Havasu Christian Church
March 15, 2026
Faces at the foot of the Cross.
The Two Thieves
INTRO: In the Roman system of justice, penalties were harsh. Offences were dealt with severely, and punishment was public. It was a “two tiered system,” with the important and influential people having less severe penalties, ordinary Roman citizens having somewhat more severe consequences, and everyone else treated very harshly. Today, we look at the two thieves that were crucified on either side of Jesus. Ok, so these guys aren’t technically “at the foot of the cross,” but they are there with Jesus!
They are there, not by choice, but because they stand condemned for crimes they have committed.
Today we look at these men. Our main focus will be on the account of what took place, written by Luke 23:33–43. But we’ll also keep in mind the account in Matthew 27:38–44, Mark 15:27–32, and John 19:16–18
Luke 23:33–43 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine,
37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!”
38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
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.”
- These men deserved to be where they were.
- Rome’s system of Justice was HARSH! VERY HARSH! But this made it effective.
- There aren’t many repeat offenders when you beat them to within an inch of their life or kill them!
- Rome’s justice system was a three tiered setup.
- Roman citizens were protected from the worst punishments.
- Roman law provided citizens with significant legal, political, and personal protections, including the right to a fair trial, appeal decisions to the emperor, immunity from torture and shameful punishments like crucifixion, and the right to own property or enter contracts. These rights distinguished citizens from non-citizens and slaves.
- Citizens of wealth and power, could be prosecuted, but their sentence was typically far less painful or publicly shameful.
- Even those who were given the death penalty were beheaded or pushed off a cliff.
- More often, punishment was banishment or a fine for the “elite.”
- Non-citizens did not have these kinds of protections. They could even be flogged to “have the truth beaten out of them.”
- Scripture, and these men’s own admission, shows that these men were guilty.
Guilty of what?
Luke calls them Kakourgos: They are criminals. “Evil doers.
Matthew and Mark call them Lēstēs: a robber, a highwayman, a bandit, a revolutionary, a insurrectionist, a guerrilla.
- With the punishment involved, (crucifixion) these men have likely been found guilty of insurrection… fighting against, and stealing from Rome.
- These men who took their own pain and anger out on Jesus.
- Matthew tells us that both men were attacking Jesus. Matthew 27:44 The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.
- They have carried their own crosses to “The place of the skull. In Hebrew, Golgatha,
- They have been nailed to their crosses.
- They have been hoisted into the air to publically suffer.
- It’s easy to see how these guys had a bad attitude!
- These are men with hard hearts.
- They follow along with the insults of the Chief Priests, Scribes and Elders.
Matthew 27:41–44 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. “HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.
- These men try to forget their own misery by heaping misery on someone else.
- It’s a horrible thing to do, but it happens all too often.
- One of these men changed his attitude.
Luke 23:40-43 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.”
- He first “calls out” the other man.
- “Do you not even fear God?”
- What we are doing is WRONG!
- Even if we felt justified in our rebellion against Rome, what we are doing now is certainly NOT right!
- He admits that they have done wrong!
- “We are suffering justly.” We deserve it!
- In contrast, Jesus has done nothing wrong!
- He asks Jesus to “remember me in Your Kingdom!
- What exactly does he mean by this?
- He may think that Jesus is about to “come down off the cross.”
- This seems unlikely to me.
- Why would Jesus spend any time on the cross if He had no intention of staying there?
- He may be speaking of Jesus’ Kingdom, after His resurrection.
- This seems more likely to me.
- “When you come” sounds more like he is looking to the future to me.
- Apparently, this man has been around when Jesus has been preaching about “the Kingdom of Heaven.
- If so, he’s way ahead of the Disciples.
- He simply asked to be remembered.
- “Remember” may be a way of asking to be a part of it, without sounding like you feel entitled.
- Or, it may simply mean that the man doesn’t wish to be forgotten.
- This man was forgiven by Jesus!
- This is not the first time Jesus has forgiven someone’s sins.
