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Thursday, April 17, 2025
"The Two Criminals"
Message summary: Today our Lord continues to respond to the simple expression of faith, "Remember me". He continues to provide the wonderful gift of His redeeming grace as we earnestly call on His name. Let us all renew that call today and if you, as a reader, have never done so please call out to Jesus, "Remember me".
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"Two rebels
were crucified
with Him, one
on His right
and one on His
left" (Matthew
27:38). "And
with Him they
crucified two
thieves; the
one on his
right hand,
and the other
on His left"
(Mark 15:27).
"Two other
men, both
criminals,
were also led
out with Him
to be
executed. When
they came to
the place
called the
Skull, they
crucified Him
there, along
with the
criminals—one
on His right,
the other on
His left"
(Luke
23:32,33).
"There they
crucified Him,
and with Him
two others—one
on each side
and Jesus in
the middle"
(John 19:18).
Today let us
consider the
two thieves
(criminals)
that hung
beside Jesus
when He
offered His
life as a
sacrifice for
the human
race.
Even in death, He remembered
The thief hanging by His side
Then he spoke with love and compassion
And He took him to paradise
These
two men had an
absolutely
unique vantage
point distinct
from anyone
who ever
lived. One was
on a cross at
Christ’s right
side and
another on a
cross at His
left. They
represent the
human race and
the two
responses to
God’s act of
mercy in
redemption:
1)
Both were
deserving of
their
punishment.
2) Both were dying in their sins.
2)
Both
had initially
"heaped
insults on
Him"
(Matthew
27:44).
But
sometime
during that
six-hour
period of
shared agony a
wondrous
spiritual
awakening
occurred in
the heart of
one. Luke
alone records
the brief
exchange of
words:
I
call to mind a
verse in a
great hymn
that says, "I
know not why
God’s wondrous
grace to me He
hath made
known; nor
why, unworthy,
Christ in love
redeemed me
for His
own."
The redeemed
thief could
very well be
singing this
song in
heaven, for he
received an
astonishing
message of
assurance from
Christ. “Jesus
answered him,
‘I tell you
the truth,
today you will
be with Me in
paradise’”
(Luke 23:43).
Thus we see
three men on
three crosses:
* one dying in
his sin,
* one dying
with his sins
forgiven,
* and One
dying for the
sins of the
whole human
race.
Christ
died as the
righteous one
in the middle
of two
unrighteous
men, one who
would be
declared
righteous by
faith. Even in
His dying
moments, He
gave eternal
life to one
sinner,
previewing His
gift of life
to all sinners
of all time,
who like the
thief would
place their
faith in Him.
As
we understand
sin and the
fall of the
human race, we
know that,
like the
thieves, we
are punished
justly and are
getting what
our deeds
deserve. But
Jesus, who has
done nothing
wrong, has
died in our
place. “For
Christ died
for sins once
for all, the
righteous for
the
unrighteous,
to bring us to
God” (1
Peter 3:18).
Today our Lord
continues to
respond to the
simple
expression of
faith,
"Remember me".
He continues
to provide the
wonderful gift
of His
redeeming
grace as we,
like the
believing
thief,
earnestly call
on His name.
Let us all
renew that
call today and
if you, as a
reader, have
never done so
please call
out to Jesus,
"Remember me".
*
Be encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, we see
ourselves in
the criminals
who died on
the crosses
next to Jesus.
We recognize
that we were
born with a
sin problem,
some of which
we’ve
exercised at
great length
and the
potential for
further sin is
daunting. But
You provided a
way of escape,
a way to
unfetter our
attraction to
sin and lured
our hearts
instead to
that which is
holy and
righteous. The
vilest
offender who
truly believes
in Christ’s
salvation is
instantly
pardoned and
assured of
eternity in
heaven. We
thank You for
Jesus who paid
in full my
debt of sin,
releasing me
from the
stronghold of
Satan's power
over my life!
Amen.
* Here’s a
common prayer
that expresses
faith in God’s
plan of
salvation.
It’s often
called "The
Sinner’s
Prayer". If
you have not
done so
already we
urge you to
pray this
prayer from
your heart
today:
"Lord Jesus, I
confess that I
am a sinner. I
believe that
You came to
this earth and
died on the
cross as a
substitute for
me. I place my
faith in You
and what You
have done for
me. I receive
You into my
life and
choose this
day to follow
and serve You.
Thank You for
hearing my
prayer. Amen.
Today's
Suggested
Music and
Supplemental
Resources
"The Man In The Middle" Watch on YouTube The Cupps
"If
That Isn't
Love"
Watch
on YouTube
Jeanne
Johnson
This is the
song we quoted
in our message
today.
"Power
of the Cross"
Watch
on YouTube
Laura Story,
Oliver Rea,
New Irish
Choir and
Orchestra What
a powerful
rendition!
Sight
& Sound's
production of
JESUS
will be
streaming for
free over
Easter
Weekend. Go to
this site.
Here's the sample
trailer.
Sight and
Sound is
located right
here in
Lancaster
County.
Pastor
Peter Silumula
and his wife
Helen have a
ministry to
their fellow
Indians. He
was raised as
a Hindu but
came to faith
in Christ as a
teenager in
1969. After
earning two
degrees in
non-ministry
related fields
he decided to
attend a Bible
College to
increase his
knowledge of
the Bible,
although he
had no
intentions of
entering the
pastoral
ministry.
Toward the end
of his course
of studies he
was required
to preach if
he wanted to
graduate. He
informed the
headmaster
that he was
only there for
the Bible
knowledge and
didn’t see why
a preaching
assignment was
important, but
the headmaster
insisted the
requirement
was necessary.
