And in this passage, we read
of three men hanging on crosses, a common form of execution. In Roman times, three men condemned
to die. Now, three of the gospel accounts
mentions this. Matthew, Mark, and John mentioned
the two thieves crucified with the Lord Jesus. But only Luke,
where we've read, records the conversation of the thieves with
one another and as the one spake to the Lord Jesus. And so this
is a most instructive and important passage of scripture. Before
we talk about the particular thought I want to talk about,
I want to say our Lord made three statements in John chapter six. Contrary to a lot of people's
thinking, but three statements that I believe in my heart, as
certain as I'm breathing. And the first one is John 6,
44, the first part of the verse, no man can come unto me except
the father, which hath sent me draw him. Most people I know
don't believe that statement. from the lips of the Lord Jesus
Christ himself. They believe that folks can come
to the Lord anytime they choose to do so. The second statement
is John 6, 37, the first part of the verse. All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me. That is exactly who and how many
that truly come to Christ, all that the Father giveth me, not
one more, not one less. And the third statement is the
latter part of that same verse, John 6, 37, and him that cometh
to me, I will in no wise cast out, meaning not under any circumstances
will I refuse. Those are three Blessed Statements. Now we hear quoted often Romans
10 9 that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.
And that's about as far as a lot of modern religion goes.
That sounds so simple. If you'll just confess with your
mouth. Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins? Yes.
Well, you're saved. But the verse didn't end there. And shall believe in thine heart that God raised him from the
dead. That's not simple. Matter of fact, it's impossible to believe in the heart apart
from the working of the Holy Spirit. personally in your heart. That's what Christ meant when
he said, no man can come to me except the father which sent
me brought him. The, the, the, the secret of
truly coming to Christ is a God given desire to know him. It is to have been given a heart
for the Lord to love him. To commit all your life to him
and every part of it, to honor him, not just the desire to go
to heaven. I've heard so-called soul winners
say, don't you want to go to heaven? You know, Hey, everybody
does. That's not it. It's about a heart
for the Lord. This is why. And this is so only
by the spirit of God dwelling in us. It's not our work. It's
God's work. In, uh, in John chapter six,
verses 28 and 29, they asked the Lord, what shall we do that
we might work the works of God? What do we have to do to get
in on this? Jesus answered and said to them,
this is the work of God. that you believe on him whom
he hath sent. Believe on him. Believe on him. Well, I felt compelled to speak
from this passage of scripture this morning about the crucifixion,
about these two thieves. Because of a recent experience
I had, At a place I often eat breakfast
through the week down the mountain, every morning there'll be, between
6.30 and 7.30, there'll be 15 or 20 working men there to eat
breakfast for the good work. Most of them know each other.
They laugh and talk and have a good time. Most of them know
me. And on Thursday morning a week ago, around 7 a.m., One man that
I knew and have talked with about the Lord, he fell dead with a heart attack
right there in the restaurant at seven o'clock in the morning. He was 77 years old, 77. Most of his life, he made liquor. drank liquor, soul liquor. He had a filthy mouth, but he had a very likable personality. I was not there that morning,
but the next morning, Friday morning, I was there. And as the men were talking,
one of them spoke up and asked a question. And this was a preacher,
by the way. Does anybody know if he ever
made a profession? And then there was two or three
other comments. And one said, well, I think he
did years ago, but he didn't live like it. Well, everybody
knew that. And another thing or two said,
and I just couldn't contain myself. I just spit it out. And I said,
you know, we put an awful lot of emphasis on a public profession. Whether a person's heart and
life is changed or not. See, that's the chief, the main
problem with big crusades that's come through this country. Have
so many hundreds saved, so many thousands saved. But no lives are changed. No
churches grow. And so I said, the Lord does
not dwell in any heart without making that heart a heart for
him. It matters not how many professions
one may have made. Is there a heart for the Lord?
