Good Friday 2021
Jesus died…for you!
Pastor Jefferson M. Williams
Chenoa Baptist Church
04-02–2021
Three Crosses
Behind me on the wall of our sanctuary, there are three crosses. These crosses are precious to our church because they are made out of the wood from the the old church building. But there’s another reason they are special. The middle cross represents the greatest act of love and sacrifice this world has ever known. But the two crosses on either side of that middle one represent two human responses to that sacrifice. One man mocked Jesus. The other asked Jesus for salvation. These are still the basic postures of heart toward Jesus in today’s culture.
But the question isn’t one that is theoretical. It’s deeply personal. You might believe that Jesus died on a cross for sins. But do you believe that He died on the cross for your sins? To save you?
Prayer
Turn with me to Luke 23 and we will start in verse 32. Interestingly, only Dr. Luke provides us with these details.
Good Friday?
Jesus has been arrested, been through several sham trials, mocked, spit on, beaten, and scourged nearly to death. He has been nailed to a wooden cross, naked, bleeding, not able to breathe, a crown of thorns pressing into his brain.
The final sacrifice of the sacrificial system in playing out at the exact time the Passover lambs were being slaughtered. Jesus, the Lamb of God which takes the sins of the world away, becomes the ultimate once-and-for-all sacrifice to deal with our sins. He’s dying in our place, to pay the penalty for our sins, to take God’s wrath against our sins and to give us His righteousness. Theologically, we call this penal substitutionary atonement.
The Old Testament prophets such as Isaiah had told the people this Messiah was coming and would be
“…pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5-6)
But He wasn’t alone.
Two Other Men
“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.” (Luke 23:32-33)
There were two other men. Dr. Luke calls them criminals. This could mean many things. Perhaps they were thieves or bandits. Or they were members of the underworld, kind of like the mob. Or they were assassins or political revolutionaries. We don’t know their crimes. In fact, we know very little about them.
We don’t know their names or where they were from. We do know they were sentenced together, were being crucified together, gasping for air together. They were as close to death as you can be. By sundown, they both would be dead.
One Mocks
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39)
Above Jesus’ head was a sign that read “King of the Jews.” One of the criminals summons what little breathe he has and hisses at Jesus - get me out of this mess! He simply wanted escape not rescue. He couldn’t have been more different than the other man on the other side of the dying Christ.
The Other One Gets It
“But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” (Luke 23:40-41)
Something extraordinary is happening in this criminals heart. He lifts himself up to take a deep breath and uses it to rebuke the other criminal. We are three are dying here. Don’t you get that?
And what he says reveals that God is at work in him.
Don’t you fear God? This was the first step in his journey to salvation.
The rulers sneered at Him. The soldiers mocked him and even gambled for His clothes. But this man, who should have been foggy from the shock his body was in, was having a moment of incredible clarity. He may not have feared God much in his life but that was changing as He witnessed Jesus on the cross.
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.
The second step was his understanding that he is guilty, not just before men, but before God. In light of the Righteous One on the cross next to him, his sin became crystal clear.
Without an understanding of our sin, we can never be saved.
But this man has done nothing wrong.
He acknowledged Jesus innocence and righteousness. He is dying a different death than the two of them.
This is amazing. This man never heard Jesus teach, he didn’t witness any miracles, didn’t see the raising of Lazarus, probably didn’t know about the virgin birth or the OT prophecies.
That what makes his next request so amazing!
Remember Me
“Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)
A crucified sinner trusts a crucified Savior!
He says His name, “Jesus” which means “Jehovah Saves”
Remember me
This man, against all odds, recognizes that Jesus can save him. He trusts in the power and mercy of Christ.
He somehow knows he is being crucified next to a King.
when you come into your kingdom.
Did he understand everything? Not at all. Did he know that he was hopeless and helpless to save himself? Absolutely.
Jesus responses with one of the most moving promises in all the Bible.
Paradise
“Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
Today
Not years from now but today. Immediately after death. Which, by the way, will be very soon for all three of them.
Paul makes this clear in his letter to the Corinthian church:
“…to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Cor 5:8)
you will be with me
In a very personal way, this man will be with Jesus, side by side, wherever Jesus will be, he will be as well.
in Paradise
The term paradise is a beautify word picture. It signifies a royal garden of a Persian king. The highest honor in the land would be if the king invited you to talk a walk in his garden.
In the Bible, Paradise is another name for heaven.
Jesus is promising this criminal that he will be in heaven with him that very day.
Wait. Hold on? This guy never attended church, or was baptized, or went to Sunday school. He never walked an aisle or said the sinners prayer. He literally couldn’t do any good deeds because he was nailed to a cross.
It was a magnificent example of the sheer grace, mercy, and love of Jesus!
Application
What can we learn?
It is never too late to turn to Christ for salvation.
As long as someone has breath in their lungs, it’s not too late. You’re not “too old” and you haven’t gone “too far.”
Don’t give up on someone. Maxine prayed for her father for 30 years before he came to Christ.
But let me encourage you not to wait till the end to make that decision. Make it now. Jesus died on the cross, for you. For you. For you. In your place, to pay for your sins, to give His righteousness, so you could be with Him in Paradise as part of God’s forever family. That’s why we call it “Good Friday.”
It doesn’t matter what you’ve done on the past or what you did last night. Even the worst of sinners can be saved.
How? It all has to do with the Greek word Tetelestai — It is finished! The sacrifice is accomplished. It’s actually an accounting term - it means
Just do what the criminal on the cross did. Acknowledge your sins and ask Jesus to save you. It really is that simple.
There is an old hymn that mentions this man - “There is a fountain filled with blood.”
The dying thief rejoiced to see
That fountain in his day;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away:
Wash all my sins away,
Wash all my sins away;
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away.
On that Friday, it looked like all hope was lost for that criminal next to Jesus and for us, but that’s the paradox of Good Friday.
[What’s Good about Good Friday?]
The Wonderful Cross/Jesus Paid it all
[It’s Friday but Sunday’s Coming]
