A Deathbed Conversion

I want you to keep in mind that he's going to confess his guilt and his faith before supernatural darkness covers the earth, before the earthquake rattles everything, before these miracles of nature attest to the violation of its creator, before the centurion says, share this with the Son of God, before any of that, before any of that takes place, based on what he's heard, what he reads, he arrives at this moment of admission. Some of the most revealing confessions come on a deathbed.

From historical figures to ordinary people, the truth often surfaces when time runs out. Today on Wisdom for the Heart, Stephen will show you the most famous deathbed confession ever recorded. It's the story of the thief on the cross beside Jesus. He wasn't a hero, but a convicted criminal. And yet, in his final moments, he made an astonishing request to Jesus. It's a request that has inspired generations and offered hope to anyone who's felt beyond redemption.

Here's Stephen with a message of forgiveness and hope. Now we're not told here who arranged for Jesus to be crucified with these two men, these two partners in crime. Luke refers to them with a common word for criminal. Matthew calls them robbers.

You could translate that in our vernacular, gangsters. They were members of an organized group of men who were willing to murder Romans, as well as Jews who collaborated with Rome, the hidden Rome. The Gospel of Mark used the same word for these two men as he does for Barabbas. They were more than likely involved with Barabbas.

These men all had blood on their hands. It could have been the Jewish leaders who arranged for Jesus to be crucified with criminals, sort of one final way to humiliate him, to effectively declare that Jesus was no better than these wicked men. What we do know is that this arrangement fulfills prophecy. Isaiah wrote hundreds of years beforehand that the suffering servant, the Messiah, would be numbered with the transgressors, Isaiah 53, 12. In fact, Mark, in his Gospel again, doesn't want us to miss the connection. So he puts it this way, and with him they crucify two robbers, one on his right, one on his left, and the Scripture was fulfilled.

That says, this is Isaiah, he was numbered with the transgressors. This is a reminder that man at his worst can't overrule what God is fulfilling in his Word. This is another reminder that mankind ultimately is not in control of history. Yes, these people are responsible. They're not robots. They're accountable. They're exercising their free will. But God is moving everything according to his divine arrangement in the mystery of his sovereign providence.

There are no accidents here, disappointments. Jesus isn't just going to die. He's about to have a divine appointment with a man who doesn't have very long to live.

Now, following the arrangement, notice next the abuse. Luke goes on here, verse 35, to record, and the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, he saved others, let him save himself. If he is the Christ, that is the anointed of God, his chosen one. Matthew's Gospel adds that the religious leaders, the Sanhedrin, if you can imagine, and the Supreme Court justices of Israel, they're out here as well. Matthew writes, they mocked him, saying he saved others.

He cannot save himself. Let him come down now from the cross and we will believe in him, for he said, I am the son of God. Anybody who says Jesus never said he was the son of God, they just haven't read the Bible. They certainly got it. By the way, the justices of Israel's Supreme Court didn't leave their homes and walk up to a crucifixion scene to mock somebody they put on death row. This is highly unusual. Supreme Court justices to this day, they don't crowd the witness room before the lethal injection to watch someone die.

They refuse to release at the midnight hour. They're certainly not going to show up to mock him, but they did. They just can't leave Jesus alone.

This is demonically inspired hatred. Matthew records that even the two criminals initially joined in mocking in this abusive treatment of Jesus. Even the Roman soldiers won't leave him alone. Luke adds here, verse 36, the soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering them sour wine and saying, if you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. Then Luke reminds us that attached above Jesus was the placard written in three languages so everybody could read it. This is Jesus, the king of the Jews. Now that placard would have only invited more mockery. I mean, we've been waiting for our true king, but let this cross settle it once and forever.

You, Jesus, are not him. Now all this mockery was meant for evil, but God the Father's going to use it for good. Keep in mind these two murderers on either side of them knew very little about this Galilean rabbi. They'd been involved and invested in killing as many Romans as they could. But just think of what they're hearing now. Think of what they're reading and learning. I just sort of put the statements together.

