Good Friday

Luke 23:32-43

“The Cross And Confrontation” • 3.29.13 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Good Friday Service

Intro.

- The painful moments leading up to what we are about to study would be enough trouble for most people in isolation. These all took place successively over a 12 hour period.

- When Jesus had finished the Passover dinner with his disciples, He agonized in prayer, the stress being enough to cause blood to be mingled with His sweat.

- His betrayor and former disciple led a mob to His position and finished his infamy with a kiss.

- He was then led away to an illegal gathering of the Sanhedrin, where He was unjustly judged and condemned, receiving a beating in mock justice.

- A few hours later, He was brought into Pilate's Praetorium, then sent to Herod's court, then back to Pilate's court where He was flagellated by a Roman Centurion.

- A crown of thorns was fashioned at that time with a robe that covered His now exposed back and sides. The blood loss would have been immeasurable by this time, leading to near black out.

- Pilate, assuming that this mockery would satisfy the masses, brought Jesus out and offered a choice of a murderer or Jesus. To Pilate's shock and disbelief, the people chose Barabbas.

- Jesus has now been betrayed, beaten, mocked, and thoroughly rejected by many who had just days earlier, celebrated His entrance into Jerusalem.

- Now, Pilate, however reluctantly delivered Him to them, the Roman centurions, to be crucified and that between two criminals, a final insult in the minds of His torturers.

- As is the case with many such evils in the world, this turn of events prompts a wonderful opportunity to peer into the heart of redemption.  

Text

• Luke 23:32,33 : "There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left." : These two criminals were actually thieves according to Matthew's gospel. All three went together from the Praetorium to Calvary or Golgotha, which was about a half mile distance.

- It's likely that these thieves have been awaiting judgment, locked away in prison. For that reason, it's not likely that they knew who Jesus was, but they knew He wasn't a common prisoner.

- The walk toward the cross was filled with mourners. They must have deduced a bit about Him, but were grasping at shadows, especially given that they were on their way to be crucified.

- Crucifixion was a common sight in Rome, but was reserved for the worst, non-Roman criminals. It's said that roads leading into Rome were lined with crosses, reminding people to obey!

- Ultimately, it was a death of asphyxiation after being an event of torture.

- Their inevitable death would come as a result of being unable to lift themselves up to breathe, causing their suffocation.

- The crucified victims, exposed to the elements, burned in the sun and could last days. It was not uncommon for insects and carrion crows to nestle and pick at the immobile victims.

- When they arrived at Golgotha, Jesus and the other criminals were laid down on the ground, their arms stretched over the beam until they buckled at the elbow.

- Nails were driven through the radius and ulna bones which meet in a narrow place just below the wrist, next to the ulnar nerve.

- After the nails affixed the arms to the cross, the knees were bent to allow the ability of movement. One foot was placed on the other as one nail was driven through them both.

- From there, the cross was lifted into position by ropes and the backbeam dropped into the supporting hole. At this time on this Friday, it was now 9AM.

- Jesus was in the center. This is no mistake, as Jesus is always at the center and these two men are confronted with the reality of His person from a unique perspective.

- They both have roughly the same amount of information and both are condemned men.

- They had seen men that deserved to be crucified and likely knew men that had been crucified for their crimes. This man was notably different and they are forcibly confronted with that difference!

- Finally, both of these men are near death. Most people could last for days if they were crucified, but once you were on the cross, there was no getting off! They had one fate.

• Luke 23:34a : "Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.'" : At this time, the two criminals hear Jesus speak, perhaps for the first time. In all of their experience, they had ever heard anyone speak this way.

- "Who is He speaking to? His Father?" This must have been perplexing at some level, but the words "Forgive them" identify the person addressed by what He is asked to do.

- Only God can forgive sins. This crucified man is calling out to God and asking Him to forgive the people crucifying and mocking Him.

- They don't know what they are doing! These words never fail to impress me, no matter how many times I've heard them.

- The Lord's first words from the cross were words calling out for God's forgiveness.

- A person's character is most clearly seen when pressure is applied. There could be no greater pressure applied than here and this is what His mouth speaks!

- Nobody was asking for forgiveness, but Jesus knew what we often forget, that unforgiveness is a more deadly poison to us than to those we withhold it from!

- No doubt these words did more than hit their ears. The ungodly hate, especially in such a moment, any hint of godliness. "Oh, so you're better than us huh!?" Look at what happens next.

• Luke 23:34b-39 : "And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, 'He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.' The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, and saying, 'If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.' And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, 'If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.'" : The soldiers heard the words of Christ and promptly began to play a game for his garments. In their minds, this added insult to injury. In ours, a fulfillment of prophecy!

- Psalm 22:18, a passage written by David hundreds of years prior, was happening there at that very moment!

- The people stood there looking, the word being the root for our word "theory." They sought to understand, to come to some theory about what they were seeing.

- There are those in your life doing that exact same thing today! They are confronted again with this talk about crucifixion and are silently wondering what it means. Why is it important?

- I pray that you will take the opportunity to share what it is that you know! But they were unable to think clearly for very long as the religious leaders sought to interpret the moment for them.

