In this episode, Jeff Archie unfolds the engaging discourse around the thief on the cross alongside Jesus. Starting with some historical context, Jeff delves into old-fashioned sheet lessons — a nostalgic forerunner of today’s PowerPoint presentations — as a backdrop for today’s study. This conversation examines the different covenants outlined in the Bible, specifically looking at Jeremiah’s prophecy and how it aligns with Hebrews’ insights on the new covenant. Listeners are invited to reflect on the thief’s time and place under the law of Moses, while connecting significant biblical passages about Jesus’s earthly mission. The episode navigates through theological
You know, friends, the thief on the cross stirs up much discussion concerning his salvation. Well, let’s look a little further when he lived and not where Jesus said he would live. That’s our study today from the International Gospel Hour. Please stay with us.
SPEAKER 02 :
Hi, this is Jay Webb for International Gospel Hour. We’re so glad you’ve decided to listen to our program today. In a world of challenges, we need God’s Word to help us face those challenges. Thank you for joining us in this period of Bible study with our speaker, Jeff Archie of International Gospel Hour, a broadcast of the Churches of Christ. So let’s listen today. Here’s Jeff.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, thank you to our J-Web. And greetings and hello, everyone. Great having you with us for our study today from the International Gospel Hour. And today we’re going to turn back the clock with another old-fashioned sheet lesson titled, The Thief on the Cross. Now, for those of you not familiar with a sheet or a chart lesson, these are lessons that preachers would print or have painted on bed sheets. They would hang them on a wire on the pulpit and simply preach from there. And we affectionately call it a forerunner of PowerPoint. Now, today you can see, and friends, I’m going to tell you, I don’t know that this was necessarily a sheet lesson, but it was amongst a number of them that I had. And it’s more like a very… shall I say, more of a printed chart, but nevertheless, it is available for you to see on our Facebook page, if you’ll go to internationalgospelhour.com, If you follow us on Instagram at International Gospel Hour, you’ll find it there as well. And it is available on our ex-formerly known as Twitter page, and that is H-O-U-R underscore gospel. So you can see the chart that we are going to discuss today on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or now ex-formerly known as Twitter page. Friends, let’s begin with a wonderful text of Jeremiah 31, 31-34. The prophet Jeremiah, as the Lord spoke through him, said, Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more. Now friends, if you took Jeremiah 31, 31-34, and put it side by side with Hebrews 8, verses 6-13, we find the Hebrew writer, through inspiration of the Spirit, penned the words that were penned in Jeremiah 31, 31-34. And at the end in verse 13, in that he saith a new covenant, he hath made the first one old. Now that which is decayed and waxes old is ready to vanish away. The Hebrew writer stated there will be a new covenant and how that covenant would indeed come at that time. So the old covenant, as we would understand it, the Old Testament, would be taken away. And the new covenant would be in its place. Now friends, this is important for us to think about. Not today. where Jesus said the thief would live, with him in paradise. But when the thief lived, you’ll see what we mean in a moment. But first, a few words from our J-Web.
SPEAKER 02 :
Please peruse our website and see all that is available for you absolutely free. We have a number of biblical resources. You can also listen to our other broadcasts, view our TV program, request our newsletter, and ask for our free Bible study by mail, and so much more. That’s our website at internationalgospelhour.com. Now, let’s return to our study.