This is what they're hearing. He claims to be the Messiah. He says he is the chosen one. He is the son of God. He is the king of the Jews. He is the anointed Messiah. He saved others. This criminal, one of them evidently was studying the placard hanging above the head of Jesus.

This is Jesus, the fuller statement, the king of the Jews. He's no doubt amazed that instead of watching Jesus cursing back at the soldiers and at the judges who put him on the cross, instead of venting his fury and his rage against them for their mockery, he hears Jesus next to him repeatedly saying, Father forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. Father forgive them. They don't know what they're doing. Father forgive them.

They don't know what they're doing. He would have been struck by all of this. Who prays to God as if he were his father? He didn't pray like that.

Who responds with compassion to this kind of cruelty? He knew some of these judges, no doubt. He would have slit some of their throats if he'd had a chance.

They were collaborators with Rome. But here's Jesus. Why would the Sanhedrin come up here to challenge Jesus to come down from the cross? Evidently he can or they wouldn't have come to see if he would. Perhaps the thief is struck by the fact that these corrupt leaders are condemning a man for claiming to be the son of God.

But listen to him. He's praying to God as his father. He's asking his father to forgive these men.

Who does that? This must be true. I bet this is all true. The Spirit of God, by the grace of God, opens this contemplative man's eyes. And he once was blind, but now he what? He sees it's true. Now I want you to keep in mind that he's going to confess his guilt and his faith before supernatural darkness covers the earth.

Before the earthquake rattles everything. Before these miracles of nature attest to the violation of its creator. Before the Sanhedrin says, surely this was the son of God. Before any of that, before any of that takes place, based on what he's heard, what he reads, he arrives at this moment.

I'll call it this moment of admission. Notice verse 39. One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him saying, are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us. But the other rebuked him.

And now this could be two hours later, three hours later, right before the darkness comes. Do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation and we indeed justly for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds? Hear what he admits? He admits he's going to stand before God. Do you not fear God? He admits that he deserves the judgment of God.

We are receiving the due reward of our deeds. But that wasn't all he admitted the last part of verse 41, but this man Jesus has done nothing wrong. He publicly admits what everyone knows is true. Like that little child, remember? He saw that naked king parading around in his supposedly fine clothing that only sophisticated people could truly see until he finally blurts out, the emperor has what?

No clothes. I mean, here you have the most unlikely person on the planet delivering the final blow to the Supreme Court justices, to the nation Israel, to the Roman government. This man has done nothing wrong. Let me tell you, this deathbed confession was an incredible declaration, but he's also admitting and more personally his own sin and guilt before a holy God he knows he's about to meet.

I could summarize his deathbed statements. I'm a guilty sinner. I deserve to die for my sins. I will give an account to God as my judge, and I don't have a prayer. Oh, wait.

I've got one. By the way, have you said something like that to God? I'm a guilty sinner. I deserve to die for my sin. I deserve to be judged by God. I don't have any hope.

I'm helpless, and I've got one prayer. Something is happening in this hardened criminal's heart, something marvelous, something magnificent, something miraculous. His cross becomes a classroom. He's going to demonstrate genuine confession, repentance, and trust. Following this admission, he makes his appeal.

We'll call it that, the appeal. Verse 42, and he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. One of the greatest statements of faith you'll ever read. He doesn't say, Jesus, remember me if you come into your kingdom. Look, Lord, if everything works out, you really do have a kingdom, and you come with that kingdom, would you remember me? Oh, no. No, no, no. Lord, I believe you are the king of Israel, and you have a kingdom coming in the future. Can you imagine? This thief has become a premillennialist right here. There's a kingdom coming. Lord, let me be a part of it.

Can he be serious? The evidence doesn't match this statement. Jesus is not heading for a throne. He's hanging on a cross. He's not wearing a diadem. He's wearing a crown of thorns.

