Three Crosses, Part 2

Today on Senate life pastor JD Greer talks about the thief on the cross. With this please ask is crazy right.

Think about it. I know that you're the perfect Lord in heaven whenever you get to where we are going into whatever Lord you come into which you stop and remember a guy you met for about 15 minutes, but as a racy request going crazier than the request of the Jesus grandson of the church in Raleigh, Durham, North Carolina.

I'm your host Molly events were glad you chose to join us for today's study come to a crucial moment where you realize that one way or another.

The decision you were about to make was going to change your life forever. Was your wedding day or when you took the plunge and launched a new business book. Today we're looking at a crucial moment that changed not just the course of a single light, but the course of human history and the real take away from today's teaching is that how you respond to this moment will change your attorney as well. So let's dive right in Luke chapter 23 first letter Julie Joe but rejoices required as they led Jesus away to be crucified to others were 30 to work.

Criminals were led away to be put to death with him.

Verse 33 when they came to a place that is called the school.

It was there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and the one on his left and Jesus said, father forgive them. Verse 34 for they know not what they do. These three crosses are a microcosm of human history that tell the entire story of the human race to see a cross of redemption to see a cross of rejection to see a cross of repentance. First, let's talk for a minute about Jesus is cross the one in the middle lacrosse of redemption you see from the beginning God had told his people that he would send a Savior to take their place under the curse of death.

Genesis 315 exhibit, that serpent of death is gonna bite the heel of the deliver on the same yes there will be a guy who will come will crush death but he's actually going to be bitten by death and die from it. It's a promise that God would absorb the air row of his judgment.

The death sentence into himself, rather than firing that arrow down in the us on the cross he became our sin, so that from the cross, he could forgive our sin, so that from the cross, he could look out at those who had rejected and failed him and pray what he did there in verse 34. Father forgive them we could extend forgiveness to them because he was being punished for them. Jesus died instead of you. He took your place. Now we turn to the other two crosses on either side of him. The two criminals because they are to demonstrate for us the division that the body line of the entire human race were 39 one of the criminals who were hanged railed at him and said are you not the Christ, save yourself and us. Verse 40 but the other rebuked him.

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 is best done nothing wrong.

Verse 42, and then he turns to Jesus and he says Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Verse 43 and Jesus said to him, truly I say to you today today you will be with me in paradise. Now first talk about what these two guys have in common. First are both equally bad. We know that both of them are minutes away from dying.

We know that both criminals would've been happy for Jesus to have delivered them from death one thief begin to understand some things, things that are necessary for true conversion and understanding these three things only give you is the dividing line of the human race number one. He knew the difference.

This repentant thief and seeking help from God and seeking God for himself. DCL verse 40 repentant the mastery taken down from the cross. I'm sure y'all he would have been happy if Jesus had offered that when he called out on Jesus for help. He doesn't mention being taken out of the cross.

All he says is, remember me when you come into your kingdom because the thief realizes listen that what he needs is not a change in circumstance what he needs is a change in what his life has been centered upon. So instead of asking God for the life he wants. He wants to make God his life.

Do you understand the difference you understand the difference in seeking God to give you the life you want and want God to become your life is the difference between loving God for himself and finding God as a useful means to some other hand is ultimately what salvation is about is not changing the circumstance of your life. It's about reconnecting you and restore your God, regardless of the circumstance of your life have you truly repented before God, ready just tried to arrange a deal with God. Number two.

He understood his guilt before God. He understood his guilt before God. Tim Keller says that this second thief says something that is impossible to admit without Godself.

Verse 41 he looks at this other criminal and he says we are punished justly, getting what our deeds deserve.

He's not talking primarily about Rome's punishment of him on the cross.

What he's saying is we deserve to be abandoned by God to be punished for our sense.

We deserve before God to die. You see, repentance recognizes that sin is first and foremost against God. King David committed what had to be one of the most egregious public sands in history when God after a year finally brings in repentance.

David writes a song recording his repentance.

Psalm 51 and right at the beginning of that Psalm. David says against you, Lord, and you only have I sent.

