Luke 23:32 - Two others—criminals—were also led away to be executed with him. 33 When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided his clothes and cast lots.
35 The people stood watching, and even the leaders were scoffing: “He saved others; let him save himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him. They came offering him sour wine 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 An inscription was above him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”(CSB)
The two thieves had in common:
• Both are
• Both are
• Both know
WHY DID ONE THIEF GO TO HEAVEN AND OTHER DID NOT?
1. One
what he thought about Jesus. The one who went to heaven thought
.
2. One
God and the other
himself before God.
3. One
, and the other got
about his sin and need for forgiveness.
4. One
Jesus, and the other
in Him.
5. Only one thief on the cross
Jesus for Eternal Life.
For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:16 (CSB)
IMPORTANT LINKS:
RESPONSE CARD
ONLINE GIVING
CATCH THE WAVE
REQUEST BAPTISM
MEMBERSHIP INFO
BIBLE STUDY QUESTIONS
LIFE GROUP LEADERS: TAKE ATTENDANCE!!
(Use the Church Center App)
1) Who do you love so much that you would do anything for them?
2) What blessed you the most from worshipping at HBChurch this last weekend?
3) What did the Holy Spirit say to you through the pastor’s sermon?
4) Can you think of any examples of this among celebrities such as actors, singers, etc. where their religion or “faith” is actually a mockery of God and the gospel?
5) The thief died on the cross and went straight to heaven with Jesus. Yet, some people believe in a place in the afterlife called Purgatory. They believe this as a place or state of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins before going to heaven. The belief is that God’s grace provides you eventual access to heaven, but until you earn heaven for yourself through good works and/or penance, you will have to remain in Purgatory. Yet Purgatory is not found in the Bible. Why is the concept of Purgatory inconsistent with the gospel? (Consider these verses)
Romans 3:21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—[22] the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [25] whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith…(ESV)
1John 4:9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. [10] In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (ESV)
Hebrews 9:26 …. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. [27] And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, [28] so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (ESV)
6) List your favorite verses in the Bible that teach us that we are saved by faith and grace alone (not works or religion). Try to find at least seven different passages of Scripture about this wonderful aspect of the Gospel.
7) Pray for one another and for your spiritual leaders.