Well, amen, we're in Luke chapter 23, and I'd like to just look at a passage starting
from verse 35 in Luke 23, there's a lot in Luke chapter 23, but we're just going
to look at this bit from verse 35 where it says this, and the people stood beholding
and the rulers also with them derided him saying he saved others let him save
himself if he be Christ the chosen of God and the soldiers also mocked him coming
to him and offering him vinegar and saying if thou be the king of the Jews
save thyself and a superscription also is written over him in letters of Greek
and Latin and Hebrew this is a king of the Jews and one of the malefactors
which were hanged railed on him saying if thou be Christ save thyself and us
but the other answering rebuked him saying does not thou fear God seeing
thou art in the same condemnation and we indeed justly for we receive the
Jew reward of our deeds but this man has done nothing amiss and he said unto
Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom and Jesus said unto
him verily I say unto thee today shalt thou be with me in paradise and we've
been revisiting every now and then a long-term series that I started a
little while back called lessons from heroes we've been going through sort
of just lesser known maybe or maybe just just people in Dubai where
there's maybe a small amount about them but we can learn so much and today I
I want to actually go through this hero in the Bible here so far we've
looked at Eliezer son of Dodo the Hohai Anna the daughter of Phanuel today
it's going to be lessons from heroes the thief on the cross lessons
from heroes the thief on the cross I'd like to pray and we're gonna get
started father thank you for your word thank you for this great story in
the Bible here Lord this this this this man on the on the cross here
this thief on the cross has just well just done so much has taught us so much
from this short passage it has cut through so much false doctrine and
there's been such a great example to many Lord help me to preach this
message just clearly and boldly Lord and in a way that everyone will just
really hear what your words got to say and let it go deep into their hearts
please fill with your spirit and help me to preach in an accurate way as well
Jesus don't pray all this Amen right so in case you're thinking hold on
he's hardly a hero is he's just a guy that got saved at the end of his life
well I believe he is okay this man has been instrumental in probably
countless salvations countless salvation since this guy died since
this guy got saved and died and this has been recorded and it's been in the
preserved words of God ever since this this guy has been instrumental in
countless I had somebody in the US say the other day that it was a thief on
the cross that was the key to their loved one getting saved so they had a
loved one that was you know into work salvation and you know and they tried
different angles to get through to them and finally it was a thief on the
cross and explained the thief on the cross that made them finally accept
that yeah salvation is a gift okay that there are no works involved in
salvation now his story in just these few verses for me just cuts through so
much false doctrine so much false doctrine is just smashed by this
story and we're going to look at it shortly but there are a few other
lessons that we can also get from him as well so it's not just about salvation
it's not just about the gospel there's some other lessons that we can get from
the thief on the cross that I want to go through today as well we're going
to look at those first and we are going to look at obviously salvation in
this passage as well but look at chapter 23 and from verse 35 again
where it said the people stood behold the rulers also with them derides him
saying he saved others let him save himself if he be Christ the chosen of
God and the soldiers also mocked him coming to him and offering him vinegar
and saying if thou be the king of the Jews save thyself and a superscription
also is written over him in letters of Greek and Latin Hebrew this is a king of
the Jews and one of the malefactors which are hanged railed on him saying if
thou be Christ save thyself and us but the other answering rebuked him
saying does not thou fear God seeing thou thou art in the same condemnation
and we indeed justly for we receive the true reward of our deeds but this
man has done nothing amiss and he said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou
comest into thy kingdom Jesus said unto him verily I say unto thee today
shalt thou be with me in paradise so the title is lessons from here as a
thief on the cross and and lesson number one the thief stood against the
majority okay the thief stood against the majority verse verse 35 said and
the people stood beholding and look at this and the rulers the rulers also
with them derided him saying he saved others let him save himself if he be
Christ chosen of God verse 36 says and the soldiers also mocked him coming to
him and offering him vinegar verse 37 says and saying if they'll be the king
of the Jews save thyself so the Lord Jesus Christ is being derided or we
would maybe say ridiculed by the rulers he's being mocked by the
soldiers then verse 38 says in a superscription also was written over
him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew this is the king of the Jews
and one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him saying if
thou be Christ save thyself and us so you've got the rulers you've got the
soldiers even his fellow malefactor or we would say criminal is also
joining in as well now that's some peer pressure isn't it that's some peer
pressure all over the place and and talking about peer pressure I don't
know if anyone saw Pastor Thompson's sermon at Verity he did this
interesting experiment in the middle of it at a youth rally where he
basically said to it to everyone in the crowd right I just want everyone to
stand up so you're looking around and you stand up and then you glance
around and everyone else standing up so you think okay I'll stand up
everyone stands up then he said to everyone in and this was this is an
evening's service there was I don't know somewhere between two and three
hundred people there I'm assuming and then he said and then he said right I
want everyone to kneel down and you're looking around and if you start
kneeling down you're like well everyone else is I might as well do it as
well so next thing you know the whole place I mean they were like