How could he say that. How could he say gives you and you only have I said is not because it didn't recognize the wrong he done to others, or that he needed to repay them. It's because God was so big in his heart that this is the most important one he sinned against you see repentance has to be first vertical before its horizontal. There's a difference between feeling remorse for the mess that sin is made of your life and feeling actual repentance toward God because of it. Second Corinthians 710 says that there's actually two kinds of sorrow for sin. This is very important understand because a lot of times we think any sorrow is good sorrow anytime their tears and church. All that's got to be us on the God working in our life also is not at all as long.

People weep over sand and weave over and grab the shaman rings on the harm they cause somebody else is that that's a worldly sorrow that ultimately will not lead anywhere is as godly sorrow is directed toward God and godly sorrow is not measured by the amount of tears of light your eyes as measured by the change that happens in your heart that sadness that you feel about your scene is a because of what your sin is done to others is a because what your sin is done to you is a because of the mess you've made. Or is it because you actually understand your responsibility to God that he is the main one you sent against the was your creator is a wonderful July for goodness he's the father you spurn and who you pushed out of your life. You see, as long as you think only about the horizontal dimensions of your sin. I heard my wife. I embarrass myself. I felt my kids will never really change this thief recognize first and foremost his relationship with God that he had spurned in and torn apart. Have you repented toward God because your sent it. Here's the third thing we see about him. He boldly dared upon Jesus Christ. Nobody. Think about it. What this thief ask is crazy right.

Think about I know that you're the perfect Lord from heaven. But whenever you get to where we are going into whatever award you come into which you stop and remember a guy you met for about 15 minutes who was being executed because of treason and murder and would love nothing more than his wife but is a lazy request going crazier than the request is that Jesus grants it, why would Jesus do that. What did Jesus have to gain from granting this request for Scott had nothing to offer Jesus. He got a few minutes to live, that's it. Did Jesus grants the request. Why is God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, so that the world through him might be safe. We beheld his glory, the glories of the only begotten father father full of grace and truth is a grace is what you show when you really love somebody here we see the father in Jesus's parable of the prodigal son welcoming home. His lost son. He's not evaluating what his son to be able to do for him is not evaluating what it's gonna cost to bring them back. He's just so in love with his lost son, but all he thinks about is the joy of having him back until you just want to miss interaction of thought out.

Take off my shoes. This is holy ground. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord grace that exceeds our seminar Guild yonder on Calvary's mountain outpoured.

There were the blood of the Lamb was built.

Grace grace God's grace grace it will pardon the claims within grace grace God's grace grace that is somehow greater that all my sin, you may not have anything else you may have spoiled your entire life away you may have nothing left to offer to God.

But you still have the ability to reach out to him you have the ability to call out for mercy to him and that you find is enough. Now verse 43 look specifically what Jesus says in response. Is there some really important that you learn there to just responses one line today. Today you will be with me in paradise. The key point of emphasis in Jesus statement is the phrase with me because the essence of salvation. You see is being united with Jesus right at them.

Christian conversion is not a change of circumstance like that and suddenly become better guy stayed on the cross and Christian conversion is not a change of circumstance. It's not even primarily a change of behavior. You don't immediately become a perfect person. It's a change of status.

It is a change of position you are now identified with Christ in Ephesians 26 Paul describes salvation this well of this verse but what does and God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him now, and it's not English class, but what tense is ever been past tense.

He seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus should not be will be seated like one.

They'll be seated with him in the heavenly places. No, no, according this verse we are already positionally seated in heavenly places. Because salvation is a position change that's what conversion is he took our sin. We got his position before the father. It's as sure as if it's mom is about already seated there. I'm already seated in heavenly places, and I'm literally at the right hand of God with him. So Jesus says of this leave as of right now, you're with me from this point on whether living or dying your to be identify with me what I have belongs to you. So today, when you die you have as much access to paradise as I do know would you get this concept that conversion is essentially Jesus giving his identity to use your own a few radical changes that happen in your life without you drive even make them happy just happens that I would say these almost service test for whether you've really understood salvation. Here's a person A. You sure your salvation you give stirred up. There's no more than I can make it. Hope I been good enough grades on the curve you realize you're as sure of heaven as Jesus is. First John 21. John says he says we are, we have an advocate before the father, Jesus Christ the righteous advocate. All it means is lawyer were they would use that a lawyer whenever I read that verse. Here's what always thought it meant. This is like me in high school always pictured Jesus as my advocate before the father and the conversation would go like this.

