Christ: No Charges, All the Condemnation - Luke 23:1-43

Invite you stand with me for the reading of God's word. Luke 23, verses 1243. The word of the Lord tells us this in the whole assembly Rose and let him off to Pilot the began to accuse him saying. We found this man. Subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah King. So pilate asked Jesus, are you the king of the Jews? You said, so, Jesus replied. Then pilot announced to the chief priests in the crowd. I find no basis for a charge against this man but they insisted, he stirs up the people all over. Judea buys teaching, he started in Galilee in this. Come all the way here on hearing this pilot asked if the man was a Galilean when you learn who Jesus was under his jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was also in Jerusalem. At that time, when Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased because for a long time, he's been wanting to see him from what he has heard about him. He hope to see him perform a sign of some sort. He plied him with many questions but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the teachers of the law was standing there for humanely accusing him. And Herod and his soldiers, ridiculed and mocked him dressing him, in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and pilate became friends before they stayed in enemies pilot called together, the chief priest, the rulers and the people instead of them, you brought me. This man is one who was inciting the people to Rebellion. I've examined him in your presence and I found no basis for your charges against him. Neither his hair, it free sent him back to us. As you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then released him with a whole crowd shouted, away with this man, release Barabbas to us. Rabbits have been thrown into prison for an Insurrection in the city and for murder one thing to release Jesus pilot appeal to them again, but they kept shouting, crucify him crucify him For the third time, he spoke to him. Why, what crime is this man, committed? I found him. No grounds for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have him punished and then release him with loud, shouts. They insistently, demanded, that he be crucified and their shots prevailed. So pilot decided to grant their demand. He released the man who'd been thrown into prison for an Insurrection and murder. The one they asked for and surrender, Jesus to their will, as the soldiers. Let him away they ceased. Simon from Cyrene was on his way in from the country and put the cross on him and made him, carry it behind. Jesus, a large number of people followed him, including women, who mourned and will form Jesus turned and said that them Daughters of Jerusalem. Do not weep for me, weep for yourselves. And for your children, for the time will come, when you will say, blessed are the childless women? The wounds, that never bore in the breast that never nurse. Then they will say to the mountains, Fallen us into the hills cover us for the 4th of people. Do these things when the tree is green. What will happen when it is dry to other men? Both criminals were also let out with him to be executed and they came to the place called the school, They Crucified him there, along with the criminals on his right. The other one is left, said father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. They divided up his clothes by casting lots. The people stood watching in the rulers. Even sneered at him. They said, he saved others. Let him save himself. He's got the Messiah of the chosen one. The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him one vinegar. And said, If You Were King of the Jews, save yourself. There was a written notice above him which read, this is the king of the Jews. One of the criminals who hung their hurled insults at him, aren't you? The Messiah save yourself and us 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 we deserve, what are Deeds deserve, but this man is done Nothing wrong. Then he said, Jesus. Remember me when you come into your kingdom, Jesus answered him. Truly, I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise. This is the word of the Lord. You may be seated.

