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,
Introduction
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.
The Sobering Inscription
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.
The Truth of the Title
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.
The Cursed Robber
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,
Total Depravity Illustrated
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
Application: Remember Your Former State
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.
The Dying Thief
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.
The Thief's Salvation by Grace
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
What the Thief Knew
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,
Fear of God and Acknowledgment of Sin
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.
Confession of Christ's Lordship
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
Application: Remember Your Day of Grace
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.
Closing Prayer
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.