TODAY SHALT THOU BE WITH ME IN PARADISE

THE PURPOSE, THE POWER AND THE PROMISE AT

THE CROSS

Luke 23:39-44

I. Intro.
A. the scene is Golgotha's hill: Calvary
1. where the Son of God died so that the sons of
men might live
2. where the blood of a King was shed for sinful
humanity
3. where the angels wept and the devils rejoiced
4. where all the sin of the world was laid on the
One who had no sin
5. where you and I can come and receive life and
joy and hope
B. Jesus had been on the cross for some time
1. Jesus said as they hung Him there on the cross,
"Father forgive them, for they know not what
they do"
2. on one side of Jesus was a thief that got more
than he stole
3. on the other side was a thief that lost more
than he gained
4. one thief saw in the Lord Jesus Christ royalty,
he also saw in Him the resurrection; and
redemption
5. the second thief lost his life, and lost his
opportunity
II. THE PURPOSE OF THE SAVIOR
A. here is a PICTURE OF SALVATION as found
nowhere else in the Bible
1. here is ONE THIEF who DIED IN HIS SIN,
for he did not repent and did not trust the
Savior
2. THE OTHER THIEF DIED TO SIN AND
SELF, and LOOKED TO JESUS TO BE
SAVED
3. Jesus died for the sins of every person that had
ever lived or ever would live
4. some see the cross and yet reject Jesus Christ,
and do not accept Him as their Savior
5. others see the cross and come to Him, they
come with the same attitude, mentality, and
trust
B. this scene refutes (DISPROVED)some false
doctrines that were not present at the time
1. the doctrine of sacramentalism
a. this doctrine states such things as
baptism, or communion, or church
ceremony can save a person
b. this doctrine is refuted because one of the
thieves that looked to Jesus and was
gloriously saved, without any of those
things
2. the doctrine of purgatory
a. this doctrine states that when you die, you
must go to a place of torment and there
have your sins punished
b. no one knows how much, or to what
degree
c. after those sins have been purged, then
you get to go to heaven
 d.this doctrine is soundly refuted; for here
was a thief that did not go to purgatory,
Jesus said, "Today shalt thou be with me
in Paradise"
3. the doctrine of soul sleeping
a. this doctrine states, when a person dies
his soul sleeps in his grave until the
resurrection day
b. that doctrine is refuted; for Jesus said to
this thief, "Today shalt thou be with me
in Paradise"
c. there would not be any soul sleeping for
that thief
4. the doctrine of universalism
a. some say that we are all going to Heaven,
we are just going there by different routes
b. this doctrine is soundly refuted because
there is only one way to Heaven
c. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and
the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me"
d. He said, "I am the door, by me, if any
man enter in, he shall be saved"
e. there is only one way to Heaven and this
thief took the only way
III. THE POWER OF THE SAVIOR
A. The saving of this thief occurred at a time when it seemed
that Jesus had no power
B. Jesus was crucified, reviled, ridiculed, rebuked, scorned,
and seemingly unable to do anything about it
1. when Jesus died, He took the full punishment for your
sin and mine
2. even in that condition the thief looked to Jesus and
said, "Lord, remember me …"
3. Jesus is the only One that can save anyone
 4. those who mocked Jesus said, "if thou be the Son of
God, come down from the cross. He saved others,
Himself he cannot save"
5. that was true in a way, He could not save Himself and
save you and me, so He stayed on the cross
6. when Jesus died, He took the full punishment for your
sin and mine
IV. THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOR
A. notice the word "verily" in verse 43
1. this word means amen, so be it, surely
2. Jesus said to the thief: "What you have asked Me, it is
going to be"
B. the knowledge that comes from Jesus’ words
1. He meant that the purchase price was going to be
paid
a. He meant that He was going to stay on the cross
and pay redemption's price for that thief
b. no one could pull Him down from the cross, He
would stay until the end, until it was finished
2. Jesus knew that He would be in paradise (heaven)
that very day
3. He was going to take a trophy back to heaven and
that trophy was the thief
4. He was saying to that thief, you can depend on me,
you can depend on my word, "verily"
5. Jesus was saying if you come to me and trust me as
your Savior, you can be assured that you will be with
me in glory
V. a proper attitude toward the Savior
A. One thief said to Jesus, "If thou be Christ" – 39
1. that was the wrong thing to do, to doubt the deity of
Jesus Christ, for Jesus is God
2. all things were made by Him and without Him was
not anything made that was made John 1:1-3
3. this thief had the audacity to imply that He was not
God
B. the other thief believed in a future life and he also believed
in retribution – 40
1. how much do we fear God, fear punishment, fear the
judgment of God
 2. Satan is not going to let us think about the power of
God and God's hatred for sin
3. millions of people died in the flood because of God's
hatred of sin
4. we need to recognize the things that God is not
pleased with, and we need to fear the Holy God
because of it
C. this thief believed in judgment, and he said, "Lord,
remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom"
1. before he said that, he isolated himself, he put himself
on the side of Christ - 40
2. he realized his own sinfulness – 41
D. for a person to get saved
1. they need to realize that there is a judgment one day,
they will have to stand before a holy God
2. they must also realize, they are a sinner, they do not
deserve heaven
3. before anybody can get saved, they must realize they
are lost
4. this thief realized he was going out to meet a holy God
and he was not ready to meet Him
E. he bore testimony to Jesus' sinlessness, and held Jesus in
awe, though He was dying on the cross with him – 41
1. we need to recognize the fact, that the sinless Son of
God died for us and not for Himself
2. He died, that we might live, He died for sin and the
sinner
3. this thief, who was dying because of sin, was trusting
the One who was dying for sin – 42
F. he said "Lord" which meant You are my boss, You are my
owner, You are my master
1. this thief knew that Jesus was a King [thy kingdom]
2. Jesus may not look like a king on the cross, but He is
the King of kings
G. we see a man who repented of his sins
1. he changed from being with the crowd, to being on
God's side
2. he believed on Jesus’ righteousness
3. we see him putting his faith in Christ, and he no
longer cared what the crowd said
H. "With me." the great desire of Jesus is to have you with
Him, in Paradise - 43