We'll start again this evening by just thanking you for being
here. We have a good audience for
Wednesday, you know, sometimes they call Wednesday hump day but
really in my book is probably more slump day because people
are tired. And you know, you've now been
coming to Services some of you probably every time here for,
you know, the last several nights and on last Sunday and
we're kind of in the middle of the meeting.
But I'm glad you're here tonight and I appreciate so very much
your attendance and also your interest in the gospel and in
just Learning about the scriptures.
Now tonight we're going to do something a little bit
different. You're different.
Usually, I like to do expository lessons where we just take the
text and go through it verse by verse.
And tonight I'm going to do something different.
First of all, I'm going to do a PowerPoint, which I have it done
here yet so the equipment of course, is a little bit new for
me, but secondly, I'm going to give a new study that I've never
given before fact, I just finished it up this afternoon
and I'm sure it needs a lot of tweaking, but you're going to
get the rough draft tonight. Because I hope in the future to
preach this and study this in other places where I go
including my home congregation. But I want us to talk tonight
about arguably one of the most controversial topics and figures
in all of the New Testament. You know, there are a lot of
people in the New Testament who have interesting stories behind
them, Peter, for example, that we've discussed in a couple of
lessons, and of course, others in the New Testament, especially
But I want tonight to look at the thief on the cross.
You know, that's a very interesting character.
He's an interesting individual. Because what we see is, we see a
man who was obviously steeped in sin, a very unrighteous Wicked,
Man, and yet somehow Against All Odds, he finds himself next to
Jesus, on the cross being crucified.
And then according to our faith, we believe that he found himself
in Paradise With Jesus as well. Now that individual is an
interesting character, not so much because of what Jesus did
to him or for him. But because it represents, I
think sometimes our misunderstanding of the
scriptures there have been a lot of theories, concocted around
the thief on the cross and you know, the various ideas about
his salvation. And so I want us tonight to sort
of analyze, the thief on the cross, and look at what this man
was and who he was? And what Jesus said to him and
why it was that this man was saved.
What we're going to stick pretty close tonight to our points and
I always put too much on a PowerPoint slide.
But I do that for a purpose because it's Wallace harder on
the audience. I download things to a site
called author stream and I want people who just log onto author
stream and look at PowerPoint slides to know exactly where I'm
going exactly what I've said. So you'll have to bear with me
tonight. Hopefully from the conversation
will have about this. You'll pick this up.
I know the text is going to be pretty small.
The fonts going to be pretty hard to read, but here's the
points tonight that we want to ponder.
Number one, who were the two thieves number two.
Why are so many people interested in?
At least one of these particular thieves number three was the
thief on the cross. Really saved number for what
relationship did this thief possessed with the old Mosaic
system. Number five, what relationship
did he possess? With Jesus, or did he come to
know with Jesus? And then number six, if the
thief was saved, how does this impact our Salvation today?
Now, we won't necessarily look at every one of these points in
detail or necessarily in this order, but I hope that, by the
time we kind of finish our study tonight, you will have at least
a view about what, at least, I believe about these points.
Well, let's first of all, look, not at the single thief, the
thief that was saved. But let's look in just In
general at the thieves. That surrounded.
Jesus. Now typically we focus in the
religious World on the thief that was saved but, you know,
there was another thief there as well.
In fact, I think his life would make a very interesting study
because while one Thief came to accept Jesus Christ.
The other came to revile Jesus Christ.
But what about these two things? Well, first of all these two
thieves probably had been what some of the worst people of
society. We know that they were robbers
and Likely, since they are crucified, they probably had
other crimes to their credit as well.
Maybe even murder because history tells us in some areas
that Rome usually getting crucified.
Someone who had just stolen something, but nonetheless,
these men are robbers. They're probably even cohorts of
Barabbas. You remember, Barabbas was the
one who for had for Insurrection have been thrown in jail and
prison and really should have been here on the cross for Jesus
ended up there. That day, but the Jews that ask
for Barabbas to be released from jail from prison set free and
they wanted Jesus crucified instead.
So it's very likely that these three individuals should have
gone together in sort of a lump sum nonetheless.
Now we have Jesus in the middle and we have these two thieves to
the side. Now there's something very
interesting that has nothing really to do with our study
tonight but I'm going to throw this in because I find it
interesting. You know, when we think about
Barabbas You know, his name means the son of the father bar
of us. You remember Sunday?
