This sermon was preached by Charles Spurgeon on April 7th, 1889. The text Charles preached on was taken from Luke 23:42-43, which reads "And he said unto Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.' And Jesus said unto him, 'Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.'" This story, of one of the two thieves crucified with Jesus coming to faith in Him during his dying moments, is one of the most heart-touching accounts in all of Scripture. It has brought tremendous assurance to many fearful hearts through the centuries who initially felt Jesus would never even hold fellowship with them, let alone save them, because of their lives of sin and life-long rebellion against God. This event demonstrates categorically that Jesus will respond tenderly yet firmly to a sinner pleading for mercy with the answer of eternal salvation. In his sermon, Spurgeon spoke of its significance this way, "The story of the salvation of the dying thief is a standing instance of the power of Christ to save and of His abundant willingness to receive all that come to Him, in whatever plight they may be. May the Holy Spirit speak through it to the encouragement of those who are ready to despair."
Spurgeon made many wonderful and insightful points concerning the brief yet timeless interchange between Jesus and the repentant thief. I would like to focus on two of those truths for this particular post; that Jesus is a friend of sinners, and that salvation is not by works but is by faith alone, in Christ alone.
The Befriender of Thieves and Sinners
Jesus' ministry was filled with touching examples of reaching out to those whom society and the world had cast aside as worthless and hell-deserving sinners. But surely the grandest and most awe-inspiring example was when He reached out to this pleading thief, even while Jesus Himself was in the midst of His own suffering and excruciating pain on His own cross. All other instances of Jesus showing mercy to the needy were when Jesus Himself was healthy and in no physical pain or discomfort. But on the cross, Jesus is bearing the intense physical pain of crucifixion, and simultaneously bearing the wrath of God for the sins of mankind; and yet He summons the love within His own nature to hear the pleas and cries of an unholy man who was dying a deserved death. Instead of Jesus being self-absorbed in His own final moments of His earthly life, He uses what strength He has left to impart life-giving words directly into the heart of one who was on the edge of death and the brink of hell, and gives him the ultimate assurance of passage into Heaven itself. What more hope could we as sinners ourselves ask for then the hope received by the thief at Jesus' side? In fact, we who cry out to Jesus today should exhibit more of a hope in Jesus, because the thief sought deliverance from Jesus while Jesus was dying, but we today have a risen and resurrected Jesus to save us from our sins. Charles Spurgeon stated it as such, "If a dying Savior saved the thief, my argument is, that He can do even more now that He liveth and reigneth. All power is given unto Him in heaven and earth; can anything at this present time surpass the power of His grace?"
No matter what heinous sins you may have committed in your life, nor any form of evil you may have taken part in or caused, if you trust in Jesus' love for you, then you are one with whom Jesus would show compassion, embrace, and hold unashamed fellowship with. Charles points out this truth by focusing on the fact that of all people whom Jesus could have allowed to not only die at His side, but to enter into heaven with, He chose the most unworthy of all possibilities; a guilty thief who did not spend even one moment of his life for God. Charles worded this profound truth this way, "Who is this that entereth the pearl-gate at the same moment as the King of glory? Who is this favored companion of the Redeemer? Is it some honored martyr? Is it a faithful apostle? Is it a patriarch, like Abraham; or a prince, like David? It is none of these. Behold, and be amazed at sovereign grace. He that goeth in at the gate of paradise, with the King of glory, is a thief, who was saved in the article of death. He is saved in no inferior way, and received into bliss in no secondary style. Verily, there are last which shall be first!"
By Faith Alone In Christ Alone
In my personal opinion there is no more burden-relieving or soul-comforting doctrine in the entirety of Scripture than the doctrine of salvation being by faith alone in Christ alone. This teaching is declared all throughout the New Testament, for example Romans 3:28, Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8-9. It is one thing to be taught such teachings as a student learns a lesson from a teacher, but in the interaction between Jesus and the repentant thief we actually have this truth displayed before us in a very real and encompassing manner. The thief was a criminal before He met Jesus, and therefore nothing in his life would even be considered godly, let alone salvation-worthy. As well as after the thief spoke with Jesus, he did not and could not do any good works of his own, for he was dead within hours (perhaps even just minutes) after Jesus gave him the promise of entrance into His kingdom, which was fulfilled that very day. The thief was literally bereft of any good works, and all he had to put his hope in was simply turning to Jesus for mercy, and that was enough. Jesus and the thief did not barter for salvation, Jesus did not require time and effort from the thief before giving him passage into heaven, but rather having the thief call out to Jesus in complete desperation and complete trust was all that was required to fully unite the thief with his compassionate and loving Savior. Spurgeon worded the thief's merciful deliverance as follows, "If anything beyond faith is needed to make us fit to enter paradise, the thief would have been kept a little longer here; but no, he is, in the morning, in the state of nature, at noon he enters the state of grace, and by sunset he is in the state of glory."
