The Man that Looked and Lived !

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Luke 23:39-43

39: And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40: But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41: And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42: And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

There are few passages of the Bible that people are more familiar with then the ones you just read. These verses have been a great source of comfort to many people. There is a familiar song written by William Cowper which talks about the dying thief... 'There is a Fountain Filled with Blood.'

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day,
and there may I though vile as he, wash all my sins away.

To others, these verses have also been a source of contention. People doubt them and debate them.

During this time both thieves also began to blaspheme Jesus.

Matthew 27:38-44

38: Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. 39: And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 40: And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41: Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, 42: 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. 43: He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. 44: The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

However, one thief then stopped and spoke to the other thief.

Luke 23:40-42

40: But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41: And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

Then he spoke to Jesus.

42: And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

But what gives this such great importance and makes it very significant? The reason that this is very significant is that it took place during that hour that all Old Testament promises of Christ, pictures of Christ, patterns of Christ and types of Christ were fulfilled.

• Abel's lamb - the Redeemer that Able looked unto, Lord Jesus Christ.

• Passover lamb - the sinners substitute, Lord Jesus Christ.

• The Day of Atonement - Lord Jesus Christ our Great Atonement.

• Brazen serpent lifted up - the crucified Savior, Lord Jesus Christ.

• Sunday the Sabbath - Lord Jesus Christ our rest.

Everything from the Old Testament that pictured Christ was fulfilled during this hour. Yet during this hour of great importance the Lord Jesus Christ spoke to this dying thief.

The Bible speaks of 'THIS HOUR' several times:

• Jesus talks to his mother... mine HOUR is not yet come.

• His disciples were discouraging him from going to Jerusalem... this HOUR is come.... for this cause came I unto this HOUR.

• Then when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane... save me from this HOUR.

John:2:4

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine HOUR is not yet come.

John 12:23

And Jesus answered them, saying, The HOUR is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

John:12:27

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this HOUR.

Mark 14:35

And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the HOUR might pass from him.

Lord Jesus Christ spoke seven times when he was on the cross.

1. When they nailed him. Christ prayed; "Father forgive them." Christ the Mediator.

2. When he saw his mother; "Woman, behold thy son!" Then he spoke to the disciple; "Behold thy mother!" Christ the Great Provider. He will never leave you nor forsake you

3. He cried out; "my God my God why has thou forsaken me." He was bearing our sins, guilt, and shame. Christ our Substitute.

4. "I thirst." He who made the rivers and could have called the rain from heavens, but he was a man, limited. He limited himself. He was tried as we are yet without sin. Christ our Representer.

5. "It is finished" - He finished all of the patterns, prophecies, types, figures, pictures... He finished the work. Christ our Redeemer.

6. "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." Christ the Intercessor.

7. In the mist of all this he turns to a thief and says; "Today thou will be with me in paradise." Christ our Savior!

It shows whom he is... All of the above and more. He came for sinners. Lord Jesus Christ did not come into this world to call the righteous, but He came to call sinners. As Paul stated; he came to save sinners whom I am chief! When this takes place makes it most important.

Helpless, Hopeless, Desperate... That's what we are before saved...

Was there ever a person more helpless, more hopeless, more desperate than this thief was?

The Romans were noted for their cruelty and they crucified this thief for what he did.

• He was a Wicked man.

• He was a Dying man.

• He was a Desperate man. (He couldn't move anything except this tongue and his eyes.)

What hope does he have?

If you brought one of today's evangelist preachers to this thief would he be able to help him?

• The Thief couldn't raise his hands.

• The Thief couldn't walk an isle.

• The Thief couldn't get baptized.

• The Thief couldn't take communion.

• The Thief couldn't join the church.

• The Thief couldn't pay a tithe.

• The Thief couldn't do a good work.

• The Thief couldn't witness.

• The Thief couldn't plant a seed.

• and The Thief couldn't wait! He was in a very desperate situation.

The Thief never did a good dead; in fact he did the worst he could do. It was said about this man that the 'OUTCASTS CAST THIS OUTCAST OUT!'

There is only ONE THING he could do. He looked upon the Lord Jesus Christ and lived.

The man that looked and lived.

This man knew several very important things that very special HOUR.

• He knew that he was helpless.

• He knew that he was a sinner.

• He knew that he deserved what we was getting and getting what he deserved.

• He knew that Lord Jesus Christ had done nothing wrong.

• He knew that Lord Jesus Christ is The Son of God

• He knew that Lord Jesus Christ had all the power and could if he would save him.

• He knew that Lord Jesus Christ was not going to stay dead.

• He knew that Lord Jesus Christ was going into a kingdom.

This Thief knew he needed a Savior and he sought HIM one way. The way all sinners have too.
"LORD remember me…"

Matthew:11:28

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mark:10:47

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

Luke:18:38

And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me

From these verses in Luke 23 ask yourselves and prayerfully consider these six (6) questions.

1. Do we not have the right to say that this man was saved? A child of God in glory? YES ! The Lord Jesus Christ said he would be in paradise. Not anyone else in the Bible did ever receive such a glorious promise. today you will be with me in paradise… Yet Lord Jesus Christ said it to this helpless, hopeless, desperate thief.

2. From these verses do we not have the right to say this man was saved by grace and grace alone. YES ! The thief had done no work. It is according to HIS MERCY and GRACE. HE CALLS US. HE REDEEMED US. HE EXHALED US. Salvation is by Grace Alone, plus nothing...minus nothing...

3. Can we say that the Youngest Weakest faith if it is in Christ will save. YES ! It is not how long you have been faithful, but IN WHOM you have faith.

4. Based upon this scripture is it OK to say that our Lord is able to save any needy sinner who looks to him in faith. YES ! Was there ever a man more hopeless, helpless, desperate? He's dying and going to hell. He lived in evil and was dying in evil, but Jesus is plenteous in righteousness. The Lord Jesus Christ came to call sinners and He called this thief.

5. Have we not the right to preach that all that are saved and die go straight to glory? YES ! today you will be with me in paradise. We do not go to a place called purgatory, to be prayed out or paid out. We close your eyes here and open them in glory. to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

6. Must we then say that there is only one gospel? ONLY ONE WAY? YES ! The Lord Jesus Christ! Salvation is of the LORD! ...I'm the way the truth and the life.

Now; have you looked and lived? The thief on the cross did.

notes taken from a sermon preached by: Pastor Henry Mahan

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