We talked about Simon being the son of John.
Bar Jonah, will Barabbas means the son of the father and it's
sort of this Twist of irony to me that the Jews chose to
release into the world, the son of the father.
But really chose to crucify the father son.
And so here are these two thieves be, you know, on the
spot, blankie the father-son, or Jesus Christ.
The Son of God and both of these thieves at first seemed to mock
Jesus. In fact, it seems that, you
know, initially neither one of them want to give credit to
Jesus or accept who he is, but somewhere in that long hour of
Agony on the cross, one of them has a change of mind.
He begins to show remorse, and even comes to acknowledge Jesus
as a king who's going to enter his kingdom and even to some
degree and knowledge has that Jesus has some way that he can
save him on a spiritual level. And so, then again, it's very
interesting. These two thieves and the
contrast they have. Well, you know, all of that
proves that really prophecy is correct.
Because over there in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 53, a great
chapter about the death of Jesus.
He is said to die or we was going to die, you know, with the
transgressors. Well, here he is literally
numbered with the transgressors. I want to read the account, just
The brief account in Luke's gospel, you can find little
tidbits. Also, in other gospels about
these two thieves, but in Luke 23, we find I think, probably
the most complete account it says, and one of the criminals
who was hanging there was hurling abuse at him saying, are
you not the Christ? Save yourself and us, but the
answer. The other answered rather and
rebuking him said, do you not even fear God?
Now obviously, this is after, you know, No, this one who is on
the right side of things. Begin to study.
His own condition and begins to look at Jesus and who he really
was? So now, one Thief begins to take
up for Jesus, whereas previously both had reviled Jesus.
But the one Thief says listen to.
Why do you talking about? Why are you acting this way
toward this man Jesus Christ. He says, don't you even fear God
since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And then notice what he says he says, and we indeed justly For
we are receiving what we deserve for our Deeds, but this man has
done nothing wrong. And he was saying, Jesus.
Remember me, when you come into your kingdom, and he said to
him, Jesus says to him, truly, I say to you today, you will be
with me in Paradise, so it's a very interesting conversation
that first of all goes on between the two thieves.
And then, of course, the thief, then with Jesus and how that
Jesus rewards this man's penitent Behavior by saying,
you're going to be with me in Paradise.
Now, before we look at the details of this, why are so many
interested in this one Thief? You know, I probably have heard
maybe all of one or two sermons in my lifetime on the evil
thief. And yet when I talk to friends
in the religious World, especially the idea of the
thief, on the cross comes up quite frequently.
Why are we interested in this thief?
On the cross that apparently has a repentant heart and whom
apparently Jesus saves. Well, I think there are at least
four reasons at least these are ones that I've kind of concocted
into my own mind and I don't know that I think like everyone
else. But nonetheless, I think there
are four reasons perhaps that these this figure and Triggs
intrigues Us. Number one I'm going to call
that the sociological reason you know the this thief.
This this thief that has this penitent change that comes about
him represents. I think the sin that we often
see in In our culture, in our society.
You know, this man was an evil, man.
All of those in Rome, even the Jews.
Recognize this man, as an evil man, he was the worst of
society. And of course, today we have
those in our society who kind of are at the bottom and they, they
intrigued us. So maybe at least for some, this
man represents. You know, what Society can
really fall to number two? I'm going to say the
philosophical reason of the philosophical reason is, I think
more along the Up up where this thief finds himself and the
introspection that this thief has, you know, really, when we
think about death, it's very serious.
And most of us, I think, when we think about death, or maybe, if
you've been around those who are dying, they become much less
frivolous, and that's exactly what happens with this
particular Thief. He begins to think quite
seriously about his eternal State and begins to rebuke the
other thief. And even asked, Jesus, listen.
I know you're a king of some kind.
Will you allow me to be in your kingdom when you enter into
that? So, this man, obviously, had
some philosophical things. Some deep philosophical,
thoughts going on. I think there's also a
theological reason that we're interested because, you know,
when we see this thief on the cross, no matter what, we end up
believing about his salvation or how he was saved.
We see the grace and the mercy of a loving God.
How can God takes someone if this so close?
So close to his death and, you know, a man.
