- 00:05
- Where in the 23rd chapter of Luke, verse 27, we're at the crucifixion, on our way to the hill.
- 00:23
- And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
- 00:32
- But Jesus, turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
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- On the way to the cross, he spoke to women who were crying about him.
- 00:59
- He said there was a day coming when it would be better to not bring children into the world, referring to the time of the
- 01:11
- Great Tribulation. Then he told the women not to weep for him, because he doesn't want our sympathy.
- 01:23
- He wants our faith. He didn't have to die, and he did not die to gain our sympathy.
- 01:42
- 29. For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say,
- 01:49
- Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bear, and the paps that never gave suck.
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- Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills,
- 02:07
- Cover us. For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
- 02:22
- Now Russell, what does that verse mean? To do the things in the green tree, what shall be done to the dry?
- 02:53
- Alright. Bill, what do you think it means? Well, I don't either really.
- 03:31
- Clarence, what do you think? Alright.
- 03:57
- Our pastor just come in. Let me get his thoughts. We're in the 31st verse of the 23rd chapter,
- 04:05
- David. For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
- 04:14
- What do you think that means? 31st.
- 04:20
- 23rd chapter, 31st verse. Alright.
- 05:10
- And there were also two other malfactors led with him to be put to death.
- 05:19
- And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malfactors, one on the right hand, and one on the left.
- 05:32
- These are two criminals, tried for crimes of which they were guilty.
- 05:40
- Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
- 05:48
- And they parted his raiment and cast lots, and the people stood beholding, and the rulers also with them, deriding him, saying,
- 06:01
- He saved others, let him save himself. If he be Christ, the chosen of God.
- 06:12
- What would have happened, John, if Christ had come down from the cross?
- 06:37
- He wouldn't have been Christ. He would not have fulfilled all of Isaiah 53, which speaks of his death.
- 06:49
- He was taken from among prison, from a prison and from judgment.
- 06:55
- And who shall declare his generation? For he was also cut off out of the land of the living.
- 07:03
- For he, the transgression of my people, was he stricken.
- 07:11
- Because Jesus stayed on the cross, we can be healed of sins, of sin.
- 07:19
- That's the awful plague of mankind, the sin of this world.
- 07:25
- 36. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, and saying,
- 07:37
- If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
- 07:51
- Now I want to ask, why those three, Bill? Alright, this is the king of the
- 08:17
- Jews. They wanted Pilate to write, he says he's king of the Jews, but he didn't.
- 08:26
- When Jesus was crucified, they put a superscription over him in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
- 08:32
- Greek was the language of intelligence, of education, of literature, of science.
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- Latin was the language of law and order, of the military and the government.
- 08:47
- Hebrew was the language of religion. Now, when
- 08:52
- Christ returns to this earth, and he sets up his kingdom, he will be the political ruler, the educational ruler, and the criminal ruler of this universe.
- 09:09
- How accurate this subscription was. 39.
- 09:20
- And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying,
- 09:30
- If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. Who's he thinking about?
- 09:38
- Himself. 40. But the other answered, rebuking him, saying,
- 09:44
- Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
- 09:54
- 41. And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds.
- 10:01
- But this man hath done nothing amiss. 42. And he said unto
- 10:07
- Jesus the same malefactor, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
- 10:17
- Now, what did this criminal hanging on a tree know by this time,
- 10:23
- Russell? Jesus answered him, and said,
- 10:42
- Verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.
- 10:49
- That very day this thief, who was not fit to live on earth, according to the
- 10:59
- Roman government, went to be with the Lord. This was a bad thief, not a good one.
- 11:09
- We have so many good ones now. But because of his faith in the
- 11:14
- Son of God, he became a saved thief. This man had faith to believe that the
- 11:24
- Lord Jesus was coming into a kingdom, and it would come after his death.
- 11:33
- He realized that. This thief had come a long way in his theology while hanging on the cross.
- 11:44
- Our Lord made the remarkable statement that this thief would be in paradise with him that very day.
- 11:58
- What did that mean, John? All right.
- 12:09
- David, what would have to happen first? That's it.
- 12:26
- These two thieves had been arrested for the same crime. Tried for the same crime.
- 12:36
- Condemned for the same crime. And were dying for the same crime. What was the difference between them?
- 12:46
- There wasn't any. They were both thieves.
- 12:53
- The difference lies in the fact that one thief believed in Jesus Christ and one did not.
- 13:03
- You couldn't see any difference, could you, Russell? Many years ago,
- 13:12
- I had a friend that ran into a liberal preacher.
- 13:19
- They were both preachers. And this friend of mine asked the liberal,
- 13:25
- What would you tell the thief on the cross? Would you tell him to run on errands of mercy?
- 13:34
- Would you tell him to use his hands for deeds of kindness? And the liberal looked at him rather shocked and startled.
- 13:49
- And before he could answer, he continued, Well, come on. That's what you would tell your people?
- 13:58
- Yes, he said, but they can do those things. But what are you going to tell this poor thief?
- 14:13
- What can he do? His hands and feet are not coming down from the cross until they come down in death.
- 14:22
- And by the way, what church would you ask him to join? What ceremony would you ask him to go through?
- 14:37
- Our Lord said to that thief, Today you'll be with me in paradise.
- 14:46
- He went into the presence of God because of his faith in Christ. I want to repeat again what
- 14:55
- I said this morning. It makes no difference what kind of meat you eat, drink that you drink, or where you go or what you do.
- 15:09
- It's the attitude of your heart that makes the difference. I want to stop right there.
