CROSS-WORD #2
Luke 23: 38-43
38 Now there was also an
inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling
abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ?
Save Yourself and us!" 40 But
the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God,
since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41
"And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we
deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" 43 And
He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in
I The ARRANGEMENT- of the sinners:
- On
* A man who is dying IN his sin
* A man who is dying FROM his sin
* In the middle, a man dying FOR sin
II The APPEAL of the sinners:
- Both thieves prayed to Jesus – vs. 39, vs. 42
- First was a prayer of CONVENIENCE
- Second was a prayer of CONVICTION
What had the repentant thief learned?
1. He ARRIVED at a belief in God
2. He ACCEPTED his own sinfulness
3. He APPRECIATED Christ’s sinlessness
4. He ACKNOWLEDGED Jesus Christ as:
SAVIOUR / LORD /
KING / COMING AGAIN
How do we account for such spiritual intelligence?
The HOLY SPIRIT was his Teacher!
REBUKE ŕ
REQUEST ŕ
III The ANSWER of the Saviour:
1. Grace is always AVAILABLE
2. Grace is FREE
3. Grace is UNLIMITED
4. Grace EXCEEDS all our human expectations
a. From mere Remembrance to Fellowship
b. From Future to Present
c.
From Kingdom to
V. The APPLICATION to today
1. Grace can be RECEIVED or RESISTED (undeserved favor)
2. Grace (undeserved favor)
needs to be regularly REKINDLED
* in Marriage – husband and wife are each “a fellow heir of the grace of life.” --- prized, loved, cherished
“ We live by encouragement and we die without it – slowly, sadly, angrily.”
* in Ministry – The primary purpose of the church is to glorify God. “ But you, are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them.” Jeremiah 45: 5
* Are you as a believer, are we as a church, characterized by:
- LEGALISM- or love
- GRACE - or greed
- PRIDE - or passion for worship, witness
- BICKERING - or bettering
- HEAR me! - or humility
- DISCOURAGEMENT or encouragement
- GOSSIP or Gospel
3. Grace ( undeserved
favor) needs to be RELEASED
Only grace shown TO the church body will be shown THROUGH the church body
If any group of Christians who claims to
believe and practice all God has said in His Book will face up to their
personal responsibilities within the family of Christ, and to the real needs of
the Christians around them, their church will impress its community with the
shining goodness of God’s grace to them and among
them. Such a transformation probably
would do more to attract others to Jesus Christ than house-to-house canvass,
evangelical campaign or new church facility. People are hungry for acceptance,
love and friends, and unless they find them in the church they may not stay there
long enough to become personally related to Jesus Christ. People are not persuaded – they are
attracted. We must be able to communicate
far more by what we are than by what we say.
Grace has a hem to her garment that trails in
the very dust; It
can reach the stains of the streets and the lanes… and because it can, it must.