Keep sharing good news without ads.
Bro. Otis Fisher
Where in the 23rd chapter of Luke, verse 27, we're at the crucifixion, on our way to the hill.
And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
But Jesus, turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
On the way to the cross, he spoke to women who were crying about him.
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
Great Tribulation. Then he told the women not to weep for him, because he doesn't want our sympathy.
He wants our faith. He didn't have to die, and he did not die to gain our sympathy.
29. For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say,
Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bear, and the paps that never gave suck.
Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills,
Cover us. For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
Now Russell, what does that verse mean? To do the things in the green tree, what shall be done to the dry?
Alright. Bill, what do you think it means? Well, I don't either really.
Clarence, what do you think? Alright.
Our pastor just come in. Let me get his thoughts. We're in the 31st verse of the 23rd chapter,
David. For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
What do you think that means? 31st.
23rd chapter, 31st verse. Alright.
And there were also two other malfactors led with him to be put to death.
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.
These are two criminals, tried for crimes of which they were guilty.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
And they parted his raiment and cast lots, and the people stood beholding, and the rulers also with them, deriding him, saying,
He saved others, let him save himself. If he be Christ, the chosen of God.
What would have happened, John, if Christ had come down from the cross?
He wouldn't have been Christ. He would not have fulfilled all of Isaiah 53, which speaks of his death.
He was taken from among prison, from a prison and from judgment.
And who shall declare his generation? For he was also cut off out of the land of the living.
For he, the transgression of my people, was he stricken.
Because Jesus stayed on the cross, we can be healed of sins, of sin.
That's the awful plague of mankind, the sin of this world.
36. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, and saying,
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.
Now I want to ask, why those three, Bill? Alright, this is the king of the
Jews. They wanted Pilate to write, he says he's king of the Jews, but he didn't.
When Jesus was crucified, they put a superscription over him in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
Greek was the language of intelligence, of education, of literature, of science.
Latin was the language of law and order, of the military and the government.
Hebrew was the language of religion. Now, when
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.
How accurate this subscription was. 39.
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying,
If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. Who's he thinking about?
Himself. 40. But the other answered, rebuking 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 the same malefactor, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
Now, what did this criminal hanging on a tree know by this time,
Russell? Jesus answered him, and said,
Verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.
That very day this thief, who was not fit to live on earth, according to the
Roman government, went to be with the Lord. This was a bad thief, not a good one.
We have so many good ones now. But because of his faith in the
Son of God, he became a saved thief. This man had faith to believe that the
Lord Jesus was coming into a kingdom, and it would come after his death.
He realized that. This thief had come a long way in his theology while hanging on the cross.
Our Lord made the remarkable statement that this thief would be in paradise with him that very day.
What did that mean, John? All right.
David, what would have to happen first? That's it.
These two thieves had been arrested for the same crime. Tried for the same crime.
Condemned for the same crime. And were dying for the same crime. What was the difference between them?
There wasn't any. They were both thieves.
The difference lies in the fact that one thief believed in Jesus Christ and one did not.
You couldn't see any difference, could you, Russell? Many years ago,
I had a friend that ran into a liberal preacher.
They were both preachers. And this friend of mine asked the liberal,
What would you tell the thief on the cross? Would you tell him to run on errands of mercy?
Would you tell him to use his hands for deeds of kindness? And the liberal looked at him rather shocked and startled.
And before he could answer, he continued, Well, come on. That's what you would tell your people?
Yes, he said, but they can do those things. But what are you going to tell this poor thief?
What can he do? His hands and feet are not coming down from the cross until they come down in death.
And by the way, what church would you ask him to join? What ceremony would you ask him to go through?
Our Lord said to that thief, Today you'll be with me in paradise.
He went into the presence of God because of his faith in Christ. I want to repeat again what
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.
It's the attitude of your heart that makes the difference. I want to stop right there.