Luke 23:32-43: Which Thief Are You?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt

Episode: Luke 23:32-43: Which Thief Are You?

Date: April 2, 2026

Host: Madison Prewett Troutt
Guest(s): (Unspecified, two voices: A – Primary speaker, B – Co-host or guest/echo)

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Overview

In this episode, Madison Prewett Troutt delves deeply into the powerful biblical passage of Luke 23:32-43 – the account of Jesus’s crucifixion alongside two criminals. The discussion centers on personal reflection, understanding true salvation, and examining which “thief” each of us most resembles. Through storytelling, verse walkthroughs, and heartfelt discussion, the hosts invite listeners into a moment of honest self-examination, emphasizing God’s mercy, forgiveness, and the transformative power of the cross.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Crucifixion (00:00–02:30)

• Madison vividly recounts the crucifixion narrative, focusing on the presence of two criminals crucified with Jesus.
  • “If you're anything like me, I read the Bible and I try and see it as a movie… I just imagine being one of these criminals and hearing the commotion, knowing it's your death day.” (01:10)
• She invites listeners to imagine themselves in the shoes of the criminals—known by their bad deeds and facing execution.

2. The Significance of the Two Thieves (02:30–05:00)

• Madison highlights that both criminals initially mock and insult Jesus, reflecting hardened hearts.
• Unique to Luke’s Gospel, one criminal undergoes a transformation—moving from mockery to a confession of faith.
  • “Luke is the only gospel account that adds this secondary moment between one of the criminals where he actually changes his mind, and he believes in Jesus.” (02:59)

3. Three Steps to True Salvation (03:30–05:30)

• Madison distills the penitent thief’s journey into three crucial steps:
  1. Admit Brokenness – Acknowledge you are a sinner in need of a savior.
     • “Step number one, I've messed up. I need someone to save me from my sins. I can't get out of this myself.” (04:30)
  2. Recognize Jesus’s Innocence and Divinity – Understand that Jesus alone is the perfect one, able to save.
     • “You're the one that can save me.” (04:55)
  3. Ask for Salvation – Make the personal ask: “Jesus, remember me.”
     • “When you approach Jesus with that honest three-step confession, he is the greatest Savior of all time.” (05:19)
  • Quote: “The only one that Jesus cannot save is the one that doesn't think they need to be saved.” (05:30)

4. Personal Reflection: Which Thief Are You? (05:48–06:00)

• Madison challenges listeners to pause and reflect: Are you hardened or humble?
  • Quote: “Are you the thief that says, no, I don't want you, Jesus, or the thief that says, I need you, Jesus. That's it.” (05:49)

5. The Greatest Exchange: Sin for Righteousness (06:00–07:16)

• The co-host highlights 2 Corinthians 5:21, exploring the exchange that happens at the cross:
  • “He became sin so that in him we could become his righteousness… the greatest exchange of all time taking place.” (06:16)
• The message is clear: Jesus not only forgives but gifts believers with his righteousness, peace, and presence.
  • Quote: “Not only did he take away our sin and all of our wrong and all of our bad, but… he gave us all of his good.” (06:40)

6. Application & Prayer (07:16–10:14)

• Madison leads listeners through a moment of guided reflection and prayer, encouraging visualization of oneself as one of the two thieves.
  • “Close your eyes… and I want you to see yourself as one of those two thieves on the cross next to Jesus.” (07:20)
• She emphasizes Jesus’s posture of forgiveness, addressing both believers struggling with ongoing shame and those considering faith for the first time.
  • “That's why the gospel is not just for non believers, it's for believers every single day.” (08:40)
• The prayer covers themes of freedom, cleansing, joy, and acceptance in Christ, culminating the episode with spiritual encouragement.
  • “Thank you that it's not just freedom from hell, it's freedom in this life to be triumphant and abundant and joyful and full of life.” (09:40)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On identifying with the thieves:
  “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the payment of that sin is, is death. And if you've ever sinned, like I know I have, we are hanging there in need of someone to save us.” (03:00)

• On salvation’s simplicity and necessity:
  “To the only one that Jesus cannot save is the one that doesn't think they need to be saved.” (05:30)

• On the exchange at the cross:
  “He exchanges all of bad for all of his good.” (07:10)

• On daily gospel application:
  “The gospel is not just for non believers, it's for believers every single day.” (08:40)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------| | 00:00 | Opening: Setting the scene of the crucifixion | | 02:30 | Introduction of the two thieves | | 03:30 | Three steps to true salvation | | 05:48 | “Which thief are you?” Moment of reflection | | 06:00 | The Greatest Exchange – 2 Corinthians 5:21 | | 07:16 | Application, guided prayer, and spiritual comfort |

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Tone & Takeaways

Madison Prewett Troutt’s tone throughout is vulnerable, relatable, and pastorally gentle. The episode fuses biblical teaching with personal invitation, encouraging listeners to search their hearts and respond to Jesus’s offer of forgiveness and righteousness. The simplicity and urgency of the gospel are at the fore, with memorable imagery—“the three crosses”—anchoring the discussion.

Final Thought:
This episode is a compelling call to self-examination and faith, making listeners ask: “Which thief am I? Am I ready to acknowledge my need and accept all that Jesus offers?”