arthritic old people like just pass the top so you're kneeling down everything
else and they're all doing it because everyone else did it and you know in
your mind you're thinking I wonder what he's going to ask next and even
though we knew that like part of his point was going to be about peer
pressure I think he'd even introduced it kind of in your mind you're
wondering or what's going to be next you know he told everyone to kneel
down so everyone else is kneeling down I don't want to be the one that's
just standing up I don't want to be the only one standing there and the
sore thumb the one who's not kneeling down well everyone else is
kneeling down I might as well just get you know get on to get along you know
and and that's kind of life in a lot of areas isn't it and on that subject
I've had a lot of preaching geared at teens this week okay and you know
what this is one of the topics that's been preached about and it's a topic
that needs preached about a lot and I want to like on the back of this
I've been thinking I want to do a bit more preaching just saying to the
kids now and again and maybe just do the odd sermon where we just go for
the kids you know go for the kids whether they you know whether
their teens or not one of the hardest things that are going to have to deal
with in life is peer pressure okay it's going to come they are going to deal
with that and it's a hard thing to deal with we all find it hard as
adults we find it hard as adults you know who hopefully a bit maybe longer in
the tooth with things and kind of have many have maybe got through some
challenges with peer pressure over the years we still find it hard peer
pressure is a big it's a big challenge for us it's a big test for us it is
easier just to get along it can be something that we find hard to do and
and with the kids they are going to have to deal with it because you might
be sitting there going well my kids are home school they're not going to
hang around with those sorts of kids it's not a problem we don't have a
very busy church so we don't have like all these wicked kids coming in
and maybe pressuring them and pushing them and everything else into doing
these things but whether it is from other teams or maybe just in the
workplace when they grow up it's going to happen when you go in the
workplace you're going to get peer pressure and if it's not the
workplace you're going well doesn't matter fortunately I'm raising a young
lady and I don't I don't want her to ever have to go in the workplace she's
gonna get peer pressure from other mums she's gonna get peer pressure
from society she's gonna get peer pressure from the media in one way
or another she's gonna get peer pressure from influencers from social
media from whatever people around her we all just have to deal with it
don't we peer pressure is massive and and whether it's the rulers or the
soldiers like here and our version would probably be the celebrities
maybe the people in authority maybe your bosses in the workplace in other
areas or it's your fellow malefactors or you could say your fellow your
peers you could say your equals you've got to be tough enough to say
no basically no you have to be tough enough to say no I'm not succumbing to
peer pressure and we all have to be tough enough to do that and this is it
just that the teams the kids here all of us you have to be tough enough
to say no because you have to be strong to say I'm not doing what everyone else
doing I'm standing against it I'm not gonna do what everyone else does just
because they do it I'm not joining in you kids you've got to be as you grow
up and everyone here has to be able to say no I'm not joining in with the
with the boozers I'm not coming down the pub with my work mates because
well I just I don't want to be the one that doesn't oh they're making me
feel uncomfortable because I don't want to get involved no you gotta be able to
just say no I don't want to go in some stinking pub where where it stinks and a
load of idiots are getting drunk and acting like idiots are getting in a
load of grief what a waste of your life what a waste of time what a waste
of an evening what a waste sadly of a lunch time a lot of the time right
that's how bad it is here I was talking to a few people out in the
US about that just how bad the drinking culture is here that people
they're a workplace where they go for lunch to a pub and drink on their
lunch break I mean what is that about but that's some peer pressure that's a
peer pressure growing up kids you just got to be able to say no I'm not
getting involved I'm not going down the pub to the bars to the clubs I'm not
boozing I'm not drinking I'm gonna sit there and try and act all suave
and posh and have a glass of wine because you know it was so much more
cultured that we drink wine how about you just have something that tastes nice
like some fruit juice not some stinking booze it's just gonna make
you act like an idiot you've got to be tough right but it's not just a beer what
about the drugs there's gonna be some peer pressure there'll be peer pressure
for kids as they grow up to say no to go no what why would I want to
smoke cannabis and end up with a headache feeling sick acting like an
idiot giggling at nothing spaced out wanting to sit there and just do
nothing all day waste away hours and hours and days and days of your life
why would I want to do that what a waste of my life what a waste of my time
let alone the fact that yes it is addictive that's why there's a load of
morons doing that crap every day that's why there's idiots like out
there smoking weed all day every day for what what a waste of your life what
a waste of time because it's addictive because it's both physically and
mentally addictive that's the truth you know they can act like oh it's just so
healthy oh it's so great oh no no we do it for health and then you know Q just
people go no it must be all right can't be that bad because they give it to
people with severe chronic illnesses and it might maybe take away some pain
or something well no one has got severe chronic illness and if you did
you still be better to keep away from that junk and have something that
doesn't turn you into a zombie and make you into an absolute idiot at the
same time but you've got to be tough you gotta be saying no no I'm not
getting involved no no you know what I'm cooler than that I'm better than
that I don't have to just just join in like an idiot well they all do it so I