Luke 5:18–26 And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him.
19 But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.
20 Seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”
21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”
22 But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, “Why are you reasoning in your hearts?
23 “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins have been forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?
24 “But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—He said to the paralytic—“I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.”
25 Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.
26 They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen remarkable things today.”
- Jesus makes it abundantly clear that He has the power to forgive sins during His time on earth.
- First, the paralyzed man.
- Now the man on the cross.
- Is this, as many would argue, “the proof” that Baptism (being Immersed) for the forgiveness of your sins isn’t necessary?
- Not in the least.
- These two men (the robber and the paralyzed man) were living under the Law of Moses.
- Christianity has not even come into being as of yet.
- Jesus had and still has, the power to forgive sins.
- It was His death on the cross that made forgiveness available.
- To those who were faithful before Jesus lived on earth.
- To those who were faithful while Jesus lived on earth.
- To those who have lived since the founding of Jesus’ eternal Kingdom!
- Under the New Covenant, we have been given new instructions.
Matthew 28:18–20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Mark 16:15–16 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
Acts 2:38–41 Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”
40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”
41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.
Acts 9:11–19 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,
12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”
13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;
14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized;
19 and he took food and was strengthened.
Acts 22:12–16 “A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
13 came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him.
14 “And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.
15 ‘For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16 ‘Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’
1 Peter 3:21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
- There are several more scripture references at the end of my notes if you want to look into this a little deeper.
- CAN Jesus save those who love Him but have never been immersed?
- If Jesus so chooses, of course He can!!
- WILL Jesus save those who love Him but have never been immersed?
- That is HIS decision to make; not mine, not yours!
- I know that I gave my life to Jesus, I wanted to be certain I was doing what He said I must do!
- Jesus promises, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43
- Paradeisos… Paradise!
- Let’s let Scripture give us the meaning of this word. We find it two more times in the New Testament.
2 Corinthians 12: 2–3 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows—was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.
Revelation 2:7 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’
- Paradise = the Presence of God!!!
- Someday, we will get to meet this man.
- “But he was a bad man!”
- So was I, so were you, before Jesus gave us His forgiveness!
Conclusion: What important things should I take home with me today?
- Jesus IS the giver of Forgiveness!
- I can do nothing worthy of His sacrifice.
- It is a gift for me to accept… or reject!
- Eternal life comes only through HIM!
- No one is too bad to save!
- The man Jesus saved on the cross was no choirboy!
- Neither are you!
- NONE OF US IS WORTHY!
- We are MADE WORTHY be Jesus’ Sacrificial death!
- Most, if not all of us have had moments when when we were mad at God for our problems.
- If Jesus could forgive the guy on the cross, I suspect He can forgive us too!
- Being Baptized is REALLY important!
- Not “an outward sign of an inward grace.”
- Rather, this act of submission says “I want to be forgiven! I want a clean conscience!”
- Now is a moment for decision.
- You may have a friend who needs Jesus’ forgiveness! Talk to them!
- You may have a family member who needs Jesus’ forgiveness. Share the good news with them!
- You may need to be immersed for the forgiveness of your sins. Don’t put it off!
Matthew 27:38–44 At that time two robbers *were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.
39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads
40 and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying,
42 “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.
43 “HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”
44 The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.
Mark 15:27–32 They *crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left.
28 [And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”]
29 Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”
31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself.
32 “Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.
Luke 23:33–43 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, offering Him sour wine,
37 and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!”
38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
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.”
John 19:16–18 So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.
17 They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.
18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.
Acts 8:35–39 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
37 [And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”]
38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 10:43–48 “Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
46 For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered,
47 “Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?”
48 And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.
Acts 16:14–15 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Acts 16:27–33 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!”
29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house.
33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.
Romans 6:1–7 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?
2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?
3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death?
4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,
6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
7 for he who has died is freed from sin.
1 Corinthians 12:12–13 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
Galatians 3:26–27 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