In his first letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle. Paul, if you've ever read it you know that there is a wide variety of topics address there. That Paul talks about, we find things such as spiritual gifts, orderliness of worship. And in the worship service, was him addressing sexual immorality, topic of marriage, singleness the Lord's. Supper, as we read about the resurrection 1st Corinthians chapter 15. Many other topics important topics to be that button 2:2, 1st Corinthians, Paul says, some of his most famous words and you might have heard this when I when I read it all road for, I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I kind of know for the King James Burbage for, I resolved to know. Nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Now for our ears today, that may sound a little odd for our English. It just what, what is it, what does he mean by that? But basically what Paul is saying is this of all the different facets in the Christian Life of all the different, very important topics that I'm going to talk about that. I can talk about what is of utmost importance. Is this the Cross of Christ? What is the most important for you to know is Jesus Christ and him crucified? Did it differently? The Crux of the matter is the Cross of Christ. The word Crux is the Latin word for by which we get across. And I think the Crux of the matter the Crux of the matter is the Cross of Christ. Week after week I say it put it in the bulletin I put it up on the screen now. We Gather to know God's word or we don't gather to just study a book to have a history lesson. Then go home we study the written word so that we might encounter The Living Word, Jesus Christ. Or other words, we spend time in the written words that we might come to know the Living Word, Jesus Christ, and what you might wonder, what's so important about that. What's so great about that? What did Jesus say in? John 17:3. This is eternal life that they know you. The only true God and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent what is eternal life? Eternal life is Abundant Life, the rich life, the field life life, by which we Thrive and flourish to experience that life. How do you do that? You come to know God. You come to know Jesus Christ. Personally, not know about Jesus, but to know. Jesus personally. So if you and I are going to know Christ and him crucified, we do very well to spend time in the passion narrative. Go to walk through the texts, quite a big chunk of scripture today. Try to move the long enough and I breathe in a good quick, Pace or for you. And I to know Christ and him crucified, but we're going to see in the text or two aspects of his identity and two demonstrations of his heart or to keep it simple to know Christ and him crucified from the text. We see number one, his innocence of sin number to his incarnation of Grace and Truth. Number 3, his interchange with Barabbas, then finally his interaction with the thief and our goalie game is to know Christ crucified. The first lie Jesus is in a sense of sin versus 1225 you made her call piggy piggy, back in backup from two weeks ago. When I was here, Jesus is now being brought before the civil magistrate, he's being brought before the secular leaders, that Jews have already grilled him, the Sanhedrin, the religious leaders, the Council of Elders, the chief priest teachers of the law, they have already done, they're grilling their interrogation but they do not have the power for capital punishment that resides among the civil government. So they bring Jesus before Pilate initially and then he's brought before Herod and pilate again, but the goal is to get Jesus. Did I write they want the death sentence to be brought upon this man? The pilot. Now, humanly speaking. He has the responsibility of determining in deciphering, is this man innocent and can you go free or is this man guilty? And should I put them to death or having beaten? At the very least. This is One Pilots shoulders and for pilot to arrive at a conclusion. What does he do? He sits through different accusations against Jesus, a few of them. Number one, verse two, he subverts the nation or keep it misleads. He perverts the nation. Number two, number two, as well. He forbids payment of taxes to Caesar number three. He claims to be Messiah. A king. Also from verse 2, from verse 5, Jesus stirs people up all over Judea by his teaching. Memphis verse 14, Jesus incites. The people to rebellion in front of these against the government. That's what their looting to. There's some truth to what they're saying, right? This. Jesus mislead the nation. Yes or no depends on who I who you're asking that right to the religious leaders. Jesus is misleading them, but certainly Jesus is leading them in the way of Truth, in the way of Grace, but didn't know Jesus is misleading us that uses for bill payment of taxes to Caesar that was blatantly false claims to be Messiah King. Yes, he's done that several times that his ministry and right there in front of them. Does Jesus, stir people up all over today about his teaching? Yes or no? He does not cause quite a stir. A lot of people are opposed to violently, but in the other since he does stir up a lot of people's hearts and many people follow him, right? So there's some truth. Just like a lot of the time. Somebody says something negative about you, there's might be a kernel of Truth found there whenever the last pilot must sift through all of this. And even though as we see, as we know, if, you know, the passion narrative, We know that pilot is ultimately a wet noodle. But pilot has enough. Common Sense enough common Grace from God. To know that Jesus is an innocent man. Is enough common sense to know that? Because three separate times pilot says this many times in scripture, when something is repeated, 3 times back-to-back. It's the way. The author is saying. This is a strong point of emphasis. You might recall from Isaiah chapter 6, when Isaiah sees the Lord, what does he say? Holy holy, holy And here in the text pilot, 3 different times, says innocent innocent innocent. Looking for us for, I find no basis for a charge against this man. Verse 14. I've examined him in your presence and I found no basis for your charges against him, verse 15 of his kind of another one. But neither has hair it for, he sent him back to us. As you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death verse. 22 for the third time pilot spoke to them. Why what crime has this man committed? I found in him. No ground for the death penalty. I've been in Matthew 27, verse 19. Pilate's wife relay the message to him and said don't have anything to do with that innocent man because I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him. Jesus is innocence is clearly interwoven In this passage but throughout all of scripture as a whole Isaiah 53, verse 9. He Jesus was assigned a grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death. Here's the key though. He had done no violence, nor with any deceit in his mouth. He spoke nothing. He did nothing wrong. The first Peter, 2:20 to Peter quotes, from that very same verse in, Isaiah. He committed. No sin and no deceit was found in his mouth to brothers and sisters if you and I are going to know Christ and him crucified, you must know of his innocence of sin that he's completely innocent of any wrongdoing. That leads us to the second point, that is his incarnation of grace and truth because when you come to know Jesus you do need to know who he is not but also who he is and we just going over. What he's not, which is Jesus, is not guilty of sin, he is not deserving of the death penalty. He is not a wicked man, he is not satanic. He is not bad guy, I got that pilot gets that to a degree, right? He is innocent. What is he positively? What is he proactively? Who is he? What is he defined by the positive characteristics of this man? Well, as we saw a couple weeks ago, Jesus is the son of God. He is the Messiah, he is the king of the universe, but I did, we were