don't want to be the one who doesn't because that's weak that's weak isn't
it sadly many of us can be weak but you don't have to be weak you don't
have to join in kids teens adults either way ladies especially he'd have to
join in and dress like a harlot you have to dress like a whore just cuz
everyone else does you don't look cool you just look like another harlot it's
not cool but again how many people I don't want to be the odd one out I
don't want to look different I want to look like everyone else I want to
look like the harlots I mean what a bizarre thing to want to be but but
it's a peer pressure isn't it oh well I might look a bit funny if my
dress is longer I might look a bit funny if I'm not wearing skin tight
trousers I might look a bit funny if I'm not in the summer bearing all my
flesh but you don't look funny you look like how God wants you to look but you
got to say no you got to be tough and say no I just cuz everyone else is
doing it but the thief on the cross here just cuz everyone else is reviling
Jesus I'm not doing it I'm not getting involved I'm not doing it I'm
gonna stand there and I'm gonna stand up and say no I'm not joining in what
about the boys boys as well because there's a lot of fashions out there
aren't there a lot of fashions of which most of them constitute young boys
looking like queers that's that seems to be the fashion dress like a queer
dress like how the queers were dressing a few decades ago and that's
apparently fashionable skin tight this skin tight that pretty little colors
silly little quiffy haircuts where they're flicking it around
Pastor Menes was doing a good impression of that on Thursday and these boys are like this is their hair you know
it's so queer isn't it but what everyone else does it's a waste of your time
well why why cuz everyone else does you want to look like a queer but
that's what these kids are doing well everyone else dresses like that
everyone else has like has to peel off their trousers at night you know and
have someone pull the end of them while they're lying there to get them off so
I might as well do this it's ridiculous isn't it but it's peer pressure it's
because you wouldn't otherwise normally think no one ever wore a pair of skinny
jeans no one would put on a pair of skinny jeans oh what should I wear no I'm
gonna wear those things I can barely get on and I'm like pull them up pull them up
well I look really good now it's just completely impractical you look like
an idiot but again it's peer pressure isn't it it's peer pressure what about
the filthy jokes you gotta be able to stand there and say no young men when
you go into the workplace boys when you grow up and you go in the workplace
you're around me even before that before the workplace around the other
kids and let me tell you something which sadly happens and will happen as
a church gets busier and grows and stuff like that and and what will
happen is as we have a growing group of youngsters of kids of teens you'll
have those that start to try and influence others with that sort of
stuff filthy jokes smutty jokes rude words just stuff to try and encourage
other to make themselves feel better to make them feel cool and you know
what happened sadly people just join in they just start joining in yeah well
I want to sound like them so I'm gonna try and say the same sort of stuff you
just sound like an idiot you just sound like a fool you just look like
someone that's just having to join in with the rest you look weak it's
weak being weak isn't good we want to be strong I want to be able to say
no to that there is you want to be able to say no to the talentless
music I know kids you know I mean when I was young there there are people
that would literally force themselves to listen to them I mean the work not even
the catchy stuff the worst most uncatchy like just you know like really out
there rap music that no one else has heard of so they could sound really
cool you're like they just keep playing over and over again so they
can finally get to know so they could be like the cool one you know and
again just to be like the coolest kid there who knows listens to all this
junk it's just all rubbish it's rubbish just get rid of it get out of your
life don't try and just fit in with people feminism emasculating me all that
stuff what's it all about it's just trying to fit in be like everyone else
it's a peer pressure we need we need to be able to resist it here's another
one I figure as well take the Lord's name in vain how many just they hear
it they hear it done and they want to sound like everyone else I want to
sound like everyone else so I'm gonna say oh my and it'll be oh my god or it
will be using Jesus's name for me what on earth what a wicked thing to do let
me just let me just make that clear okay saying oh my god as an exclamation is
taking the Lord's name in vain that's an empty use of the Lord's name that's a
bad thing to do okay that's not what you should be doing you shouldn't
be using the Lord's name like that you shouldn't be going on Jesus or
something like that it's like if you want to pray to God pray to God but if
you're just use it instead of a swear word what on earth but you know why
because everyone else does it everyone else does it so I'm gonna do it as well
I want to sound like the world well instead you want to be saying no I
don't want to sound like the world I want to stand up want to be
different I want to be someone else I want to be better than everyone else I
don't need to be like everyone else I don't need to blaspheme I'm gonna
say no I'm gonna say no I'm gonna stand up kids that's how you'll get
respected life ultimately because you know what people don't respect that when I
used to even as a youngster even unsaved I used to see these people that
just acted like everyone else it just used to make me just disrespect them
people who just suddenly changed their whole their whole wardrobe their
whole way they talked the whole way they acted everything they did just to
fit in with the crowd you just think you are weak you are weak stand up be
different be a man of God be a woman of God you got to say no be like the
Psalmist you said in Psalm 118 verse 6 the Lord is on my side I will not
fear what command do unto me what command do unto you what if you don't
join in if you don't fit in what can they really do unto you be strong be
tough what they're going to do fear God fear God not some punk teams fear
