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Last week we saw Jesus’ first sermon from the Cross, where He prayed for us:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”

This week we are looking at His second sermon, a message He preached to a dying thief. Jesus told him:

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.

There are things that we as humans believe about God and Heaven that are just untrue. We believe that only good people go to Heaven. We believe that “There are good people, and bad people”. We believe that God judges us on a scale, and if our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds, we go to Heaven.

That’s not true.

Our Lord Jesus has said in Matthew 19:17 … there are NONE GOOD, but ONE, THAT IS GOD

The Apostle Paul wrote quoting Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3:

(Romans 3:10-12 LSB) as it is written, THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; [11] THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; [12] ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME WORTHLESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.

A popular liberal talking point is to “Defund The Police” and “Get rid of prisons”. This is based on the thought that people are generally good. The Bible doesn’t support this myth.

Even the word penitentiary – a word we use for prisons – is a myth. According to the dictionary, “penitentiary comes from the Latin roots paenitentia (repentance) and paenitere (to regret or be sorry), evolving through church terminology into a term for a house of correction.” It was a place where someone was to be sentenced until they repented of their sins. Guess what? It doesn’t work. The Law of man and the Law of God cannot fix the human heart. The Apostle said:

(Romans 3:19-20 LSB) Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are in the Law, so that EVERY MOUTH MAY BE SHUT and ALL THE WORLD MAY BECOME ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD; [20] because BY THE WORKS OF THE LAW NO FLESH WILL BE JUSTIFIED IN HIS SIGHT, for THROUGH THE LAW COMES THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.

Preach: The Law points out sin – but it cannot fix it. As we look at this Hill called Calvary today, we see three Crosses. Two of the Crosses are methods of execution, occupied by criminals who violated the Laws of humanity. But the man in the middle is innocent. His Judge Pilate said, “I find NO FAULT in this Man” (Luke 23:4). The Bible tells us that when Pilate found out Jesus was from Galilee:

Luke 23:7 … as soon as {Pilate} knew that {Jesus} belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction {Galilee}, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time.

Herod examined Jesus, and mocked Him, but sent Jesus back to Pilate because HE COULD FIND NO LEGAL FAULT in Him. Pilate told Jesus’ accusers:

Luke 23:14-15 … I, having examined Him before you, have FOUND NO FAULT IN THIS MAN touching those things whereof ye accuse Him: 15 No, NOR YET HEROD: for I sent you to him; and, lo, NOTHING WORTHY OF DEATH IS DONE UNTO {Jesus}.

Had Herod found a legal reason to execute Jesus, he would have done so immediately. Herod mocked Jesus, made fun of Jesus, dressed Him in purple robes, but sent Him back to Pilate.

Sin Is A Strange Evil Cancer Among Us

I don’t think I can impress on you, dear listener, how horrible a cancer sin is. Sin starts in one person, and spreads like a disease to others. Judas betrayed Jesus, and this betrayal spread outward to all but one of the Apostles. All abandoned Jesus as He headed toward the Cross. The Pharisees started sinning against Jesus because He called them to repentance. From the Pharisees, the sin of rejecting Christ spread to the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders (Matthew 22:52). Then the religious leadership, bathed in sin, incited the crowd that just a few days before were praising God for Jesus. The Bible tells us:

Luke 23:1 … the whole MULTITUDE {plēthos, great number, huge crowd} OF THEM AROSE, and led him unto Pilate.

What started with a few sinners has grown into a mob. Sin has made a mob. The mob doesn’t care. It doesn’t listen to reason. The mob mentality is “Let’s kill Jesus”. Why? They can’t tell you. Pilate is astonished. Here is an innocent Man the mob wants to kill. The Bible says:

Luke 23:20-24 Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. 21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. 22 And he said unto them the THIRD TIME, Why, WHAT EVIL HATH HE DONE? I have FOUND NO CAUSE OF DEATH IN HIM: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. 23 And THEY WERE INSTANT {epikeimai, imposed themselves, were insistent} WITH LOUD VOICES, requiring that He might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. 24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

Peter denied Jesus THREE TIMES before the cock crowed, just as our Lord prophesied. But PILATE tried THREE TIMES to stand up for Jesus and justice. He was shouted down.

