may think. Once more time, the thief knew 
more than some or many might think. Unfortunately, some people 
in the mere Christianity movement, that's sort of a movement that 
seeks to reduce the propositions of Christianity down to a handleable 
minimum 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 say that Largely that principle 
is true. We're we there are there are 
certain non-negotiables with Christianity that To be able 
that are to be believed in order for one to be called a Christian, 
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 Triunity 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 smallest amount of 
faith. Now, he 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. I We enter into eternal glory by virtue of his doing, 
his dying, and his rising again. But getting back to the point, 
the thief knew more than some or 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 40, seeing you are under the same condemnation? This goes 
back to a previous point. The cursed robber is being crucified. Or maybe we didn't make this 
point. The cursed 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 here, 
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 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 due 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. Notice 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. Have you 
ever thought about the two robbers and this statement by the thief 
when you read Isaiah 53? Particularly, first off, Isaiah 
53 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 and 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 the 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. 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, wholly 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 1 Corinthians 
12, 3. We're talking about the evidence 
of the, you don't need to turn there, but the evidence of Christ 
as being, or the thief rather, the evidence of this dying thief 
as being saved. We see in 1 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 going 
to stop there and close. I'll continue the rest this evening, 
perhaps, as I 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. Maybe you can't remember the 
day. Maybe there's some that can remember the day and the 
occasion. It was pronounced, it was a day of days that can 
be recollected upon and reflected upon and 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 cursed robber 
to being this saved robber, this dying thief who was brought from 
a reviler 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. Glory in the 
amazing grace of God. It's a hope-filled thing that 
we have. We'll notice tonight with regards to family members, 
with regards to yourselves and those sorts of things, those 
who have died and those who have come to the 11th hour and those 
who have passed on past the 11th hour. This glorious language 
assuredly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. 
That language is true for all of you who were once the cursed 
robber but are now the dying thief. That language is true 
for each and every one of us. When we arrive at that peculiar 
and 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 cursed 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 king. Depart 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 gloried in 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 reviler, 
but be appraiser 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 regards to our Savior, 
the Lord Jesus Christ and salvation by him. 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 into this week with us. We long to raise our heads, thinking 
of Christ, to rest our heads at night, dwelling upon your 
glorious grace and upon our Savior. We do pray then that you would 
just bless us now, and might 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 our doxology. If you don't know it, it's Roman 
numeral 16 in your Trinity.