God not some worldly friends or colleagues under Matthew chapter 27 the
thief on the cross said no I'm not joining in and just last point on this
in case you think well it's a bit like I've already done this in case
someone else speak to you think yeah but I kind of do that I am joining in I
am trying to act like the one I'm trying to dress like the world I am
being pressured by my peers in one way or another I've already had all
this going on you don't know pastor Kavanagh in the workplace I'm acting just
like the rest of them I come to church and I try and look straight
laced everything else in the workplace I'm just like them what do I do I've
already yoked up making a mock at sin maybe you're already joining in with
the rulers the soldiers with your peers there's always time to sort
yourself out the thief on the cross had a change of heart if you realize this
because when you look at other other accounts of the thieves on the cross
look at verse 38 where you are there verse 38 in Matthew 27 where it says
then were there two thieves crucified within one on the right hand of the
other on the left and they that passed by revolved in whacking their
heads and saying now that destroys the temple and builders hit in three days
save thyself if they'll be the son of God come down from the cross
likewise also the chief priests mocking him with the scribes and elders said 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 he trusted in God let him
deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the Son of God
the thieves plural notice that also which were crucified with him cast the
same in his teeth now that's the way of saying that they plural were
putting words in Jesus mouth okay they were putting words in Jesus mouth
like that you know because they've just said you know he said this he said it
here he he he would destroy the temple build it in three days etc
they're doing the same they're putting words in Jesus man the thieves
plural mark you'd have to know mark 1532 said it like this let Christ the
king of Israel descend now from the cross that we may see and believe and
they plural that were crucified with him reviled him both thieves were
reviling him both both thieves were involved in this and that's to treat
with contempt to reproach him basically that thief was joining in for
a time then he said no you're wrong he said no I'm not joining in okay
that's what happened he got to the point where he actually said no he
joined him for a time then he changed his mind and that's something that
every one of us here can do if you've been involved if you are being pulled
in by the peer pressure if you do feel pressured if you do feel like yeah I
can get involved with this stuff I feel like I'm getting pressured sometimes I
feel like I'm just joining in to get along with people you can stand up like
the thief and across did and just say no now of course specifically here
the thief on the cross stood against the majority when it comes to
salvation though he said I'm not mocking Jesus anymore not reviling the
Savior I'm not rejecting him anymore really that's what he said turn to
Matthew 7 he said I don't care if the whole world wants to reject the
Savior in one way or another I'm choosing the straight gate I'm choosing the
narrow way and in Matthew 7 Jesus said like this in verse 13
enter ye in at the straight gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way
that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in there at that the
way to hell is broad okay the gate is wide
Isaiah 5 14 that says therefore hell hath enlarged herself and
opened her mouth without measure and their glory and their multitude and
their pomp and he that rejoiceth shall descend into it it's a broad way
and when you get saved you're going against the grain aren't you when you
get saved and you trust Christ alone as your Savior without any extras
without any add-ons without wallet as long as I keep doing this as long
as I did that when you just trust Christ alone you're going against
everyone else you're going against it all you're going against the various
work salvations and like I've preached many times there are various work
salvations you're no longer mocking that sacrifice with your filthy rags of
righteousness and whether that was completely away from Christianity just
like I think I'll get enough to go to heaven I'm not as bad as so-and-so or
whether it was you know what are you've got to at least still do this
or at least do that or at least you know I gave up these sins at least I
turned from certain sins or whatever it is whatever you add when you put your
faith in Christ you're going against all of that all that works salvation
because straight is the gate it says in verse 14 and narrow is the way
which leadeth unto life and few there be that find it you're going
against the majority you're going against the rest the thief from the
cross stood against the majority okay and the majority were audible around
him and at some point he said no actually no verse Luke 23 back in Luke
23 verse 35 said and the people stood beholding and the rulers also with
them derided him saying he saved others let him save himself if he be Christ
the chosen of God and the soldiers also mocked him coming to him and
offering him vinegar and saying if thou be the king of the Jews save thyself
and a superscription also is written over him in letters of Greek and Latin
Hebrew this is the king of the Jews and one of the malefactors which were
hanged railed on him saying if thou be Christ save thyself and us but
the other answering rebuked him saying does not thou fear God seeing
thou art in the same condemnation so he rebuked his peer he stood up and
said don't you fear God you're about to go to hell don't you know don't
you fear him but the other answering rebuked saying does not thou fear God
seeing thou art in the same condemnation look at verse 41 and we
indeed justly for we receive the true rewards of our deeds but this man has
done nothing amiss we're looking at a lesson from here from a hero here the
thief on the cross lesson number one is that the thief stood against the
majority lesson number two is that the thief accepted blame the thief
accepted blame verse 41 said and we indeed justly for we received the
due reward of our deeds but this man has done nothing amiss the thief
said we received the due reward okay he said we deserve what we're going to get
and that is a hurdle that many just can't seem to jump over and I'm not