- "He saved others, let Him save Himself if He is who He claims to be!" Understand this clearly: The religious leaders knew why Jesus was on the cross. He claimed to be the Christ!

- There are some who claim that Jesus never claimed such a thing and yet, here He is hanging for that very claim!

- The religious leaders claimed to be people of God, but they were never very good at being people of faith! They always required a sign that Jesus would not give to them.

- Signs are for confirmation of faith, not coversion to it! Ironically, most who come to Jesus in faith, looking at all that has been revealed, understand that they don't need a sign!

- On a further note of irony, they betray themselves here by admitting that He had indeed saved others!

- The religious leaders though, sign or not, would not have received Him. They sneered, turned their nose up at Him because He did not fit into their religious system that was built on hypocrisy.

- Jesus would not play their game. He stood on that cross for the joy set before Him that gave them the open door to salvation, even if they could not see it in that moment.

- Then, as if on cue, the Gentile soldiers mocked Jesus with virtually the same statement. They mocked as they raised a sponge with sour wine on it.

- This was no bottle of $5 buck chuck! It was a mixture of wine, vinegar and water that the soldiers drank. The concept of their mockery was in presenting a King with His wine.

- "If you are the King, save yourself!" The Jews wanted to see the Messiah save Himself as a sign of authority from God, while the Romans sought to see the power of a King.

- They hung up the inscription over the Lord's head. John tells us that it was Pilate that wrote this and in three different languages. Everybody there was now confronted with this Man's identity.

- Now, we hear the criminal talking to Jesus. He has heard this man call for forgiveness, he has heard that He believes Himself to be the Messiah and the King.

- He is with the Jews and the Gentiles. If He is either, He can end this for Himself and for the other criminals! "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!"

- Here is an interesting consideration. The Jews, despite their hatred of Christ, had not broken a civil law. The Romans, despite their cruelty, were well within their rights.

- The criminal on the cross had done something worthy of execution. He was entirely guilty and justice was being served in his sentence.

- Herein is another human problem. They are confronted with their guilt, but expect Jesus to save them apart from justice. Remit my sins just because you can!

- But God, a just judge, cannot simply remit sins! They must be paid for and this man was paying for his sins. His sin, as with everyone who sins, is leading to his death.

- His mockery was interrupted by the other criminal who had the same time and processed the same information.

• Luke 23:40,41 : "But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, 'Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.'" : While the criminal on the other side had decided to vent his full wickedness, the other quietly contemplated the possibility that this Man in between them was indeed who they said He was.

- He had also mocked the Lord at the beginning, but came to regret it, and slowly changed his mind about this Man. Notice His confession: Do you not even fear God?

- This man knew at this moment that Jesus was God in the flesh, the Man that was under the same condemnation!

- His theology was stunning for a man with such little time and content! Jesus the Man was God in the flesh, representing all believing mankind in His flesh, being condemned on their behalf!

- That is exactly what was taking place: Jesus the innocent all the condemnation in Himself of the ones who were guilty.

- The criminal however, understood that he was guilty, receiving the due penalty or the reciprocal action given the crime. He stood there a guilty man and the crime was fitting.

- Before moving on, let's recognize, take an inventory of what this man had come to know.

- First, Jesus was divine. Second, He was guilty and deserved death. This brings us to the final things that he knew.

• Luke 23:42,43 : "Then he said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.' And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'" : After the crook rebuked the other crook, he turned to Jesus and made a request. "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

- He knew who to ask and he knew that he had to ask! Remember, bring me to your mind. Think about me. Recall this moment.

- Faith was active in this man, who saw well beyond this moment. He looked into the moments after death and knew that there was a life that Jesus was in charge of!

- Imagine the faith needed at this moment. Friday, a person would need to look at the visage of a dying man and believe that a Kingdom was in His future! What great faith!

- What did Jesus say? "Too bad you didn't have time to outweigh all your bad works with some good ones!" "Bummer you weren't able to keep a few Sabbaths!"

- No, Jesus says, "Assuredly!" There is no more certain proposition than when the King of Heaven says "Assuredly" to you!

- That very day, this thief who deserved infinitely different received a promise that He would be with Jesus in Paradise!

- In the ancient mind, the Paradise was the grand garden playground of the King where He would hold receptions and bring invited guests to join.

- This is the place of the righteous dead before Christ died that Luke speaks of in chapter 16. Some might trouble themselves with it's location or the question of if it's still there today.

- The promise has nothing to do with the place. It's that the thief will be with the King! That's the promise of the Cross! You'll be with me in Paradise.

Conclusion
- The thief could not give Jesus His life. He had only three hours left. He could not give him his body. It was nailed to a tree. He could even offer a hand of dedicated service!

- All he could offer was a belief that Jesus was who they said He was.

- The cross does not glorify man. It glorifies the God who can make a promise to a thief and welcome him and all other sinners to come into Paradise with Himself.

- Like the criminal, we have nothing to offer Jesus and that's the point!

- This Good Friday, this cross tells us that all that can be offered has been offered and that offer is still open today and forever!