Today You Will Be With Me

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jacqueline a little later in the program will tell you how you get a copy of Dr. Graham's book Kevin first hears the message today you will be yes.

Your question, you know for certain that if you were to die today that you would go to heaven maybe wonder can you know is it possible to know the answer. Absolutely yes you can know it by God's word is written these things are written that you may know that you have eternal life. Eternal life begins the moment you respond in repentant faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and his grace receive him as your Lord and Savior at that moment when you know Jesus you know eternal life and that life lasts forever, and that's the story of the cross that your Bibles and turn with me to the book of Luke chapter 23 this is the second message in our series on the statements of Jesus from the cross. Jesus is crucified between two themes to thugs.

They are described in the Scriptures as evil doers. These men dying next to Jesus were more than just common criminals are petty thieves. They were now slightly insurrectionist along with Barabbas who escaped the death penalty because Jesus took his place, but these two men are dying for their crimes. They are evildoers, each one dying on either side of Jesus took the middle cross. Have you ever wondered why there were three crosses was an accident.

There were three crosses Jesus in the middle, and these two thieves on either side because the cross divides all humanity between those who are saved and those who are lost on one side there is an unrepentant fee transgressor who mocked Christ and went to his death. Belligerent and condemn he's been in hell for over 2000 years even though he had the remarkable privilege of being crucified next to Jesus and hearing the same words seeing the same thing that the man perhaps his own body partner in crime. On the other side who believed and received the Lord Jesus. And so I'm saying the cross divides all people. When you get right down to it there's only two categories and live not the rich, the poorly educated, the uneducated, but Savior loss as we come to the cross.

So at the cross is determined where we will spend eternity on the middle cross, the Redeemer on one cross I reject, but on the other cross there is a repent and a receiver. Let's read the story beginning in Luke chapter 23 verse 39, one of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, are you not the cross.

Save yourself and us. But the other rebuked him say, do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation, and we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus has done nothing wrong and he said Jesus oh Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom and he Jesus said to him, truly I say to you, second statement, Jesus made dying on the cross. Today I say to you, you will be with me in paradise today. What a remarkable conversion, a deathbed story. A man in his final hours and yet he was not too long gone, not to loss, nor was he too late for on the cross at the cross, he received salvation. This man was certainly a blessed man, the one who received Christ talk about being at the right place at the right time because he managed to get himself crucified next to Jesus and because of the promise of Jesus. He is in heaven today. The prophet Isaiah said that Jesus would be numbered with the transgressors. Among the transgressors.

When he died in here you have extreme example of just dying for the unjust. One man, the unrepentant thief died in his sin, the repentant thief the one to receive Jesus. He died to his sin was saved and Jesus was there dying for sin. God demonstrated his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Second Corinthians 521 says that he knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God that the thief was smart enough to know this man a man dying between us. He is innocent.

He's committed no crime. We deserve to be here. He does pilot said, I find no fault in this man Jesus. The Scripture says, though he was tempted. Hebrews 415, though he was tempted in all points as we are tempted yet he was without sin. First Peter two verse 22 says that he is without sin he committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. I don't know about you but a lot of my sin comes out of my mouth and I get a witness on that because what comes out of my mouth is what comes out of my heart.

That's why Jesus said, out of the heart, lives in anger and all the rest of the heart. So Jesus because his heart was pure not one word that was vile, or file or sinful ever came out of his mouth was convinced this dying thief who eventually believe what convinced him that Jesus could save. Certainly the Holy Spirit was moving in his life. We know that this was a sovereign move of God. The God set this up from eternity past that Jesus would die between these two men, I believe, to give us the very example of eternal life that I'm giving you here today so the Holy Spirit is working in his life he's convicted of a sin, the Holy Spirit, Jesus said, is come to convict the world of sin and righteousness and judgment. So when we are convicted of our sin when we realize that we broken God's commandments in spirit and in substance, we realize we need to save your course.

That's the problem with so many people they think they don't need a Savior because they think they're good enough or haven't sinned enough, but all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one.

So perhaps this man, fully aware of his own sin. He looks he sees the innocence of Jesus comparatively. He knew that somehow Jesus could save perhaps it was the words he heard Jesus speak initially. Originally this man the believing thief the repentant thief was mocking Jesus. Just like his buddy on the other side that they were both joining in the mockery especially say if you are the son of God, come down off of the cross that unbelieving evildoer, on the other side. He said save us if you if you can save us.

If you're the Savior.

Save us right now will now of course Jesus could have delivered himself and the others from the cross in just a moment. There's a part of me always when I read the story of the cross and I I hear these self-righteous people hurling insults at Jesus.