just talking about when it comes to salvation okay how many struggle to
accept fault in any area isn't that a frustrating thing to deal with people
that just cannot accept any fault and they're everywhere okay they just their
people just can never be wrong about anything they can never accept fault
they struggle to admit it turn to Romans 13 how many would excuse
themselves how dare they arrest me for X Y & Z like the like the thief on the
cross this situation here when the big criminals get away with all sorts
there people like that they justify everything they do any sort of crime any
sort of misdemeanor they do because well look at what look at what the fat
cats get away with well it's alright because at least I'm not like so
and so at least I'm not as bad as that you know you know in prisons a lot of
the time and look don't get me wrong you know fair enough you know some of
the perverts everything need a good kicky and everything else in prison and
worse but a lot of the time they're still these people it's almost like I
think a long time they're trying to lift up themselves justify themselves I'm
not as bad as so-and-so it's always someone to get your anger out on
even though you're some wicked criminal in one way or another right
and people are like that they just always looking to to justify their own
behavior compared with others Romans 13 one says this that every soul be
subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of God the powers
that be are ordained of God look we should just obey we should obey the law
unless it goes outside of God's law unless the laws tell you to do
something against God we should just obey the law we should be good citizens
we don't want them to be able to go yeah but you do this you do that we
just want to live right we should be obeying the law of the land unless it
goes against what God tells us to do yet how many don't and we'll try and
excuse it we'll try and justify what they do how many will say something
along the lines of it's a government's fault that I had to steal you go well
what you talking about and many after still here what about it's a
government's fault that I cheat on my taxes how about that one let's get
close to home with that one because there are a lot of people out there
that do that it's a government's fault that I cheat on my taxes I don't
agree with what they spend it on well why should I give my tax to the
government to go and spend it on a load of LGBTQ RST UV stuff why should I
do well you know what because you live in this country you don't get a
choice what they spend it on you're just told to pay your taxes oh well you
know I don't pay my taxes because X Y & Z I just sneak a little bit here I
avoid a bit there I do a bit of cash on the side here I do a bit of that
there because well you know we don't live in a righteous government or
whatever is that okay it's not okay we're told to live right told to
behave in fact we're told in Romans 13 in verse 7 render their fault to all
their Jews tribute to whom tribute is due custom to whom custom fear to whom
fear honor to whom honor we're told to render to Caesar the things that Caesar's
and in this nation we're told to render our taxes to the people in
charge and you know what you might complain about it but if everyone here
if everyone in this country stopped paying their taxes we would have a
pretty disastrous country it would be an absolute mess we wouldn't have a
police force yeah and I know a lot of the police force seem to be mincing
around and stuff but you know what we still need a police force because wow
have you seen some of the people walking up and down this road there
wasn't the threat of police around it'd be absolute mayhem and it's not
just the police in many areas okay in many areas of life and at the end
of day you live in it if you don't like it go to another country but if
you're here you do as you're told to do because the Bible tells to do
that but how many people just can't accept that how many people justify excuse it
thing everyone owes them a living they shouldn't have to do any of that they
should just you know I should just be paid for why should weren't I paid for
why why don't I just receive my living for free I tell you why
because God says if any man does not work neither should he eat because we
should be living right and we should be paying our Jews we're told to
render to Caesar the things that are Caesars turn to Proverbs 21 because
it's not just thieving and crime okay how many can't it take hearing their
sins preached on a lot of people can't take hearing their sins free that's
half the problem with really with legitimate hard preaching churches is
people just can't deal with it they can't deal with it they want to
justify everything that they do so they find it all when they come in a
church and then they hear it just spelled out preached on and they
can't deal with it people find that tough they how many will justify their
refusal to serve God they're slacking in different areas because though
there's one life you get one physical life okay yep if you're saved you've
got eternal life but your chance here you can make such a difference you
could get people saved you could do so much in this life or you can just
justify doing the bare minimum would you have the choice it's your choice
and how many just justify it there's always the reasons always the
excuses why you know they can't do anything for God on Proverbs 21 2 says
every way of a man is right in his own eyes this is verse 2 of Proverbs 21
every way of a man is right in his own eyes but the Lord ponder of the
hearts that God knows God knows whether your excuse is legitimate God
knows whether the path you've chosen the way you've chosen is for a
legitimate reason because in your eyes it's going to be right you're gonna
justify it you're gonna say it's okay but God knows your heart and of
course really though back it back in Luke 23 this is about salvation with the
thief on the cross okay I said in verse 40 but the other answering a beauty I'm
saying does not now fear God if you notice that he said does not fear God
seeing thou art in the same condemnation he wasn't talking about
the physical punishment that they were already receiving so I think some
people would look at that and think he's just talking about yeah we we
deserve to die on the cross no that's not what he's talking about he's
talking about fearing God they're already on the cross they've already