The thief had his life taken away because of what he stole with his hands, but with his faith he was given eternal life because of what Jesus freely gave him; grace. We today are in the exact situation as the thief on the cross; devoid of worthiness, completely helpless, and entirely hopeless, until we turn to Jesus in faith and plead for His mercy. As Spurgeon concludes, "He [God] that reads the heart will read your faith written on its fleshly tablets, and He will accept you through Jesus Christ, even though no act of grace has been visible to the eyes of man."
Let us learn to take great comfort, confidence, and joy in reading the brief but life-altering relationship the thief had with Jesus, as he was promised fellowship with Jesus as he was dying, as well as the promise of eternal fellowship with Him in His glorious kingdom. We too may take hold of those same two promises of fellowship with Jesus in this life and the life to come, and it is all granted to us by faith when we meet Jesus as the thief did, on the Cross. I would like to conclude with a poem I wrote about the repentant thief, as well as a few more quotes of Charles Spurgeon from his sermon "The Believing Thief."
A Dying Thief And His Dying Savior
Today is the day I die - A just punishment for my crime
I stole what I did not possess - Forfeiting my remaining time
My offense calls for crucifixion - To prolong my agony
But I will not be dying alone - To be executed today is three
One is a criminal as myself - He too must pay for his deeds
But with Jesus I do not understand - What his charges could possibly be
It's been said he healed the sick - And gave sight to the blind
His life should be celebrated - Not nailed to a cross crucified
Yet he speaks no word in protest - Does not declare his innocence
As the crowd cruelly mocks and jeers - He silently endures injustice
I wonder if his ministry - Of healings and miracles
Could produce one more act of grace - And overcome my sin's obstacles
Is it possible that I could find life - In one who is about to die
Pierced, bruised, and bloodied too - As seemingly helpless as I
I now have just a few moments - Before my life will pass away
I desperately need this day of judgment - Turned into my salvation day
For help I do not peer out - Into the incensed crowd
Nor to my criminal associate - Who is cursing Jesus aloud
With my last few ounces of strength - I well up words within my dry throat
Turning to Jesus for an ounce of mercy - I call to him as my only hope
"Jesus, remember me - When you are crowned King"
This my final plea I hoped - Would not on deaf ears ring
He lifted his head and softly spoke - His words melting my heart of ice
"Truly I say to you today - You will be with me in paradise"
At once my heart was set free - And embraced through divine love
No longer to reside here below - But taken to heaven above
Though his hands and feet are nailed - To the cross in a steadfast way
His love and grace freely roam - Capturing me as I drift away
I can now die in peace - A redeemed and forgiven thief
My soul stolen from hell's grasp - When I heard Jesus speak
Amidst my dying moments - When no one else would comfort me
My dying Savior by my side - Gave words of hope for eternity
"Today you will be with me in paradise" - Luke 23:43
"This poor thief breathed the humble but fitting prayer, "Lord, remember me." This does not seem to ask much; but as he understood it, it meant all that an anxious heart could desire. As he thought of the kingdom, he had such clear ideas of the glory of the Savior, that he felt that if the Lord would think of him, his eternal state would be safe... Can you not pray this morning, and thus secure a place in the memory of the Lord Jesus."
- Charles Spurgeon, The Believing Thief
"Our Savior took this dying thief into the paradise of infinite delight, and this is where He will take all of us sinners who believe in Him."
- Charles Spurgeon, The Believing Thief
"Jesus was last seen on Earth before His death in company with a convicted felon, to whom He spoke most lovingly. Come, O ye guilty, and He will receive you graciously!"