SPEAKER 01 :
Now, friends, again, Jeremiah 31 spoke of a new covenant. Now, let’s think for just a moment. The thief on the cross and Christ were alive at the same time. Now, that may sound simple, but it is important for our study. You see, as Jesus was born of a woman, born under the law, Galatians 4 and verse 4, and he came to this earth not to destroy the law but to fulfill it, The law of Moses was still in effect as Jesus walked on this earth. So the thief on the cross was living under the law of Moses. In Romans 7 verses 1 through 6 is an interesting discussion, but note verse 4. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. Because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, They lived under that new covenant, not the old. We understand from not only Hebrews 8, 6-13 in comparison with Jeremiah 31, 31-34, but how the old covenant, the law, was nailed to the cross according to Colossians 2, 14 and Ephesians 2, 14-15. Now, friends, keep that in mind because the testator, that being Christ, can ignore His will. In other words, when we think of Jesus, we note this in John 10 and verse 28, we know He is the testator. He’s the one that wrote His will. But while on earth, Jesus said this in Mark 2, 10 and 11, But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, He said to the paralytic, I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house. What about early in John 8 where the woman taken in adultery was forgiven? But you know, friends, what is interesting, Jesus had the power on earth to forgive sins. So when he told the thief he would be with him in paradise, Jesus had that power. Neither one of them had died. Isn’t it interesting that we don’t ask, well, was the woman taken in adultery baptized? Or was the paralytic baptized? No. You see, friends, when we think about this and consider, the testament is of no strength unless the testator passes away. Jesus was still living. Hebrews 10, 9 and 10, Then he said, Behold, I have come to do your will, O God. He takes away the first, that he may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. Now, friends, I want you to think of something with me. I’ve seen a lot of discussion on the thief on the cross and people will say, well, you don’t have to be baptized because the thief on the cross was not baptized. But friends, do you know that? How about Mark 1 verses 4 and 5 that says how John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for all the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea and those from Jerusalem went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River confessing their sins. What about in Luke 7, 29 and 30 when all the people heard him, even the tax collectors justified God having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. Friends, is it possible the thief could have been baptized by the baptism of John and was a possible backslider? Now, friends, when you really think about it, we don’t know, and we really don’t know that he wasn’t baptized. Does it matter? Can you tell me what he stole? Was he married? Well, the Bible doesn’t say. The Bible doesn’t say he was or wasn’t baptized. And friends, considering the time he lived, it does not matter, for baptism into Christ was not commanded under the Old Covenant. And again, Mark 2 and verse 10, But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. And that’s what Jesus did. In Hebrews 9 and verse 16, For where there is a testament… There must also of necessity be the death of the testator, for a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives, and we noted that moments ago. Now, friends, whereof the thief on the cross lived under the old covenant, we live under the new covenant. Let’s think about that for a moment. The new covenant that tells us that we are under Christ, Romans 7, as we mentioned moments ago, and Galatians 3, 23-28. How the law served a purpose to bring us unto Christ, Galatians 3, 26. How now the New Testament is in force, a better covenant under better promises, Hebrews 7, 18-19. and how we are heirs by the will of God. Galatians 3, 26-29 The examples that we have for the alien sinner today. Acts 2, verse 36-41 They heard the preaching of Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection. And that’s what the eunuch was taught in Acts 8, verses 35-39. They were taught Jesus Christ, who died for all. And friends, when you think about that, it doesn’t matter where the thief on the cross would live. It matters when he did live. He lived under a different covenant than we. And today, we’re taught to be baptized into Jesus Christ. Again, Acts 2, 36-41, and Acts 8, 35-39. Now, friends, a lot of what we are discussing today, maybe you could look at this a little further. I know I’ve probably shared some things with you that you’re thinking, well, wait a minute. Well, friends, let us help you with your study. We have a new Bible study available from International Gospel Hour titled, God and Man, How to Be Saved from Sin. Now, this material addresses a number of questions about the salvation from God to man, and it has a special section there about what we’re studying the day of the thief on the cross. Again, call us at toll-free 855-444-6988. Leave us your name and address and just say God and man and we’ll send that to you absolutely free, just like all of our materials. You can also go to our website at internationalgospelhour.com, click on the contact tab and leave us the same information, your name, your address, and type God and man in the message box. It’s another new Bible study that’s available from International Gospel Hour and it’s absolutely free. Friends, again, let’s notice when the thief lived and the power that Christ had. When we live today and his power in our lives. And we’ll continue these studies at another time. Thank you for joining me on the International Gospel Hour. I’m Jeff Archie. And friends, keep listening.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you for listening today. May this study prompt your search of God’s word for his will in your life. To assist you in your study or to listen to our other programs, please visit our website at internationalgospelhour.com. To God be the glory. God be with you till we meet again.
