The Death of the Cross - Derryneill Baptist Church - 11 Jul. 2021
Three Words form the Cross, the Tomb, & the Throne - Derryneill Baptist Chruch - 04.04.21
2020 Messages
Jesus Himself - Derryneill Baptist Church - 02 Aug. 2020
2019 Messages
The Rich Man and Lazarus - The Truth - Derryneill Baptist Church - 22.09.19
The Resurrection of the Dead - Raymond Cochrane - Derrycorry Orange Hal - 24.05.19
I Love the Lord Because . . . . - Culcavy Hall - 31.03.19
Remission, Redemption and Reconcilliation - Derryneill Baptist Ch. -24.03.19
2018 Messages
Three 'Appearings' of the Lord Jesus - Derryneill baptist Chruch - 9.11.18
Sufferings and Glory - New Dawn Fellowship - 01.07.18
Places at the End of Christ's Earthly Life - Culcavy Hall - 23.03.18
'Last Things' in Scripture - - Derryneill Baptist Church - 01.04.2018
The Gospel - Derryneill Batist Church - 04.01.18
He Shall be Great - Ballyhalbert Gospel Hall - 14.01.18
2017 Messages
The Bible's Best Known Verse - Derrycorry Harvest Service 17.10.17
We Prreach Christ Crucified - Derryneill Baptist Church 01.03.17
Behold the Lamb - Derryneill Baptist Church - 04.06.17
How Can we Know the Way? - Culcavy Hall -28.02.17
Search the Scriptures, they testify of me. - Culcavy Hall - 21.02.17
2016 Messages
The Death of the cross - 13.03.16
Greatest Things in Scripture
The Pascal Lamb - Derryneill Baptist church - 06.03.16
The Unfolding Drama of the Ages - Derryneill Baptist Church - 13.03.16
2015 Messages
Three Appointments - 17th. nov. 2015
So Great Salvation - 13th. Oct. 2015
Remember Lot's Wife - 16th. June 2015
Jewels - 9th. March 2015
False Reguges - 30th. March 2915
Who Then Can be Saved? - 24th. March 2015
2014 Messages
Bible Triplets - Sets of Three Words - 31st. Mar. 2014
Back to Basics - 2nd. Mar. 2014
The Just For the Unjust - 7th. Apr. 2014
Faith - 7th. July 2014
The Resurrection of the Dead - 31st. Aug. 2014
God's Unspeakable Gift - 16th. June 2014
Wash and be Clean - 11th. Nov. 2014
The Name of the Lord Jesus - 30th. June 2014
'Opened' Things - 19th. May 2014
Pre 2014 Messages
God's Grace to Gentiles
What Jesus Bore and Will Bear
Bartimeaus
New Things
Four Biblical Cups
Four Important Days
Look and Live
The Great White Throne
It is Finished
Prepare to Meet Thy God
“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee “To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise”.
The question which is asked is this, did the thief go to “paradise” that day to be with Christ? Almost without a moments hesitation many Christians would answer “yes” but is that indeed what happened? Let us look carefully at the facts. The thief’s request was “Lord remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom”. The thief was no doubt an Israelite and as such knew well the promises of the Old Testament regarding the Messiah and the kingdom He would reign over. He had read the superscription written over the Saviour’s head “This is Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews”. He had watched the Lord and listened to His words and realized He was indeed the King. The thief did not ask to be taken to heaven to be with the Lord when he died that day but for Christ to remember him when he came into His kingdom. Our Lord’s answer to him was regarding that day when His kingdom will be set up on earth otherwise it had no relevance. He promised the thief that he would be part of it when it would come. Later, after His resurrection the Lord told Mary “I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to My God, and your God”. Surely these plain words of scripture are clear, Jesus had not at that point ascended into heaven. The problem lies with the comma and where the translators have placed it in the verse. Greek scholars inform us that in the original greek there are no punctuation marks so it was at the discretion of the translators where they placed it. The words of Christ to the thief are easily understood when we recognize this important fact, He simply told him “I tell you today you will be with me in paradise”. The word “paradise” has the definite article and should read “The paradise”, not referring to heaven at all but the paradise of the kingdom set up on earth. Someone is sure to say that’s what the Jehovah Witnesses teach about this verse. We are not interested in what JW’S say and indeed recognize them as a false cult but we cannot change the true meaning of the verse just to get one over on them. The readers will see as we deal with other texts that it would have been scripturally impossible for the thief to go to heaven that day anyhow, but more on that later.
Luke 23.43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee “To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise”.
The question which is asked is this, did the thief go to “paradise” that day to be with Christ? Almost without a moments hesitation many Christians would answer “yes” but is that indeed what happened? Let us look carefully at the facts.
The thief’s request was “Lord remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom”. The thief was no doubt an Israelite and as such knew well the promises of the Old Testament regarding the Messiah and the kingdom He would reign over. He had read the superscription written over the Saviour’s head “This is Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews”. He had watched the Lord and listened to His words and realized He was indeed the King. The thief did not ask to be taken to heaven to be with the Lord when he died that day but for Christ to remember him when he came into His kingdom.
Our Lord’s answer to him was regarding that day when His kingdom will be set up on earth otherwise it had no relevance. He promised the thief that he would be part of it when it would come. Later, after His resurrection the Lord told Mary “I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to My God, and your God”. Surely these plain words of scripture are clear, Jesus had not at that point ascended into heaven.
The problem lies with the comma and where the translators have placed it in the verse. Greek scholars inform us that in the original greek there are no punctuation marks so it was at the discretion of the translators where they placed it. The words of Christ to the thief are easily understood when we recognize this important fact, He simply told him “I tell you today you will be with me in paradise”. The word “paradise” has the definite article and should read “The paradise“, not referring to heaven at all but the paradise of the kingdom set up on earth.
S omeone is sure to say that’s what the Jehovah Witnesses teach about this verse. We are not interested in what JW’S say and indeed recognize them as a false cult but we cannot change the true meaning of the verse just to get one over on them. The readers will see as we deal with other texts that it would have been scripturally impossible for the thief to go to heaven that day anyhow, but more on that later.