got the nails in their hands in their feet they're already about to die
on the cross that's not what he's talking about he was acknowledging the
eternal punishment that they were all facing that's what he's talking about
here what's gonna happen after the physical death he said and we indeed
justly for we received the true reward of our deeds but this man has
done nothing amiss crucifixion is not a due reward for theft okay that's
not what he's talking about crucifixion isn't that's not okay no I know we've
had some crazy Muslim times come in here and try oh well if you chop off
people's hands at least they won't do it again it's a good deterrent yeah
that's not normal okay that's not like yeah let's chop people's hands off
for stealing yeah let's nail them to a cross for stealing that that's like
that's not a Jew reward that's not what he's talking about he's not
talking about the physical punishment here he's talking about the
punishment to come he's talking about what's about to happen to them he's
acknowledging the payment for sin and isn't that a stumbling block for so
many and look don't get me wrong yeah wait it's rare that you get those
people that will say I'm not a sinner for example you get them don't you I
mean they're just completely just no especially when they claim to believe
the bottom line I just don't lie and they'll be like well now and
again a white lie but I'm just not really a sinner and are these those
babies just move on quick okay that's just it's ridiculous yeah but there's a
lot of people that will admit to being a sinner but really even though they'll
be like if you notice those ones I'll be like yeah okay I could see that the
wages of sin is death I can see that the Bible says that all sinners
will end up in the lake of fire and brimstone and that's everyone
however I don't think I deserve to go to hell really they don't really
accept it if you notice those people even you could go through the sole
winning you know gospel presentation we like to do it systematically you show
them they're a sinner you show them they deserve hell and their looks kind
of acknowledge and accept and even say yeah okay yeah that's where all
sinners go yeah and then you get to the end of a gospel presentation
something we like to do in this church is ask them okay where would you
have gone have we never had this conversation they'll be like I still
think I would have gone to heaven and not just the work salvation he sort of
so-called Christian types that think that they were already saved even people
that didn't wouldn't even use the terminology salvation saved or anything
else they're like but I'm not that bad a person and it's hard for them isn't it
it's hard for them to accept that they deserve hell according to God now
part of that is ultimately it comes down to self-justification but they
want to cling to the sort of well God wouldn't send me to hell the god
of you know of sort of modern Western society or something that you know
only the real bad people go to hell if there even is a hell because you
know he'd never do something like that or whatever it is but and ultimately it
comes down to fact I don't think I'm a bad enough person but that is a
stumbling block and there'll be people that agree with you and accept
everything but deep down they don't believe that they really deserve hell
and they don't believe that they would really be going to hell and that is
a stumbling block isn't it that's a problem for many people that wasn't
a stumbling block for this thief here the thief on the cross accepted
blame Luke 23 said and one of the malefactors that shall hang railed at him
saying if that be Christ save thyself and us but the other answering rebuked
him saying does not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same
condemnation and we indeed justly for we received the true reward of our
deeds but this man had done nothing amiss and he said unto Jesus Lord
remember me when thou comest into our kingdom and Jesus said unto him verily I
say unto thee today shalt thou be with me in paradise so we're looking at
lessons from heroes the thief on the cross number one the thief stood
against the majority number two the thief accepted blame the lesson number
three the thief proved the simplicity of the gospel okay the thief proved the
simplicity of the gospel in verse 40 we see the fear of the Lord to start
with he said in verse 40 but the other answering rebuked him saying does
not thou fear God seeing thou art in the same condemnation as we know the
fear of God the fear of punishment the fear of hell is a requirement for
salvation isn't it there has to be some there has to be some
acknowledgement it's a beginning isn't it verse 4 sorry Proverbs 9 10 says
the fear of the Lord is a beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the
holy is understanding so there needs to be some acknowledgement in that you
need to you need you need to fear your punishment to to basically want
the Savior don't you you need to you need to want salvation oh you know
someone said to me a while back you know that you know why don't we just tell
people that Jesus loves them so yeah Jesus loves you he loves you so much
he came and died on the cross for you but you know what those people need a
fear going to hell they need to understand the gospel oh well I'll
just choose Jesus for no particular reason yeah I'm gonna become a
Christian no that's not what it's about you need to be safe from hell
okay and this this this thief on the cross first we see the fear of the
Lord well then in verse 41 we sit the acknowledgement of his sin and the
punishment for it he said in verse 41 and we indeed justly for we
received the due reward of our deeds so he's acknowledging his sin and he's
acknowledging the just punishment of God for it now you might not like that
you might not like the fact that God punishes all sin in hell but we serve
a just God and a just God punishes sin and that's what he's accepting
there Romans 5 12 you don't have to turn this is wherefore as by one man
sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men
for the all have sinned that's just the way it is that's the truth of life
now in verse 41 we also see the gospel of the sinless Christ
sacrificing himself said in verse 41 and we indeed justly for we received
the due reward of our deeds but this man has done nothing amiss the gospel
is that Jesus Christ was sinless he had no sin to pay for this man had