flagged, remember. We're coming to a close in the Gospel of Luke, as we reflect over the entirety of his life and Ministry. I remind you today that this is not just a man, he's not just an innocent, man. This is God. Incarnate, the one who came is. John 1:14 talks about the one who came full of grace and truth. This is who the Messiah is naproxen. Most importantly, you might be wondering where do you see that in the text cuz though, it might be true. I want everything I say to be rooted in the text. Where do you see that here? You certainly are reminded of it and it's pointed to in verse five and verse eight, look there with me. Listen to what the opposition says about Jesus. He stirs the people up all over Judea by his teaching. Okay, and then verse 8, when Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased because for a long time, he's been wanting to see him from what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform sign of some sort. What do I see there? What do I bring that up? Jesus is in amazed, his adversaries are quite familiar with two of the major components of his life and Ministry. What are they? The teaching and his miracles. Even Jesus, Jesus is in a maze know that there's something significant and weighty about what he does by what he says. And by what he does. The first group write the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, but they're angry about. Is he stirs people up all over your dad by his teaching, they're angry at his teaching and food, Christ's teaching, we know his truth, but then harriton verse 8, he's familiar with Jesus's Miracles, the signs, the Wonders he had done now, hair, doesn't bow before Christ, and a humble man, he wants Jesus to do a miracle for him as a type of circus trick to neither of them, fully grasp and fully appreciate understand what Jesus has done. But nevertheless for you and I today, anybody who wants to have anybody who wants to know Christ and then know him crucified. They must know that he is a man who came. Grace and Truth, a man who taught the truth. And who demonstrated Grace by his miracles. Go to be clear, you cannot buy for Kate but to all right, so it's not as though. Jesus just spoke truth and then everything that Jesus did was all Grace because every word that came from Jesus, his mouth, overflow with Grace dripped with Grace and every gracious, miracle, that Jesus performed always, always always pointed back to the truth. He always did a miracle to remind people hate. This is who God is, this is who I am. Come to me for your ultimate healing Brothers and sisters if you and I are going to know Christ and him crucified, you must know that he's not just an innocent man. You must know that Jesus is God, incarnate the one who came full of grace and truth. This is the man who would hang up on the cross. Then thirdly I thought the two aspects of his identity. Your two demonstrations of his heart. Number three, his interchange with Barabbas, verses 17 to 25. In the time of the Passover. Keep in mind, this is when this is occurring, the time of the Passover, the Festival of unleavened bread. A time of rejoicing, a time of great Community among the Jewish people. And it was custom at that time. We know from the other gospel accounts, it was custom for the governor to release a prisoner of the crowds. Choosing we don't know precisely why that happened. Perhaps the governor just wanted to Curry favor with the Jewish people. Maybe a majority of people wanted the certain guy and they liked him the right. You know what, you can have him, right? Cuz the Jews in the Romans, I want to maintain this kind of dance, if you will that the Jews one of The Graces of a government, the government also didn't want an unruly people. So there's this back-and-forth kind of dancing and keeping the peace. So was custom at this time released prisoner. This is the case and what does the crowd chant and verse 18? Away with this man. Which is another way of saying, get rid of him, kill him. We don't want this man in our site to dispose of him, released Barabbas to us. The author of The Gospel author here. Get overwhelmingly clear. The Barabbas is the guilty party when you read The Narrative or Christian or not, you should see that clearly in the text. The Barabbas is overwhelmingly the guilty party as verse 19 talks about, he is the one who'd been thrown into prison. He is the one who'd been a part of a violent Insurrection and he is a cold-blooded murderer and pilot is torn. He knows Jesus is innocent and therefore deserves life in Freedom, he knows Barabbas is a horrible rash, deserving prison in death, the crowd is given the option to choose what the crowd shoes. Injustice. The chews Barabbas. As one commentator said that blindness and illogical nature of sin are on full display here. When jesus takes the place of Barabbas, what we see is a clear picture of Our Own Story. Because if you would knowledge in your own life, we are the guilty party. We are the lawbreakers. We are the ones deserving of death. But Jesus is the perfect one. The innocent one but he swapped places with us. I saw another quote recently, it said something to the effect of The Damned in life. Think that they are good. But they saved in life. No, they're Wicked. It's going to be interesting point. The Damned life, think they are good, but those who are save those who are Redeemed by Christ. They know that they are guilty. They know that they are, the Sinners will be seeing the text is Christ, swapping places for you and I, he suffered unjustly so that we can be blessed by his Mercy, Jesus dies. So that we might live, Jesus is in prison Bound in Chains, so that we can go free 1st Peter. 3:18 Christ also suffered once for sends the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you the god 2nd Corinthians 5:7. Some of you might know this memory verse for, he made him, who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. And Isaiah 53. Verse is 329. Read that later at some of your heavenly homework for the day. Alright, read that later. You might be familiar with that passage but it's clear, overwhelmingly clear? Jesus takes the place of you and I taste the punishment we deserve. I fed him. Hallelujah. What a savior says in my place. Condemned. He stood Brothers and sisters if you and I today are going to know Christ and know him crucified. You must see the Divine exchange that took place is this is the heart of the Gospel. It's not only past tense in terms of that, what Christ did. It's also what Christ offers to broken people like you and me, we see that. Lastly number for his interaction with a thief. 10 vs, 26 vs 23 and following pilot abdicated his leadership. He bowed the knee to send Val Danita, pure pressure, He sent Jesus off to be flawed to be crucified. Toys R. Us 26 talks about. Jesus makes his way through the streets are going to the hilltop. Text says, a group of women follow closely behind him weeping over their master. And I love what one commentator pointed out about this little episode going on here, particularly highlighting the role of the ladies. The computer said, there is no instance in any of the four gospels of a woman being hostile to Jesus. Throughout the Christmas narrative in the entirety of Jesus's life and Ministry, women have played regular and important roles in the third gospel. Beginning with this verse, they play the height and roles as Witnesses of the crucifixion and of the Resurrection to put that in the back of your mind because in a couple weeks we're going to draw back upon that regarding Jesus's resurrection because it's quite significant how God values women and uses them to spread the gospel after his resurrection. I want to look at the scene on Google for the Golgotha on how you pronounce it which is an English, the place of the skull. The two other criminals are LED up the mountain top with. Jesus want to be crucified on his right, one on his left. Looking for 6:39. 43. One of the criminals who hung their hurled insults at him, aren't you the Messiah, save yourself and us.