That's the question. And of course, everybody got
pretty quiet. And I said, in a case like this, the only hope
is the mercy of God in the hour of death. Matter of fact, it's the only
hope for any of us. God's not indebted to the best
of people. For all have sinned. and come
short of the glory of God. And it was all I could do to
just keep from flying in and preaching. There is none good. No, not one. None of us have made the grade. It's not about being better than
other folks. It's about being perfect. And none of us are. We are all at the mercy of God,
but that's where the gospel comes in. The standard, which none
of us have met nor could meet, Christ met it for us. And his people are accepted with
God in him, not in ourselves. This passage we've read is the
classic example. When men are dying, those with
any feeling at all, they have some questions. First, who am
I really? You ever ask yourself that question? Well, the one on the middle cross
knew who he was. He's God's own son, the God man,
Jesus the Christ. And the other two, the Bible
calls male factors, criminals, thieves in the various accounts. And they had nothing worthwhile
to show for their lives. Had nothing to boast of in themselves. They were so different from the
one on the middle cross. Next question, why am I here? You ever asked that? Christ knew why he was here. He was on that cross to lay down
his life for his sheep. Being sinless, he couldn't die
for himself or in himself. Death is the wages of sin. He
had no sin to die for. So he's here in behalf of his
people to die, to lay down his life. That's why he was on the cross.
What about the other two? Well, the other two, justice
is being done. They have committed crimes worthy
of death and they're dying for them. The next question, where
do we go from here? Well, the Lord Jesus knew he
was to bear the sins of his people, to die on the cross, to be buried,
to rise from the dead, to ascend back into glory from which he
came. But the other two, criminals,
thieves, male factor, in Isaiah they're called transgressors.
Where are they going? What then? Well, apparently by
their conduct up to the point that they're already on crosses
hanging, dying, they're sure for hell and judgment. And then to the
lake of fire alienated from God forever. That appears to be the
destiny of both. Why? Because we read in Matthew's
account, the 27th chapter. See, this is why we have four
gospels to open the New Testament. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
They all tell basically the same story of Jesus Christ and things
that happened, but they don't all tell about every incident.
And they don't all give the same specifics about each incident.
And yet they do not contradict each other. But according to Matthew's account,
2744, both these thieves joined in the mocking and the criticizing
of the Lord Jesus. Not just one of them, but both
of them. And the Bible said that the crowd passing by reviled
him, wagging their heads. And they said, if thou be the
son of God, come down from the cross. And they said, he saved
others himself he cannot save. Let him come down from the cross
and we'll believe him. He trusted in God, let him deliver
him now. And then Matthew 27, 44 went
on to say, the thieves also, both of them, which were crucified
with him, cast the same in his teeth, both of them. This is depravity. This is fallen
man. This is sinful nature in its
fullest extent. You'd think that men dying, knowing
they were dying, wouldn't bother to curse and criticize another. But they did. In the midst of that depravity
and mocking, there is a spiritual deliverance for one of the two, a miracle. It is the sovereign
work of God. We do not read that one of the
two was smarter than the other. We do not read that one of the
two was less sinful than the other. We do not read that one
decided to turn over a new leaf. We only read that in Matthew's
account, both were critical of the Lord. But here in Luke's
account, the Lord had done a work in the heart of one. Couldn't he have changed both
men's hearts? Yes. Was he obligated to change
either heart? No. But one heart is changed in the
hour of death. And that is the only hope I have
for the man who fell dead. Thursday morning a week ago,
is the mercy of God. And if you don't have a heart
for the Lord this morning, that's the only hope for you. That God
will have mercy in your dying moment. It doesn't
matter that you're a church member. The Lord's people have a heart
for Him. It doesn't matter that you don't
cuss out loud and get drunk. That's not it. The Lord's people
have a heart for him. And this man with a new heart
here on the cross said some things that the Holy Spirit of God records
for us in the Gospel of Luke. What did he say? First in verse
40, he says to the other one, don't you fear God? And of course the answer to that
question is no, he didn't fear God. He didn't. It seems to puzzle this one.
Does thou not fear God? Man, we're dying. To fear God. That is with a reverential
fear. with a reverence for God and
His Word and His person and His holiness. A reverential fear for God is
worth more than anything in this world. Anything. Proverbs 1.7 says the fear of
the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. If you don't have a reverential
fear for the Lord in your heart and a respect from Him, you haven't
even reached the beginning of knowledge. You're as dumb as
a rock. Puffed up in pride, yes. Thinking a lot of things, yes.
