Criminals and Crosses Luke 23:39-43
1. Alistair Begg – “Man on Middle Cross” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQxVRC7wHvU) If God asked why He should let us into heaven, the reason does not begin with “Because I ___.” It begins with “Because HE ____.” Anything else leads to:
a. Lethargic Despondency – “I hope I did enough.” Giving up because we are never good enough.
• Our works reveal our faith – James 2:18: I will show you my faith by my works.
• Works are insufficient for our salvation – Ephesians 2:8-10
b. Legalistic Arrogance
• Focus on self to keep the law (one sin James 2:10) – Impossibility of no sin. 1 John 1:8
• Empty boasting – Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV) 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
• Go through the motions without knowing Christ, appreciating the Cross, or experiencing the HS – Like Basketball without a goal and bowling without pins.
2. We often focus on the penitent thief on the cross. The word for thief is translated as “malefactor” in the KJV and “criminal” in the NKJV. These two men were criminals of some kind that caused the Roman Empire to invoke the most hideous death penalty.
a. Maybe they were “insurrectionists” who violently resisted Roman occupation.
b. Zealots assassinated Roman soldiers and Roman sympathizers during feasts.
c. We use the one thief to talk about salvation. It’s true, but there is a bigger picture.
3. We also tend to focus on Christ and His cross and forget ours (Luke 9:23).
a. The depictions of two characters in Jewish literature to include the reader/audience
b. Examples 5 clicks:
• TWO demon-possessed men in Matthew 8:28; ONE in Luke 8:26-39; Mark 5:1-20
• TWO Blind Men – Matthew 20:29; ONE – Luke 18:35-43
• Jesus with Donkey & Colt (Matthew 21:2); COLT in Mark 11:4-8 & Luke 19:32-35
• Two Men in the field – one taken, one left – Matthew 24:40
• Two Criminals on crosses One is yours – Matthew 27:38; Luke 23:39-43 (2 slides)//Galatians 2:20
39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
I. Pictures of Humanity Condemned
A. The Criminals Show Our Condemnation by Sin – Justly and Deserved (Romans 3:23; 6:23)
1. Rebellious and Caught in the Act
2. Anger by Both at First – Lashing Out at Jesus (Matthew 27:44, NKJV: Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.)
B. Condemned to Die by Another
1. Pilate and Roman Justice – Pax Romana (Might makes right)
2. Their crimes led to judgment and an excruciating death
a. All death is painful because we don’t want to go
b. The pain of grief (no coping mechanism, never intended for us)
3. Satan with Adam and Eve and Us
a. Entrance of sin and condemnation by Adam
b. Salvation by Christ – Romans 5:18-19 (NKJV)
18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
C. Two Camps – Penitent or Impenitent Sinners
1. One of two roads and destinations – Matthew 7:13-14
2. We can change paths by turning to God/repent – from the Hebrew word “Shuv” = Turn back
3. Based on Relationship more than Religion – Romans 8:1 (NKJV, emphasis added)
There is, therefore, now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
II. Portrait of Christ
A. Focus on the Middle Cross (Romans 5:17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
1. Condemned as the Sacrifice for Our Sins
2. Picture of Passover Lamb
B. Equal Opportunity Savior
1. Both Men had the same experience. Only one repented
2. Gospel for Jews and Gentiles – Romans 1:16; John 10:16
C. Absolute Authority – Matthew 28:18-20
1. As Creator, He can manipulate the laws of nature – water to wine, walking on water, stilling storm
2. He can save however He wants to – paralytic and thief. “Your sins are forgiven”
III. Presentation of Our Proper Response
A. At the End of Ourselves – We Have Nowhere Else to Turn/Out of options
1. Salvation – Deuteronomy 30:19, NKJV I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
2. Our Cares – 1 Peter 5:6-7 (humble self, cast cares//Daily Bread – nowhere else to turn)
B. The Penitent Thief Knew He Was Out of Time and Preached the Gospel
1. Repented from cursing Jesus
2. Rebuked his fellow criminal sinner (pictures of us)
1. The thieves knew their end was imminent. We have an unknown expiration date.
2. Contemplating these three crucifixions, we see the need for a savior.
3. Jesus did not release the thief from his physical fate. He went through it with him and released him from eternal condemnation.
4. He may not release us from our circumstances, but He will carry us through our issues and save us from eternal condemnation. Paul’s thorn in the flesh – (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
5. “It is finished” = Paid in full!
[Rhett Walker – Man on the Middle Cross https://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=G7ZPK7NX