Seems unredeemable and yet, he is redeemed, he saved.
And we see the Abundant mercy and grace of God being poured
out on this thief. So, obviously, from a
theological perspective, this thief means a lot as we study
him, but I think there's one more reason and I don't want to
be pejorative. I don't want to poke, you know,
accusing fingers at anyone. But typically, when I discuss
the thief on the cross, with my friends, they're interested in
the way. This man was saved simply
Because of their argument that we do not have to be baptized to
be saved. And that typically is what I
hear. I don't hear so much about the
other reasons or about the depth of God's grace and mercy as much
as it is, seemingly a justification for us today on
this side of the Cross, not to do what Jesus asks us to do.
So that's really where I want to analyze the situation tonight.
Now here's the way, the syllogism goes.
Now some of the syllogism is just a way of stating Some
logical facts if a and b are true.
Then supposedly, see is true. By the way, a syllogism can be
mistaken. And I think that's what this is
when people use this argumentation.
But here's the argumentation that I hear quite frequently.
When I talk about the thief on the cross with folks, they'll
say, you know, the thief on the cross was never baptized, he was
not baptized and so, then when we look at this thief, he did
not enter the Waters of baptism and yet Jesus premise to say,
Saves the thief on the cross. So premise one, this thief was
not baptized permits to this thief was saved.
Therefore we can be saved today without baptism.
Now on the surface, that sounds fairly logical.
But now a syllogism has to also take into consideration, the
facts surrounding the premises. And so as we're going to notice
the syllogism breaks down because of several reasons and
we want to start looking at those now.
First of all, Just talk about the thief on the cross and
whether he really was saved, you know, of course, there's the
conversation that Jesus has today, you will be with me.
In Paradise is Jesus. Just a plea saying, well, you
know, today you're going to be dead like I'm going to be dead.
Was there something more to that was Jesus really saving the
thief on the cross, why they clear?
The answer is yes because I think when we look at the idea
of Paradise in the scriptures and that's interesting study, we
won't go into it in depth but it truly Truly is a place of Joy.
It's a place of great rejoicing and I think, as well notice in a
moment, our Paradigm for that is going to be Luke 16 where that
we have the story of the rich, man, the account of the rich,
man and Lazarus. So what is Paradise?
Well, Paradise is, shall we say the good part of The Departed
Realm of the Dead? You see when we die having
lived? Our Fate is fixed.
And according to Luke 16, we enter.
Either as we go into the realm of the Dead, which is called,
the hadean realm, remember Sunday, we talked about Jesus
saying he would go into the hadean realm and even the gates
of Hades or Hades will not Prevail against him.
Jesus was going to go into the Departed Realm of the dead.
He was actually going to die. But apparently according to Luke
16 that place of The Departed dead has, shall we say, two
parts there appears to be from a human perspective of language, a
great goal. If between the two, you can't
cross back and forth. But those who are righteous.
Such as Lazarus, was in Luke 16, go to a place called Paradise.
It's also called Abraham's bosom, but those who are wicked,
go to torment or to Taurus. Well, they're apparently, you
will wait the final judgment and then, of course, the final fate.
So, in other words, when Jesus says today, you're going to be
with imperative. Well, with me in Paradise.
I think we can in An emperor that Jesus himself is going to
be in Paradise. That's what it means when he
went into the hadean realm, he did not go to the fires of Hell,
by the way, which I've heard some radio preachers, try to
say, he went to paradise and along with him, he took the
thief on the cross who was saved.
And so, again, unsafe people don't end up in Paradise,
theologically speaking. So, was this man saved?
Yes, I believe he was safe. Now, here's where we begin to
the end to get in. To a little bit more, the
doctrinal side and that is, why was the thief on the cross?
Baptized? Now we'll talk in a moment about
you know what, Covenant, he lived under and that sort of
thing, but was the thief on the cross baptized now typically,
one would say, remember the syllogism.
The thief was not baptized therefore I don't have to be
baptized either today. That's kind of the argument
people who want to diminish the importance.
Yeah, the necessity of baptism would say well, the thief was
Baptized do you have you ever thought about that?
Because in reality that assertion is an unproven
unwarranted assertion? We cannot say that the thief on
the cross was not baptized. Now, we can say that the thief
on the cross was not baptized with New Testament, baptism,
that's true. But you realize that John the
Forerunner of Jesus baptized for the remission of sins.