Then the Bible says “Pilate gave sentence that it should be AS THEY REQUIRED” (vs 24). Sin has twisted the Law of Man. Jesus is not sentenced as the Law of Rome required. He is sentenced as the sin diseased crowd demands. Sin creeps in, and rips apart the Law. Release Barabbas, but execute Jesus!

So the Man on the middle Cross is there unjustly, according to human laws. When the Law was given at Sinai, it was “Tables of stone, written on both their sides … written with the finger of God” (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:10). The hands that wrote the Law that Israel has broken this day, those hands are nailed to that center Cross. The Bible foretells us that the Messiah would be “numbered with the Transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). He is numbered with the Transgressors, but He is not one of them.

All three men are on the Cross because of sin. The “two other, MALEFACTORS {kakourgos, evil doers}, led with {Jesus} to be put to death” were sinners who violated Rome’s Laws. They are going to the Cross because of their sins. These men are called “MALEFACTORS”, literally EVIL DOERS. Pilate didn’t question their executions. But for Jesus Pilate asked, “What EVIL did Jesus DO? What is the fruit of His lawlessness?” Beloved, Jesus is not going to the Cross because of His sins. He is going to the Cross FOR OUR SINS.

It is man’s sin that perverted justice, and nailed an innocent Man to the Tree. It is for the cancer of sin that Jesus is executed that day. BEHOLD, the LAMB OF GOD Who TAKES AWAY THE SIN of the world!

What the Law could not do – and can never do – Jesus accomplished on that middle Cross. The Bible says:

(1 Peter 2:21-25 LSB) For to this you have been called, since CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED FOR YOU … WHO DID NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; [23] who being reviled, was not reviling in return; while suffering, He was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting [Himself] to Him who judges righteously. [24] Who Himself BORE OUR SINS IN HIS BODY ON THE TREE, so that having died to sin, we might live to righteousness; by His WOUNDS YOU WERE HEALED. [25] For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to THE SHEPHERD AND OVERSEER OF YOUR SOULS.

The cure for the disease of sin is the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. His wounds healed us from the slavery of sin. When we receive Him as Lord and Savior, we walk with Him. He is our Shepherd, we are His sheep. The Bible says:

(Galatians 3:10-14 LSB) For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse, for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO DO THEM.” [11] Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident, for “THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” [12] However, the Law is not of faith; rather, “HE WHO DOES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.” [13] Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”– [14] in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

The Law sets the standard. But the Law does not correct the heart. The Law does not make one righteous. The testimony of the Bible is that “no one is justified by the Law before God”. Jesus is on that Cross because of sin, but not because of HIS sin, but because of MY sin and YOUR sin. He is bearing the punishment for sin. He is bearing the punishment for sin for those two thieves crucified with Him. He is bearing the punishment for sin for the mocking crowd.

We are all born thieves!

A.W. Pink wrote: “We have to be abased before we can be exalted. We have to be stripped of the filthy rags of our self righteousness before we are ready for the garments of salvation. We have to come to God as beggars, empty handed, before we can receive the gift of eternal life … we have to acknowledge ourselves as thieves before we can have a place in the family of God … The sinner dissipates his strength and wastes his time in the pleasures of sin. He has robbed God.”

You Must Come To The End Of Yourself
Before Coming To Jesus

Why are there TWO MALEFACTORS, two evil doers hanging on either side of Jesus? Because sin loves a crowd. The Apostle warned the Church at Corinth:

1 Corinthians 15:33 Do not be deceived: ‘BAD COMPANY RUINS GOOD MORALS.’

God warned Israel not to intermarry with unbelievers, for the unbeliever will pull you down to their level. The sinner who loves sin is like leaven or yeast in bread. “A little leaven, leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6). There are two evil doers, and both know one another. They are not strangers, but partners in crime, perhaps friends. One said, “Why don’t we ____”, and the other thought about it and said “Yes! Let’s do that”. Now they are caught, and hanging next to Jesus. When Jesus spoke His first words from the Cross,

