Deliverance of a Dying Thief

The Suffering Savior, Part 5
Luke 23:39-43

Have you ever talked to anyone about their eternal soul salvation? That is truly a joyous experience. Have you ever talked to anyone about their soul salvation while you were in agony? Here is Jesus, not sitting at a table sipping tea and eating crackers, but in extreme agony of body and soul. He is bearing all the wrath of God as he is numbered with the transgressors and is mocked from all sides. Yet through all of His agony, His love shines through and reaches out to the dying thief and give him the salvation He came to provide.

Jesus Christ died on the cross in order to save ungodly sinners. He is ever ready to save all and any who come and call upon Him. It does not take long for someone to become saved. Look who gets saved. The religious people? The soldiers with a their good jobs and nice families? The passerby’s with places to go and people to meet?

Many look at this passage of scripture and say, “OH, I will wait until I am dying, and then I will repent. I will be like the dying thief. I want to have fun now and do my thing.” This story is not to be used as an excuse to delay salvation. God’s patience is not a reason for a person to presume on His grace and continue in sin. The point of this story is not for you to reject the Lord and think you can be saved at the very last breath you take. The fact is, if you harden your heart again and again to God’s grace while the opportunity to be saved is before you, it is highly unlikely that you will be saved on your deathbed. However, this Scripture speaks strongly to me that yes, God can save people on their deathbed, but because God’s salvation is so wonderful, it is not wise to wait. It is best to be saved at a very young age so you can get the blessings of a life of obedience. This dying thief was not able to do so many things for our Lord. He did not get baptized. He was not able to take the wonderful and joyous step of obedience that we call baptism. I guarantee you this: If he had an opportunity, he would have been baptized, witnessed, and joined a church. He regretted not knowing Jesus earlier. That is always an indication of a true believer. They regret the time they have squandered in sin. A true believer would not say: Boy, I did it right. I got to enjoy sin my whole life and now I will get to go to heaven, too. I was able to live a life hateful to God and man, live in a proud, selfish way, and now God accepts me. Isn’t this great!! No! A true child of God would not glory in his sin but cry, WOE IS ME, for I am undone!

The point of this story is not to highlight “deathbed conversion” but to highlight the GLORY OF GOD’S GRACE. Look at the amazing grace of God that he could save such a wretch at that thief just as he was on the brink of eternity in hell! This thief had breakfast with the devil, by noontime he was conversing with our Savior, and by dinner time he was in heaven with the Lord who had paid for his redemption.

1. Real Conviction by the Holy Spirit, v.40,41a

Why did this man have a conviction of sin? The Holy Spirit of God was doing His gracious work.

A. He realized that God should be feared.

Who put it in his heart to fear God?  When the nails pierced his hands and feet, both of those thieves were lost and in sin. This thief initially joined in the mocking and deriding of the Savior. Matthew tells us (Matthew 27:44) that “The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.”

Mark 15:32 says, “And they that were crucified with him reviled him.” The Holy Spirit convicts him, however, and he realizes that God is to be feared, no mocked and taunted. He sees the forgiveness of the Savior. He sees His amazing grace and gentleness, his love and meekness. As he sees the GOODNESS of God, he is led to repentance from his own sin. Never before had he heard such words of comfort, free from all bitterness, as he hears from the words of Jesus. Then he remembers the words Jesus spoke as he went to the cross, WEEP NOT FOR ME.

B. He understood there was an after life, v.42

Common Sense tells me there is an after life. Consider two men and the deeds of their life:

Nate Saint, the Jungle Pilot, who went to Ecuador to tell the Auca Indians of Christ was killed along with four other young men, one of them being Jim Elliot. ? Adolph Hitler, the leader of the German nation that led a world into war and the death of millions of innocent people.

It is fair and just to believe there will be an after life to properly reward Nate Saint and bring judgment to an Adolph Hitler. An after-life is reasonable.

2. Innate Desire of Within Man tells me there is an after life. Egyptians buried their dead with all their riches of gold and silver. Great riches have been found in the tombs of the wealthy Pharaoh’s.