You'll find that Mark 14 and so it is possible just as Possible
as he wasn't that the thief on the cross was baptized.
Now I'm not making a case that he was baptized.
I'm just saying that when people argue that the thief on the
cross was not baptized, that could be very likely a
fallacious argument because he very well, may have been
baptized. Now, let's look at the
scriptures. That would at least give some
circumstantial evidence in that direction.
In Matthew chapter 3, it speaks of all of Jerusalem and Judea
Going out and all of the region about going out and were
baptized by John. Now, of course, we have to allow
that this language does not include every single human being
alive in Jerusalem and Judea. But we also have to allow that
there are great masses of people going out and being baptized by
John, having heard his preaching.
And so it is possible. Anyway, that the thief was
baptized in Luke 7. We find it when all the people
heard him, even the tax collectors.
Actors Justified God, having been baptized with the baptism
of John. And so again Paul I'm not
arguing that the thief was baptized.
I'm saying that to say the thief was not baptized is not where we
want to begin the discussion because again we can't prove
that either way. We don't know if the thief was
baptized with John's baptism, which by the way was for the
remission of sins and was commanded for those on the other
side of the Cross. Now the site of the cross that
were on He's going to make a huge difference in this
discussion and in our study tonight because those baptized
for those living on the other side before Jesus died were
under one Covenant as well. Notice and those who live this
side as in today, from Jesus death on live under a New
Covenant. So then what do we learn?
Well, if the thief was baptized then of course he was completing
the command for that time. Now, obviously, if he was
baptized, he repented, he We need go on the repentance, but
again, it would have been the baptism of John.
John's baptism is only valid before the cross, and, of
course, that's a great study in and of itself.
But the point, again, I'm making is that before we just make a
rash statement about this thief, we have to be careful that we
don't consider all the facts. So the thief on the cross, then
when we talk about his baptism or lack thereof, is not going to
be a paradigm for our Salvation. Today, he again live Under
another Covenant as well. Notice, he had a special
relationship with Jesus as will notice.
And so, then it is something we can learn lessons from, but I
don't believe we can begin the argue about our salvation, by
beginning with the thief on the cross.
Now, here's something we need to understand until Jesus died on
the cross and shed his blood. The old Covenant was still an
effect, the thief died under the old wall.
You know, today we live under a New Covenant in Hebrews chapter
8. Verse 8, we find the promise of
this New Covenant, in fact that begins really with Jeremiah
31:31, Jeremiah prophesied. That there will be coming a day
when a new covenant, not the Mosaic law, but a New Covenant
would be given to God's people. But in Hebrews 8 verse 8, it
says, and finding fault with them.
That is the people God said, behold the days come when I will
make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and with the
House of Judah. So we know that the Jews look
for a new covenant. We know, today we are under that
New Covenant from what the New Testament tells us.
We live under the New Covenant and Jesus was the mediator of
that new covenant. Now a mediator is one that
brings it into effect and until Jesus died of course that
Covenant was not in effect. So when Jesus spoke with that
man he was still alive. He was under the old Covenant,
Hebrews 9 verse 15 says and for this cause he that is Christ is
the mediator of the New Testament that by means of
death, by the Redemption of the transgressions that were under
the first testament. They were all they, that works
are called might receive the promise of Eternal inheritance
and that, also in Hebrews 12, 24 Jesus is the mediator of the New
Covenant and so then we see then that Jesus was going to bring in
a New Covenant, but trips like a will is not involve or Not in
power until that the the person who makes it dies.
So this man, the thief was living under a time before Jesus
died and the new will came into effect so he therefore was under
the Old Law. Now the thief died under the Old
Testament and of course, there must be of necessity, the death
of the one who makes the will before that will comes into
effect. When Jesus again, spoke to the
thief, on the cross, they both were Alive under the Old Law.
You know, Jesus was born under the old wall.
In fact, relations tells us, he was born under the law, born of
a woman and he submitted himself to the law, but that law of
course was going to eventually come to an end.
And so here's what we need to learn.
We must not attempt to justify ourselves today by going back to
the old wall, whether that is specifically the Old Testament
or a case example of Salvation, under the old, The law was taken
out of the way it was nailed to the cross.
