Seven Sayings -- Salvation & the Future
Luke 23:39-43

Sermon Outline from the Morning Service - 19 March 2000

I. The understanding of the former thief

A. We should fear God because He is the Judge of all the earth

1. God punishes sin....beyond what the judgement of man does. Now these men knew they would face God soon! Prepare to meet thy God! 2. For believers, we fear that we will misstep and displease Him.

B. We are sinners -- "justly condemned"

1. Being "in the same condemnation" means they were condemned to the same judgement -- execution.   The wages of sin is death.
2. This thief was confessing that he was wrong in the past and that the judgement he was getting was right.

C. Jesus is innocence of wrongdoing, He is Lord (God)

1. Jesus' only "crime" was going against the religious establishment.
2. He he had more faith and understanding at this point than those disciples had even after Jesus arose (24:21)!

D. There is life beyond death, and a kingdom to belong to

1. He expected to rise again and wanted to belong to Christ's kingdom.
2. There is a kingdom other than the present (physical) one.

E. Repentance and faith are all that are required to be forgiven of sin & accepted by God -- Acts 20:21

1. He had faith in who He was, faith in what He would do, faith that He would forgive and restore and allow even a condemned sinner into His pure kingdom.
2. These are marks of conversion; God opened his understanding.

II. The comforting words of the Saviour -- Today thou shalt be with Me...

A. You will be with Me

1. Jn 14; 1 Thess 4:17 -- He wants fellowship, unending fellowship. In heaven we will enjoy a lot of things, but these are all peripheral to being with Christ and having fellowship with Him.
2. Paradise in the Bible is not a reference to heaven but to the place of the dead that await the resurrection. Luke 16:19ff.

B. Your joy begins today!

1. Today is contrasted with when thou comest...
2. Jesus promised him more than he asked for and gave it to him sooner than He requested.
3. He was immediately joined with Him spiritually. (Acts 26:18).

In this story the teachings of sacramentalism, purgatory, universalism and soul-sleep are all refuted.