They bought a big case file Mark Greer and have all the stuff that I done on that week and you know did Jesus would lay down he be like okay I got Greer's Quezada. It's been a rough week.

Thought I was going to tell you it's not been pretty miserable and very ligated this again. All this is wrong and this one right out of the spouse back in here your hundred dollars with document and all the stuff in the late author admin Jesus, my advocate would say but but dad, I want to go easy on I want to go easy on because you he's a good kid. He's trying. This is best and get to it. Don't don't unleash the wrath on them, just give them one more chance, have mercy on him do it for me dad because you know what the whole goal with our thing and you know so you owe me. So do if that's allowable a conversation with until I read the three or four verses right before first John 21 for someone not if we confess our sins he is faithful and you know this word or does just not merciful and say he's faithful and merciful to figure cents. He safely just means he couldn't do anything else and still be righteous. Here's how that works.

When the subject of JD Greer comes up for the father Jesus Christ says during the file arena father Scott anything about him because everything that he's ever done was put upon me, and it would be unjust for the father to bring backups and I committed it would be unjust for God to punish the same sin twice, and if God has put on Jesus, the penalty for all my sin, it would literally be unjust for him to hold me accountable for it to Jesus of the right hand of God is not plea for mercy, he pleads for justice. See when you understand that you become assured of salvation because no longer is it resting upon you. You say well okay so I know he seated there but how do I know that he belongs to me. The easy answer is because of claim them. I put my hand on the head of that Lamb.

If you place your hand on the head of Jesus and say that's my sin bear, Jesus will never move it off got lost a little unclear on that heritable call stop asking Jesus into your heart okay and I would never use a church service to promote a book as every time you promote a book like that an angel loses its wings and about a dozen habits.

I would not do that. Those who cannot answer the question of whether they know for sure they are saved quite often are not saved because they don't understand salvation. They still think that whether they go to heaven is at least partially based on them. It's not about you it's about him is finished the wall work that needed to be done is been done and it's offered to you as a gift if you will receive it. You are saved by works is not your works is saved by his work that you receive as a gift to see when that happens. B you lose your fear of death kicking you imagine how this these outlook on life changed in that moment. Up until that moment. This represented the end of everything for him. Now this is simply the gateway into a new existence does not want to die. I want to leave my kids will be my wife.

I don't want to leave you but I'm not afraid I'm not afraid of death because in Jesus.

It's nothing but a gateway into this very afternoon.

I'll be in paradise when you get that C you'll gain a new confidence in life you'll win when you get the head, you could gain a new confidence of God is the.net longer live, but can't you imagine any quick hearing about all the people around them, who cares of all the people around me are taunting me or the religious leaders are condemning me when you embrace your position in Christ criticism quit bothering you as much. Here's our thing about zero billion on like a legitimate full on multibillionaire listener your attacks again and you get out you pay the driver and it's $20. In fall 20 and as you point out a $10 bill you blows in the way this was born on the street and blows crosstraining to go get it because you would die running across street are you going to be depressed for the rest of the day. Could you also $10. Are you going to be like upset for the rest of your life because you lost $10 a course not. You're a billionaire what's $10. We ask you, are you a Christian you toss and turn at night because somebody snubbed you like a billionaire on their knees looking for that $10 bill you got Jesus the King and his love and support of you.

What's the matter with you. If you're worried about a $10 criticism when you know who you are in Christ, whether not you succeed in life becomes less important. You cares about Megan being who cares if anybody knows my name or thinks of me as a successful care for them. I make lots of money. I got his approval.

I got a stake in his never ending kingdom. When you become a Christian, you positionally take Jesus's place.

And suddenly this thief looks up and he's assured of heaven.

He's not afraid of death, and he's no longer dependent on the praise of others for success in life to fill meaningful that's what it means to become a Christian had you see here the cross we see a microcosm of the whole story of the Bible. The whole story of humanity.

Each of us is going to be one of these two criminals working to share in the destination of one of these two bees to look identical in life right now as we speak.

One of them is in heaven with Jesus.

