The two thieves on the cross

 

LIMAVADY BAPTIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 31 MARCH 2024 pm

LUKE 23 VERSES 1 - 4, 21 – 24, 32 – 46

Here in our passage we have read about how the Lord stood before the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate.  He said of Jesus “I find no fault in this man.”  He gave into the pressure of the crowd, he wanted to keep in with them.  Many people reject the Lord Jesus today because they want to keep in with the crowd, too scared of what work colleagues would say in the morning if we tell them last night I accepted the Saviour.  They want to keep in with the crowd.  Pontius Pilate sees no reason at all to put the Lord to death.  He was completely innocent.  Pontius Pilate condemns Christ to the death of the cross.  The one who stood before him was the sinless Lamb of God.  For 33 years he walked this scene of time, he never sinned, never committed vile deeds or actions, said no vile words.  1 John 3 verse 5 “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin.”  Peter said “who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth.”  Paul said “he knew no sin.”  The absolutely sinless Son of God yet Pontius Pilate has him flogged time and time again.  “The plowers plowed upon my back they made long their furrows.” (Psalm 129 verse 3)   There they put the crown of thorns on his head.  Man is inflicting on him all the evil.  Picture him as he walks towards Golgotha, as he makes his way through the city streets to outside the city walls.  Every step he takes is bloodstained.  He bears on his back the cross.  They come to the place called Golgotha or the Place of the Skull.  They laid him down on the cross and drove nails into his hands and feet.  “When they were come to the place called Calvary there they crucified him.”  It is the only time in scripture that we read of Calvary.  There on the cross he was crucified – not for any sin of his own but for yours and mine.  Rembrandt the famous painter painted a picture entitled “the raising of the cross”.  He painted himself amongst the crowd not because he was here but he knew Christ was there for him.  Christ hung upon the cross for you and I so we could be saved, so we could have the assurance of having our sins taken away and one day have a home in heaven. 

 

I want us to think tonight of the 2 thieves on either side of the Lord.  They were condemned men.  Sin had caught up with them.  The things they had done wrong.  The activities they were involved in had caught up with them.  They were condemned to the cross.  “He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed on the name of the Son of God.” (John 3 verse 18)  Are you trusting in Christ tonight?  Can you look back to a time in your life when you came to know Christ as your own Saviour?  Under condemnation.  Paul in Romans 8 verse 1 says “There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.”  You could come and put your trust in Christ, no longer be in condemnation, be saved and know assurance of a home in heaven.  Are you in Christ?  Have you experienced the new birth?  Do you know your name is recorded in heaven?  These men on either side of the Lord are facing death.  Death will come to them soon.  Death is coming for each of us.  We must be ready.  Hebrews 9 verse 27.  The world is full of people who think death is the end.  Death is coming and after that you will stand at the great white throne and from there be cast into the lake of fire.  You are going to the awful place called hell and one day you will stand before the Lord.  When you are cast into the lake of fire there is no way back.  You are there all because of sin.  Romans 5 verse 12 “wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned.”  We all have an appointment with death.  We cannot put it off.  It is not like the appointment with the dentist or doctor which we can cancel and put off to another day.  Romans 5 verse 19 “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”  That is what Christ was doing here on the centre cross of Calvary.  He carried out the Father’s will so that none should perish but come to repentance and faith in Jesus as their personal Saviour. 

 