Paul says, in Colossians, 2:14 and, of course, Paul even warned
the Galatians that if they sought to be justified by the
law, they had fallen from the grace system that God was
bringing in through Jesus. Now, here's another point we
need to consider. It doesn't really matter what
this man, this thief on the cross and how he was saved
directly anyway because, you know, Jesus had the power to
forgive sins and Jesus. Us could tell someone at that
period, your sins are forgiven and then tell us today.
But here's what you need to do to be saved.
And so we dare not go back and use a case like this, to prove
what we need to do to be saved today, but Jesus had the power
to forgive sins. In fact, you'll find on various
occasions. In Mark, chapter 9 for time
sake. I won't read that, but also in
Luke 7, you'll find that on at least two occasions.
Jesus, forgave people of their sins.
So Jesus had Right? Even under the law of Moses to
forgive people of their sins and did on various occasions.
And so then he had the right to at the very last moment of the
thief's life pronounce him to be sinless or to be forgiven
anyway, and therefore, enjoy the Bliss of paradise.
Now, we are not the thief today and I think that's one of the
things that we have to look at when we interpret any Bible
passage. We have to look at the context.
We have to look at to whom the passage was written.
We have to look at what other passages in the scripture.
Say that's what we call. Hermeneutics.
Are biblical interpretation, now, no matter what, Jesus said
to the thief on the cross, we are not that thief.
And so, what Jesus says to that, these may be interesting, it may
even be applicable if we can find passages that demand that,
but we are not that Thief, so we at least have to bear in mind
that that is not written. Wrecked lie to us.
It's there for our learning, of course, but it's not necessarily
what we must do to be saved. Well, what do we need to do to
be safe today? Well, we must be baptized, we
must be, there's no way around it.
In Matthew chapter 28, as Jesus gave the Great Commission.
One of the last things Jesus says to his Apostles is go and
preach to All Nations and baptize them in the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
He commands them to baptize. Now, this is after the thief is
already dead and buried. This is after Jesus has arisen
from the dead. This is the latest teaching so
to speak and Jesus says baptism is absolutely essential in Mark.
16 verse 16, he who believes Jesus says and is baptized will
be saved. Now again, this is after the
thief has already been pronounced saved, this is after
Jesus death, burial and Resurrection.
Correction. This is the latest word from the
Savior and he says he that believeth and is baptized shall
be saved. And so then no matter what Jesus
had said to, the people previous those two examples or to the
thief, this then supersedes that because this is the latest word
from Jesus. Now what do we find as we go
through the church history? Well, on the day of Pentecost,
when the church was established in Acts chapter 2, when those
that were listening to Peter's, Jean heard the gospel, preached,
they were cut to the heart, they with Wicked handshake crucified,
the Lord Of Glory and so they cried out men and Brethren.
What shall we do? And Peter says repent and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
Forgiveness of your sins. Now, this is long after the
thief on the cross has been pronounced on the cross saved.
This is again, the latest word From the apostolic Authority
about, what needs to be done to be safe.
And so you see if we don't go back to the Old Testament or to
that scenario of the Cross and the thief to prove what then we
must do today. We look to the apostles Doctrine
in Acts. 2:42 immediately, when the church was established, it
says, they continued steadfastly in the apostles Doctrine, Peter
later on many years, after his foibles and Weakness.
As a young disciple would write this at an older age.
He says as he speaks of Noah and the flood and how the waterborne
Noah up and saved him. He says, corresponding to that
baptism. Now saves, you not the removal
of the dirt of the flesh but the appeal to God for a good
conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
And so Peter long after the church was established is still
preaching and still writing that we must be.
Sized to be saved. Now, is there anything then that
we can learn from the people on the cross?
Is it meaningless? Well, no, in fact, it's really
quite significant. And I want to spend the last
just a few minutes on the typical nature of the Salvation
of the thief on the cross. Now, types and data types are
types and shadows are replete in the Old Testament as they point
to Jesus. For example, when we think of,
you know, the the Lamb of God for Remembering John 1:29, John
sees Jesus coming, he said, Behold the Lamb of God that
takes away the sins of the world now.
Where did John pick that up? Well, he picked that up,
obviously, from the Old Law, because the lamb, for example,
the Passover Lamb, surely pointed toward the Fulfillment
that ultimately would come in Jesus Christ.
