Stand Alone “Inventory of Assurance” Luke 23:32-43

INTRO> I worked in retail and in sales through high school, college and even after college. One of the worst things about working in retail, apart from the customers is when the times comes a couple times a year to do inventory. I remember when I worked at Hastings when it was open, we would have to count and check everything that was in the store. I was the low man on the poll, so they had me count the… DVDS! The had like a 1,000 of those things!

APP> The whole purpose of inventory, is to check and make sure what you have. You have a list that tells you what you should have, you check and if you don’t. You report that loss. Did you know that the Bible tells us to take a spiritual inventory of our lives?

• • • “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!” 1 Corinthians 13:5

APP> The Bible doesn’t want you floating away in doubt. I talk to people all the time who are unsure of their salvation, the Bible wants you to know some things, to check on some things and it wasn’t you to know.

• • • “I write these things to you who believe in the names of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13

Reasons why we doubt our salvation:

• • • We look to our performance.
    • We look to our sin.
    • We look to our feelings.

CONTEXT> The reason that I chose this passage, a very famous passage is because of the last verse. Jesus tells a man that “he will be with me in paradise” That’s probably a good sign that you are on the right track, correct? This is Jesus’ crucifixion, he is being crucified between two criminals the bibles tells us, which is the fulfilling of a old prophecy. I want to look at this man, this situation and see what is going on that this man got this kind of assurance. Do we have these marks? Lets take an inventory.

1. A conviction of sin.

• • • There are two really interesting things that are happening here, the first one is actually found in Matthew’s account of this story. “And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.” Matthew 27:44

APP> This is important to note. No one is “born a Christian” The phrases, “I grew up in church” “My Dad was a pastor” all of these things are not inventory of evidence of true conversion. There is a change that happens in your life.

APP> All change starts with a crisis. “The plain truth is that a right knowledge  of sin lies at the root of all saving Christianity. Without it such doctrines as justification, conversion, sanctification, are words and names which convey no meaning to the mind. The first things, therefore, that God does when he make anyone a new creature in Christ, is to send light into his heart, and show him that he is a guilty sinner.” J.C. Ryle

• • • “do you not fear God.. we indeed justly…” Now this is something, that quit frankly you can not say without the spirit of God. He is saying in essence that he is guilty before God and man. No more excuses.

APP> There is a great distinction between these two men. The other man is giving God ultimatums. Saying, “IF you do this then I will believe.” The other is simply stating the truth. You see the only sin in todays society is to call something a sin. You see the other man is making excuses and still fighting until the end, the other man is owning his own faults.

APP> Until we see ourselves rightly we will never understand ourselves fully.  *ILL> G.K. Chesterton, “what wrong with the world?” I am

2) A confession of Christ.

• • • • This man confesses something in his statements, 4 things in particular.

1. The person of Christ. “ Jesus”.. Do you know what Jesus’ names means, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
2. The purity of Christ. “this man has done nothing wrong” This is a big deal. This man recognizes what the rest of the scriptures teach, that Jesus as perfect! “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15
3. The position of Christ. “into your kingdom” This is a big statement! So if Jesus has a kingdom then that makes him a King, correct. APP> You don’t make Jesus Lord of your life, he is Lord. You don’t invite him in, he can come infix he wants. The proper term is that you own your knee before he breaks it.

*ILL> When Roman, our first child was born. I remember being in that moment and was so overwhelmed. I couldn’t wait to hear him cry and see what he sounded like. But he didn’t cry right away.. then Dr.John sorta smacked him around and then he cried. APP> You see “the prayer” does’t save you, God does.

APP> Religious people confess that God is useful. Christians confess that God is beautiful.

3) A connection through faith.

• • • “you will be with me in paradise.” You see, this is the key the is what its all about. Everyone has faith, faith in something. But this man places his faith in Christ.

APP> Jesus’ statement to him is profound, Jesus tells him “with me”.

*ILL> This is a very famous picture of Jackie Robinson, the first african american man to break the barrier of segregation into MLB. When he was playing a game in Brooklyn he made an error on the field. The racist fans lost heir minds and began to throw things at him and say horrible things. The short-stop “Pee-Wee” Reese walked over to Jackie and put his arm around him and started right at the crowd. Reese wanted to send a message, stop, because he is with me.” Jackie would later say that moment saved his career.

APP> You see, that’s the gospel. Jesus sticks his around around you and says “Your with me”

APP> Faith is not about our grip on God but rather believing and trusting God’s grip on us.

Big Idea> The assurance of my salvation is anchored in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Application:

• • • It’s never too late.
    • You are never too far gone.
    • You can really have assurance.