Principal Lessons

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the sermon by returning to Luke 23:39-43, the account of the dying thief. He briefly reviews previous sermons on Ephesians 2:1-10 and the Philippian jailer, then…

The dying thief is described as a 'trophy of God's grace snatched, as it were, from the very jaws of hell,' illustrating the dramatic and powerful nature of his salvation.

This trophy of God's grace snatched, as it were, from the very jaws of hell moments before he would have entered that terrible place, rescued by the grace and power of the Lord. The dying Son of God. And I shall only briefly review the exposition of the passage as I sought to lay it out last Lord's Day. I suggested that in thinking our way through this passage, the key to any proper interpretation of it is our Lord's words in verse 43.

2:25 - 3:01 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces the sermon by returning to Luke 23:39-43, the account of the dying thief. He briefly reviews previous sermons on Ephesians 2:1-10 and the Philippian jailer, then…

The conversion of the thief is likened to a 'diamond of God's grace set against the dark background of the native spiritual condition of this dying thief,' emphasizing the contrast and beauty of grace.

And we are not reading something into the words that we ought not to read into the words. We are reading them in the light of our Lord's infallible statement, Verily I say unto thee, Today thou shalt be with me in paradise. And I suggested that in trying to open up the meaning, the significance of these words, we need first of all to consider the native spirit and the spiritual condition of the dying thief. The diamond of God's grace in this passage is set against the dark background of the native spiritual condition of this dying thief.

3:44 - 4:24 Read in full sermon

The point: If Jesus Christ demonstrates in this singular way His power to save amidst the most difficult of circumstances, do you not see why it is wicked, wicked unbelief not to trust Him to save you when now He is no longer impal…

The conversions of Matthew and Saul of Tarsus are used as examples of Christ's saving power, but contrasted with the thief's conversion to highlight its singular difficulty and manifestation of grace.

But I say this is a singular manifestation. When He walked by the receipt of custom and called Matthew to Himself, what a display of His saving power. But He did so in the time of His popularity beginning to emerge, the great miracle worker, in the full flush of His manhood, in the demonstration of God's seals upon Him by signs and wonders and miracles. When He speaks from heaven to save Saul of Tarsus, He does so in such a climate of manifested glory that Paul knows he's dealing with exalted deity.

15:40 - 16:17 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Behold in the account an unparalleled display of salvation by grace alone.

Martin mentions how some early church fathers tried to find baptism in the water and blood from Christ's side, illustrating the 'stupidity to which sacramentalism will lead otherwise good men' and emphasizing salvation by grace alone.

He had no past virtues to bring to the Savior. He had no ordinances, no sacraments to which he could hook into some stream of grace. Though some of the early church fathers tried to find baptism in the water and blood that flowed from our Lord's side, that sprinkled themselves upon him and therefore proved that he was baptized. Brethren, that's the stupidity to which sacramentalism will lead otherwise good men.

19:45 - 20:11 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Behold in this passage a clear demonstration of the sovereignty of God in the salvation of sinners.

The concept of maintaining a 'naked embrace' of faith is used to illustrate that believers must not add works to their acceptance in Christ, referencing the Galatians' error.

You must not, having been accepted on the grounds of grace, then think that you can free one hand from that grasp upon Christ alone and with it begin to pick up merit along the way that somehow will be attractive to the Lord. No, no. That was the problem of the Galatians. And Paul says, you are falling from the principle of grace.

24:25 - 24:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Let your heart be filled with expectant hope as you pray for others. If God purposes to manifest that they are vessels of mercy, listen, he may let them come right down to the very mouth of hell and to show that it's all…

Martin imagines the thief's parents, godly people who prayed for him and despaired at his crucifixion, only to be surprised by his salvation. This illustrates God's sovereign grace and the hope it offers for seemingly lost loved ones.

Suppose, suppose that dying thief had been taken to Sunday school somewhere in Israel as a little boy, had been taught the law of God and the truth of God and came from a godly home where parents taught him, instructed him, prayed for him, and then they saw his choice. He began to fall in with bad companions and chose a course of crime until they stand there the day when his sentence is declared and they watch him go out to a place of execution and they feel that all their prayers and hopes have suddenly been dashed and they may go back to their homes to weep and grieve that he lived and died ...

30:30 - 31:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section argues that the dying thief had minimal exposure to explicit gospel truth, yet the Holy Spirit made fragments of truth effectual for his salvation. Martin emphasizes…

Mary's response to the angel Gabriel ('No word from God shall be void of power') is used to illustrate that God's word, however seemingly insufficient, is effectual when applied by the Spirit.

While he and his companion no doubt cursed those who pounded the nails into their hands, the son of God is a sheep that is led to his shearers is dumb. That isn't much of a gospel sermon, is it? Ah, my friend, it is if the Holy Ghost will lay hold of it and make it effectual. We read in Luke chapter one, one of the most precious words in all of scripture, 137, when Mary said, look, angel, I don't doubt you've come from the presence of God, but when you say that I'm going to be a mother, something's not quite right here.

35:03 - 35:40 Read in full sermon

The point: No matter what your past has been, no matter how hardened and insensitive a sinner you've been, my friend, if you go on in unbelief and you say the Savior is because I don't believe he'll save the likes of me, my friend,…

An old Puritan's quote, 'there is the record of one dying thief, there is one that none may despair,' is used to illustrate that no one is beyond God's saving grace, countering despair.

How does it strike a blow at unbelieving despair? Oh, dear ones, who could be harder than this thief? Who could be more insensitive at the beginning of the narrative than this thief? And I'm going to tell you a story that I wrote in the book An Incident that is not recorded by the other gospel writers.

42:35 - 42:58 Read in full sermon

The point: And I'll tell you something, child of God, there's only one thing that makes you face it with any degree of confidence. It is a growing repose in the almighty power of Jesus Christ to save. You're less and less occupied …

Analyzing the word 'paradise' by tracing its Persian origin is likened to bringing a microscope to dessert instead of enjoying it, emphasizing the beauty and simple truth of Christ's promise.

What beautiful dessert. Instead of eating it and letting it roll over the taste buds and licking your lips and rubbing your tummy, you bring in a microscope and try to analyze its constituent physical elements. Today, with me, this place of bliss, place of unsullied joy, with me, this day. What word of consolation could be more certain than if that's not enough, notice what our Lord says verily.

50:19 - 50:50 Read in full sermon

The point: And I'll tell you something, child of God, there's only one thing that makes you face it with any degree of confidence. It is a growing repose in the almighty power of Jesus Christ to save. You're less and less occupied …

John Bunyan's imagery of crossing a river (death) is used to illustrate the comfort believers can draw from Christ's promise of paradise, especially when facing death.

It is a growing repose in the almighty power of Jesus Christ to save. You're less and less occupied with your own performances, less and less satisfied with anything that takes the gaze away from the almightiness of the power of Christ to take us through that final crisis when soul and body will be violently wrenched apart for a time. All I need to know is that if I've said, the Lord says to me today, thou shall be with me in paradise. Oh, may God write this word upon our hearts that as we come in the words of Bunyan to cross that river, we may suck sweetness from this word of consolation to t...

51:51 - 53:20 Read in full sermon