“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise,” Luke 23:43.

IN THE MIDST OF HUMILIATION AND REJECTION CHRIST SHOWED HIS POWER TO SAVE, Pt 3.

1. It is ever in such circumstances of apparent weakness and shame that Christ manifests His power.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” Romans 1:16.

2. ’Shame’, as far as unconverted men are concerned, surrounds the gospel.

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God . . . For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe,” 1 Cor 1:18, 21.

3. Consider what it was the thief saw.

A. Condemned by a court, Matt 27:26.

B. Rejected by jeering religious leaders, Matt 27:38-44. The thief joined in the mockery!

C. He was utterly weak in body, having been scourged and beaten, Matt 27:26, Luke 23:26.

4. This conversion took place before any of the miraculous happenings which attended His death. See verse 44, Matt 27:50-54. These events caused the Roman soldier to voice his changed opinion of Christ but before that happened the thief had already had his eyes opened to ‘behold the Lamb of God’.