THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
Luke 23:33-43
A couple of years ago, Mel Gibson directed a movie that put new meaning to the way Christians viewed the crucifixion. Now although it was surrounded with controversy from the Jewish community and some over reacting covenant theologist, this movie impacted the way many viewed the events of that day leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Some missed the whole picture, even though they were there because they did not go to see the movie for its content, but they went to see it to dissect it with what they thought they knew about the dreadful day of the crucifixion. Some nit-picked Simon the Cyrenian that helped Jesus bare His cross. Some were upset because the Jewish community said the picture was Anti-Semitic, while others thought that it was not right for a person who showed no signs of knowing the Lord Jesus nor His church, make so much money from his version of what happened around the day in which Jesus gave up the ghost. My brothers and sisters what ever the sceptic might have thought, I feel that the movie was worth seeing because it would give the Christian community a much needed look at the way the prophetic word in Isaiah 52 described how the Savior would be marred.
Now although Mel Gibson viewed the passion of our Christ in the light of what Jesus received on our behave and I agree with him. I saw something else in the text that showed me how passionate Jesus really was for sinners like us. This involved the malefactor or the criminal who was at the right side of Jesus. He much like Jesus was on a cross, but he according to the law deserved such punishment. Jesus and this malefactor was not alone, because their was one other malefactor on the cross that day, but only one of them was going to be with Jesus in paradise.
So lets take a look at this sad but glorious day in the life of this malefactor and see how he moved the Lord to be passionate towards him.
First of all. . .
1. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE DESERVED TO DIE (vv.39,41a)
“And one of the malefactors who were hanged railed at Him, saying, If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us. 40. But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41. And we, indeed, justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds.”
As we look at these verses we find Jesus, and two thieves nailed to three separate crosses. The people around the cross was mocking Jesus saying, If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself. Matthew 27:44 stated that even both of these thieves mocked Him. But one had a change of heart in this lesson. But for the other in the text, the scriptures shows, him mocking the Lord as well, and saying, If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us. He did not know that, dying on that day was Jesus’ purpose for being there. He didn’t know, not because Jesus didn’t make that fact known, he didn’t know because he did not care to hear the words of Jesus. There are people just like that today. Jesus has been knocking at their heart ever since they been hearing the gospel, but some care not to listen to the message that the gospel is presenting. They are hearing but they are not listening. That what happen to these two malefactors while things were going well for them they heard from other about Jesus and his message, they probably heard Him for themselves, but they never listened to what He was saying. This was not the case for the thief that was on the right. Although he ridiculed Jesus in the beginning, but he finally listened to the message and did not continue with his friend nor the crowd. In fact he rebuked his friend for the words he was saying because deep down inside he knew that they were getting what they deserved, and he also knew that Jesus was an innocent man. You know I applaud this man because probably for the first time in his association with the other thief, that they were not thick as thieves. He might have realized in order to see Jesus, you would have to disassociate yourself with people that cannot see Christ as their only true hope. You see, you have to come out from among the peace breakers and the backbiters, you have to leave the ones who think that everyone is wrong but them. It just like the two self centered brothers of the church who once said, “there are only two people saved in this church. You are looking at one and I am looking at the other.” I tell you that would be a sad commentary for Jesus’ ministry if only two people got saved, but there are people just like that in the church.
Listen to this. This man didn’t take one more chance with his life. He didn’t follow the crowd, and he surely didn’t follow his friend. He probably thought, What if this man Jesus is the Son of God? Suppose he is telling the truth? In thinking that, he chose to rebuke his friend, admit his wrong doings and declared that Jesus is the Lord.
Secondly, not only did he understand what he had done was worthy of death but . . .
2. HE KNEW THAT JESUS WAS INNOCENT TO HIS CHARGES (v. 41b)
“But this man hath done nothing amiss.”
