LIMAVADY INDEPENDENT METHODIST CHURCH
SERMON NOTES SUNDAY 23 JANUARY 2022
LUKE 23 VERSES 39 – 43
Jesus being led out to Calvary was unrecognisable as a human. Simon from the crowd was brought out to bear the weight of the Saviour’s cross. They were making their way up Golgotha. 3 crosses were standing erect. Jesus was in the middle with 2 malefactors on either side. One of those malefactors turned in his dying moments and trusted the Lord as his Saviour. The second malefactor is the one we want to focus on tonight. You don’t see this man crying out to the Lord. We can draw our own conclusions at this point. He went out into a Christless eternity. The last moments in the life of this thief. As I read this portion again, I asked myself – what does a man or woman have to reject, to go out into a Christless hell for all eternity?
Firstly, he must reject
the scene that he watched. Imagine
him hanging there looking around the people gathered at this scene. Not for one moment does he consider this is
the Messiah come to seek and to save that which was lost. Verse 39 “if thou be Christ” not the Christ “save
thyself and us.” He was more concerned
about getting down from the cross itself.
How unlike the woman at the well.
She came out from her home. It
was the hottest part of the day. She
came to fill her water pot with water. There
she stopped at the well and entered into conversation with Jesus. She found Christ that day. When she went out to blaze around “come and
see a man who told me all things whichever I did, is not this the Christ?” This
man watched the scene before him.
Matthew 27 verse 36 “and sitting down they watched him there.” The Roman centurion watched and guarded the
cross, afraid that the disciples would come and take Jesus’ body. John 3 verse 16 not in God’s mind to change
things. There was no escape now. The plan was to suffer, die, be buried and
rise again the third day. The religious leaders
gathered around watching as well. At one
point thought would be divine help from heaven.
Jesus was sufficient for our every need.
We need a Saviour not a teacher or a philosopher or a doctor. Jesus came into the world. On the cross he suffered and bled and died
for your sin. The Lord laid every sin on
Christ that day. It didn’t need any
other intervention. The woman were
there, broken hearted. The angels were
waiting around the throne of heaven waiting for him to die. Matthew 26 verses 53 and 54. All eyes were transfixed around the hill of
Calvary. How often have we pondered on
what Christ has done for us? This man
was in a privileged position. He had not
thought for Christ though. Jesus Christ died
on the cross for you and me. He was
buried and rose again on the third day.
He ever liveth to make intercession for us.
He rejected the word that he heard. He turned his back on the scene before him but also to the words Jesus uttered to him. As we listen to the word of God the Holy Spirit shows to your heart your need of Christ. Did you repent of your sin? Did you trust Christ? Was there a change in your life? Did you see a change? Salvation is all about that. The thief repented of his sin. He turned from his sin and that day he accepted Christ as his Saviour. That day he went to be with Christ in heaven. This man however turns his back on the words spoken that day. The first words Jesus spoke were words of forgiveness. His first prayer was “Father forgive them.” This old thief would have heard from Jesus’ lips words of forgiveness. This man would have heard words of compassion and assurance – “Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom today.” Jesus told him “today thou shalt be with me in paradise.” Jesus was looking at this thief and told him he would be in paradise. The other thief turned his back on him. Will you turn your back on God, to go to a Christless eternity? Jesus called out “it is finished”. What was he speaking of? He realised on that particular day the way back to God was opened up. He had come into the world as a baby, grew up amongst men, now he was finishing his work. The way of salvation is finished tonight. God does not expect anything more. He only asks you to repent of your sin, trust Christ with all your heart, soul and mind. Not a wee bit of religion plus Christ. It is Christ alone. You are giving your all to him. That is what he is expecting. This man turned his back on the words Jesus spoke. Herod the king rejected the words of God. When he put John the Baptist to death Herod’s wife’s daughter danced before him. She pleased him. Herod asked what she wanted, and she asked for the head of John the Baptist. He quelled the voice of God. When Jesus came before him, he was pleased because he wanted to see a miracle, but Jesus never spoke a word to him. He had rejected God’s word already. Jesus can be rejected tonight.
He rejected the witness of
the other thief. He didn’t take heed to the change in the
other thief. The day started up with
both rallying against Jesus but one saw something different. As the day went on, they realised this man
was not all they thought he was. One man
knew he was stepping out into one of 2 places.
He realised Jesus was king of heaven.
He cried out to the Lord and that day he received the assurance he would
be with Jesus in heaven. The other man
rejected the word and witness. Perhaps
we have known individuals in our families and seen changes in their lives. Remember the demonic living amongst the
tombs. He cried out day and night. One day he met Jesus who delivered him from
his demons. The people came to see the
change. He was sitting clothed and in
his right mind. The young man wanted to
follow Christ, but Jesus told him “no you go back and show your friends what
God has done for you.”
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