So Peter went
into a forest
intending to
technically
fulfill the
requirement to
preach but
certainly not
expecting to
have any
listeners. As
he stood under
the trees he
preached about
the two
thieves on the
crosses next
to Jesus and
even concluded
his message
with an
invitation to
receive
Christ. As he
was finishing
his prayer he
heard a voice
from high up
in the trees
shout, “Don’t
stop”. This of
course
startled Peter
as he looked
around
wondering if
it was a voice
from God.
Then a man
climbed down
from the tree
and confessed
that he was a
thief and
murderer. He
had been
listening to
the entire
sermon and God
had convicted
his heart. He
told Peter he
went into the
village at
night to do
his criminal
business but
climbed up and
hid in the
trees during
the daytime!
Peter prayed
with him for
salvation. His
first convert!
More
helpful
materials I
found in the
course of
preparing this
message:
The
order of
events at the
crucifixion:
(1) Arrival at
Golgotha (Mt
27:33; Mk
15:22; Lu
23:33; Jn
19:17).
(2) Offer of
the stupefying
drink refused
(Mt 27:34; Mk
15:23).
(3)
Crucified
between 2
thieves (Mt
27:35-38; Mk
15:24-28;
Lu
23:33-38; Jn
19:18).
(4) Utters 1st
cry fr the
cross,
"Father,
forgive," (Lu
23:34).
(5)
Soldiers part
His garments
(Mt 27:35; Mk
15:24; Lu
23:34; Jn
19:23).
(6) Jews mock
Jesus (Mt
27:39-43; Mk
15:29-32; Lu
23:35).
(7) Thieves
rail Him, one
repents (Mt
27:44; Mk
15:32; Lu
23:39-43).
(8) Second cry
from cross,
"Today you
will be with
me," (Lu
23:43).
(9) Third cry,
"Dear woman,
here is your
son," etc. (Jn
19:26-27).
(10) Darkness
(Mt 27:45; Mk
15:33; Lu
23:44).
(11) Fourth
cry, "My God,"
etc. (Mt
27:46-47; Mk
15:34-36).
(12) Fifth
cry, "I am
thirsty" (Jn
19:28).
(13) Sixth
cry, "It is
finished" (Jn
19:30).
(14) Seventh
cry, "Father,
into your
hands," etc.
(Lu 23:46).
And
(15) Lord
dismisses His
spirit (Mt
27:50; Mk
15:37; Lu
23:46; Jn
19:30).
Here's
a simple
sermon outline
I found online
regarding the
penitent
thief:
He accepted —
a. The legality of his sentence
b. The load of his sin
2. A Discerning Man
a. He looked at Jesus
b. He listened to Jesus
3. A Delivered Man
Major Events of the Passion Week
An
astounding 30
of the 89
accumulative
chapters in
the four
gospels cover
the period
beginning with
Christ's
triumphal
entry through
His
resurrection
and
post-resurrection
appearances.
Mathematically
this means
that
approximately
33% of the
written
material in
the Gospels
deals with a
mere .05%
period of His
life! In the
providence of
God we have a
much greater
proportion of
Scriptural
revelation
dealing with
God's greatest
act of mercy
in providing
our
redemption.
Here's an
interesting
chart from a
Study Bible
that may be
helpful as you
study the
Bible this
week. It sure
helps me to
have a sense
of when the
events took
place and is
inspiring to
read these
Scriptures in
the daily
sequence
leading up to
Easter.
Sunday
Triumphant
Entry into
Jerusalem:
Matthew
21:1-11; Mark
11:1-10; Luke
19:29-40; John
12:12-19
Monday
Jesus Clears
the Temple:
Mt. 21:12,13;
Mk. 11:15-17;
Lk. 19:45,46
Tuesday/Wednesday
Jesus'
authority
challenged in
the temple:
Mt. 21:23-27;
Mk. 11:27-33;
Lk. 20:1-8
Jesus teaches
stories and
confronts the
Jewish
leaders: Mt.
21:28-23:36;
Mk. 12:1-40;
Lk. 20:9-47
Greeks ask to
see Jesus: Jn.
12:20-26
The Olivet
Discourse: Mt.
24; Mk. 13;
Lk. 21:5-38
Judas agrees
to betray
Jesus: Mt.
26:14-16; Mk.
14:10,11; Lk.
22:3-6
Thursday
The Last
Supper:
Mt. 26:26-29;
Mk. 14:22-25;
Lk. 22:14-20
Jesus speaks
to the
disciples in
the upper
room: Jn
13-17
Jesus
struggles in
Garden of
Gethsemane:
Mt. 26:36-46;
Mk. 14:32-42;
Lk. 22:39-46;
Jn. 18:1
Jesus is
betrayed and
arrested: Mt.
26:47-56; Mk.
14:43-52; Lk.
22:47-53; Jn.
18:2-12
Friday
Jesus is tried
by Jewish and
Roman
authorities
and disowned
by Peter: Mt
26:57-27:2,
11-31; Mk
14:53-15:20;
Lk
22:54-23:25;
Jn 18:13-19:16
Jesus is
crucified and
buried: Mt
27:31-56; Mk
15:20-41; Lk
23:26-49; Jn
19:17-30
Saturday
Disciples in
despair
Sunday
The glorious
resurrection:
Mt. 28:1-10;
Mk 16:1-11; Lk
24:1-12; Jn
20:1-18
(This material
is developed
from an
outline in the
Life
Application
Bible)
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version and a variety of other versions.
Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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