He's not welcomed by the nations, being rejected by the nations. Do you have a dying man believing in a dying king? Is this thief blind? Oh, no.

I once was blind, but now I see. Maybe you're saying in your heart today, you know, if I had a little more evidence that Jesus was the Son of God and the coming king of a future kingdom, well, I'd believe in him. No, you wouldn't. My dear friend, you do not lack evidence. You lack interest.

You lack willingness to acknowledge what you intuitively know. He's the true King, and you're going to meet God one day, and you're not ready. So contrary to the evidence, in spite of the lack of evidence, the thief looks over at this blood-caked, beaten, swollen-faced, dying Jesus and says, I believe you are the long-awaited King, and when you come with your kingdom one day, would you remember me?

Wow. And to that, Jesus gives this wonderful answer. Verse 43, here's the answer. And he, Jesus said to him, truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. Now, we're going to do this in one sermon, okay, but there's so much here.

Get the irony of this answer. Jesus is in the process of being crucified for being a liar, an imposter. The Supreme Court is unanimously determined that he's blasphemed by claiming to lie about who he was, the Son of God. Now they're listening to this exchange. Remember, they're all around the cross mocking him.

They're listening to this exchange. Lord, would you remember me when you come in your kingdom, and they would expect Jesus at this point to say, you know, it's time for my deathbed confession. I know I've said all those things in the past, but now that I'm going to die, I probably ought to come clean. I'm sorry for making claims like that. Don't trust in me. I got a little carried away.

Pal, I can't do anything for you. That photograph of me as a Messiah was a fake. I know Jesus says, truly, I'm going to tell you the truth.

Here's the truth. I am who I said I am. Today, you're going to enjoy paradise with me.

In the original language, in the construction of the Greek language, the word today is placed forward for emphasis. Today, today, you will be with me in paradise. That brief statement shatters all kinds of false teaching.

Let me quickly rehearse five of them. One, it destroys the false doctrine of baptismal regeneration. That is the belief you've got to be baptized in order to be saved. A convert hanging on the cross couldn't go through any kind of Jewish ceremonial cleansing. He couldn't follow the Old Testament prophets sign of adherence to his message, John the Baptist. He certainly can't experience the, you know, new believers baptism. Jesus didn't holler down at the Roman soldiers, hey, well, what are you guys? Go get a bucket of water.

We got to get this guy wet. Jesus didn't say to them, after you've been baptized, I can assure you, you get into the kingdom. Secondly, Jesus' answer destroys the false teaching of soul sleep. This false doctrine teaches that believers are in a state of unconsciousness between death and the resurrection. The apostle Paul already told us to be absent from the body, speaking of death, is to be present with the Lord. Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 8. Jesus is soon going to say from the cross, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.

There isn't a limbo out there. There is a sudden conscious transition from earth to heaven immediately following death. Jesus did say to this thief, after your soul has been unconscious for at least 2,000 years and counting, I'll bring you in.

No, today, today. Third, this answer destroys the false teaching of purgatory. False doctrine that after death you go through the fire of purgatory in order to be purged, to be purified for the kingdom of heaven.

Well, that means this thief is going to spend a long time in purgatory because of his criminal record. Now Jesus makes this man a wonderful example that upon salvation you are immediately prepared and purified. In fact, the apostle Paul emphasized this truth when he wrote to the Colossians who are still living, that by faith in Christ they can now, Paul writes, give thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints and the light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness already, transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son in whom we have redemption to forgiveness of sins. You are not waiting to be qualified for heaven. You have been qualified by the sacrifice of Christ. You're not paying for your sins.

