THREE CRIMINALS FACE THE SAVIOUR

                                LUKE 23:13-43                                                    

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. THE CRIMINAL CHOSEN OVER JESUS [v. 13-25]

1. The World Has a Choice [v. 13-17]

2. The World’s Choice is Clear [v. 14-15, 18-22]

3. The World Chose Wrong [v. 22-25] was he ever saved? We will not know until the afterlife.

II. THE CRIMINAL WHO CHOSE JESUS [V. 32-43]

1. His Realization [v. 38-42]

-he realized he was a sinner [v. 41a, Rm. 3:10, 23]

-he realized there is a penalty for sin [v. 40b, Rm. 6:23]

-he realized Jesus is the sinless Saviour [v. 38-41, Rm. 5:8]

-he realized he must ask Jesus to save him [v. 42, Rm. 10:13] he didn’t pray particularly well

2. His Rejection

-he did not try to join a church or religious institution [Jn. 3:16]

-he did not get baptized [Rm. 1:16, 1 Cor. 1:17, 15:1-4ff]

-he did not do good works [Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5]

3. His Reception [v. 43]

-He Received Christ as Saviour [Jn. 1:12]

-He Received Eternal Life [v. 43]

-He Received Assurance of Salvation [v. 43, 1 Jn. 5:11-13]

III. THE CRIMINAL WHO CHOSE WRONG [v. 35-39]

-he chose to follow the religious leaders [v. 35]

-he chose to follow the governmental workers [v. 36-37]

-he chose to follow the path of rejection [v. 39]

WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE?