Unyime Akpan - February 13, 2022 - a podcast by NBC Podium

Cries from the Cross
Today you will be with me in paradise
Galatians 6: 14 NLT
Second words from the cross
Amazing Situation at Calvary
Amazing Supplication by the criminal
Amazing Salvation of the Criminal by Jesus Christ
Some Lessons
Amazing Situation at Calvary
Why was Jesus crucified between two thieves/criminals
Mark 15:27-28
Amazing Situation -Fulfilment of Prophesy
•Jesus was Numbered with the Transgressors
•Jesus was Born fort he Transgressors
(Matthew 1:20-21)
•Jesus Lived for the Transgressors

Providence means foreknowledge or seeing-before-hand. No accidents only appointments
•Both heard Jesus’ Prayer -Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing
•Both saw the title on Jesus’ cross -Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews (John 19:19)
•The first Gospel Tract ever written
•In three languages -Hebrew, Greek and Latin
•Seen and read by the thieves: who is Jesus? –a king with a kingdom,
•Both heard the mocking of Jesus
Soldiers Mocked
“If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!”
rulers Mocked

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.”
•Both Saw Jesus’ Response to the Mocking -Silence
Amazing Situation –God’s Gracious Providence
•Pilate put that title, the first gospel tract, to quiet his conscience but God used it
•The soldiers and the rulers mocked Jesus but God used it
•The thieves noticed Jesus prayer and godly response (silence) to the mockery
•Amazing –the working of the gracious providence of God
•God still sets up situations for people to be saved today
•The written Word and a godly life are two powerful weapons for witnessing
•Thief Admitted
•Feared God, Guilty, Deserved the punishment
•Jesus Christ was innocent, Life after death
•Uniqueness of Jesus
•His eternal destiny was tied to Jesus
•Thief had Courage
•Nobody else was asking Jesus for salvation
•Rulers were mocking Jesus, crowd opposed Jesus, soldiers laughed at Jesus, the thief’s friend mocked
•Defied the rulers, the priests, the soldiers, the crowd and his friend, the other thief to trust in Jesus
•Thief had Limited Understanding
•Jesus means Saviour, Jesus has a kingdom, Jesus was innocent, Jesus came from Nazareth and He saves
•Thief Saw Jesus at Greatest “Weakness”
•Rejected, abused, dying, weak, forsaken, laughed at yet he dared to trust Him
•He did not see a beautiful sight yet he believed
Amazing Supplication by the thief
•Wholly by Grace
•Certain and Secure
•Personal
•Present
•Centered in Christ
•Glorious
Amazing Salvation by Jesus Christ
•This man did not deserve to be saved and he admitted it
•The first man that God made became a thief
•Adam and Eve were driven out of the Paradise
•The last Adam, Jesus Christ, turned to a thief and said
“today you will be with Me inParadise.”
•That is grace
•God in his mercy does not give us what we deserve –hell
•God in his grace gives us what we do not deserve -heaven
Amazing Salvation-Wholly by Grace
•How did this thief know that his salvation was certain and secure?
Jesus told him so
•How did this undeserving sinner, the thief knew, he was going to heaven?
Jesus told him so
•The same word (Jesus’ word) in the Scripture is certain and secure
Forever, O Lord Thy word is settled in heaven (Psalm 119:89)
•We sing the song Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so
•I will like to sing, Jesus saves me this I know for the Bible tells me so
Amazing Salvation -Certain and Secure
•It was wholly by grace, certain and secure

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