The Man Who DIDN"T Live Out His Faith

 "But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' Then he said, ' Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise'" Luke 23:40-43

Here we are introduced to a man who was saved just as his life was ebbing away in an extremely excruciating manner. He was never going to attend church or a bible study. He would never read the gospels or study the epistles. He would never serve in his local church or go on a mission trip, feed the homeless or do anything that a follower of Jesus would do. In fact, because the Romans reserved crucifixion for those whose deeds warranted making an example of them, this man's legacy was that he was one of the worst of the worst. He was evil!  If there was a man who could not be saved, this was him.

In the narrative of the rich young rular, (Matt 19:16-26) Jesus said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom. In the mindset of the day, it was thought that the rich people had an advantage because they were the ones funding the temple. Which is why the disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" Jesus' answer applies to each and every one of us: "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

While we can look at this man and say that his life was a dismal failure, none of us are any different. God's standard for righteousness is perfection. 99.999999(ad infinitum)% is not perfect. His standard is also pass or fail. Anything less than absolutely perfect, fails. James 2:10, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it." And because (Rom. 3:23) we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, we are no different than this criminal who was crucified along with Jesus.

After 3+ years of his ministry in which he taught that man cannot, by his good deeds be righteous before a holy God and that he himself was the only way to be saved. It seems appropriate that one of the last things God would do as Jesus was dying, would be to demonstrate for us just how, not only this man, but each and every one of us can be saved.

1. Confession: This man acknowledged his sin and that he was getting exactly what he deserved. It isn't just that we confess our sins but confess that God would be completely justified if he sent us to eternal judgment. he knew he was getting what he deserved and it is what we all deserve. 1 John 2:9, " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

2. Total dependence on Jesus. As he hung helplessly on that Roman cross, his plea was that Jesus would remember him. That was his only hope and it is our only hope. Acts 4:12, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Finally..
3. The assurance of salvation: Jesus promises him that he would be in Paradise with him that day.

The fact is that each and every one of us is just like that criminal on the cross: A wretched sinner saved by grace. And we are just as helpless as he was. It is only an illusion that we have any ability in our own strength.

So in just a few short verses we have this wonderful picture of God saving a sinner by his own love and grace, and a great example to follow in a man who never got a chance to actually live out his own faith...

                              OH BUT HE DID!!!!