Luke 23:34 … Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

Those thieves heard it. As the crowd passes by, the thieves hear how Jesus is attacked. We are told in another Gospel:

Matthew 27:38-43 Then were there TWO THIEVES crucified with {Jesus}, one on the right hand, and another on the left. 39 And they that passed by REVILED HIM, wagging their heads, 40 And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. IF thou be the Son of God, come down from the Cross. 41 Likewise also the CHIEF PRIESTS MOCKING HIM, WITH THE SCRIBES AND ELDERS, said, 42 He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the Cross, and WE WILL BELIEVE HIM. 43 He trusted in God; let {God} deliver Him now, if {God} will have Him: for {Jesus} said, I am the Son of God.

The crowd is mocking. They are making fun of Jesus. They revile Him as He prays for their forgiveness. And what of the thieves, the malefactors. The Bible tells us:

Matthew 27:44 The thieves also, which were crucified with Him, CAST THE SAME IN HIS TEETH.

The two friends, two thieves, two evil doers “CAST THE SAME IN HIS TEETH”. They are suffering as badly as Jesus is. Their bodies are nailed to crosses, and they cannot get loose. But their hearts are nailed to sin, to evil. The crowd yelled out:

Mark 15:32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.

We’ll believe if You’ll just get down, Jesus. And what of the thieves on either side of Jesus?

Mark 15:32 … And they that were crucified with {Jesus} reviled Him.

Both thieves joined in with the mob, mocking and spitting on Jesus. But then something miraculous happens. The Holy Spirit moved on their hearts. Here is a mystery. Both of these thieves, these malefactors, are on the Cross because they have violated man’s Law. Both are hardened criminals. The Holy One touches both – but only one responds. One thief says:

Luke 23:39 … If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

But then his friend speaks up. God has been working on his heart. He says:

Luke 23:40 Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

God had been working on his heart. He knew that there was a future life where retribution would be given by God. He tells his companion, “Don’t you fear God? Don’t you know that judgment is coming?” He has just heard Jesus pray “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing”, and the Father responded. He sent the Holy Spirit to “convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment” (John 16:8). This thief came face to face with impending judgment. This thief acknowledged his sin, saying:

Luke 23:41 … And WE INDEED JUSTLY; for we RECEIVE THE DUE REWARD of our deeds:

He admits he is a sinner, that what is happening to him on that Cross is not society’s fault, nor his companion’s fault, but HIS fault. He recognizes he is a transgressor, deserving of death. He goes on to say:

Luke 23:41 … but this Man hath done nothing amiss.

The thief sees Jesus as sinless. And Jesus was and is sinless. Jesus was “in all points TEMPTED LIKE WE ARE, yet WITHOUT SIN” (Hebrews 4:15). After Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, he declared “I have sinned in that I have betrayed THE INNOCENT BLOOD” (Matthew 27:3-4). The difference between this thief and Judas (who was also a thief – see John 12:4-6) was that Judas was sorry within himself that he had betrayed Jesus. The thief repented before God, and stood apart from the crowd to glorify Jesus.

Beloved, repentance is more than just feeling sorry for what you did. Judas killed himself after feeling sorry for what he did. Repentance acknowledges that you are a sinner worthy of death. Repentance is when you release all other means, and reach out to Jesus in faith.

In His Agony, He Turned Away From The World
And Toward Jesus

The thief turned his heart toward Jesus. Notice his words:

Luke 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, LORD, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.

The thief heard Jesus pray “Father, forgive them”. The Holy Spirit caused him to realize that Jesus is the Savior. But more than this, Jesus is LORD. The Bible says:

1 Corinthians 12:3 … NO ONE CAN SAY, “JESUS IS LORD,” EXCEPT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.

The Holy Spirit has opened this man’s spiritual eyes. He realizes that Jesus is Lord. Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, preaching from Joel 2:32:

Acts 2:21 … it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.

And Paul preached,

Romans 10:12-13 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “EVERYONE WHO CALLS UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.”