But the other criminal rebuked him, don't you fear God? He said, since you were under the same sentence, we are punished justly for. We are getting what are Deeds deserve, but this man has done nothing wrong. Then he said, Jesus Remember me when you come into your kingdom, Jesus answered him. Truly, I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise. If you back up a little bit with the two, men are being crucified alongside and being executed by him. But then Jesus famously says, in verse 33 and 34 that everybody's heaping insults on him, verse 39. It only mentions, one of the thieves, one of the criminals heaping insults as the other gospels. Tell us both men, initially were accusing Jesus, mocking him. So, there's just this cacophony of noise All Around Jesus. A mocking abuse and verbal, abuse, and done all this kind of stuff. And then Jesus says in verse 33 of first 34, father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. This is astounding in Jesus's final moments of his Earthly life. He kept serving kept loving, kept pouring out his life for the broken and for the Lost. He Comfort the comfort of the women, he prayed for his enemies. And then, and the thief on the cross episode. He forgives and pays attention to this broken, humble, man, but the very last breath. Jesus poured out his life for the sake of others.

And Luke significant, Luke is the only one who records that one of the thieves repents, you might be wondering, where's the thief note here? Cuz it just says Criminal on the other gospels depending with the translation use. It might just use the word rebel or might use the word robber and a thief on the cross. We don't know fully what crimes they committed, but we do know that this was not just for a little infraction against the law, the person who died on the cross, not as scandalous horrible. Somebody who did the worst types of things and Society. So this was truly astounding. but he on the very on his deathbed, if you will, he recognized the innocence of Christ, the Perfection of Christ in the guiltiness, the Brokenness of his self. Don't you fear God first 40 since you aren't of the same Judgment? At the same sentence? We are punished justly for. We are getting what are Deeds deserve. This man has done nothing wrong Jesus, Remember me, when you come into your kingdom, alluding to it acknowledging that Jesus is the all-powerful king.