When I see Romans cruelly beating him and so I just want to sit Jesus, stop it. All you have to do is speak thunderbolts and fire and brimstone would engulf them out of hell. Jesus call for the Angels nor the end of time were told when the devil his call so much disaster in the world he strong and powerful. Also, terrible, fierce force, but when it comes to the end, when God speaks and he's going to put the devil and his place in the pit, forever and ever. He sends one holy angel with a lock and key to lock the devil up this one Angel.

All it takes is one Angel and the power of God to lock the devil out forever. Now Jesus could have called 10,000 angels. There are billions of angels to come to his rescue. But Jesus was fastened to the cross, not by males, not by man, but by his love for all mankind. He stayed there and die there because he loves you.

He died for you then there's another reason this this man turned to Jesus for salvation and asked this question.

Lord, remember me when you remember we me when you come in your kingdom. Maybe pilot even helped a little bit. Remember potpie ideas pilot put a sign on Jesus cross which said, Jesus of Nazareth. The key of the Jews. Somebody call this the first gospel track. There was a message on the cross Jesus not key of the Jews, Jesus, the key you know there is power in the name of Jesus a man and when you say Jesus when you speak the name of Jesus. When you see the name of Jesus. There is power in his name, so perhaps this man looked when he saw Jesus when he saw Jesus the key turned to him and with Rev. sin Lord, remember you're listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham and his message today is me pastor this month we have a special gift for listeners give a gift through book heaven can you tell us about this powerful resource. One of my favorite Christian thinker CS Lewis once wrote about heaven.

He said if you read history you will find that the Christians who did the most for the present world for those who thought most about the next world. He goes on to describe believers throughout history you had a huge impact for Christ in this world because their minds.

Their hearts were fixed focused on Christ and the hope of heaven, for example, Christians like William Wilberforce and John Newton led the fight to abolish the slave trade in England. Newton is best known for penning the lyrics to the him, amazing grace when we've been there 10,000 years.

These were men who long for heaven and it made them powerful forces for Christ on earth. That's something we desperately need right now isn't it we need believers whose hope is set firmly anchored in the promises of God for the life that is to come because that will strengthen us boldly to witness and deliver Christ right now that was one of the prayers in my heart when I wrote my book called heaven. I'm excited that we offer you these are special thank you when you give to help promote the message of Christ and the gospel to PowerPoint call today and get Dr. Graham's book heaven is our thank you for your Call 1-800-795-4627 that's 1-800-795-4627 or text the word PowerPoint 259789. Now it's you back today's message today you will be with me.

I say Rev. because as this other thief was railing against Jesus. This repentant thief said, do you not fear God, do you not fear God will die when stepping out into eternity when not prepared to me God. Do you not fear God, and the fear of God is real and one of the problems of our own culture and our own society is that we have lost the fear of Almighty God.

God is an awesome God. God is high above the heavens. I said also I didn't say austere.

He is loving and kind and generous and gracious, but he is an awesome God and God will judge the world, God will judge mankind and their own to be something Jesus said don't fear those who can kill the body, fear the one who can destroy the soul in hell you trying to frighten me if I could I would because sometimes it takes a crisis in the fear of stepping out into eternity to bring a man or a woman to Jesus. That's why there's an urgency in this message. Today today's the day of salvation.

You're not promise.

Another day, another time, another hour a better time is appointed and the man once to die, and then the judgment this man in reverent fear of God when I say fear God, I don't mean that that you run from him but you run to him so he said with reverent fear.

This man has done nothing wrong. He knew he was guilty and needed a Savior. There's no self-justification here. No excuses. He's down to the wire. He's at the end and he's got nothing but sin and judgment and he feared God, he feared going into eternity without God had no works to bring it was nothing he could do to earn or deserve salvation. And did you know there's nothing you can do to earn and deserve salvation because God doesn't grade on the curve. Comparing your paper was somebody else's say yeah yeah yeah the cross is for all those bad people.

Cross is for all those thieves.

All those hypocrites. All those murderers. Salvation is for everyone, including you and me for we've all sinned. We've all broken God's commandments. We all need a Savior were all sick and dying. In fact were already dead in our spirits fear God and that God who should be feared, loves and wants to bring you into his family. So we see repentant faith, repentant faith repent, assess another loss word an idea in our culture repentant. But Jesus said, unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Repentance means that we are going away from God that we turn around at the cross and turn to him. We run to him.

That's repentance, faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin. You cannot repent without believing you cannot believe without repentant is repentance and faith.