He is the Fulfillment of the Lamb, Motif, and, of course,
over and over in the Old Testament, you find things that
that remind us are point us to things that are realities in the
New Testament. The Tabernacle, for example,
with its holy place and most holy Place, Hebrews indicates
that that is a was a type of the church and Heaven.
The priesthood, the aaronic priesthood, the levitical
priesthood in the Old Testament points toward the priesthood of
Believers and which of course we enjoy today as Christians.
We can approach God In Prayer, the high priest of the Old
Testament pointed ultimately to that Mediator, Jesus Christ.
Who is the one that stands? As we are priests between us and
God. He is the high priest and so
over and over and over. We see these pictures and the
Old Testament that are typical of the reality in the New
Testament. Now we have to be careful with
types. In fact we could do a whole
study on that I suppose and again I even hesitated to call
the thief on the cross is salvation at tight.
I think it's if there's some parallels there.
It may not be a type in the truest sense, but there are some
things that I think are very interesting as we look at how
the thief was saved and how the New Testament tells us we are
saved today. Now, truly the thief lived under
the old Covenant. He was never under the New
Covenant, the thief again was you know directly pronounced
being saved by Jesus. We don't have that today we have
to comply with the New Covenant and with the words of Jesus
Through the book. But there Similarities that I
think are very interesting and very important.
Now, again back to this idea of the type, you know, a type is
kind of a picture here. We find a little chart, an
ancient chart Old Chart where of course John 3:14 is quoted where
it says that as Moses lifted up, the serpent in the wilderness so
must the son of man be lifted up.
You know the way I like to look at types and you'll have to
excuse me. I hope I don't get too tied up
in this. We're almost done by the way but
you know, a type and a shadow or Or type and enter type is the
way I like The Illustrated is like a tree.
You know, if someone blindfold you and you feel a tree, you're
going to know something about it or if you turn your back to the
tree and the Sun is to your back and the tree, you can look out
over the ground and you can see the Shadow and you may recognize
that as a tree. But now, that shadow is not
going to include the various individual leaves necessarily
It's not going to necessarily show you the birds in the tree.
It's like I show you the color. There are going to be many
things even maybe fruit on that tree that the shadow never deals
with because you can't see. Clearly you're looking at a
shadow. But when you turn to the tree
and you look at it face value, you're going to see the really
reality of that tree. You're going to see the
individual leaves are going to see the veins.
In the leaves, are going to see the color.
You're going to see, maybe even the squirrel or a bird in that
tree. That's the real thing you see.
Well, that's kind of the way the Old Testament and the New
Testament is it's been said that the Old Testament is the New
Testament, concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament
revealed. So when we look at those things
under the old those ordinances and those various systems under
the old wall, and then we turn to Jesus.
We say, oh, that's what it was pointing to.
You know, we see the Tabernacle in the priesthood and then we
turn over here and look at the New Testament.
He's like, oh, that's what was really be pointed towards and of
course, that's a beautiful thing.
If That he types in the Old Testament, but how is this
thief? Think there are things that we
can learn or that point toward at least, to some degree, our
own salvation today. Well, let's read the account.
One more time, we read in the beginning but it says I have one
of the criminals who were hanged who was hanged there was hurling
abuse at him saying, are you not the Christ, save yourself and us
but the other answer and rebuking him said, do you not
Not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of
condemnation and we indeed justly for we are receiving what
we deserve of our Deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.
And he was saying to Jesus, Remember me, when you come into
your kingdom and he said to him, truly, I say to you, you shall
be with me in Paradise. So, here, we have that same
little scenario and we have again, the change of heart, that
kind of comes over this thief on the cross as he begins to
recognize something. About Jesus.
And as he begins to cry out to the only source of help that was
there and could have ever helped him?
Well, here's what we know about this thief, that was saved.
Number one, he had heard enough somewhere to know that Jesus was
the Messiah, or maybe he had observed enough to know that
Jesus was the Messiah. How do we know that he thought?
Jesus was the Messiah because he knew that Jesus had some kind of
a spiritual Kingdom. Now, only the Messiah was going
to have that At. So, when we look at what the
thief says, and we read the implications of that, it becomes
a very rich colorful picture, he believed that Jesus was deity.