You have to ask the question. How is this man saved? This is one text. I constantly bring up when I talk with Mormons. How's this man saved? It was not my volunteering in the church. It was not by being a good citizen. It was not by getting baptized. Those are all important things to do. This man was saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as Romans. 10:13 talks about everyone, who calls on the name of the Lord will be. What? Save this man called upon the name of Christ and he was saved. This is Mercy of Our Lord. If any of you ever have this inclination, I'll tell you. There's a part of me that wrestles with it. And thanks, let's just not fair. When this guy he was saved on his deathbed. He lives a horrible life. You know, I always save earlier, on already younger age and, you know, I had to go to church and do all these types of things, this man didn't have to do anything. If you, if you think that in any way, this is unfair this man gets the same welcome as you my kid, having to live for Christ. For 50 years, you're misunderstanding Grace, because this man didn't deserve it on his deathbed, you didn't deserve it. Fifty years ago, is both Grace, overwhelmingly Grace both times. the last thing I want to mention about this thief on the cross, is this Have you ever thought about this? How do you think this guy's mother thought of him? The thief on the cross, his mother. How do you think she thought of her son?

If she just observe his life, right? It sound like she was in the dark about this as soon as she was still alive or shameful scoundrel of a son withering, on the cross. How heavy of a heart? She must have had to hear about this to see her son doing this. She may not have had any hope about him, or for him. Brothers and sisters. The hope that I seen the text that I share with you. Is that she might have she probably did not know what happened there again to the eye, the Blind Eye. He's at, he's a horrible guy. In nasty death. It might have only been Jesus in this man who knew what happened in the final moments of his life. Are you today? It does not matter how far gone you, maybe it does not matter how far gone a family member of yours. Maybe. The grace of Jesus is offered to everyone to the very last moment. This is how merciful and great our God is. We don't know what happens on Death Beds or thank God. People are saved when they're young saved in the middle of their age, but we don't know what happens when people's death that only the Lord dies. That lets us know. There's always hope for somebody. There's always hope Heard you don't wait until your deathbed to ask him for that. That that's an abuse of his grace will shortly. Tread lightly on the Hat. Simple question is, do you ask him daily for that mercy? And if you have, do you think him daily for that Mercy?

Brothers and sisters in the Christian Life. As the Apostle, Paul reminded us. It is of utmost importance that, you know, Christ and, you know him crucified. I hope you've seen in this crucifixion narrative that our Lord is Innocent, but not only that, I hope you seen that. He is the one who came from God is God, incarnate, full of grace and truth. I hope you seen the Divine interchange Exchange took place between the righteous and the unrighteous swapping places. And I hope you rejoice in the mercy of our Lord and savior that he offers to the most vile to the very last second. This is the God, we serve. Hallelujah. What a savior as that beautiful hand talks about.

let's close in prayer and then we'll I closed with the doxology.

Father, we thank you for the midst of our Brokenness.

You show us Grace, grace and patience. Time and time again.

We don't deserve the next breath we take. But you give it to us. As a gift.

Holy Spirit, for those of us who are saved for those of us who know you personally.

Will you please help us? Not to waste our breath.

Please help us not to waste the strength that you've given us. Hope is to cherish your grace to cherish your mercy. The clearest indication of that being your transformed Godly, holy life.

Please help us to keep across at the center of our lives. To know, Christ and him crucified.

Help us in our weakness. Help us when we fail.

In times of Triumph, times of success in times of Peace. Maybe give. Thanks to you. The times of struggle in times of doubt and Times of San Antonio mission. Pappas cry out to you for help and strength.

Apart from you. We are nothing but in you and through you, we can do all things.

Be with your people now. as we depart,

Anchor. Our hearts in your word until we reunite again. In the name of Jesus. We pray. Amen.

Amen. Will you stand to sing the doxology with us?