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Text: Luke 23:39-43
It’s one thing to talk about how good God is when things are going well. That’s easy. It’s another thing to trust the LORD when you’re on a cross. And worse yet, the Savior is on a cross too.
Faith that fears God (vs 40)
- He would overcome the voice of his companion because of what God might think of him.
- This thief cared more about what God thought of him than his companion, the crowd, or even the appearance of the circumstances.
- Fear of the LORD is: the beginning of knowledge, beginning of wisdom, clean, enduring, to hate evil and pride, strong confidence, tendeth to life, etc.
Faith that accepts the consequences of sin (vs 41)
- This thief says to the other, we’re getting what we deserve. He even calls it the reward of our deeds. He doesn’t expect better treatment. He doesn’t expect his circumstances to change for the better. He’s accepted that he is a sinner.
- Let me explain what it means to accept that you’re a sinner. It means I take responsibility for my sin. Which means I accept the consequences of my sin.
- Here is someone who does not take responsibility, Cain. Cain complains that his punishment for murdering his brother is too hard to bear. This is a man who still blames God for a heavy hand. Cain doesn’t agree that his sin warrants this level of judgment therefore he doesn’t accept that he is a sinner in the way God says he’s a sinner. Cain is wrong.
- Contrast Cain with the Ninevites. These sinners said let’s fast and put away evil from us because we don’t know what God will choose to do with us. We know he plans on destroying our great city because of our sin and He’s right for doing so. They determined that whatever God’s judgment of them was it would be right.
- When kids complain about the judgment mom and dad make for them, it just means they haven’t accepted that they are sinners in the way they are sinners. They’d all say sure I do bad stuff, but this isn’t fair.
Faith that honors Christ (vs 41)
- Jesus Christ is the center of God’s word. God the Father honors the Son. The Holy Ghost magnifies the Son. And people will exalt Jesus Christ one day. But for a man so close to Jesus Christ’s vulnerableness and humiliation to say I trust you beyond this cross, that’s something else!
- To honor Christ in spite of Christ’s weakness is a fascinating aspect of faith.
- The devil is a master at hiding the benefits of the word of God and eternal life in Jesus Christ. From the world’s perspective, which is the devil’s philosophy on life, there is no way to conclude that there is any value in the Bible or Jesus Christ. Why? Because it has no relation to success in this world.
- Conversation with Stan about religion and young people.
- Paul said he kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith that gets results (vss 42-43)
- Faith that goes beyond the grave.
- Faith that goes from a cross to a paradise.
