Two Are Dying BesideBesideJesusJesus

What would change drastically in What would change drastically in just a few hours!just a few hours!

““How did the thief on the How did the thief on the cross get saved without cross get saved without

being baptized?”being baptized?”- Luke 23:39-43- Luke 23:39-43

One will be One will be With JesusWith JesusIn ParadiseIn Paradise

The Other ThiefThe Other ThiefSeparated fromSeparated fromGod Eternally!God Eternally!

Breakfast with the Devil,Breakfast with the Devil,Supper with the SaviorSupper with the Savior

Luke 23:43

One of the criminals who hung One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Christ?  Save ‘Aren’t you the Christ?  Save yourself and us!’”yourself and us!’” Luke 23:39 Luke 23:39

Condition of the man Here is a man in the last hours of his Here is a man in the last hours of his

life.life.  1. He is completely lost,1. He is completely lost, 2. He is completely helpless, 3. and3. and He is He is stillstill angry with God. angry with God.

Things Said in the Bible Things Said in the Bible about the Thief on the Crossabout the Thief on the Cross

1. He was a thief. Sinner.A criminal1. He was a thief. Sinner.A criminal

2. He railed on Jesus in the beginning 2. He railed on Jesus in the beginning of the crucifixion.of the crucifixion.

3. He was dying on one side of Jesus,3. He was dying on one side of Jesus, Another on the other side of the Lord.Another on the other side of the Lord.

His Change of Heart…His Change of Heart… We are not told how long he was hanging

on the cross before

HE MADE A CHANGE IN HE MADE A CHANGE IN HISHIS

DESTINY!!DESTINY!!

4. Things that he said. 1. Remember me…He wanted to be1. Remember me…He wanted to be Remembered by the Lord.Remembered by the Lord. The last companion Jesus had on The last companion Jesus had on Earth, and the first one to enter Paradise Earth, and the first one to enter Paradise

with the Lord!with the Lord!

Remember me When thou comest into thy kingdom…

1. He knew something about Jesus. 2. He knew that Jesus was coming into

his kingdom.

3. He wanted to be a part of the Lord’s kingdom.

He rebuked the other thief. At first, they He rebuked the other thief. At first, they two are together railing against Jesus.two are together railing against Jesus.

He changes his mind… He acknowledged that he was dying the

death that he deserved. He confessed that Jesus had not done anything worthy of the death he was experiencing.

Suffering doesn’t always make people Suffering doesn’t always make people more tender.more tender.

    It can bring out the worst in us.It can bring out the worst in us.  Sometimes pain intensifies a Sometimes pain intensifies a

sinner’s hatred towards God. sinner’s hatred towards God.

Sometimes people hate Sometimes people hate God!God! 1. Will not confess his Son.1. Will not confess his Son. 2. Why did you make me like I 2. Why did you make me like I

am?am? 3. Why do I have to suffer?3. Why do I have to suffer? 4. Why was I born anyway?4. Why was I born anyway?

This man was just This man was just hours away from hours away from eternityeternity

Having given himself to crime, (he Having given himself to crime, (he admits that) he was now under the admits that) he was now under the judgment of the law. judgment of the law. 

Soon he would face the judgment of Soon he would face the judgment of God and still he is raging against God.God and still he is raging against God. 

It is the story of his life.

Some have this attitude:Some have this attitude:

(Revelation 6:16), “We’d rather die than bow before You!”

ThenThen SomethingSomething Changed!Changed!

His partner guilty of crime is on the His partner guilty of crime is on the other side of Jesus in exactly the other side of Jesus in exactly the same position. same position.

    This man has been pouring out This man has been pouring out insults on Jesus, but then insults on Jesus, but then something changes. something changes.

A silence comes over his soul,A silence comes over his soul, and perhaps for the first time in and perhaps for the first time in

his life,his life, he really thinks about his own he really thinks about his own

position.position.

Earth is receding and Earth is receding and

eternityeternity is beginning to is beginning to loom large. loom large. 

It’s right on It’s right on the horizon. the horizon. 

Even asked the other thief?...Even asked the other thief?...

“Don’t you fear God?” (Luke 23:42).

The concerns that some have…The concerns that some have…

The thief on the cross was not The thief on the cross was not baptized…baptized…

But the thief was saved… But the thief was saved… So therefore, baptism must not So therefore, baptism must not

really be essential to salvation!really be essential to salvation! That is what many people conclude.That is what many people conclude. But is that true?But is that true?

While on Earth; Jesus had the While on Earth; Jesus had the authority to forgive sinsauthority to forgive sins……

The man who was paralyzed –The man who was paralyzed – Luke 5:18-26Luke 5:18-26 The woman who was a known sinner - The woman who was a known sinner -

Luke 7:36-50Luke 7:36-50 Jesus clearly offered the thief on the cross Jesus clearly offered the thief on the cross

salvation – salvation – Luke 23:39-43Luke 23:39-43

The thief was saved before baptism The thief was saved before baptism was ever even commanded by Jesuswas ever even commanded by Jesus

Jesus commanded baptism after he died - Jesus commanded baptism after he died - Matthew 28:18-20Matthew 28:18-20;;

Mark 16: 15-16Mark 16: 15-16 Baptism into His death Baptism into His death - - Romans 6:3-4Romans 6:3-4

How could the thief have been baptized into Jesus' death, when when Jesus had not yet died?Jesus had not yet died?