Now, how do I know that? Because here, emits, to the
other, the other Thief that Jesus was not deserving of this
punishment. He knew Jesus was special, he
knew. Jesus apparently was sinless.
Also, we see the change of heart.
That's called repentance of this man, and we see that.
Jesus is confessed basically to be The Son of God or deity,
because this thief says, remember me when you come into
your kingdom. Now, I don't know how much the
thief knew in Nuance or in very little detail.
Small minutely tail, but he knew enough to know that Jesus was
the only salvation that he had there on the cross.
So, what we might say about the repentant Thief, is that he
heard, he believed he repented, he confessed and he died with
Jesus. Us in death.
Now that's very interesting because we're going to notice in
the moment, we die with Jesus in death as well, but it's a
different type of death. Well, what else can we say about
the thief? Well, yes, he heard believed he
repented, he confessed, but he died to sin by the physical
death that he died. In other words when he died, he
wasn't going to send any more, he died to sin.
Now that's very interesting as well because we in the waters of
baptism. Died to sin.
So how are we saved? And how does the thief on the
cross, give us insight into our own salvation?
Well, we hear the gospel, do we? Not Romans 10:17, we believe the
gospel Hebrews 11:6, we repent of our sins, Luke 13, Verse 3.
We confess Jesus as the Son of God.
Matthew, 10:32, and what happens?
We died with Christ in baptism. The, how do I know that?
Well, look what Paul says it. Romans 6.
He says our do you not know that all of us who have been baptized
into Christ? Jesus have been baptized into
his death, baptism is a form of death.
Therefore, we have been buried with him, through baptism into
death, so that lack like as Christ or that as Christ was
raised from the dead, through the glory of the father.
So we too might walk in newness of life.
For we have before, if we have become United with him in the
likeness of his death, certainly We shall also be in the likeness
of his resurrection. So what's Paul saying here, by
the way, Romans 6 is one of those beautiful chapters they
give us. I think the clearest picture of
what baptism really is, it is a form of the death, the burial,
and the resurrection of Jesus. We die to our sins were buried
in the waters of baptism and we rise to walk in newness of life
and so when we are baptized, we die with Jesus in baptism as
Jesus died. Was very Buried.
So, we die to our sin and we are buried.
Well, what else? Well again, we died to sin as I
just noted in baptism. How do we know this?
Romans 6, verse 6. Knowing this, that our old man
is crucified with Christ or crucified with him that the body
of sin might be done away. So that we should no longer be
slaves to sin for. He who has died has been freed
from sin and so you see in the waters of baptism, We died to
sin, we are buried with Christ and of course, we're raised to
walk in newness of life. So, in conclusion this evening,
what does the thief on the cross?
Teach us, what can we learn about the thief on the cross?
Well, number one, the thief on the cross may or may not have
been baptized, but neither really doesn't matter in the
sense, that that is not the Paradigm for our Salvation
today. Number two, the thief on the
cross died, under another law, then what we live under today?
And just as we do not abide by the Articles of the
Confederation that perhaps back before independence.
So, that's the, we do not look back to the Old Testament to
prove theologically what we do, either the thief salvation
provides some parallels, but it's not a pattern for what we
do to be saved, while something they point to another thing.
That thing, that is the initial starting point is not
necessarily that which the end product does.
And I don't know if that makes any sense, but the point is is
just because the thief could be saved by Jesus, speaking to him,
does not mean, that's what Jesus says to us today, through his
word Jesus say, the thief, but this does not change what Jesus
says today to us. In order to in how we can be
saved. And then, of course, lastly.
We can only contact the blood of Jesus in baptism.
There is no other way in the New Testament that we are told or
optioned, so that we may contact the blood of Jesus, except for,
in baptism. In fact, we can't even contact
the death of Jesus anywhere. Other than in the waters of
baptism in Romans 6 makes that extremely Vivid.
And so then this evening when they do, you're talking to your
friends or maybe believe this yourself and Well, you know, the
thief on the cross was saved and he wasn't baptized there for
maybe God will just save me, you know, God can do whatever he
wants. But when God gives a strict
command and it is law in his new testament pattern, I think we
would be well off to obey, that rather than relying on a hunch
or relying on false logic, about some case, such as the thief, on
the cross, in the New Testament, We thank you for listening to
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
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