He has risen, He is alive!

Luke 23:39 – 44 (NASB) – What does true, biblical conversion look like?

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!”

40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

41 “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!”

43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

RECOGNITION – “Jesus”/Lord

• Jesus knows the hearts of men (Luke 9:47). The thief recognized his own wretched condition (Luke 23:41). He also recognized who Jesus was.

Acts 4:12 (NASB) 12“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

1 Corinthians 12:3 (NASB) 3Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of

God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

REPENTANCE – “we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds” v.41

• The penitent thief also asked the other thief if he feared God, knowing he too was condemned. We can infer from this the thief who spoke understood his consequence and feared God. Luke 23: 41 – “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

Luke 18:13 – 14 (NASB) 13“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’

14“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

REQUESTING – “remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” v.42

• And then the thief displayed belief (faith) in and surrender to Jesus when he asked Him to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Rom. 10:13;17 ¹³for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” ¹⁷So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Monday Morning Moment: “it’s not about quantity, it’s about the quality of our confession”