The thief on the cross was saved The thief on the cross was saved beforebefore the the newnew covenantcovenant began… began…

Old Covenant Old Covenant Between God and the children of Israel – Between God and the children of Israel –

Exodus 19:4-8;Exodus 19:4-8; Deuteronomy 5:2-3Deuteronomy 5:2-3 Came to an end when Jesus died on the cross -Came to an end when Jesus died on the cross -

Ephesians 2:14-16Ephesians 2:14-16;; Colossians 2:14 Colossians 2:14

The thief on the cross was saved The thief on the cross was saved beforebefore the the new covenant new covenant began…began…

New CovenantNew Covenant - - Hebrews 8:6-7Hebrews 8:6-7 Of which Jesus spoke when He instituted the Of which Jesus spoke when He instituted the

Lord's Supper Lord's Supper – – Mark 14:22-24Mark 14:22-24 Came into effect when Jesus died on the cross -Came into effect when Jesus died on the cross -

Hebrews 9:15-17Hebrews 9:15-17

Therefore, you and I now live Therefore, you and I now live under the new covenant...under the new covenant...

We must submit to Christ's authority as We must submit to Christ's authority as expressed after His death - expressed after His death - Matthew 28:18-20Matthew 28:18-20

His apostles took the command to baptize His apostles took the command to baptize others seriously – others seriously –

Acts 2:38; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:48Acts 10:48 I Pet. 3:21I Pet. 3:21

1. The first ones added to the church1. The first ones added to the church Were baptized. Acts 2:41Were baptized. Acts 2:41 2. Paul was baptized. Acts 22:16 3. Peter states clearly that baptism Saves. I Pet. 3:21 How can you be saved How can you be saved

without that which saves you.?without that which saves you.? 4. Paul wrote that in order to get into

Christ, you must be baptized. Gal.3:27

6. The Corinthians were told ‘that by one 6. The Corinthians were told ‘that by one spirit, you were all baptized into one bodyspirit, you were all baptized into one body

I Cor. 12:13I Cor. 12:13 How can you get into the Church (the body of Christ) without being

baptized? 7. The Lord adds the saved to the church.7. The Lord adds the saved to the church. Acts 2:47Acts 2:47

The thief's example is not applicable The thief's example is not applicable to the question of baptism...to the question of baptism...

He died before Jesus declared the He died before Jesus declared the command to be baptized into His death.command to be baptized into His death.

The thief lived under the old covenant, The thief lived under the old covenant, which did not require baptism into Christ!which did not require baptism into Christ!

Then he says to Jesus, Then he says to Jesus, “ “Remember me when you come into Remember me when you come into

your kingdom” (23:42).your kingdom” (23:42). And Jesus said to him, And Jesus said to him, “ “I tell you the truth, today you will be I tell you the truth, today you will be

with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

Great Lessons We Can LearnGreat Lessons We Can Learn

11stst. The Repentant Thief Recognized . The Repentant Thief Recognized the brevity of (HIS) life!the brevity of (HIS) life! He understood life's temporal nature because he he

was dying. Ever stood by someone dying—did you think

what it would be like if that was YOU? Psalm 103:15–16 (NASB) 15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no

more, And its place acknowledges it no longer.

James 4:14 (NASB)James 4:14 (NASB) 14 Yet you do not know what your life will 14 Yet you do not know what your life will

be like tomorrow. You are be like tomorrow. You are just just a vapor that a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes appears for a little while and then vanishes away. away.

Second, the penitent thief understood the reality of the afterlife. WE WILL BE SOMEWHERE! WE WILL BE SOMEWHERE! I’ll be somewhere.listening!I’ll be somewhere.listening! He understood that life after death was

just as real as the present life.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NASB) 11 He has made everything appropriate in

its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

Daniel 12:2Daniel 12:2

2 “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Matt. 25:46Matt. 25:46Matthew 25:46 (NASB)Matthew 25:46 (NASB)46 “These will go away into 46 “These will go away into

eternal punishment, but the eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”righteous into eternal life.”

Third, the repentant thief Third, the repentant thief understood his guilt before God.understood his guilt before God.

This understanding is This understanding is evidenced by his statement evidenced by his statement in verse 41, “And we indeed in verse 41, “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds.”deserve for our deeds.”

Rom. 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short Rom. 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.“of the glory of God.“

In other words, every In other words, every accountable member of the human accountable member of the human race stands guilty before God race stands guilty before God because of his/her sin because of his/her sin

44thth: He understood Jesus was : He understood Jesus was special.special. In reference to Jesus is Luke 23:41 This man hath done nothing wrong.This man hath done nothing wrong. We are dying the death we deserve,We are dying the death we deserve, But He has done nothing wrong!But He has done nothing wrong! This shows his need for the Savior. How many today do not think Jesus Is Special.

Fifth, the thief understood that Christ had the power to save him.

Do you believe that? He did.

Lord, remember me Lord, remember me when thou comest into when thou comest into thy kingdom.thy kingdom.

John 14:6John 14:6Acts 4:12Acts 4:12I Tim. 2:5I Tim. 2:5

6. this thief understood that it is never 6. this thief understood that it is never too late to obey God for salvationtoo late to obey God for salvation We all should listen to this point. It is not too

late for us to do something about our souls. Whatever we have done in the past,Whatever we have done in the past, We can find forgiveness for it by We can find forgiveness for it by

‘looking unto Jesus.” Heb. 12:2 and ‘looking unto Jesus.” Heb. 12:2 and obeyingobeying

Jesus. Heb. 5:8,9Jesus. Heb. 5:8,9

, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise" (vs. 43).

2 Cor 6:2b). However, once you die and you pass into the eternal realm, then it is too late

(Luke 16:19-31; Heb 9:27).

1.Do you understand the brevity of this life,

2. The reality of the afterlife, 3. Your personal guilt before God, 4. . Christ’s desire for you to be saved.. 4. It is not too late to obey Christ for

salvation? 5. What to do to be saved?