Where Will You Spend Eternity?

Luke 23:39-43 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. The crucifixion of Jesus is an emotionally charged scene. Leading up to this point we find that Jesus has been through a mock trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin. Jesus has appeared before the roman political leader Pontius Pilate, who could find no fault in Christ. Even Pilates wife has made an appearance begging for her husband to let Jesus free, telling him that he should have nothing to do with Jesus penalty. Pilate uses a wash basin to wash his hands of this whole mockery and disavows responsibility for Jesus death, but hands Him over to die. Jesus is lead through the streets of Jerusalem amid the jeers and chants of an ungodly people. After arriving at the Place of the Skull Jesus is placed upon and nailed to the cross, which is then lifted up with its divine/human cargo to place in a hole that has been specially made for the cross. We learn from Scripture that Jesus was hung on the cross with two thieves, one on either side of Hum. One of them joins in with the with the crowd to mock Jesus, while the other thinks about where he is going to spend eternity. The Bible tells us that we all will leave for eternitythat eternity will be either in heaven or hell. Today are you mocking Jesus or are you thinking about where you will spend eternity? In these scriptures we see a contrast between those that refuse to accept Christ and those that come to their senses and realize that there is only One who can help us in our darkest hour and provide us with an eternal life with the Father. 1. The unrepentant thief (v. 39) a. He was unresponsive to Christ i. Someone once remarked that sin is not what keeps us from God; it is really our inability to respond to the love that God offers. It is our choice to turn down His offer of love and salvation ii. Let me give you a picture of this concept by the following illustration iii. A certain atheist barber was having a conversation with a minister as they drove through the slums of a large city. During the conversation the unbelieving barber posed a question that he believed would stump the minister and settle the issue

of whether God exists or not. And he asked this, If there is a loving God, how can He permit all this poverty, suffering, and violence among these people? Why doesnt He save them from all this? Just as soon as he finished his questioning a disheveled bum crossed the street. He was unshaven and filthy, with long scraggly hair hanging down his neck. The minister pointed to the bum and said, You are a barber and claim to be a good one, so why do you allow that man to go without a decent haircut and unshaven? Why, why the barber stuttered, he never gave me a chance to fix him up. Exactly said the minister. Men are what they are because they reject Gods help. b. He had hardened his heart out of habit c. He refused to believe Jesus in spite of the signs i. There was no repentance in his attitude ii. There was no love in his attitude iii. He refused to listen, even to the testimony of the other thief hanging with him iv. There was no faith even when he heard Jesus tell the other thief that today shalt thou be with me in paradise. d. Because he did not believe in Jesus he gave up his gift of an eternal life with the Father. i. Have you lost your responsiveness to the leading of Jesus today? ii. Have you refused to see the signs of Jesus that are happening in your life? iii. Have you refused to listen to the Word of God, instead going on your own belief and desires? iv. Have you hardened your heart out of habit? v. Where will you spend eternity? 2. The Repentant Thief (v. 42) a. He recognized that he was a sinner (v. 41) i. He was in the habit of sinning. ii. He was separated from God. iii. He was lost in the world. b. He recognized his need to respond to Jesus i. He recognized who it was hanging next to him on the cross. 1. He confessed his sin to Jesus even on the cross. a. He is a prime example that salvation is not by our own works, but by belief and confession.

i. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:10 b. He is a prime example that salvation is by faith. c. He is a prime example of Gods love for us that salvation was still available to him in his last hours of life, see Matthew 20 for the parable of the laborers in the vineyard c. He accepted his opportunity to repent. d. He received Christs gift of paradise. e. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. The thief knew his life was over and in so knowing realized that Jesus is the only way. And in the thiefs knowledge of the man hanging in the middle he realized who Jesus was and what He had done was the truth. And the thief knew that Jesus came to bring life. f. Unlike the unrepentant thief this thief knew that the power was in Jesus staying on the cross, not in Jesus getting off the cross. 3. Jesus the Savior a. Willing to reach out even in His own agony so that none may be lost. i. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 b. Willing to love even in His agony. i. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 ii. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:11 c. Willing to save even in His agony. i. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 d. Willing to die even in His agony.

i. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 4. Have you jeered Jesus by ignoring His leading in your life? 5. Have you jeered Jesus by running from a calling in your church or community? 6. Have you jeered Jesus by refusing to witness to someone that the Lord has sent your way? 7. Have you turned away your gift of eternal life by living two lives: one that we see at church and the real one that you live at home? Like one of the thieves on the cross have you realized your need for a savior and confessed to Him your sins? Or have you put it off because you believe that you can do it later? The thief realized his need of a savior, what about you? Where will you spend eternity?