The 3 Crosses of Good Friday

Today is Good Friday; it is the day that Jesus died. It is good because He came to pay a debt that He didn't owe because we owed a debt that we couldn't pay. On that day Mt. Calvary displayed three crosses and on each cross a condemn man hung and died. In the center was the Lord Jesus and to his left and right a sinner.

CPS: Today I want to tell you talk about the three crosses of Good Friday. On each a man died, on one a man died in his sin, on another a man died without sin, and on one the God Man died for sin.

I. One Died In Sin

The cross today is an emblem of joy and affection but the cross of the Bible was a emblem of death. It is the most shameful and painful death mankind has known. It was a slow death of asphyxiation and cardiac arrest. (Explain)....

We see two men crucified on opposite sides of Jesus. They were called “criminals” (Malefactors KJV) this Greek Adj. kakourgos literally means evildoer. Mathew (27:38) tells us they were robbers and possibly murderers. But you need not be a robber/murder to be an evildoer. The Bible teaches us that there are no good people, that by nature we are all evildoers, Romans 3:10, 23. There are no differences between these two men and us today. On this day these two men were s receiving what they deserved! Death! (Rm. 6:23),

However, both men had full access to the Son of God who was literally an arm reach away. The first man could have had forgiveness but instead he chose to die in his sin. Notice, He was Hurling insults at Jesus in unbelief. He was an unrepentant sinner and perhaps a picture of you today having not Jesus in your heart. Perhaps your future is the same as his, hopeless!

It was getting late, Sabbath would soon begin and the Jews didn’t want their celebration ruined so they had the Romans break the legs of the thief and he quickly died. As soon as the man breathed his last breath his soul was in the place prepared for him, eternal hell, where the burn never subsides and the agony doesn't cease; where the rotting never stops and the light never enters. It is the place of complete separation from God.

II. One Died without Sin

On the opposite side of Jesus was another criminal nailed to a cross. It has been said that there are no hopeless situations only hopeless people. He too was receiving what he deserved but he had hope and a bright future!

At first this man was hurling insults at Jesus too (Mark 15:32), but something changed in His heart. Perhaps it was Jesus’ prayer, or the sign above His head, I don’t know; but in an instant God grasped his heart and light penetrated his dark soul. He repented of his sin! He had a change of heart that lead to a change in direction. He turned away from sin, turning to God through faith.

He acknowledges his sin and then confessed that he was getting what he deserved. The man received Jesus as Lord through faith and this led him to ask Jesus to remember him when He comes into His kingdom.” Jesus always answers positively towards faith and promised him paradise that very day! Later that day when He died He found His sin forgiven, His slate wiped clean, He had been ransomed and reconciled to God’s family and he is spending forever with Jesus in Glory!

This nameless man is proof that Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone, a crucified man can’t lift hand nor foot towards his salvation! There wasn't time for baptism nor communion, and certainly no good deeds! He is proof that as long as there is breath in your lungs it’s not too late to be saved and that none are too bad that they can’t be saved! This man was saved in the ninth inning of life and if I were a betting man I would wage all I’ve got that he regretted not getting saved sooner! Likewise, you are not too bad, it’s not too late for you, Jesus will forgive yours sin if you simply repent... turning to Him in faith.

III. One Died for Sin

On that same day Jesus had a cross to bear. The Bible predicted He would be numbered with the transgressors (Is. 53:12), J.T.B. said He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! On that day, God in the flesh was nailed to the cross and though people were calling for Him to save Himself and though He had legions of angelic warriors at His disposal, He could not because dying was His purpose. Men are born to live but Jesus was born to die!

The perfectly innocent Son of God hung on the cross for 3 hours, before darkness fell over the earth. Then the wrath of God that was reserved for the sin of man was cast upon Jesus! There He received the wrath of God and the penalty of sin. The just suffered for the unjust as He took our hell crying out “Father why have thou forsaken me!” When the full penalty had been absorbed Jesus commends His spirit to God and breathed His last breath!

The cross of Jesus was God’s proof that He loved the world yet while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Rm. 5:8).

Conclusion: There were three crosses that day. On one a man died in sin, another died without sin, and Another died for sin so that we can be forgiven our trespasses and saved from the wrath of God. If today you would simply repent, trust Jesus as Lord and Savior your slate will be wiped clean and when God looks at you He will see a sinner no more, only the righteousness of God in Christ.

Both of these men had full access to Jesus as you do today, and one day you too will die... but which one will you be? If you died this very moment would you die in sin or without sin, Jesus because calling and the choice is up to you.