CROSSROADS
Luke 23:32-43
INTRODUCTION
For many Christians, Easter is our favorite Sunday of the year…Unfortunately, we sometimes fail to adequately communicate the significance of the Holiday to our children.
A Pastor once asked a group of children why we celebrate Easter…One young girl raised her hand and said, “The whole family gets together, watches football and eats lots of turkey to give thanks to God for everything we have.”… “No” said the pastor, you’re thinking of Thanksgiving.”
Then a little boy piped up, “We decorate the house and buy presents for everyone.”… “No”, said the pastor, “you’re talking about Christmas.”
Finally, a young girl spoke up. “Easter is when Jesus died and they put him in the tomb.”…The pastor broke out in a broad grin, because this was his young daughter who came up with this answer…But he stopped smiling when she continued, “And everyone gathers round the tomb to see if He comes out so we’ll know whether we’re going to have six more weeks of winter.”
I invite your attention this morning to the 23rd chapter of the Gospel of Luke as we consider the events leading to the Resurrection of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ…In Luke 23 we find the record of the crucifixion of JC…Before Jesus could experience the Resurrection, He had to endure the crucifixion… And what I find so remarkable is that even in Jesus’ final hours upon this earth—even as He hung in agony on a cross at Calvary, He was offering hope for a brighter future for those at the Crossroads of their lives.
Luke 23:32-43 32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.” 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The scene portrayed in these verses has been repeated countless times throughout the centuries…Not by men on crosses, and not by people facing execution for their crimes, but by men and women at the crossroads of their lives…Making decisions about what to do when confronted by the reality of the crucified Christ…Some of you are at that point today, and the decision you make this morning may well influence your eternal destiny.
This passage speaks of three crosses…The first is the CROSS OF REJECTION.
I. THE CROSS OF REJECTION
I’ve often found it interesting that Jesus was hung between two men who had been caught, convicted and condemned for crimes they had committed…What a contrast between those who were being punished for their wrongdoing, and the One who had never done wrong, yet suffered the same earthly fate.
The NIV describes these other two men as criminals = Matthew & Mark refer to these men as robbers…The old KJV calls them malefactors…It was a word that describes evil doers, those who used violence to achieve their means…In all probability they were insurrectionists who had advocated a violent uprising against the Roman government.
Luke tells us in v. 39: One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
One of the criminals = we don’t know his name, his age or anything else about him…We don’t know if he had a wife or children or what he did for a living when he was fomenting insurrection…He is one of countless individuals mentioned on the pages of inspired Scripture about whom we know next to nothing.
We’re told that he hurled insults at Jesus…He shouted blasphemy…But of course, he was simply joining in with the crowd.
• Verse 35 tells of the people & the rulers who sneered at Jesus.
• Verse 36 describes the soldiers who mocked Jesus.
In a society in which the talking heads on the news sneer at those who take their faith seriously—in a culture in which the most popular celebrities mock people who claim to be practicing Christians—it is easy to join in and ridicule people of faith…We experience it every day…Pick up the newspaper…Turn on the TV…The most popular sport in America is to take pot shots at those who claim to be devoted followers of Jesus Christ…It’s been that way for 2000 years, as the CROSS OF REJECTION demonstrates.
But this criminal’s response is not merely to a religion or a system of faith…It is his response to Jesus… Aren’t you the Christ? he asks…That sign above your head declares that you are the king of the Jewish people—the Messiah—the Anointed One—the Christ—IF THAT’S TRUE, then save yourself—come down off that cross—And while you’re at it—save us, too!!!
This man was at the final crossroads of his life…I don’t know what other opportunities he had earlier in life to repent of his sins and trust Jesus as his Savior, but I know he had this one…I don’t know if his parents had taken him to the Synagogue or how much time he had spent in the Scriptures, but I know that in the final hours of his life, he was in the very presence of the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings…The Word of God which had become flesh and dwelt among men for the previous 30 years or so is now hanging on a cross next to him.
But he asks Jesus no questions…He seeks no favor and makes no request…He died as he lived: without hope and without God, on the Cross of Rejection.
There is another man hanging on another cross on the other side of Jesus…This other cross is a Cross of Repentance.
II THE CROSS OF REPENTANCE
Hanging on this other cross is another man…I think it is interesting that Luke describes these men as both criminals in verse 32…There is no distinction between them…The one hanging on this second cross is no less guilty than the first…He is no more deserving of a second chance, no more worthy of grace than the other…They both were criminals, malefactors, evil-doers.
Although Luke doesn’t mention it, we are told in the accounts authored by Matthew and Mark that both of these criminals heaped insults on Jesus…Both of them joined in the mockery and ridicule.
But Luke alone records the change of heart of this one thief…Only Luke tells us that one of these criminals manifested repentance while on the cross.
Now, Luke doesn’t tell us what occasioned this change of heart…Luke doesn’t give us any insight as to why he changed his tune.
Maybe it was the quiet, dignified way Jesus handled Himself on the cross.
Perhaps it was the manner in which Jesus refused to respond in kind to the attacks launched against him.
Maybe this thief experienced a change of heart when he witnessed Jesus respond to the injustice he was suffering when Jesus cried out, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.
• In all of the executions carried out in Jerusalem, rarely did the one being crucified
seek mercy on his executioners.
Luke doesn’t tell us and I can’t say with certainty, but something happened in those hours that they spent hanging on neighboring crosses that caused this second thief to have a change of heart—and that, my friends, is the very definition of repentance—a change of heart.
So that when the first criminal continued to insult and blaspheme Jesus, the second spoke up:
vv. 40-42 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
I am astounded by this response—by this change of heart…Think about it, this man, with his dying breath, admits that he is a sinner…He doesn’t claim to have been framed for his crime or convicted unjustly…In fact, he admits that he & his partner in crime deserve their punishment—for they are guilty, getting just what they deserved…And he declares that Jesus had done nothing wrong.
I don’t know where this man was getting his information…Just as with the first man, I couldn’t tell you anything about his religious upbringing or his theological background.
Undoubtedly he had heard stories of Jesus…Even without CNN or talk radio, the stories of Jesus’ ministry and miracles had become well known throughout Jerusalem…But maybe he had experienced some up close and personal encounters with Jesus…Maybe he saw Jesus heal the lame or cause the blind to see…Perhaps he knew someone whose belly had been filled with loaves and fish provided by the hands of Jesus…Maybe he witnessed the raising of Lazarus or saw the heavens open at the baptism of Jesus… We don’t know what he had personally heard or seen OR how much he knew about Jesus.
But we know that he had come to believe that Jesus was more than just a man…He expressed his belief that Jesus was going to come into His Kingdom…And he made a simple request of Jesus: Not to save him from the cross, but to save him from the tomb Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. (v. 42)
Let me emphasize this to you today…This man was not a religious scholar…He probably had little, if any, familiarity with the OT Scriptures…He had not been exposed to even a fraction of Jesus’ teachings…But he exercised faith on the basis of what little he did know…He exercised faith to the extent that he was able to believe.
For many of you here this morning, I don’t know what your religious background is…You may have been raised in church…You may be a theological genius…Perhaps you’re in church for the first time in a long time, or this is your Easter appearance to last you until Christmas…Or maybe you just wandered in here to see what this church did to that old grocery store that used to be here.
You may know much about the Bible or you may not even know what a Bible is…But here’s the thing… When it comes to salvation, it’s not what you know—it’s WHO you know…And the only Who that matters is Jesus.
I doubt that this second criminal knew much about propitiation, sanctification or justification…He didn’t know if he was an amillinnialist, premillenialist or postmillennialist…He didn’t know if he was a Calvanist or an Arminian…And quite frankly, he didn’t really care…What he knew was that he was dying, and that apart from JC, his future looked pretty bleak.
Do you know as much as that thief on the Cross of Repentance?...Do you know that you are dying, and that apart from a relationship with Jesus, you will be eternally separated from your God and your Creator?...I don’t really care what else you know about the OT or the NT or theology, if you don’t know that you are lost and in need of a Savior, then what you know won’t get you very far…I am not concerned about what you know as much as I care who you know—do you know Jesus?
