Title: The Repentant Robber (Luke 23:39-43)
Content British preacher John Lyle said that the text we just read is worthy of being printed in gold.
It will be the history of the salvation of countless souls, and people will forever thank God for the story of the robbers who repented in the Bible.
That's right.
We tend to exclude ourselves in general.
But I am a robber and deserve the death penalty.
How can you say that stealing other people's belongings and killing people are only terrible sins? It is a terrible crime that occurs between humans, and it is a sin that deserves punishment. To God, all are fearful sinners who will commit treason.
It is through God's mercy that He has given us the grace of salvation.
Today's text shows how God's sovereign grace to save sinners comes upon us.
Two evildoers, one on the right and one on the left of the Lord. Both of them must have seen and heard what happened during the six hours He was crucified.
They were dying people, in excruciating pain, all in need of forgiveness.
But one man did not repent as he lived and died with a hardened heart and unbelief.
Another repented, cried out for mercy, and was saved.
It is these two kinds of robbers who live in the world we live in today.
Some go unforgivable in unbelief and stubbornness, and go to eternal hell, while others repent and, by the mercy of the Lord, be with the Lord in paradise.
In the same circumstance with no difference, how did it happen that one person repented and the other died in their sins Why did one person repent after hearing the same sermon, but the other was indifferent to the same gospel? We cannot answer this because it is revealed to this one person and hidden to the other.
I just know that such a phenomenon exists.
It corresponds to the sovereignty of God.
But what we need to know is that through the salvation of this robber, no matter how great a sinner, we should not give up.
Anyone can be saved.
As long as he accepts the forgiveness of the cross of the Lord, he will be with the Lord in paradise.
There is something very important in today's message.
That is the characteristic of true repentance.
Many people know the obvious fact that the robber was saved at the moment of death, but see no further.
This saved robber was concerned with the sinfulness of his fellow man who insulted the Lord.
So he says:
(Do you not fear God, even though you are under the same condemnation?) And he speaks of his sin.
(Naturally, we receive a fair reward for our deeds.) Then we openly confess the Lord's innocence.
(Nothing was wrong with this man) And he believed that the Lord was mighty and would save him.
And he cried out to the Lord who was crucified and asked him to remember him.
This is prayer.
His repentance was accomplished in a very short period of time, but few have left such excellent evidence of repentance.
When we look at this thief's repentance, we must be careful not to turn it into an unfruitful repentance.
Thousands of people are dying in lies that deceive themselves. So, they have the illusion that they will be saved just as the robber was saved at the moment of death.
We must know for sure that we cannot be saved without true repentance.
How can we deceive God, who sees with flaming eyes? How can we enter the kingdom of God by lying? What John the Baptist demanded of people is fruit worthy of repentance.
Dear saints, We must always examine ourselves.
If we truly repent, we must not cast doubt on how a person who acts like me can be saved.
Please listen to the voice of the Lord calling for true repentance through today's Word.
There are many churches on this earth today, and I wonder if there would be such chaos and problems if all people had truly repented. Obviously, there are people who have repented under the illusion.
But nevertheless, the Lord has a zeal to save us.
The time when the robber was saved was the time when the Lord was most vulnerable.
Although the Lord suffered on the cross, he opened the door of salvation at the robber's appeal.
Even at the moment of death, the Lord accepted this thief who prayed with a humble heart, even if he had no need to show off his evil deeds.
Even if we have never had anything to stand before the Lord, break the hearts of many people, and cause harm, even if we do not fully stand before the Lord, we can be saved by the grace of the Lord.
This dying thief had not been baptized and had not taken part in the Lord's Supper, but we cannot doubt his salvation.
We must keep this fact in our hearts.
The Lord accepts repentant souls.
But that repentance must be sincere.
How can we fakely enter heaven?
Dear saints, The believer's salvation is present, not future.
Believers immediately enter into rest and glory.
In answer to the evildoer's prayer, the Lord says:
(Today you will be with me in paradise) This tells us that at the moment a believer dies, his soul is in happiness and security.
It is a fact that, although complete salvation has not yet been achieved, the repentant soul at the moment of the last breath is put to sleep in Christ.
We must therefore not live like those without hope.
If we die in the Lord, it is also beneficial to die.
All saints! Today, I pray that you will bear fruit worthy of repentance, and now live your life as children, confident that our repentance is not false repentance.