Jesus is Lord. He is “the Savior of HIS PEOPLE” (Matthew 1:21). Before this moment, the thief’s companion was his Lord. The crowd was his Lord. The thief himself was his Lord. But now he humbles himself. “LORD, remember me”.

Luke 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, LORD, remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.

Jesus is a King with a Kingdom. On the Cross, the only crown upon Jesus’ head was a crown of thorns. There is a sign above His head that reads,

Luke 23:38 … a superscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews.

The thief says, “Lord, when you come into Your Kingdom”. He believed beyond that moment. And he asked Jesus simply, “remember me”. Just think about me, dear Jesus. Pray for me as I stand before the Almighty, and receive the punishment I so richly deserve.

How Our Lord Responded To The Repenting Thief

The Crosses were only a few feet apart, and both Jesus and the unrepentant thief could hear and respond. What would Jesus respond? Would He say, “You have waited too long. You should have come to Me sooner!” Did Jesus do that. No. Jesus said:

(John 6:37 LSB) All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and THE ONE WHO COMES TO ME I WILL NEVER CAST OUT.

As Jesus was being reviled, He did not respond. As He was being cursed, He ignored their curses. But as this thief prays, Jesus hears. The Bible says, “NOW is the acceptable time. NOW is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2). The thief’s spiritual eyes are opened. His hands and feet are nailed to the Cross. He can do no good work. He can go no where to serve God. His body is immobilized in agony and suffering. But his heart goes out to Jesus. His lips confess Jesus as Lord and Savior. Jesus prayed for him when He said, “Father, forgive them”. The Holy Spirit opened the thief’s eyes. And Jesus, seeing his heart, responded:

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, TODAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.

Jesus will do more than remember him. Before the day ends, the thief will be with Jesus in Paradise. Jesus said,

John 12:26 If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and WHERE I AM, THERE SHALL ALSO MY SERVANT BE: if any man serve Me, him will my Father honor.

And one of my favorite Scriptures,

John 14:3 if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and RECEIVE YOU TO MYSELF; that WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO.

This thief would be the first person saved by the Blood of the Cross. He is the first of the New Covenant. Those under the Old Covenant were saved by believing on the Jesus Who was to come. Today we are saved, like this thief, by calling on the name of the Crucified Christ. The thief asked just to be remembered, but Jesus promised he would be with the Messiah in glory.

What happened to the thieves after Jesus died? Since the next day was a High Sabbath, the first day of Unleavened Bread (John 19:31), the Jews went to Pilate and asked that those who were hung on the Cross be killed before the sunset. The soldiers did this by breaking the legs of the crucified. If their legs were broken, they could not push themselves up to exhale – and they would suffocate. The Bible says:

John 19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first {thief}, and of the other {thief} which was crucified with Jesus.

The thief that rejected Christ as Lord and Savior suffered the hell of the Cross. Then his kneecaps were smashed with a sledgehammer, and his body dropped. After a few minutes, he died in agony. And like the rich man “in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments” (Luke 16:23). He went from hell on earth, to hell beyond earth. He played with sin until that cancer took his body and his soul. Lord have mercy!

But the thief who received Christ as Lord and Savior suffered the hell of the Cross. Then his kneecaps were smashed with a sledgehammer, and his body dropped. And, like Lazarus the poor believing man “he is comforted” (Luke 16:25). He is with Jesus in Paradise. It was this blessed expectation that caused the Apostle Paul – knowing he would be beheaded in Rome – to say:

Philippians 1:23 {I have} a desire TO DEPART, AND TO BE WITH CHRIST; which is far better …

When a believer leaves this life – even if through the worst of circumstances – we depart to be with Jesus in Paradise. As A.W. Pink wrote:

“The moment a sinner believes, that moment is he “made meet to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12). “For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified”. (Hebrews 10:14). Our fitness for Christ’s presence , as well as our title, rests solely on His shed blood.”

Do you know Him?

“Three crosses on a lonely hill,
A thief on either side;
And in between the Son of God,
How wide the gulf, how wide!”