And notice the very simple prayer he offers to Jesus: v. 42… Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
I have been privileged to lead a number of people to the Lord, and the most awkward time is when I ask the person to pray to receive Jesus as their Savior…These are people who usually aren’t very accustomed to praying…They don’t know what to say…They don’t know how to say it…But look at this very simple and straightforward prayer offered on the Cross of Repentance…No magic words…No “ding, ding, ding” you’ve said the right thing…He already had admitted he was a sinner, and he asks Jesus to save him.
And that’s all it takes, my friends…You may pray a lengthier prayer…You may pray a more eloquent prayer…But God as my witness, you won’t pray a more effective prayer than the one on the Cross of Repentance…And I can say that with full assurance because of the third—the most prominent cross—The Cross of Reconciliation.
III THE CROSS OF RECONCILIATION
The cross on which Jesus hung was the middle cross, placed between the two thieves…One on the right and one on the left, illustrating that both of these criminals had equal access to the Cross of Reconciliation—both had equal access to the grace of God through Jesus Christ.
It is on the cross that Jesus brought peace between man and God…Sin had breached that divine relationship, creating a gulf that no man could repair…But with Jesus’ sacrifice upon the cross, that relationship was restored…The Apostle Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Let’s notice four things about this Cross of Reconciliation
Leads to Isolation from others
As Jesus hung on the cross, He was all alone…Those who had been closest to Him for the previous 3 years had abandoned Him…When He was arrested in the garden, each and every one of his followers turned tail and ran…Peter, who had hours earlier professed his unending loyalty, denied that he even knew who Jesus of Nazareth was…The prophecies of Isaiah 53 were completely fulfilled: Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
As I prepared this message, I couldn’t help but contrast these hours on the cross with what we read of the years of Jesus’ ministry…Often we read how Jesus had to “come apart” from the crowds—how He had to withdraw from the masses because people were wanting something from Him…Hungry travelers wanted to be fed—blind beggars wanted sight or deaf mutes wanted to hear and speak again…But on the Cross of Reconciliation led to His Isolation from others.
As painful as the isolation from others must have been, it paled in comparison to His Separation from God…Yet the Cross of Reconciliation also Leads to Separation from God.
Leads to Separation from God
Among the plaintive cries Jesus uttered from the cross, perhaps the most gut wrenching is when Jesus cries out Matthew 27:46 …My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
If you live to be 100 and acquire all of the wealth of knowledge of Scripture and Theology available to man, I doubt that you will begin to wrap your mind around that concept-God the Son forsaken by God the Father…One part of the Trinity wrenched from another…And while we may not be able to comprehend it, it doesn’t make it any less true…As Jesus hung upon the cross, bearing all of the sins of all humanity through all of the ages, God the Father turns His back upon Him.
But even with all of the darkness represented by the Cross of Reconciliation, it is, of course, the light that draws us to it…That light is represented, in part, by the fact that it Leads to Resurrection.
Leads to Resurrection from the grave
In all honesty, I was a bit reluctant to preach this message today, because our focus, especially on Easter Sunday, is the empty tomb, not the Cross on Calvary…But here’s the thing folks—you can’t get to the empty tomb without going through the Cross…You can’t celebrate the resurrection without the crucifixion…You can’t worship the glorified Christ without acknowledging the Crucified Christ!
But here’s the glorious news—the Cross of Reconciliation Leads to Resurrection…We are not left to mourn the corpse on the cross or the body buried in a tomb…The angels declared without fear of contradiction: He is not here; he has risen, just as he said!... (Matthew 28:6)
On more than one occasion, Jesus had told His disciples exactly how all of this would go down…He would go to Jerusalem—He would be betrayed and crucified—and He would rise again…He would not be a martyr to be mourned, He would be a Master to be magnified.