Jesus paid for them all. There's another, the Lord's answer here destroys the false teaching that there is no life after death. Jesus promises paradise to this dying thief, a promise of eternal life. The New Testament writers used paradise as a synonym for heaven on two occasions. The apostle Paul talked about being caught up to paradise where he was given a tour of heaven, 2 Corinthians chapter 12. John describes heaven in Revelation chapter 2 as a paradise where the tree of life bears fruit for the redeemed to enjoy. The word paradise would have been understood by this man. It's a Persian word which means a walled garden. In fact, when a king in the ancient days wished to do one of his subjects a very high honor, he bestowed on them the title companion of the garden.

And that meant that that individual had access, he had a key so to speak. He could go in and he could walk with the king. Jesus is using a term this man would understand. You're going to walk with me in my royal garden today.

Today. I love the connection that Warren Wiersbe made from this text when he wrote that the first Adam became a thief and was cast out of paradise. The last Adam, Jesus Christ turns now to a thief and promises him a garden of paradise. That leads me to expose another false teaching of faith plus works for salvation. Paul made it clear. We read a number of verses earlier together as an assembly. Paul writes, not by works of righteousness which you have done, but according to his mercy, he saved us. Titus 3.5.

So think of it. This thief couldn't offer one sacrifice in the temple. He couldn't get baptized. He couldn't give money to the Lord. He had no time to clean up his act.

He couldn't even prove the reality of his repentance by fruit, spiritual fruit. He couldn't set his criminal record straight. He couldn't make restitution to the Roman government. He couldn't apologize to the families of those whom he murdered. He couldn't do one thing for God, country, family, mankind. He literally couldn't do anything but die.

Except this. Before he died, do what we need to do. Trust in the royalty of Christ, our King. Let me make two final observations here from this classroom on Mount Calvary. This thief illustrates two lasting truths for us.

First, it's this. It's the truth that as long as you are alive, it's not too late to turn to Christ. Jesus doesn't say, you know, you kind of waited too long.

Sorry. This dying thief turned to Christ on the last day of his life. He's the most unlikely convert. This is the most unlikely place for conversion, and he's believing in a rather unlikely king, and all of it near the end of his life. By the way, that's why we should never say that we know for sure someone went to hell. We don't know what transpired between them and the Lord at the last possible moment.

Samuel Johnson was the famous author who compiled the Dictionary of the English Language in 1755, well-known. In his day, he was a committed believer. But he was fond of quoting a hopeful epitaph for people who felt they might have waited too long to ask God for mercy. And he would quote for them this little couplet. And the couplet is imagined as being a description of a man who's fatally thrown from his horse to the ground.

And the couplet goes like this. Between the stirrup and the ground, I mercy asked, I mercy found. Now listen, don't fall into the trap of thinking you'll wait until you're in the air to ask. And don't think that you'll be like this dying thief. I'm going to trust Christ. You know, in the last moment, I'm living my life.

I don't want to give it up. I'm going to wait. I'm going to wait until the last moment. And that's because you don't know when the last moment will be. You don't know the day when you will die. Why wait? One author writes, the dying thief wasn't saved at the last opportunity, but at his first opportunity. How many opportunities have you had, my friend?

Why not accept this one if you haven't already? Here's the second truth revealed in this deathbed conversion. No one is beyond the reach of God's grace. No one is too far gone. I mean, if there's anybody who's too far gone, it's this guy.

Heartened, calloused, a killer. He's beyond the reach of God's grace. Jesus is teaching us, no, no, no. Even here, even now, he can be saved. Because there is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins, and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty state. That dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day. There have I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away. That dying thief found hope in his last moments.

That same hope is available to you, no matter your past, no matter how late it seems. That was Stephen Davey, and this is Wisdom for the Heart. Stephen called today's message a deathbed conversion. Stephen is the pastor of the Shepherd's Church in Cary, North Carolina, and he's the president and Bible teacher of our ministry, Wisdom International. Learn more at wisdomonline.org. That site is a treasure of disciple-making resources that'll help you grow in your walk with Christ. Visit wisdomonline.org today, then join us back here next time on Wisdom for the Heart.