Jesus And The Criminal On The Cross (Luke 23:26-43, Joel 2:12-32)
Rev. David Huffman, August 24, 2025Part of the Morning Worship at North Greenville Church series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
This is an incredible passage—the thief on the cross. This event fulfills Jesus’ and the prophets’ prophesies. Judgment is coming upon Jerusalem because of their rejection of Jesus. Jesus tells the mourners that they should morn for themselves. Two criminals were to be executed with Jesus. Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be numbered with the transgressors. This includes us as well so that we may be redeemed. Both criminals reviled Jesus. Then one rebuked the other criminal. He became the first fruits of Jesus’ redemption. He said to the other, “Do you not fear God?” He recognized is own sinfulness and guilt. He made no excuses for his crimes. He admits guilt and sinfulness, worthy of destruction. Yet he proclaims Jesus as the righteous one. How did he reach this conclusion? He must have heard Jesus’ words during the march to the cross, hearing His compassion for the people. The Jews should have believed, much more than this criminal. The Jews’ expectations were erroneous. What are our expectations? Are they as the Bible describes? Do we acknowledge Him as the Son of God? Do we acknowledge that Jesus died on the cross in our place? The criminal believed that Jesus could save him, that there is a future hope. “Remember me when you come into your kingdom,” he said. He knew that the old order would be changed, and he wanted to be a part of Jesus’ kingdom. He sought Jesus’ mercy. How could he see what others could not? It is not just objective reasoning. The Holy Spirit was at work in the man’s heart, changing his heart of stone into a heart of flesh. This conversion is all of the will of God. Jesus offered assurance to the man, that they would be together that very day in paradise. There is an intermediate state in which our souls go into the presence of Jesus, where the righteous dwell, while our bodies rest in the grave until the resurrection. Is. 53: 10 points to Jesus’ victory over the cross. Jesus sees this victory in the criminal. We must marvel at the grace of God. Why were we made to hear Jesus’ voice? Because He loves us, even though we don’t deserve it. There are actually deathbed conversions, yet today is the day of salvation. We should take every opportunity to present the gospel to those who are seriously ill.
| Earlier: | Same day: | Later: |
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| « Jesus And The Roman Governor | None |
Luke 23:26–43 (Listen)
26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 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 of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(ESV)
Joel 2:12–32 (Listen)
12 “Yet even now,” declares the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and he relents over disaster.
14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the LORD your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16 gather the people.
Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
17 Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep
and say, “Spare your people, O LORD,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
18 Then the LORD became jealous for his land
and had pity on his people.
19 The LORD answered and said to his people,
“Behold, I am sending to you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
a reproach among the nations.
20 “I will remove the northerner far from you,
and drive him into a parched and desolate land,
his vanguard into the eastern sea,
and his rear guard into the western sea;
the stench and foul smell of him will rise,
for he has done great things.
21 “Fear not, O land;
be glad and rejoice,
for the LORD has done great things!
22 Fear not, you beasts of the field,
for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit;
the fig tree and vine give their full yield.
23 “Be glad, O children of Zion,
and rejoice in the LORD your God,
for he has given the early rain for your vindication;
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the latter rain, as before.
24 “The threshing floors shall be full of grain;
the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
25 I will restore to you the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent among you.
26 “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the LORD your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
27 You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I am the LORD your God and there is none else.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.
28 “And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.
(ESV)