There’s an old hymn that expresses this hope in our Risen Savior: I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today…I know that He is living, Whatever men may say…I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer;…And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.//He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today…He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way…He lives, He lives, salvation to impart…You ask me how I know he lives?...HE LIVES WITHIN MY HEART!
And that helps us to understand that the Cross of Reconciliation Leads to Salvation for all who believe.
Leads to Salvation for all who believe
I mentioned a moment ago that we know that the simple prayer voiced by the second criminal was an effective prayer because v. 43 Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Did the thief have enough faith?...Did he have the right kind of faith?...Did he say the right words?...Yes, evidently he did for he was assured that he would join Jesus in Paradise.
No works, no baptism, no confirmation, no church membership required…Again, it’s not what you know it’s who you know—and he knew Jesus.
Jesus’ statement here that this repentant thief would join Him in Paradise has stirred a lot of questions and even some controversy…What did Jesus mean when He said that he would join Him in Paradise?... The word translated as paradise was often used to refer to a king’s private garden…A place the king would go for peace and tranquility… To be invited into paradise was a rare treat for his most cherished friends and family members…So what was Jesus saying, exactly, when He refers to Paradise here?...Well, that’s another sermon for another day, but here’s the bottom line folks: Jesus said to this man, Today, you will be with me…
• Isn’t that enough?—Jesus is what makes Paradise Paradise!
The last service over which I presided before I left on Sabbatical was the funeral service for our dear friend EI…After EI passed, Julie and I were talking about eternity and heaven and she said, I just wish I understood more about all that…I think a lot of us share that sentiment don’t we…But here’s what we do know—when we die, we get to be with Jesus…And while there is much I do not know and much I cannot understand, that assurance will be enough to keep me satisfied until I leave this place.
Actually, Jesus’ statement to this repentant criminal is:
• A statement of veracity: I tell you the truth
• A statement of immediacy: Today…
• A statement of certainty: you will be with me in Paradise…No ifs, ands or buts!
For a moment, I want you to think back to what the first criminal asked Jesus to do: verse 39: … Save yourself and us!”
Now, we know that he wasn’t being sincere—he didn’t think that Jesus was the Messiah…He didn’t think that Jesus could save himself or them from being crucified…But this criminal’s mindset wasn’t really all that different from many of Jesus’ disciples at this point: If He is the Christ, then why doesn’t He establish His earthly kingdom…If He is the Messiah, why doesn’t He right all the wrongs here and now.
And if you are honest about it, that’s what some of you are thinking…In a world where up is down and right is wrong, we wonder, If Jesus is who He says He is—If He is God, then why doesn’t he stop the suffering and the pain and the heartache…Why do we still lose jobs, lose loved ones, lose hope…If He is who He claims to be, and if He can do what He claims He can do, why do I still hurt so much?
We want Him to save us from the trials and tribulations of life…Not unlike the first thief, who said, If you’re the Christ, then save yourself and us!
And make no mistake about it…Jesus could have done that—He could have saved himself from the agony of the cross…When Jesus was arrested in the Garden, He rebuked Peter for drawing his sword to fight the soldiers…Matthew 26:53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
In John 10:17-18: The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.
But the irony is that if Jesus had done that—if He had saved Himself at that moment on Calvary, He would have doomed you & me and all of humanity to an eternity of condemnation and damnation.
CONCLUSION
Three crosses…Three men…Three destinies…As we close this morning, I want to emphasize three truths illustrated in these verses:
One died in his sin.
As we noted earlier, one criminal died as had lived…He rejected God and the free offer of pardon and forgiveness that was his through faith in Christ Jesus.
One died to sin.
By confessing his sinful condition and trusting in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, the second criminal went from sinner to saint, clearly not through any action on his part, but by simple faith in the work of JC.
Today, you have the same choice these criminals did…You may not be a violent criminal…You many not have fomented a resurrection…But you are a sinner, as surely as they were…And you will make a choice, as surely as they did.
• You can die in your sin…Or you can die to your sin.
One died for sin.
That One, of course, is Jesus Christ…But the glorious news is not that He died, but that the tomb does not hold His body…He has risen, Just as He said!