Now a change begins to take place – verses 39 and 40.  Here’s a man being crucified beside the Lord.  He acknowledges there is a God.  James 2 verse 19 “Thou believest that there is one God, thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble.”  Maybe you believe there is a God but you don’t have a relationship with God.  You can remember when you were sent to Sunday School and church.  You could even teach theology and debate doctrine.  You can look back to times when you were taken to gospel meetings.  Perhaps you could even preach the gospel but you don’t know Christ as your own and personal Saviour.  If that is you, you are on the broad that will take you to the place of destruction and hell.  There is no way back.  There is no rerun.  There is no replay.  You are there and there for ever.  This man beside the Lord was a condemned man.  He becomes a convicted man – verse 41.  Here’s a man who realises he is there on the cross because his evil deeds have caught up with him.  He realises they are getting the due rewards of their deeds.  If you are not saved the first thing you must do is acknowledge you are a sinner.  Maybe you are saying “I know I have never been as bad as those men either side of Jesus.”  The bible says you are a sinner – Romans 3 verse 10 “there is none righteous no not one.”  It doesn’t matter if I was raised on millionaires row or poverty street I am still a sinner.  Romans 3 verse 23 “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  God has a standard.  We could never make the bar.  You must come and accept Christ and accept his righteousness.  This man has a change of mind which leads to a change of heart.  He confesses he is a sinner.  If you are going to be saved you need to accept you are a sinner. 

 

This man became a converted man – verses 42 and 43.  This man has recognised that he is a sinner.  He has also acknowledged that Christ is sinless verse 39.  Here this man acknowledges he is a sinner, acknowledged that Christ is sinless.  He is on the cross having done nothing wrong.  Christ was on the cross for your sin and mine.  He had to be perfect to be accepted as your sacrifice and mine.  Would you not come and confess the Lord as your Saviour?  He now realises he is going out into eternity.  We are all heading there.  There are 2 destinations, heaven or hell.  There is no half way house.  There is no waiting area.  Have you made preparation?  Amos 4 verse 12 “prepare to meet thy God.”  We are all going to meet God.  Will you meet him as your Saviour or will you meet him as your judge?  Have you made preparation for eternity?  Have you confessed that Jesus is Lord?  “Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”  He is acknowledging he now needs the Lord.  You need the Lord if you are ever going to enter into heaven.  John 14 verse 6 “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me.”  The Lord Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God was dying in place of fallen man.  He gave his life for you and I that you could be saved.  This man has no time to call on a priest although there were many there that day.  He does not call on Mary the mother of Jesus even though she is there.  There is no time to be baptised.  No time to check if his name is on the church roll book.  He simply puts his faith and trust in the Lord.  Ephesians 2 verses 8 and 9.  If you are going to heaven, to be saved, you will have to put your faith in the Lord Jesus.  He is the only way to be in heaven.  Verse 46.  The Lord now has laid down his life.  We do not present a dead Saviour, we present one who is alive, risen from the dead.  He has now ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father in glory.  Maybe you are saying “I know all that, I have all the time in the world to get saved.  I am healthy, young.”  Proverbs 27 verse 1 “boast not thyself of tomorrow for thou knowest not what a day may hold.”  Paul said “behold now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation.”  Don’t put it off to another day.  You do not know where you will be 5 minutes from now.  It would be an awful thing to sit through a gospel meeting and in the week ahead go out into eternity, ending up in hell.  That you turned your back, walked through the doors still a Christ rejector.  We present one who is on the throne of heaven.  He loves you so much that he was willing to come from heaven to die on the cross so you can have eternal life.  “I give unto them eternal life and none shall perish, none shall pluck them out of my hand.”  We praise God for the eternal security of our soul.  Whenever Christ was on the cross he was able to cry out “it is finished”  There is nothing more for you and I to do.  It was completed.  He couldn’t go and confess his sins to the priest, clean up his life, bow his knee to pray.  He knows he is going out into eternity.  He confesses he is a sinner.  As you sit in your sin tonight, if you ever want to be in heaven you will have to come the way of the cross.  Maybe you are saying ‘You don’t know the awful sins I have committed, the awful things I have done.’  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11 verse 28)  “He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6 verse 37)  If you put your faith in him and trust in him you will be saved tonight.  Come and rest our all upon Christ, his finished work.  He will save you and he will save you eternally.

He is risen

 

LIMAVADY BAPTIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 31 MARCH 2024

MARK 15 VERSES 39 – 16 VERSE 8

In this passage we read of some notable people at the crucifixion of Jesus.  There were those who were there at the time Jesus was laid in the tomb.  There were those who were there on the resurrection morning.  Some were there on all 3 occasions. 