But you haven't even reached the beginning of knowledge. Psalm 111 verse 10 said the fear
of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Knowing what to do
with knowledge. That's what wisdom is. And to have the fear of the Lord
in your heart is worth more than anything you could possibly imagine. But the unregenerate don't have
it. The other thief didn't have it.
Does thou not fear God? No, he didn't fear God. And the
world around us today don't. Paul said in Romans 3, 18, there
is no fear of God before their eyes. We see it every day, every
way we turn. All around us. And so the question
for you personally, is there any fear of the Lord in your
heart? Is there anything different about you from the rest of the
world. The second thing this man said
to the other one, he said some other things. Second thing he
said was, we're dying too, you know. Dost thou not fear God, seeing
thou art in the same condemnation? What's the point of criticizing
him? We're dying too. Third thing he said was, verse
41, and we indeed justly. We're getting exactly what we
deserve. We indeed justly, for we receive
the due reward of our deeds. We don't deserve deliverance
from this. We deserve to die. Then he said,
fourthly, this man is not getting what he deserves. He said in the latter part of
verse 41, this man hath done nothing amiss. Who told him that? He didn't believe that a few
minutes ago. He was poking fun and mocking like the other one
and like the rest of the crowd. But something happened in this
man's heart, something that he didn't do. He didn't believe Christ was
innocent a few minutes ago, but he believes it now. Christ is sinless. He didn't
say this man has not done as much wrong as we have. No, he
said this man has done nothing amiss. He's sinless. Who told him that? The fifth thing he says, he says
not to the other thief, but to the Lord Jesus himself. Verse
42. He said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest
into thy kingdom. Now, a few minutes ago, he wouldn't
have called Jesus Lord, but he does now. Lord? Why? What could have possibly
convinced him that the man on the middle cross was any different
from himself? He called him Lord. A few minutes ago he never believed
that Jesus had a kingdom, but now he does. He believes through
death He's coming into His kingdom, not of this world, but a spiritual
kingdom. And He pleads, Lord, remember
me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom. Who made the change
in this man's heart? God did. Sovereign work of God. Then the Lord speaks, verse 43,
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be
with me in paradise. Verily means surely. Not someday, but today. Not maybe, but thou shalt. Not be in a distance, but be
with me. Not in purgatory, but in paradise. How very plain, how very plain. This is the work of a sovereign
God. One writer of old said, one thief was saved that none
should despair, but only one that none should presume. God does know it to us. It's
of his sovereign mercy that anyone is delivered from everlasting
punishment. This passage with the one thief
saved and the other damned is in perfect accord with Paul's
words in Romans 9.15, where God said, I will have mercy on whom
I will have mercy. And I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion. He said it again. And down in
the 18th verse, therefore, hath he mercy on whom he will have
mercy and whom he will he hardeneth. Did God do the thief wrong who
perished in his sins? No. He got exactly what he deserved. Would God be wrong to put you
in hell? No, it's exactly what you deserve. Same chapter, Romans 9, 21. Hath not the potter power over
the clay? Of the same lump, not a different
lump, but of the same lump, to make one vessel unto honor and
another unto dishonor. Adam's race is one lump, all
corrupted by sin. Some religious, some not, but
all corrupted by sin. It's not any difference in us.
There's not much, but the difference is God. what he does, the difference
he makes. Paul asked the question to the
Corinthians, who maketh thee to differ? God does. That's all that makes any difference.
You remember way back in Egypt, it's not that the Israelites
were so spiritual and obedient. Oh no. They were a bunch of clowns
too. Unbelieving, stiff-necked, rebellious. It's not that the Israelites
were so wonderful and the Egyptians were such a wicked and rebellious
people. No, they were both wicked and rebellious. And the Israelites had so meshed
into Egyptian society and was so involved in their idolatry that the ordinary person wouldn't
have been able to tell the difference. But the Lord made this statement.
