Lessons from The Cross

SEVEN SAYINGS FROM THE CROSS

A THEOLOGY ON SALVATION

"TODAY, YOU WILL BE
WITH ME IN PARADISE"

(LUKE 23:43)







INTRODUCTION:



1. This morning, we will continue in our series on the seven sayings from the cross.



II. THE SECOND SAYING FROM THE CROSS IS FOUND IN (LUKE 23:43).



§ “One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:40-43).



A. FIRST OF ALL THIS MORNING, I WILL SHARE WITH YOU SOME THOUGHTS THAT I HAVE ABOUT THIS STORY.



1. While Jesus hung on the cross, He never once uttered a defense. He didn’t yell out, “You’ve got the wrong man. I didn’t commit an offense worthy of death. You are crucifying an innocent man.”



2. In fact, not only did Jesus utter no defense…none of His disciples protested His persecution. Not one disciple spoke out on Jesus' behalf. They all remained silent as they watched their friend and teacher suffer intense pain.



3. Interestingly enough…the only person who spoke out in defense of Jesus was a convicted criminal…a thief…a robber…an unrighteous, sinful man.



4. We are told in the Bible that while this thief was hanging on a cross next to Jesus, he told the other thief, “this man (talking about Jesus) has done nothing wrong.”



5. This thief had the courage and the faith to stand up for Jesus. And this impressed Jesus so much that He told the man that he would join Him in paradise. This is a wonderful story.



B. HERE ARE SOME LESSONS THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM JESUS’ SECOND SAYING FROM THE CROSS.



(1) FIRST, FROM THIS STORY WE LEARN THE TRUE MEANING OF SALVATION BY GRACE.



1. This condemned unworthy thief received salvation. He didn't deserve it. In fact, in Matthew's account of this event, this thief had earlier heaped insults upon Jesus (Matthew 27:44). He had verbally abused and attacked Jesus.



2. But as this man hung on the cross, his heart softened and he obtained a penitent heart. He wanted Jesus to forgive him…to remember him in the kingdom, which Jesus did.



3. But I ask you…how in the world could this criminal be saved? He was a convicted robber who was sentenced to death. He had probably been a thief for many years…taking things that did not belong to him. He had lived a sinful life. So how could he receive salvation? He received salvation through the unearned gift of God's grace. And it is through this wonderful grace that we can be saved as well.



§ "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3:22-24).



4. My friends, through Jesus Christ, we can be freely justified by the grace of God.



ILLUSTRATION:

In 1944, Bert Frizen was an infantryman on the front lines in Europe. One day, his patrol reached the edge of a wooded area with an open field before them. Unknown to the Americans, a battery of Germans waited in a trenches about two hundred yards across the field.

Bert was one of two scouts who moved out into the clearing. Once he was halfway across the field, the remainder of his battalion followed. Suddenly the Germans opened fire, and machine gun fire ripped into both of Bert's legs. The American battalion withdrew into the woods for protection, while a rapid exchange of fire continued.

Bert lay helplessly in a small stream as shots volleyed overhead. There seemed to be no way out. To make matters worse, he now noticed that a German soldier was crawling toward him. Death appeared imminent; he closed his eyes and waited. To his surprise, a considerable period passed without the expected attack, so he ventured opening his eyes again. He was startled to see the German kneeling at his side, smiling. He then noticed that the shooting had stopped. Troops from both sides of the battlefield watched anxiously. Without any verbal exchange, this mysterious German reached down to lift Bert in his arms and proceeded to carry him to the safety of Bert's comrades.

Having accomplished his self-appointed mission, and still without speaking a word, the German soldier turned and walked back across the field to his own troop. No one dared break the silence of this sacred moment. Moments later the cease-fire ended, but not before all those present had witnessed how one man risked everything for his enemy.

Bert's life was saved through the compassion of a man whom he considered his enemy.

5. Brethren, our salvation has been made available through the compassion of one man…Jesus Christ. He laid down His life so that we may live.



6. The undeserved grace that the thief received on the cross is the same grace that is available to us today.



7. If you have not received this marvelous grace of God, please do so today. To receive salvation, you must believe in Jesus Christ…repent of your sins…confess faith in the Lord…be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins…and live faithfully to the end.



(2) SECOND, FROM THIS STORY WE LEARN THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN OUR PAST WE CAN STILL BE SAVED.



1. I don’t know for sure, but chances are the thief had not lived his life for God. He probably didn’t attend the synagogue on a regular basis…He probably lived his life without regard for the things of God.



2. But while on the cross, He changed. He became a spiritually minded person. The afterlife became important to him. As he was approaching death, he got his life right with God.



3. Because of his faith in Christ, this thief received salvation although his past was full of sin and unrighteousness.



4. No matter what we have done in our past, God will accept us and give us another chance if we are willing to follow His will.