done nothing amiss he was dying even though he didn't deserve to die
2 Corinthians 5 21 says for he's made him to be sin for us who knew no sin
that we might be made and righteous to God in him Jesus Christ knew no sin
he was sinless it was a sinless sacrifice and then in verse 42 we see
that it's just about calling on the name of the Lord in faith verse 42 and
said unto Jesus Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom he put his
faith in Christ he called on his name in faith that's how you get saved in
Romans 10 13 says for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved it's as simple as that now in verse 43 though we also see the
eternal security of the believer if you ever notice that says in verse 43
and Jesus said unto him verily I said unto thee today shalt thou be with
me in paradise now you go why is that eternal security well there were no
conditions based on his behaving on the cross for those final hours it's
like if there is no well as long as you don't you know go back to that
reviling stuff again there wasn't well as long as you do this or do that
no today shout thou be with me in paradise you've called on my name in
faith you saved John 647 says verily verily I said unto you he that
believeth on me had everlasting life you have it it's yours you saved it's
eternal security or it's work salvation it's once saved always saved or it's
work salvation it's as simple as that and and the thief on the cross was
told today shout thou be with me in paradise the second he'd put his faith
in the Lord Jesus Christ he'd called on his name for salvation there was no
quickfire baptism there was there was there no baptism for salvation
there they didn't get him down off the cross they didn't chop down the
cross and dunk him somewhere in the river there's no baptism because
baptism isn't required for salvation note so he didn't ask for forgiveness for
his previous reviling did he he didn't he didn't give a list of all his sins
he didn't say okay right I'm bringing to you all my previous sins I'm really
sorry for that reviling earlier which is recorded in the other there was
none of that was there he didn't confess them all he didn't promise to
try not to sin in the future it just like this story just cuts through
it all there's none of it this this guy just called name of the Lord and he
was told you're saved that was it and this was a sinner this wasn't so well he
had just lived a good life and he got to that point when Jesus like okay you
ready no this guy was hanging on a cross for theft he'd just been
reviling the Lord Jesus Christ he had a change of heart and he put his
faith in Jesus that's that's all it was he called the name of the Lord
for salvation that was it he had no works at all to add to the mix no
works before from what we can tell at least nothing that that's even noted no
works afterwards all he did was put his faith Jesus Christ he was just a sinner
that said I'm a sinner I deserve hell but I'm putting my trust in the
Lord Jesus Christ salvation that's all it was that's all it took and what did
he do with that he destroyed all of the various forms of work salvation in a
few verses of the Bible he destroyed it all like I said this this person the
u.s. said to me that someone that they know it was finally it was a thief on
the cross that was the one that kind of got them there in the end and a
thief on the cross just destroys it all he did there's no works before
there's no works during there's no works after there's no baptism there's
no repenting of all his sins there's no continual repentance of his sins
there's none of it he just put his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and that's why
he's a hero really he's a hero who at the end of his life to that and you
know that's that's a hard thing as well can't it at the end of your life
because a lot of people I think they get angry they start blaming God they
start saying you know I can't believe I'm in this position because look how
many times he knocked on someone's door and they they've you know you know
kind of hobbled to the door they've answered the door and they look like
they probably ain't got long left they look like they're at the very end of
their life and they can't even they don't even want to hear the gospel they just
want to trust what they've always trusted they're done or sometimes they
just start telling him God well when you've seen what I've seen in life oh
well well after all I've been through well I'm just gonna believe what I
already thought I think I'm good enough person this guy was no I'm about to
die I'm putting my faith in Christ and I think I remember when I was first
saved just thinking like surely if you're about to die surely people I
remember hearing some false prophet once saying that in some sort of care home
or so wherever it was you know nearly no one would would have would die
without having put their faith in Christ what a lie the lie the sad
truth is that most people do die without putting their faith in Christ in fact the
other thief as far as I'm aware died without putting his faith in Christ
and how many people do you knock on the door and they don't want to put
their trust in Jesus Christ however old however I've had people before that
told me they're dying of cancer or something else and I've said to him okay
this is probably a really good top this is great then I've knocked your
dogs I just want to show you how you could be a hundred percent sure
you're going to heaven and they're like nah not interested well why
should I have the end and they start blaming God and everything else that's
just reality isn't it but this guy no accepted blame he cuts through all
that all that false false versions of salvation he destroyed for example
keeping the commandments to go to heaven and there's a lot of people that
try and claim that one you got to keep the commandments keep the
commandments this guy didn't keep any commandments well not that we know
of there's no mention of what commandments he did or didn't keep we
know he's a thief we know he's a thief that was reviling the Lord Jesus
Christ and he put his faith in Christ got saved he destroyed like I said
repenting of your sins he destroyed losing your salvation and his
salvation testimony makes it clear to anyone that actually wants the truth so
this is I now and again when I'm preaching the gospel I will go to this
passage sometimes and just show them show someone the thief on the cross
because it just destroys it all it's like well so where's where's your