It was said to Moses, the Lord doth put a difference between
the Israelites and the Egyptians. And may I say the difference
he puts is the only difference there is. And the difference he puts is
not just about forgiveness. and acceptance, but it involves
giving you a heart for him. And this change of heart, that's
the only thing that can bring anyone to identify with the repentant
thief and say, Lord, remember me. The famous blind hymn writer,
Fanny Crosby, who wrote so many of our great hymns we sing. She's
the writer of the one I asked for the gym to sing a while ago.
Her heart is crying out to the Lord. And oh, did she walk with
the Lord, but yet she cried out to him just the same daily. And
the words were like this, pass me not. Oh, gentle savior. Hear my humble cry. While on
others thou art calling, do not pass me by. There's such a message
in those lines he's saying. Pass me not, O gentle Savior. It's an acknowledgement that
God would be just in passing me by. Isn't that a fearful thought? With so many millions of souls,
I'm no better than anyone that's ever lived, that he should choose
me. Hear my humble cry. It's a plea
for mercy. So much for the false preachers
of our day backing God in a corner and, you know, buying our way
into his favor. No, no. It's mercy we need. Hear my humble cry, while others
thou art calling, that was an acknowledgement that he does
show mercy to some. And then she pleads, please do not pass me by. Multitudes this morning are perishing
in their sins. Many are hearing from pulpits
and churches preaching that God owes everybody a chance. That's not the God of this Bible.
He doesn't owe any one of us anything except justice, judgment,
simply for being part of the rebellious, sinful race that
we're a part of. This thief that obtained mercy,
he died physically just like the other one. They both died
on a cross that day, physically. But suppose they had decided
to take those men off the crosses before they died and nourish
them back to health. I want to tell you what the difference
would have been in the two. This one who received mercy,
and who had a changed heart and was given a heart for the Lord,
he would have lived the rest of his days pleading for mercy, loving the
Lord, living for the Lord, committed to the Lord. The other would not. We who have received mercy this
morning, are to live, Paul said, as becometh the gospel of Christ. If you live like this whole business
is something that you can take it or leave it, be serious about
it or not, then you've missed it. You've missed it. This salvation
package comes with a heart for the Lord. We're to live, Ephesians 5, as
becometh saints. And of course, the classic New
Testament example of this, the difference that grace makes is
in that wicked religious Pharisee on the road to Damascus named
Saul of Tarsus. But he said later, having obtained
mercy, He was sold out to the Lord Jesus
and he became Paul, the great apostle. He put the old behind
him and walked in newness of life in the Lord Jesus. So this morning I'm, I'm, I'm behind. I'm just
now getting to the new year in January is over half gone, but I want to say to us here
at the beginning of another year, you need to cast your lot with
the Lord wholeheartedly and live to honor him in all
things and everything you do and say and have. And when you
do that, then you can afford to trust him. You can trust Him in all things.
You can trust Him with your health. You can trust Him with your job. You can trust Him with your family.
That's pretty big. You can trust Him with your finances. He knew what was going to tear
up at your house before it tore up. He knew about those bills before
you did. So let me encourage you, cast your
lot with the Lord wholeheartedly. And I'm fixing to make a hard
statement now, or else quit the church, throw your Bible away,
quit playing the game because it's not a game. And forget that
you ever knew anything about this business. It's that serious. Don't trifle with the Lord's
business. It's not a game. Don't ignore
God's Word by listening to this mess about how desperate and
unhappy God is and how He really needs you. No, no. And don't listen to this mess
about how you can get your life straightened out anytime you
choose. No, it'll be His mercy if you
don't perish in your sins. And unless He gives you a heart
for Him, you will go on and you will die shaking your fist in
God's face. Not literally, but in year. Mad at Him over the fact that
it hadn't been the way you wanted it. It's my business to exhort you
to commit your life and every part of it to the Lord. That's
what you need more than anything else you could possibly need
in this world right now. But it's also my business to
tell you, according to God's Word and according to this passage
we've just spoken from, and contrary to modern religion, that it is
not something you can do for yourself. Plead for mercy. Don't waste
your time relating to the Lord your good points. You don't have
enough to mention. He knows you better than you
know yourself. He knows your heart. Plead for mercy. Thank you.