5. God is not interested in what we once were; instead, He is interested in what we can become.



6. Many people in the Bible overcame a turbulent past, and became great and faithful servants of the Lord.



a. Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation, at one time worshipped other gods (Joshua 24:2).



b. David, the third King of Israel, although he committed adultery, became a man after God’s own heart.



c. Paul, the great apostle of Jesus Christ, at one time had Christians arrested and killed.



7. Although at one time these men lived ungodly lives, they were given another chance and eventually they became great servants of the Lord, and so can we.



8. We must forget our past failures and focus on our future successes.



9. Paul put it this way in (Phil. 3:13-14) “But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”



(3) THIRD, FROM THIS STORY WE LEARN THAT WE MUST ACCEPT GOD’S SALVATION BEFORE IT IS TO LATE



1. The other thief on the cross-had an opportunity to get his life right with God, however, he chose not to. His life ended without salvation. Maybe if he had a few more years he would have eventually made the decision to follow Christ. But his time ran out.



ILLUSTRATION:

According to the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune, in the span of one-year tragedy struck twice in one family. In 1994 Ali Pierce, the fourteen-year-old daughter of John and Anna Pierce of Massachusetts, was diagnosed with liver cancer. She fought the disease bravely for two years, but in November 1996 she passed away.

Her parents of course were grief-stricken. To deal with his loss, the father sought a constructive way to help others. He started running and set the goal of entering the 1998 Boston Marathon. He intended to take pledges for his run in support of the cancer center where his daughter had died.

On October 11, 1997, Pierce entered a half marathon of thirteen miles in Hollis, New Hampshire. It was the longest race he had ever run. He was fifty-one years old, and so before the race he had a medical exam and was given a clean bill of health.

He almost finished the race. Just ten feet short of the finish line, wearing a baseball cap that said, "In Memory of Ali Pierce," John Pierce crumpled to the pavement, dead of a heart attack.

2. Brethren, our time is running out. Since life is so unpredictable, we may only have a short time left. We need to place our faith in Jesus and receive God’s wonderful gift of salvation before it is to late.



CONCLUSION:



1. In closing, we have learned several important lessons from the Jesus’ second saying from the cross.



a. We have learned the true meaning of salvation by Grace.



b. We have learned that no matter what we have done in our past we can still receive salvation.



c. We have learned that we must accept God’s salvation before it is to late.



2. At this time we never want to close a service without offering an invitation, so if you would like to respond please come now as we stand and sing.



Primary Resources Used To Develop This Lesson:



Seven Sayings One Friday By Kenn Filkins

Dr. James McCullen

Lord Remember Me

DO, LORD, REMEMBER ME

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do Lord, do Lord
Do remember me
Do Lord, do Lord
Do remember me
Do Lord, do Lord
Do remember me
Do Lord, remember me

When I’m in trouble
Do remember me
When I’m in trouble
Do remember me
When I’m in trouble
Do remember me
Do Lord, remember me

When I’m dying
Do remember me
When I’m dying
Do remember me
When I’m dying
Do remember me
Do Lord, remember me

When this world’s on fire
Do remember me
When this world’s on fire
Do remember me
When this world’s on fire
Do remember me
Do Lord, remember me




This section is organized
by Spiritual Workshop

Pray for The Joy of Jesus

God bless you in all that you do. Our computer systems have been adversely impacted.
We need your prayers to continue our work. We hope we can get everything opperational in due time. We are still praying for you. Love is the key to joy. In Jesus name qwe pray....

Why We Continue to Pray

The Joy of Jesus is in need of prayer. We pray in Jesus name for you and your family. We thank God for all things in Christ Jesus. Glory to God in The Highest.
Share love with all in need. Let peace rule in your heart. Hear our prayer O Lord. In Jesus name...A-men...

Praise God

We Praise God all in Christ Jesus for all He has done.

A Good Reason to Praise God

God Bless you with all the love and joy found in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 40
A David Psalm
1-3 I waited and waited and waited for God. At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
to make sure I wouldn't slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
they enter the mystery,
abandoning themselves to God.

4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God,
turn your backs on the world's "sure thing,"
ignore what the world worships;
The world's a huge stockpile
of God-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
comes close to you!
I start talking about you, telling what I know,
and quickly run out of words.
Neither numbers nor words
account for you.

6 Doing something for you, bringing something to you—
that's not what you're after.
Being religious, acting pious—
that's not what you're asking for.
You've opened my ears
so I can listen.

7-8 So I answered, "I'm coming.
I read in your letter what you wrote about me,
And I'm coming to the party
you're throwing for me."
That's when God's Word entered my life,
became part of my very being.

