LOST IS THE LOST IS THE SHUFFLESHUFFLEA BAD GUY A BAD GUY GETS THE GETS THE MAIN STUFF MAIN STUFF RIGHTRIGHT CONVICT #LU23-13f. CONVICT #LU23-13f.

We Salute You! We Salute You!

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3232 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. on his left. 3434 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. divided up his clothes by casting lots.        35 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is God's Messiah, the Chosen him save himself if he is God's Messiah, the Chosen One." One."         3636 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar They offered him wine vinegar 3737 and said, "If you and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."are the king of the Jews, save yourself."

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        3838 There was a written notice above him, which There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.        39 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" yourself and us!"         4040 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? sentence? 4141 We are punished justly, for we are We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." done nothing wrong."         4242 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. " come into your kingdom. "         4343 Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today Jesus answered him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." you will be with me in paradise."

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Lord, whatever stuff I Lord, whatever stuff I get wrong, wherever I get wrong, wherever I miss the point, may I miss the point, may I always have the always have the essentials sorted out, essentials sorted out, understood and understood and included in my included in my testimony. Jesus is testimony. Jesus is Lord! AmenLord! Amen

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YET THIS SERIES OF MESSAGES YET THIS SERIES OF MESSAGES WILL FOCUS ON PEOPLE LIKE WILL FOCUS ON PEOPLE LIKE THIS THIEF...PEOPLE WHO THIS THIEF...PEOPLE WHO FACES CHALLENGES, FACES CHALLENGES, DISAPPOINTMENT, DEATH AND DISAPPOINTMENT, DEATH AND PAIN. PEOPLE WHO MADE A PAIN. PEOPLE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LITTLE ARENA OF LIFE.ARENA OF LIFE.

IT’S AN UNLIKELY IT’S AN UNLIKELY PLACE TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO LOOK FOR A HERO: THE LINE-UP.HERO: THE LINE-UP.

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IT WAS A HORRIBLE SIGHT. AT LEAST THREE IT WAS A HORRIBLE SIGHT. AT LEAST THREE MEN HAVE BEEN IMPALED ON INSTRUMENTS OF MEN HAVE BEEN IMPALED ON INSTRUMENTS OF DEATH - THE ROMAN CROSS. IT’S A RATHER DEATH - THE ROMAN CROSS. IT’S A RATHER STRAIGHT FORWARD SITUATION. STRAIGHT FORWARD SITUATION.

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The bad guys get what’s due them.You wouldn’t be nailed there if you hadn’t done something pretty bad.Friends gather to mourn for Jesus, a man of big promises, a gentle demeanor, a man doomed to die.

NOBODY UNDERSTOOD. NOBODY BELIEVED. NOBODY SAW BEYOND THE GRAVE TO A GLORIOUS KINGDOM. BUT, THIS SOLITARY FIGURE DID - A CROOK.

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● ● The bad guys get what’s due them.The bad guys get what’s due them.● ● You wouldn’t be nailed there if you You wouldn’t be nailed there if you hadn’t done something pretty bad.hadn’t done something pretty bad.● ● Friends gather to mourn for Jesus, a Friends gather to mourn for Jesus, a man of big promises, a gentle demeanor, man of big promises, a gentle demeanor, a man doomed to die.a man doomed to die.

CONVICT #LU23-13f.We salute you! You got it right!He understood his own unworthiness … “We deserve to die…”

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● ● Another convict, also hanging there, Another convict, also hanging there, taunts Jesus.taunts Jesus.

● ● But this man knows the truth of the But this man knows the truth of the matter. We are here because we matter. We are here because we deserve it.deserve it.

SOMEHOW HE CAME TO THE STARTLING CONCLUSION THAT JESUS HAD DONE NOTHING WRONG

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● ● We don’t know if he heard it on the We don’t know if he heard it on the grapevine or if he wandered into earshot grapevine or if he wandered into earshot of one of Jesus’ conversations.of one of Jesus’ conversations.

● ● But, despite the edict from the But, despite the edict from the governor, he believes that Jesus is governor, he believes that Jesus is innocent.innocent.

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RememberinRemembering Christ’s g Christ’s death on a death on a cross and cross and what it what it meant even meant even to a thief!to a thief!

I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

I choose to follow Jesus as my Lord and trust Him as my Savior.

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HE SAW BEYOND JESUS’ GRAVE…A KINGDOM WHERE HE COULD BELONG

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● ● How about the disciples who were How about the disciples who were privy to so many miracles…even raising privy to so many miracles…even raising the dead?the dead?

● ● Sometimes the untrained, Sometimes the untrained, programmed eye can more clearly see programmed eye can more clearly see the profound and wonderful.the profound and wonderful.

HE UNDERSTOOD THAT JESUS WAS THE ONE THROUGH WHOM HE COULD ENTER THAT KINGDOM

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● ● The whole world needs to see this: “I The whole world needs to see this: “I am the way, the truth and the life and am the way, the truth and the life and nobody comes to the Father but by me.” nobody comes to the Father but by me.” JesusJesus

AND HE WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED! JESUS’ RESPONSE SPOKE OF CERTAINTY, IMMEDIACY, GLORY AND INTIMACY.

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● ● What Certainty…”I assure you…”What Certainty…”I assure you…”

● ● What Speed…”Today…”What Speed…”Today…”

● ● What Glory…”In Paradise…”What Glory…”In Paradise…”

● ● What Company…”With me.” What Company…”With me.”

A STEP OF FAITH A STEP OF FAITH ON OUR PART RECEIVES ON OUR PART RECEIVES IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND GRACE FROM IMMEDIATE ATTENTION AND GRACE FROM GODGOD

GOD ISN’T NEARLY SO CONCERNED WITH GOD ISN’T NEARLY SO CONCERNED WITH WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN, AS WITH WHERE YOU WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN, AS WITH WHERE YOU ARE WILLING TO GO WITH HIM.ARE WILLING TO GO WITH HIM.

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IT ISN’T TOO LATE. RUN A RAGGED COURSE? WASTED A BUNCH OF YEARS? REFUSED TO SURRENDER FOR ALL OF THOSE YEARS? HERE’S A GUY WHO MAKES IT RIGHT WHILE HE STILL HAS BREATH.

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GO AND LOVE GO AND LOVE OTHERS AS OTHERS AS JESUS DIDJESUS DID