3. The Bible Says there is an after life, 2 Corinthians 5:1,8.  This is ultimately the only reason to believe in an after life. The Bible teaches it. Jesus’ one statement to this dying thief, “Today thou shalt be with me in paradise” refutes soul sleep; purgatory; annhilationism; baptismal regeneration; sacramentalism!

C. He knew he was worthy of judgment.

He knew he was worthy of death upon the cross and also worthy of condemnation. That means he knew there was a judgment to come. He knew he was lost. It is just as hard to get a man lost, seeing himself as a hell deserving sinner, as it is to see a man saved.

2. Real Faith in Jesus

We see that this thief puts real faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He was no doubt born again as he hung bleeding on the cross. He looked to Jesus and lived! Sometimes people say, “I just cannot believe.” Perhaps because their circumstances are difficult, or they are in some sort of pain. Think of this thief! What agony he was in, how amazing was his faith! How did it happen? How did he change?

By GRACE You cannot explain it, beloved, this was GRACE. We are saved by God’s grace, and that is all. We are saved by faith alone, and how does faith come? ? By the Word of God He must have listened very carefully to Jesus’ first words from the cross, Father forgive them for they know now what they do. Was that enough Bible to be saved? You better believe it! You see, he was not baptized, he did not take communion, he never joined the church, and did no good works, but he was saved, because salvation is all of grace. However, do not use this man as an excuse to neglect obedience. Do not say, well the thief was saved and not baptized, so it is not important that I get baptized. If the thief had lived past the cross, he would have been baptized. He would have taken the communion, if he had survived the cross. Do not take from this story, well, the thief did not join the church, and he was saved, so I will not join the church either. My friends, if he had lived he would have joined the band of followers of Jesus Christ!

Notice what this man believed:

A. He believed in the SINLESSNESS of Jesus

“This man hath done nothing amiss.” This is an amazing statement, for people were not just crucified for nothing. What personal shame was upon Jesus! Where were his disciples? This thief would believe even if his disciples were behaving as hypocrites. Many say, I will never be a Christian because most Christians are hypocrites. May I say, believe on Jesus because of WHO JESUS IS and not because of WHAT HIS DISCIPLES DO. Not only had the disciples fled, but the thief believes even though all around him mock. The passer-bys, the religious leaders, the soldiers, and even the other thief, all mock. It is an easy thing to believe if every one around you believes. It is easier to believe if there is revival going on around you. It is easy to believe if it is popular to do so, but to believe when none are taking such a stand is not such an easy thing to do. He was willing to believe and believe all alone.

Jesus Christ is without sin. He is holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners.

Paul says that “He knew no sin.” Peter says that “He did no sin.” John tells us that “in Him is no sin.”

B. He believed in the DEITY of Jesus

Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom!

What a prayer he makes! He calls upon the name of the Lord, and the promise for those who do that is salvation, Romans 10:13.

He calls Jesus LORD, even though He is being crucified. Saving faith realizes one’s personal human depravity and the need for one Holy to die for our sins. Most people believe they can save themselves. THAT IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIBLE CHRISTIANITY AND ANY OTHER RELIGION. We believe in the sinfulness of man. So sinful are we that we cannot possibly save ourselves. So sinful are we that God had to send His son to die in our place. What faith to believe that the Lord of glory was next to him on the cross.

What a HUMBLE PRAYER he makes! Remember me! Remember me! It is a prayer that is requesting grace. He knows he is unworthy of salvation, but he asks if the Lord would be gracious to remember him. It is a prayer WITHOUT CONDITION. He did not say, I will believe if you get me down from here! What a simple and short prayer he makes. Talking to Jesus does not have to be fancy and eloquent, but heartfelt and honest and TRUTH. He realizes that Jesus is Lord and confesses Jesus with his mouth.

What a PUBLIC CONFESSION he makes! Isn’t it something that people often use the dying thief as an example of believing somewhat quietly and then neglecting their responsibilities of baptism or church membership? Yet, this thief demonstrates great faith for he confesses Jesus as Lord.

Who is Jesus Christ? If you say any other person other than God of Very God, you will die and go to hell. He is Called God,

Hebrews 1:8, But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.