In this verse the thief on the right knew that Jesus had done nothing to deserve to die. He probably followed Jesus’ life from a distance. Keeping account of His every move. He probably heard about the feeding of the five thousand, he heard about the calming of the sea and the healing of the woman with the issue of blood. He probably heard about the raising of Lazarus and the healing of Blind Bartimaeus. He probably heard while awaiting his execution, the cutting off of the soldiers ear and Jesus putting it back on. But one thing he never heard about Jesus and that is he never heard of Jesus doing anything wrong. He was convinced that the judgement that they place on Jesus was not what He deserved. He knew that when he placed his eyes on Jesus that something was unusual about Him. He knew He was not dying for what He had done, but maybe, Jesus was dying for someone else. He died for the Sannedrin, He died for the high priest, He died for the ones that whipped Him, He died for those who spit on Him and threw rocks at Him, He died for the cross maker, the nail driver, the one who pierced Him in His side and the thief that talked about Him on the cross. Oh, my brothers and sister in the heart of this thief he knew what many church folks still don’t realize, and that is that Jesus on that day died in our place.
Finally in verse 42. . .
3. HE RECOGNIZED THAT JESUS WAS THE LORD (v.42)
“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”
While on the cross this malefactor probably had many thoughts in his mind. He probably thought, Why did he chose a life of crime instead of a life of hard work? He most likely even thought, Why did he ever associate himself with the other thief? But there was one thought that escaped his mouth and that was to give Jesus His due respect as Lord. Now grant it that he might had thought that Jesus’ kingdom might have been here on earth because the bible in verse 42 is showing a small “k” in kingdom and the Lord that he placed on Jesus could have meant that Jesus would rule a earthly kingdom. But which ever way he meant it, it got him favor with the only begotten Son of God. The point is that he gave Jesus the respect that was due Him even when all others were disrespecting Him.
I’m reminded of a professor that I had in seminary. He would address Jesus with earthly titles as if he was talking to one of his peers. He would call Him dude, the Big Cat and what ever he thought he was comfortable with. He did this because he felt that if Jesus was his big brother and we were adoptees in the heavenly family, then he can talk to him like he is his brother. I disagree, because although He is the heir and we are joint heirs, it does not discount that He is still our Savior.
I truly believe that at that moment it was revealed to this thief that Jesus was the Son of God and He was to die to be the Savior of the world.
I wish I had more time for a fourth point. If I did it would be that the thief. . .
WAS REWARDED FOR HIS BELIEF. And verse 43 says, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
To sum it up, the three were on crosses that day. In the middle was the savior of the world, on the left and right were two thieves. Dr. Frank Ray says of this scene;
• On the left was a blasphemer
• the right a Believer
• In the middle was the Benefactor
• On the left in folly
• right in favor
• in the middle was in fulfilment
• on the left was in grief
• the right was in grace
• in the middle was in glory
• on the left was in harshness
• the right was in hope
• in the middle was in Holiness
• on the left was in mocking
• the right was in mercy
• in the middle was in ministry
• on the left was a rejecter
• the right was a receiver
• in the middle was our redemption
• on the left was in sin
• the right was from sin
• in the middle was for sin
• on the left was a sinner
• the right was a saint
• in the middle was The Savior
CONCLUSION
Well I say happy Resurrection Sunday to you Salem, I pray that you would consider what the Lord has done for us. I’m reminded of a statistic that I read on last week. It said that over three thousand nine hundred Americans died in Irag and over two hundred thousand American were wounded in the war on terrorism. And I thought about that, and I appreciate and honor that fact. And I want to say thank you to every veteran and their families for the sacrifice’s that they had made.
But then I thought about the ultimate Sacrifice named Jesus. He was wounded for our transgressions and no new agency is reporting it. He was bruised for our iniquities and the Metro in the Post did not say anything. The chastisement for our peace was upon Him and the Associated Press International did not announce it, and the Medical Journal did not report that we are healed by His strips.
I glad this morning that although after His death He was place in a tomb. But early this morning, in the stillness of the mid-night He got up.
Death could not hold Him.
The grave could not hold.
The Sanhedrin could not stop Him.
He rose with all Power.