The L1 right now is in hell when it all goes back to what they did with Jesus. She liked these two thieves were guilty like them were dying. We may not be hanging on a cross. Just a few hours from death to death is a certain for us as it was for them like this thief. We cannot possibly hope to earn God's salvation like this thief. We generally are not an offer to God. You might only have a few you made a few days longer to live than he does what you have is just as worthless to offer to God is what he had just like with these two thieves. He's right there right there what events you will choose an let you go to see him not as a means to the change in circumstance in life, not as an end to something else you think Abraham but he's right there. The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day and dear may I file as he washed all my sins away. You gotta choose him. He's there won't force himself on my professors in college and go to a Bible college, but one of my professors in college was Christian as an African-American gentleman would spend the first few years of his adult life in prison for several armed robbery.

He told me that for three months after he got released. Every night he would lay in bed considering whether not to go back to his old lifestyle.

You could get a job.

He was a convex and ex-convict. He was married yet still get nothing to live for every night who thinks that I would knock off another convenient store. Maybe this is the only way I can make it.

Finally got a job at a hotel making minimum wage as it was barely making ends meet in late one night I got assigned to go clean up a bathroom that was covered in the vomit of Lisa look like had to be 15 people is of the walls were covered with an inch thick on the floors and I was furious and down on my hands and my knees and there's this voice inside of me telling me the only reason that having you do this is because your and ex-convict, you're never going to get any respect in life. Many thought he said no. He said it's because I'm black. I've never been given a fair shake because of that, and I'll always be part of a second class Ms. Prof. said as I stood there just fuming with bitterness cleaning up that vomit. The spirit of God came upon me, made me realize that in this moment. I had a choice I could keep making excuses and go back to my old lifestyle Moroccan repent of my sin and give myself to God. He said somewhere in the middle of cleaning up somebody else's vomit my life forever change God broke me. I admitted that yes, while I certainly face discrimination in my life I deserve what I had received my new God had better for me and asked that he said what he said." I was arrested by the Holy Spirit that night and my soul was set free on my knees in someone else's vomit. I was broken and then put back together God release me from my captivity to sin, and I stood up free to serve and live for a new master real people like that here this week we have people who need to make the same decision unite might not be a recognized criminal, but you are not under the same condemnation of death for your sin. Ultimately, your dying and you will face judgment, but he's here, he's ready to say if you simply turn to him you say Lord, remember me, remember me. I surrender to you. I repent of my sins and I trust you as my Savior. He will sing to turn today.

If so, we'd love to help you take the next steps. Visit us@judygreer.com to find resources and you can send us a note to let you know how we can be praying for you. You can also call us and we be happy to share more with you about a relationship with Jesus you're listening to Senate life with pastor Arthur and theologian JD Greer. Today's message as part of our overview of the Bible called the whole story. We've been in this series for the past 2 1/2 months and there's just about two weeks left before becomes the end throughout the study. We've been getting a great reminder that ultimately the Bible's book of moralistic stories. It's a book about Jesus and the good news of the gospel and spreading the good news should be the center everything we do is focus on that truth. This month we are offering a custom Senate life Bible to those who support Summit my financially near the Bible is the word of God. So how should we respond when we read the first thing we think about, especially as young believers might be how the Bible should affect our action that the Bible is so much manual for right behavior. Think of your time in the word intimate personal conversation with God speaks to you and want to encourage you to speak back to him.

We went to the publisher at Crossway to create a custom Senate like version that includes the more detailed study can and if you're reading plan yesterday when the English standard version of the Bible. The main goal of providing a Bible with a plan to grow in your team interaction with God's word and you this custom blue letter Bible as an expression of our thanks when you donate today to ministering Senate life is funded by listeners like your gift truly make a difference for the custom Senate life Bible by calling 335-2286 335-5220 organ online@jdgreer.com if you'd rather mail your donation are addresses JD Greer ministries PO Box 12293, Durham, NC 27709 before we close.

Let me remind you that if you sign up for wanting to do that today. It is the best way to stay up-to-date with pastor JD's latest blog post and wants to make sure the new resource for steering clicking. JD Greer.com JD GRER.com I'm only that event should be strategically thinking Wednesday as we continue our series of the whole story we all crave a greater purpose for our life to leave an impact addresses those questions Wednesday on Senate by Jeannie