Transcript

[A]

Luke23,32,34. Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there along with the criminals. One on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. If you've been around church or you've been in the church at all, you may know the story of Jesus getting crucified. This might be familiar. You've probably heard a sermon on this or two. It's really impactful to me for a few reasons. One that sticks out is there's two strange characters that show up in the climax of this story. You've been reading the Gospels. You've seen his miracles, you've seen his teaching. You've seen so many miraculous, powerful moments. And we're leading up to this final climax of the payment of our sins to be on Jesus Christ on the cross. And it says there's two criminals that are to die with him. Now, if you're anything like me, I read the Bible and I try and see it as a movie. I try and go, okay, there was color, there was the dust of the sand that would pop up as they walk. There would be people watching this. And I just imagine being one of these criminals who. Your whole life up until this point, all you've done are bad things. You've sinned. We don't know why they're here, but they've done something bad enough to be killed for it, to be crucified for it. And I just imagine being one of these criminals and hearing the commotion, knowing it's your death day. And. And they're going, who are we being killed with? Like, who's this other person we're about to die with? And you start to kind of peek out and you're looking around and you're going, that's cheap. That's the one they're calling the Messiah. There's this massive crowd. There would have been no one there for these two men. And there's a massive crowd going, who is this? This is Jesus. They call him the Son of God, the Messiah, whatever. I don't believe that. All I know is this is my time to go, whatever. And they start to walk up this mountain. And I. I love this part of the story because I go, jesus, why would you take away from the moment with two random people beside you? And if you read this story in the verses I just read, Jesus lets out One final sermon on the cross. He says, father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Now, other gospel records record that these two thieves, while hanging on the cross with Jesus, were both hurling insults at Jesus. They were both like, if you are the son of God, you could save us. You could take us off this cross right now. If you are the Son of God. Well, Luke is the only gospel account that adds this secondary moment between one of the criminals where he actually changes his mind, and he believes in Jesus. And I want to read this verse because I want to show what salvation really looks like. This is verse 39. It says, one of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him. Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us. But the other criminal rebuked him. Don't you fear God? He said, since you were under the same sentence. We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man Jesus, he has done nothing wrong. Then he said, he looks at Jesus. Then he said, jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, the last man Jesus saves. Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise. Why two men? You see it on stickers on the back of cars. You see it outside your church. There's three crosses. I believe the reason, the last picture Jesus gives us is that you and I, every person to live, are one of two thieves hanging beside Jesus. That the Bible says, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the payment of that sin is, is death. And if you've ever sinned, like I know I have, we are hanging there in need of someone to save us. One thief says, why aren't you saving me? Will you just figure this out for me? And he's got this hardened heart. But the other one does three things. And I believe that these are the three things that lead to real salvation. The first, he says, is, we are punished here justly. Until you get to the point where you can look at yourself and say, I am a sinner in need of a savior, you'll never walk into true salvation. Step number one, I've messed up. I need someone to save me from my sins. I can't get out of this myself. Look at the second thing he says, but this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, you are the Savior. You are the perfect one. I know I've messed up, but you've not done anything. You're the one that can save me. The third thing he does, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom, ask Jesus to save you. I'm a sinner. You're a Savior. Do you think you could save me? And when you approach Jesus with that honest three step confession, he is the greatest Savior of all time. The greatest job description of Jesus Christ is to save those that need saving. To the only one that Jesus cannot save is the one that doesn't think they need to be saved.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

That is who we are. Are you the thief that says, no, I don't want you, Jesus, or the thief that says, I need you, Jesus. That's it.

[B]

Yeah. Where do you find yourself? Which one do you relate to most? That was so powerful. And a verse I just want to speak before we close in prayer is 2nd Corinthians 5, 21. It says for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. I love that. This picture that you're giving of the three crosses, there is a man in the middle who knew no sin. He never one time gave into sin, yet he took on all of our sin. He became sin so that in him we could become his righteousness, the righteousness of God. And so this is the greatest exchange of all time taking place. Not only did he take away our sin and all of our wrong and all of our bad, but. But then he gave us all of his good. He gave us all of his righteousness so that we could be made right with God, so that we could be in right standing with God. And so not only does the Lord want to save you and take you, take you into his love and, and take away all of the sin, but he also wants to give you all of Him. He wants you to have all of his goodness, all of his peace, all of his joy, all of his presence, all of his glory. And I just love that. I love that we have a God that loves us so much that he exchanges. It's the greatest gift ever. He exchanges all of bad for all of his good.

[A]

Amen. I think we should pray.

[B]

Yeah, let's do it.

[A]

Yeah. Wherever you're at, could be a car, could be airport, could be your room, could be wherever. I. I just want you to take a moment, close your eyes, take a deep breath. And I want you to see yourself as one of those two thieves on the cross next to Jesus. For all the sin in your life, there's a just payment. And there's one in the middle who's not angry. He's not cursing the people that are crucifying him. He actually has this Last sermon of ten words to the people that are spitting on him and nailing him. He says, father, forgive them, for they do not know what they're doing. Who is this man with gentle eyes and in this crowd that seems to love or hate him, who is Jesus? And I just want you to be honest with yourself. Have you come to him with this deep desire to say, I am a sinner? And I believe that you're the perfect one that can save me? I believe that you are on this cross not for them, but for me too. And I believe that as the blood runs down your face from the crown of thorns, that that blood counts for me and all the sins I've done, even after I became a Christian, because there's a lot of shame in my life because I'm supposed to be clean now that I'm a Christian and I've done some stuff after I was a Christian. And that's why the gospel is not just for non believers, it's for believers every single day. And so I just want to pray this prayer over you that you are cleansed by his blood. Jesus, thank you that you hung on the cross and you paid the price for our sins and your blood sets us free. Thank you that every single person listening can put their faith in what you did on that cross and they will be free. Lord, thank you that it's not just freedom from hell, it's freedom in this life to be triumphant and abundant and joyful and full of life. I plead the blood of Jesus over every listener right now that they would know that whom the sun sets free is free indeed. And they can smile and they can run and they can laugh because they are free. Thank you for what you did on that middle cross. May we be one like the criminal that says, will you save me in Jesus mighty name? Amen.

[B]

Amen.