So this man. He had a repentant faith, he said, Lord, remember me, and he puts his future in the bleeding hands of Jesus amazing what they what faith this man had because Jesus didn't look like much of a Savior. Certainly not a king, Jesus is weak. He's gone yet this even dare to believe and confess Christ Lord, remember me. It was a very simple faith, but it was a very personal thing.

It was trusting in Christ and Christ alone is hard for him to believe all of his friends were mocking Jesus, the disciples were doubting their faith.

They were running their disciples were nowhere to be found except John at the foot of the cross and he's not saying much. Nobody is witnessing no one is telling this man who Jesus is and how he can be say, but he dared to believe in his dying breath and said, Lord, remember me unremarkable salvation. What a remarkable conversion.

As a result, the promise came in. Jesus gave that second statement on the cross, when he said truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. You're showing me in heaven.

Jesus dies in this man goes to heaven, not because of what he did, how he felt. But because of the grace of God. Only Jesus can say this man had no other place to go but Jesus and neither do you. Because only Jesus can save from sin. Only Jesus can give eternal life. There's a him that we love this thing. There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's brain as sinners climbs beneath that flood lose all their guilty state sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty state those great words were written by man by the name of William Cowper lived a long time ago and what you may not know about the author of this hymn, Cowper is he suffered is nearly his entire life with mental illness and mental anguish, emotional disturbances in his life. Depression, anxiety, battle and see just about the time that he would he would get through it. Something else would happen. He was engaged to be married. He was committed to this woman for a long time for being there. She broke it off and he commit tried to commit suicide, slit his wrist.

As a result, he was safe in the society was put. Therefore, in a mental institution, but it was in the mental institution that he began to read the book of Romans and discovered in the book of Romans.

The grace of God and the power of Jesus to say in the eternal security. The nothing shall separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ, so he was gloriously converted. In the end, and the insane asylum.

Eight years later he wrote those words, there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel Spain wrote that great song. He was so full of faith, what you may not know about William is that he continued to suffer from emotional, mental illness, mental illness is a very real problem for people. Some of you battle and struggle with emotional and mental illness, depression, anxiety don't condemn people that battle depression. William Cowper went on to struggle the rest of his life he was up and down and up and down because of of his his fears he he never was content in his salvation he he always feared that he wasn't say the always struggle with the idea that that a man like him to be. Say, by the power of Jesus. He doubted his salvation, but I expect to see William inhabit because he could faster Savior and wrote the second verse to this hymn, which says the dying thing rejoice to see that mountain in his day and may I go VAIO as he watched all my sins away. How can you know your saved not because you always feel because you don't struggle because we have a great Savior. We have a great same who promise that if you would believe in trust in him, that when it comes time to die when your time draws near paradise.

You know you have been listening to PowerPoint with Dan fan in today's message today you will be with the management struggles are facing today. You have hope in the promise is awaiting you in heaven.

And God calls you to share that hope with others today. That's why we want to encourage and inspire you today by sending you pastor Graham's book having this exciting book takes you straight to Scripture to help me see all that awaits you in the life to come, and how it impacts your life today you find hope for today encouraged to share that hope with others. So don't wait to request a copy. Heaven is our special thanks for help me proclaim God's word through PowerPoint to request a copy when you call today, when 800-795-6277 95467, .259789 and don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop our E store. Give a gift online or sign a productive Graham's free daily email devotion our website again is Jack Graham.faster. What is your PowerPoint you can know for certain.

Today that you're going to have. And here's how you can know for sure that you have eternal life, and that you can know that if you were to die today if Jesus were to come today that you would stand with him forever. First, admit your own need that you have sinned against God, and that you need a Savior that you can't do anything to save yourself. There is no amounts of good deeds good works promises That will advance us into heaven. Admit that you cannot save yourself that you send and broken God's commandments and then trusting Jesus who died on the cross for your sins.

He bore our sins on the cross. That means he took your sins. He died for your sins in your place on the cross. The Bible says God demonstrated his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us so he will give you the forgiveness you need in the salvation you need if you will confess your need and trust in him as your Lord and Savior to repent of your sin and that means to turn from your old life and then Jesus will give you the power to follow him with your life. Eunice need to stop right now where ever you are and say Lord Jesus come into my life. Give me change me lately. Your child today.

If you prayed that prayer with Dr. Graham and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior love to hear from you so we can help you begin your new call us at one 800-7954 627-1800 79546. Join us again next time. Dr. Graham brings a message about calling love and serve your family. Next time on PowerPoint Jack PowerPoint Jack Graham is sponsored by PowerPoint ministries