Notice firstly Joseph of Arimathea.  He was a rich man and a disciple of Jesus.  Matthew 27 verse 27.  In Matthew 27 verse 58 we read that Joseph begged for the body of Jesus from Pontius Pilate.  A rich man who became a beggar.  He was not depending on his riches, his worldly goods, that which was material but that which was eternal.  He was depending on the eternal Son of God.  Are you relying on material things today?  Be like Joseph, do not trust in that which is temporal but that which is eternal – the Son of God Jesus.

Secondly the women who were making their way to the tomb early in the morning.  Chapter 16 verse 1 “and when the sabbath was past Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome”.  We know that Salome was the wife of Zebedee, James and John’s mother.  Notice the words “when the sabbath was past.”  That sabbath for these women and the disciples and the followers of Jesus was unlike any other.  It was the first without the Lord, the one they trusted in, the one they adored, the one they loved, the one they spent many hours with.  Now he is dead and in the tomb.  That sabbath was unlike any other.  It is a great encouragement for us to know that that time of separation was temporary.  Jesus rose form the dead.  He came out of the grave victorious over death and hell.  1 Corinthians 15 verse 20 “But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”  Jesus when he rose from the dead would be the firstfruits of others who would also rise again.  Verse 23 goes on to say ”But every man in his own order Christ the firstfruits, afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”  One day those who are Christ’s own will also rise to meet him in the air.  Think of others in the bible who rose from the dead – the widow of Zarepath’s son in 1 Kings 17 and the Shunammite woman’s son in 2 Kings 4.  There were those who the Lord himself rose from the dead.  We need to remember though that all these people had to die again.  Our Saviour has risen eternally.  He will never taste death again.  When the bodies come out of the grave at the rapture they will never taste death again.  Our Lord is the firstfruits of the dead.  It is a reminder of the sheaves that were waved in Leviticus 23 by the priests signifying the firstfruits of the harvest.  The Lord is the firstfruit of the harvest. Think of the farmer who in a few weeks time will be going out to sow the seeds in our fields.  In a couple of weeks time the first shoot will appear in the ground and soon it will be followed by many more.  The Lord is that first shoot and at his second coming many more shoots will rise with him.

Notice the woman who came to the grave had a great problem – verses 2 and 3.  These women realised they had a great problem.  They didn’t say ‘how will we roll away the stone?’ but rather ‘who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?’  They realised it was beyond their capability, their strength.  They acknowledged they couldn’t roll away the stone.  I wonder as you make your way along the pathway of life, maybe a week, a month ahead you know there is something that is beyond anything you can deal with.  It is beyond your strength and capability.  That is where these women were.  They knew up ahead there was something they would not be able to deal with in their own strength.  The God we worship and adore is the one who inhabits eternity and will be there before them.  We are not saying God rolls all our problems away but rather when you get to your problem he is already there.  He is with you in that problem.  We have one who will never leave us or forsake us.