1 John 5:20, And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Acts 20:28 Jesus’ blood is the blood of God.

Jesus proved He was the Son of God, God manifest in the flesh by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

C. He believed Jesus is the Coming King

He believed in the regal character of our Lord. He is King! He believed all of this about Jesus even though Jesus did not improve his physical life. In fact, Jesus did not save his physical life. Will you believe in Jesus even if he does not heal you or cause you to become wealthy? Will you believe in Jesus for WHO HE IS rather than what you think HE SHOULD DO?

Believers are as lights in this world, and a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. This thief is shining his faith from the lonely hill of Golgotha. He is shining for Christ for he is redeemed by His grace.

He knew that eternity was the real issue. What does it matter if I live long on this earth. Heaven is my home. He became fixed on Jesus’ eternal kingdom.

3. Real Promise of Salvation

Jesus told him, TODAY, thou shalt be with me in paradise. Jesus made that promise PERSONALLY to Him. Do you know when you will gain an assurance of salvation? When you personally claim and stand on the promises of God! Take them for yourself as if you were the only one God was speaking to.

A. The CERTAINTY of this promise, VERILY I SAY UNTO THEE… (Amen!).

This was one of Jesus’ favorite words. AMEN and AMEN. This is truth. You can bank on it. This is objective fact. Jesus gives His word to this dying thief. Is Jesus a liar? NO, a thousand times, no. Jesus is Savior.

B. The NEARNESS of this promise, TODAY shalt thou be with me…

He does not say, Today you are going to purgatory. He does not say, today you will go to limbo. He does not say, today you are going to hell. What a change has been worked in this man’s life. While hanging on that cross, he was transformed from a sinner into a saint, he was rescued from the power of darkness and has been translated into the kingdom of His dear son. When will you die and enter into heaven? Have you thought that it could be TODAY. It could be nearer than what you have thought.

There is something to admire in this thief. The day he believed he met the Lord. That is grace. It takes greater grace to LIVE for Jesus Christ day by day. We are like SPARKS in the midst of a STORM, we are SHEEP surrounded by WOLVES; yet He gives us grace to stand for Him as we await our DAY to be with Him.

C. The GLORY of this promise, WITH ME IN PARADISE.

That is glory. To be with Jesus. And when we are WITH HIM we will be like HIM. Heaven is wherever Jesus is!

D. The REST in this promise,

The thief says nothing after Jesus gives him this wonderful assurance. You do not have to question God’s Word, you can REST in God’s Word.

The Evangelist, Dr. Ron Comfort said, “In one moment of time, God took a filthy, hell-bound sinner rotten sinner and made him good enough to walk the streets of gold forevermore.”

George Wilson was convicted of murder after killing a train operator in a train robbery. He was pardoned by Pres. Andrew Jackson while on death row. He took the pardon and refused it. The pardon went to the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice said, that the pardon is only good if the person who is pardoned receives the pardon.

God is granting you a pardon. Will you receive the pardon? Will you believe? Will you come?

There is the story that C.H. Spurgeon told of a man who dreamed that he stood without the gate of heaven, and while there he heard sweet music from a band of godly people who were on their way to glory. They entered the heavenly gates and there was great rejoicing and shouting. The man asked, “Who are these?”, and he was told that they were the band of prophets. He signed, and said, Alas, I am not one of those. He waited a while, and another band of bright ones drew near to the gate of heaven with hallelujahs, and when he enquired, who are these, and whence came they?, the answer was, “These are the glorious company of the apostles.” Again he sighed, and said, I cannot enter with them. Then came another body of men who were white robed and bearing palms in their hands, who marched amid great acclamation into the golden city. These he learned were the noble army of martyrs; and again he wept, and said, I cannot enter with these. In the end he heard the voices of much people, and saw a greater multitude advancing, among whom he perceived Rahab and Mary Magdalene; and there is Saul of Tarsus and Nicodemus; and there is the thief who died at the right hand of Jesus. These all entered in. And the man asked, Who are these, and they answered, “This is the host of sinners saved by grace. Then he was exceeding glad, and said, I can go with these. Yet, he thought there would be no shouting at the approach of this company, and that they would enter heaven without song; instead of which, there seemed to rise a seven gold hallelujah of praise unto the Lord of love; for there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over even one sinner that repents. (From The Words of Christ From the Cross, Spurgeon, page 187.