9-10 I've preached you to the whole congregation,
I've kept back nothing, God—you know that.
I didn't keep the news of your ways
a secret, didn't keep it to myself.
I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough.
I didn't hold back pieces of love and truth
For myself alone. I told it all,
let the congregation know the whole story.

11-12 Now God, don't hold out on me,
don't hold back your passion.
Your love and truth
are all that keeps me together.
When troubles ganged up on me,
a mob of sins past counting,
I was so swamped by guilt
I couldn't see my way clear.
More guilt in my heart than hair on my head,
so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.

13-15 Soften up, God, and intervene;
hurry and get me some help,
So those who are trying to kidnap my soul
will be embarrassed and lose face,
So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable
will be heckled and disgraced,
So those who pray for my ruin
will be booed and jeered without mercy.

16-17 But all who are hunting for you—
oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you're all about
tell the world you're great and not quitting.
And me? I'm a mess. I'm nothing and have nothing:
make something of me.
You can do it; you've got what it takes—
but God, don't put it off.


The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Christian Education from the Joy of Jesus Today

Prayer; Dear God in Christ Jesus we praise thee. Glory to god always. Bless us today Lord with Your Grace. We Love You lord ad thank You Lord for all that You have done in Christ Jesus. We pray for all people.Glory to God in the highest. in Jesus name we pray...

Today's Lesson: Upheld by God (Acts 28:16-25, 28-31)

(Note: The italicized words in this lesson may be used as discussion questions.)

Several years ago, I traveled to Mexico on a short-term mission trip. I had no idea what to expect when I got there. I found myself living in a foreign country where I was unable to read or speak the language, or understand the culture, but I knew I would be there for about a week to construct a home for a needy family. This experience, and several others, taught me the importance of relying upon God in unknown situations.

(Have you ever visited a foreign land? If so, where did you go? What was your experience like? What were some of the cultural differences?)

In today’s text, Paul preaches in Rome. Imagine what it must have been like to live in Rome during the first century. Imagine the crowds, spectacles, and events Paul may have witnessed or heard about. Consider how Paul, a man from a foreign land with different beliefs, endured in the midst of this city. In what ways did God uphold Paul? In what ways does God uphold us? God upholds us . . . .



Wherever We Go (Acts 28:16-20)
Notice verse 16, “When we got to Rome.” Paul traveled from somewhere. Paul had a starting point on his way to Rome. Later in verse 17, Paul says, “I was arrested in Jerusalem.” Paul’s journey to Rome originated in Jerusalem. From Jerusalem to Rome, God upheld Paul to proclaim the message about Jesus.

People today can travel across countries in only a few hours. If we board a plane in New York City in the morning, we can arrive in Los Angeles by lunchtime. And we can carry “the hope” of Jesus Christ wherever we go. Think about the last place you carried the message of Jesus. Did you take that message home, to work, to the neighbor down the street, or even to a different culture?

(Where can you proclaim the message of Jesus? Do we need to travel to some land far away? Why or why not?)



Whenever We Speak (Acts 28:21-25)
Upon arriving in Rome, Paul sent word that he wanted to meet and speak with the leaders of the Jews. A date was set, and a few days later, Paul proclaimed the message of Jesus from morning till evening. The Greek words used for “from morning till evening” in this text are proi heos hespera, which mean from “the fourth watch of the night, from 3 o’clock in the morning until 6 o’clock approximately” to “evening or eventide.” Paul spoke, taught, and explained things for a very long time.

Perhaps we should be ready to proclaim the message whenever we may need too. If it requires us to get up early and meet someone for breakfast instead of rushing off to work, then we should set aside the time to do so. If it requires us to stay awake a little longer, we should make that small sacrifice and be willing to talk to that person about Jesus. When was the last time you set aside time to speak with someone about Jesus?

(Do you like to get up early? Do you like to stay up late? Why should we set aside time to speak to someone about Jesus?)



Whomever We Speak To (Acts 28:28-31)
After speaking to the Jews, Paul declared, “Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” (v. 28). Paul realized the message of Jesus wasn’t just for the Jews, but for everyone. Paul knew that all people, including whoever we speak to, needed to hear this message.

(Why is the message of Jesus not limited to people who look like us, speak like us, and think like we think? What kinds of people are so “different” that you would have trouble sharing Jesus with them?

Perhaps, we should pray that we will teach about Jesus boldly and without hindrance. Will you talk about Jesus wherever you go, whenever you speak, and to whomever you speak with?

(Why would you pray to teach about Jesus boldly and without hindrance?)

________

*All Scripture references are from the New International Version, unless otherwise indicated.

HOME DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Aug. 23: Acts 9:23-30
Aug. 24: Psalm 46
Aug. 25: Psalm 121
Aug. 26: Psalm 119:114-117
Aug. 27: Acts 28:1-15
Aug. 28: Philippians 4:15-20
Aug. 29: Acts 28:16-25a, 28-31

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