Look at verses 5 and 6.  When the women arrived at the tomb they realised the stone was rolled away.  Mary ran to fetch Peter and John.  Both came running and John gets there first.  He doesn’t go in but Peter does.  When they are in the tomb they see the grave clothes.  There is one thought here concerning the grave clothes – there was no struggle.  The Lord won a great victory.  There was never going to be any question of that for the Lord was going to be victorious.  Peter and John make their way back to their own homes – we read that in John 20.  These woman have remained at the tomb.  Now we read in verse 5 as they entered into the sepulchre a young man speaks to them.  John records it as 2 angels present, one at the head and the other at the foot but here in Mark’s gospel one of the angel speaks “Be not affrighted.”  In other words ‘don’t be scared’.  God knows our frame.  He knows the times when we would be scared, when we will experience fear.  I thought of other angels who came and spoke in scripture.  Remember the angel who came to the shepherds on the hillside of Judea.  “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2 verse 10)  Then I thought of the angel who spoke to the disciples on the Mount of Olives after the Lord had ascended “Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1 verse 11)  An angel came at Bethlehem to say Christ had come.  An angel came to the tomb to say Christ had risen and now we read that Christ is coming again.  It is all in fulfilment of Zechariah 14 verse 4.  One day Jesus will come back again to the Mount of Olives, 7 years after the rapture.  He will come and set his feet on the Mount of Olives.  The mount will be divided by a great valley.  There at Jerusalem the eastern gate is closed today in fulfilment of God’s word.  It hasn’t been opened in almost 500 years since the time of the Ottoman Empire.  The Muslims have a graveyard in front of the eastern gate and they believe Jesus will not come through the gate as he would be walking through a graveyard and would be defiling himself.  Scripture tells us he will come walking through the eastern gate.  Christ is coming back to the earth again to rule and reign.

Verse 7 – the instructions the angel gives to the women.  There is a special mention made of Peter.  He has failed the Lord, he is unworthy, he cannot be used, excluded.  The angel makes special mention of him.  “Make sure you tell Peter.”  Our God is the God of the second chance.  This same Peter who failed the Lord that night has he stood warming his hands at the fire is the same one who on the Day of Pentecost stood up and preached boldly and 3000 souls were brought into the kingdom of God.  Maybe you think you have failed the Lord.  God can still use you and he has a job for you to do.

Finally look at verses 19 and 20.  Here we see that there was a day when the Lord ascended up into heaven.  That is where he is today – at God’s right hand side.  40 days after he rose again he ascended to heaven.  He is in his rightful place today.  He was willing to leave the splendours of heaven, to be born into a borrowed outhouse, to be wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a borrowed cradle.  He preached from a borrowed boat.  He was wrapped in grave clothes and placed in a borrowed grave.  Today he is in his rightful place.  His eye is on us today.  He hears our prayers.  He is our great high priest and is touched with our infirmities and knows all we are going through today.  He can hear and answer our prayers.  Verse 20 how those disciples and followers went to do the Lord’s work. God has a job for you and I to do in these days we live in.  Let’s be faithful to do that work for our Lord and Saviour.

 

The right man in the right place at the right time

 

LIMAVADY BAPTIST CHURCH

SERMON NOTES FROM SUNDAY 17 MARCH 2024 – MR JOHN WEIR

READING: ACTS 9 VERSES 1 – 2

The right man in the right place at the right time

 

The conversion of Saul of Tarsus changed Christianity for ever.  We have read of his conversion.  His life was changed.  Paul’s conversion is recorded 3 times in the book of Acts – here in verseS 1 to 9, Acts 22 and Acts 26.  He was never the same again.  Every conversion is a miracle.  Before conversion we were dead in our trespasses and sins blinded by the god of this world then we heard the message of the gospel.  We were changed, saved and filled with God’s spirit, ready for heaven and home.  Maybe we have been saved at a young age, some saved from a life of alcoholism, some from the church pew, some from a false cult, others on their death bed.  Others were saved simply by reading the word of God.  There are many ways to come to the Saviour but it is most important to get there and to come to know the Lord as Saviour.  Thank the Lord for all he has done in your life.  Paul was on the religious road.  Christianity was a dangerous sect to him, he wanted to eliminate them all.  What was the motto of his life after his conversion?  “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.”  Is that the motto of your life today?  It was said of Wesley’s converts “they died well”.  How time is so short.  The weeks, months, years will go so quick – let’s live the way Paul lived. 

 

In Acts 9 we read of another man, Ananias of Damascus.  There are tremendous lessons we can learn from his life.  An ordinary disciple who the Lord used in a tremendous way.  God delights in using people in the background.  The Lord knew their heart and motives.  Think of the young maid in Naaman’s house, the lad with the 5 loaves and 2 fishes, the woman who married 5 times, David the shepherd boy, Gideon who said he was the least of his fathers house.  1 Corinthians 1 verse 27.  Ananias was the right man in the right place at the right time.

