Man in the Middle

Luke 23:32-49

Introduction: Easter is a day recognized by many but not celebrated by all. Easter is the day that is accepted as a holiday but not a holy day. Easter is not about Easter baskets, bunnies, and eggs, or your new outfit. Today we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We celebrate how He delivered us from sin and bondage.

As people, we tend to spend more focus on Christmas (Birth of Jesus) than the resurrection. The reason is because we have commercialized the Christmas Holiday. We set up a Christmas Club account at the bank, your job gives you a Christmas bonus or party. According to the National Retail Federation, The average American spends $997.73 on Christmas each year. The average weekly salary is $1,001. For Easter, the average spent is $177.00.

Christ had to be born because you and I needed a Savior. Man was on a journey to damnation, and God sent His only begotten Son to be our Savior. Many people have a problem accepting that Jesus walked this earth, had stomach aches, cried, and had problems just like you. Jesus coming down here on earth was the greatest act of humility known to man. He took a sinful shell and walked this earth for 33 years. I wonder today if Jesus is in the Middle of your life. When Jesus is in the middle, situations are smoother. Relationships are Real. Marriage is Made to last. Friends are Faithful and not Fake. Love is Lasting. When Jesus is in the Middle.

Cross: when a person was crucified,

They were first beaten with a whip that was made of metal and bones at the end of the whip. They would whip the person until blood flowed. This was to rush the dying process.

Next they would force the person to carry their own cross to the execution site. This process was designed to break the will of the person to live. (Jesus cross was yours and my sins)

They would then hang the person on the cross. They would nail the hands and feet (quicker death), and the cause of death would be due to loss of blood circulation and heart failure.

All Four Gospel writers give their perspective of Jesus’ crucifixion.

In today’s account from Luke, he uses a unique perspective. His perspective emphasizes Jesus forgiving His enemies and illustrated the scene at the cross as reverence and worship.

Luke does not record a lot of the scenes such as the earthquake.

I would suggest that you cannot fully have an appreciation of the Crucifixion until you take into account all 4 Gospels.

The cross is the heart of the gospel and the preaching of the cross is mission of the church.

32    Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.

Jesus knew he was going to face a criminal death. To the person that was uninformed, it would appear that Jesus death was an example of the cruel justice of the Romans, who publically displayed notorious criminals.

Jesus is showing you that to follow Him that you will be publically shamed, falsely accused, and persecuted.

33    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.

34    Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Some of you think Jesus was forgiving the people. But when you look at the context, Jesus was actually praying for them.

And the prayer was not answered until Peter and John preached to the same crowd that shouted for Jesus death. Let’s look at Acts 4:1-4

Acts 4:1–4 NIV

The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

Divided his clothes and cast lots. They were gambling with Jesus clothes. Point: don’t gamble with life. Jesus said in John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

35    The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, 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.

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS (7 WORDS, but KING is in the middle). Jesus is the King of Kings

39    One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

In verses 35, 37 and 39, we see 3 statements that showed doubt

The Man in the Middle shows you and I how to handle doubters. Jesus was never harsh in response to people who doubted Him

Jesus was not hard on Thomas. Jesus didn’t say, “Thomas, I am shocked that you feel this way even when you have been with me. Jesus gently told Thomas to “Put your finger here, and see my hands: and put out your hand, and place it in my side: do not be faithless, but believing.

Do you remember in Mark 9, how Jesus was gentle with the father who had a son that was deaf and dumb. The father came to Jesus straddling the fence. He wanted to believe but his doubt kept out numbering him. The father said, “If you can do anything, please have pity on us and help us. Jesus told him, “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes. The father said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”

When you doubt the Man in the Middle, things are almost impossible to be put together.

Look at verse 38. THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS (7 WORDS, but KING is in the middle). Jesus is the King of Kings

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, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The criminal who railed and insulted Jesus shows you some lessons

The man was insensitive to what all of them were going through. You would think that the man would have some pity in his heart for Jesus. However, it didn’t change his trouble heart.

We can assume that this was his first time in the presence of Jesus but we can read by his statement that he heard about Jesus. We have people hearing the word of God today but they are still rejecting Jesus.

Jesus shows you and I how to handle people who doubt Him, Jesus does not response to the criminal.

Instead, and please don’t miss this point, the criminal on the other side, rebukes this criminal. When you have the Man in the Middle at the center of your life, then you too can speak up for Him with boldness

This criminal had a repentant heart and asked Jesus to remember him when He enters His kingdom.

On one side, Jesus had a believer, and on the other side was the unbeliever. The criminals had similar characteristics but the key difference for you and I to see is that the believer had a repentant heart.

You must always keep faith in the Man in the Middle.

The Death of Jesus

44    It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,

45    for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

46    Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

It was not the crowd or the nails that kept Jesus nailed to the cross. It was love.

Matthew 26:53–54 “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

Jesus willingly gave His life that we might be saved.

You are born and one day you will die. But remember the “dash” in the middle of birth and death will determine where you spend eternity.

Because Jesus did die and yet He rose that third day, we have hope that there is life after this earthly death. “Because He Lives”

47    The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

48    When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breast and went away.

49    But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.