baptismal regeneration we're there where's where's your where's your
repent of all your sins where's your you can lose yourself where is it
this is a guy that just called the name of the Lord and for me look that's
what makes this guy a hero that ultimately is what makes me a hero he
proves the simplicity of the gospel okay and this guy has made a difference
to me for countless people throughout history he's such a great example for
many he's someone that we can we can relay this story to many however he
also he showed us an example of standing against the majority something
that we all need to remember to do in many ways and we can have to do
that in time to come probably as well in many other areas for example one a
big one a big challenge for many people was the whole was a whole COVID
debacle wasn't it was we church is shutting everywhere people refusing to
do anything people you know panicking and and acting you know like like
suddenly like you know they were just changing the whole lives for it
and you had to stand against that didn't you know no you didn't have to
become a complete moron about it as well and be running around you know
kind of telling people fake stats and you know and everything else and
refuse if you didn't want to wear a mask that was up to you but you
didn't have to that was up to you but ultimately you still had to stand there
and go especially with it with the jab okay because the majority I mean there
was some pressure with that wasn't there you know I know a lot of people
probably have found it you know you kind of forget this stuff because that
was a stressful time wasn't it how stressful is that when people were
just you know trying to push it on you put like make out like anyone that
didn't was scum that you were some you were endangering everyone else now
look at the state of it look at people with all their issues and problems
and everything else from it and long-term effects and they're all the
heart issues and everything I mean just horrendous and now they're just trying to
pass it all off as long COVID I mean so it was horrendous really
wasn't it what an absolute miscarriage of justice that whole thing
was all those people that were trying to push it got to their fifth
and sixth jab whilst trying to blame everyone else in and all over social
media call them you know endangering people's lives and how selfish they are
and everything else and now they and then they gave up hope they gave up
after three or four yeah I'm kind of done with that now felt so sick and
lousy every time I got one of those I've done but again that was a bit of a
test for people wasn't it can you stand up and stand there and go no yeah
you know God says they the whole need not a physician you know not not
it's they they're sick you know and and again there's many I think we're
gonna probably we'll have something again won't we there might be
something else well we have to stand there and say no maybe they'll be
trying to shut down our church we have to stand against the majority maybe
they'll they'll be trying to cancel soul-winning maybe they'll try it
whatever it is maybe they'll try and ban the King James Bible maybe they'll try
and ban us just preaching the whole counsel of God and we need to be able
to stand her and go no I'm standing against the majority and that's what
the thief on the cross did he stood against the majority at it it seems
like they were all around him reviling mocking just just basically you know
really really they were railing against the Lord Jesus Christ as well if you
were the Christ you would do this you would do that as a lie okay because
the Lord Jesus Christ was there to die for everyone sins but he stood against
it he accepted blame the thief from the cross he accepted blame and that's
something we need to learn to do in all areas of life okay that's something
that that's that's something that you need to you need to add to your
character to be able to sound wrong when you're wrong to be able to
accept that sometimes spouses can find that hard between each other
sometimes kids can find that hard sometimes we can all find it hard in
different areas to ever say no I'm wrong when I'm wrong I'm wrong this
guy he was he was willing to accept obviously ultimately that he was a sinner
and he deserved hell and anyone who's not saved you need to accept that
you're number three the lesson from the thief was that he proved the
simplicity of the gospel and he proved he proved just how clear the
gospel is and we need to be able to go and show that to others don't we
and one of the reasons I chose the sermon this morning is because it
seemed we were gonna start how to soul win okay and we're gonna start that
series and and this for me is a great just kind of you know
pre-sermon to that it's just just seeing just the simplicity of the gospel
the simplicity of salvation and being so simple being so easy I mean God forbid
we don't go and show other people how can we not go and show others how
easy it is to go to heaven when we've got a guy about to die for being a
thief up on a cross he's just been mocking the Lord Jesus Christ he's just
been scorning him and then he puts his faith in him and gets saved a
great story right a great end so that was lessons from heroes the thief on the
cross for me he's a hero from the Bible and on that we're gonna finish in
a word of faith well thank you for your word thank you for well this this
great story here in in the Bible Lord and thank you for the thief on the
cross for all he's taught many over the years and just to be a
reassurance for those that are saved and maybe maybe a great lesson for
those that aren't Lord and also the other lessons we can get from him to be
able to stand against the grain Lord to be able to stand against public
opinion and majority opinion and also to be able to accept his faults to
accept his blame in life Lord things that we all need to do we need to add
to ourselves we need to improve upon every single one of us in various
areas help us to all do that but help us to also to just appreciate how easy
it is to get saved and therefore to want to go and show others Lord there's
nothing embarrassing about showing someone that going to heaven is a free
gift that all it requires is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ help us to want
to do that to get out this afternoon and get people saved and to
return for the evening service in Jesus no problem this I'm in