 

The character of Ananias – verse 10.  He was a follower of Jesus, part of the local church.  We don’t read how he came to faith.  An ordinary disciple.  He was not introduced as a great pastor or theologian or missionary just a “certain disciple”.  It is amazing in the book of Acts how God’s people are described. The word “disciple” is used in verses 1, 10, 19, 25, 26, 36 and 36.  “Those of the way” is used in Acts 9 verse 2.  The word “saints” is used in verses 13, 32, 41.  There is also the word “brethren” in verses 17 and 30.  The term “Christian” is not used until Acts 11 verse 26.  Whatever title you want to use – count it a privilege to serve the Lord, to identify with him.  Never be ashamed of the Lord Jesus.  Many are caught up with titles and importance today.  “He made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men.”  ‘A little servant  of an illustrious master’ is how Hudson Taylor described himself.  Ananias was happy to serve the Lord in the background.  His name means favoured of the Lord.  There are 3 Ananias’ in the New Testament.  We have Ananias and Sapphira, then here there is Ananias of Damascus and in chapter 23 Ananias the priest.  He is never mentioned like Paul, Peter or James but the Lord had a plan for his life.  A special job for him to do.  We are all different personalities, implements.  We have different things going on in our lives.  God can use us in an individual way.  God knew where to find Ananias.  God speaks to him in a vision.  He could trust him with the task ahead of him.  When we spend time with the word of God, God speaks to us, instructs and guides us.  When we spend time with God each day it is important to take time to read the word of God, to pray and spend time with him.  To get alone with the Lord is so important.  Verse 10 “behold I am here Lord.”  He was open to God’s call on his life.  If the Lord asked you to do something would you do it?  Maybe it will be outside of your comfort zone?  Ananias was familiar with the Old Testament because that is how Abraham replied “here am I”.  Samuel also did it as did Isaiah.  Maybe you could make yourself available for the master’s service.  “Here is my life I am willing to do whatever you want me to do.”  Acts 22 verse 11 in Paul’s testimony we read more of Ananias.  Read verses 12 to 16.  In verse 12 he is described.  He had a good testimony.  This is the type of people we need in the Christian church.  He walked with the Lord.  He was well respected.  Can people say that of us?  There are many who profess to be Christian but they let the Lord down – in business, in the work place, in the church.  Your testimony and mine is the most valuable thing we have.  It tells people that there is something different about us.

 

The commission of Ananias – verse 11.  He is given a special job, specific instructions.  The exact street and house he is told to go to.  God said to Ananias “arise and go.”  There is no delay.  Has the Lord ever told you to “arise and go”?  If the Lord gives you a job to do arise and go.  Don’t put it off.  The Lord wants obedient and willing servants.

 

The courage of Ananias – verses 13 and 14.  Ananias was afraid. He needed wisdom, courage  It could have been a trap.  He could have been on Paul’s hit list.  He knew all about his past sins and reputation.  Verse 15.  The Lord reassures his servant.  The Lord still does that today.  The Lord often does that with us.  God wants obedient servants.  Paul would suffer many things but he was a chosen vessel.  Many suffer for their faith.  They are giants in our lives.  They have difficult lives but are used by God.  God told Paul “my grace is sufficient for thee.”  God will get us through.  Soon it will be all over, all the pain you are battling with will be all over, you will spend eternity with him.  Verses 17 and 18.  He called him “Brother Saul”.  He didn’t bring up his sins or things from the past.  He was filled with the Spirit and baptised.  Can we thank the Lord for the Ananias of Damascus people in our lives?  Can you point to an Ananias in your life?  We didn’t understand the great doctrines of the bible but there was someone who sat beside us, encouraged us, prayed for us, welcomed us into the flock.  We never read of Ananias again but he was obedient.  Ananias was the right man in the right place at the right time.