Will You Be Remembered

Will You Be Remembered?

Luke 23:32-43

32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. 33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. {Calvary: or, The place of a skull} 34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. 35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. 36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, 37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. 38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

 I apologize that this sermon’s not a very deep sermon. When I was preparing my notes I had hoped to show off all the things that I’ve been taught up in bible college, but then I decided, I’d just rather brag about Jesus.

 And here in our text we see Jesus on the cross. And we see the people gathered around the cross looking at him in disgust, looking at him with shame. Notice that when Jesus was crucified, he was placed in the middle of two vile men. He was not only treated as a transgressor, but numbered with the worst of them.

Isaiah53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

"FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO" (Lu 23:34)"And He made intercession for the transgressors"

 At this point in the earthly life of Jesus one disciple had just betrayed him, another had just denied, and all had forsaken him. Even God had forsaken him so that Jesus cried out ELI, ELI, LAMMA SABACHTANI (my God my God why hast thou forsaken me).

 the Jews had condemned him as a heretic, the Gentiles crucified him as the vilest of impostors

 But look at Verse 42

LORD, REMEMBER ME WHEN THOU COMEST INTO THY KINGDOM.

This man was the first who believed in the intercession of Christ

Notice how this wicked man feared God. Notice how he owned the justice of his punishment. Notice how he wanted, not the preservation of his body, but rather the salvation of his soul. Not only for his soul, but the soul of his brother’s, that suffered with him. This once wicked man glorified Christ more at the moment of his death, than some do in the whole course of their lives. The apostles themselves didn’t have such a clear conception of the kingdom of Christ.

 The first thing I want to ask you tonight is: Do you remember? Do you remember when you felt the heavy weight of conviction for you sins? Do you remember when you called out to God just like this thief on the cross and asked him to save your wicked soul? Do you remember?

 Do you remember how relieved you felt do you remember how all that sin you had resting upon your shoulders was lifted? Do you remember how you wanted to tell all your friends? Do you still remember?

 I remember the day that I got saved, but at the time I wasn’t going to Bible-believing church. Nobody ever took the time to show me that I could be sure of my salvation. I always thought salvation was like Santa Claus.

 Santa Claus Salvation: As long as you don’t do anything to bad you’ll still get that present on Christmas day. But I had done some pretty bad things in my life. I’d done some things I wasn’t sure that God could forgive.

 Do you remember what it was like when you wanted to tell everyone you knew about Jesus? Do you Remember? I’m afraid we sometimes forget.