Sermon Tone Analysis

GOOD FRIDAY 2017

Famous Last Words -

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

Two kind of people those who know two or more languages and the rest of us who pretend to know another language.

Between my wife and I I think she has the funniest story….she

was trying to tell someone that she had a headache but instead of saying sakit Kepala she said [Sakit Kelapa]….What is even worse than that is that I usually don't know when I have made a mistake and usually keep right on going…

There are 2 kinds of people in the world, aren’t there?

People who are good at language and people who aren’t.

And all you…I know..are good at learning languages.

I feel lonely!

Actually…did you know that at the end of the day…when all is said and done….there

REALLY are 2 kinds of people in the world?

Did you know that?

Today is a Red Letter day.

And there are 2 kinds of people in the world:

People who see today as a GOOD…a VERY GOOD day.

And people who see this as Just another Day.

People who see today as a day that changed eternity.

And people who just don’t see what the big deal is.

People who are WITH Jesus.

And people—who might even be sitting in this room right now—who are NOT with Him.

Two kinds of people.

For the past few weeks, we’ve been looking at the last words of Jesus—the words Jesus said from the cross.

And if you remember the story, there are TWO criminals who are crucified on either side of Jesus.

And these 2 men represent the 2 kinds of people that are in the world…the 2 different ways people approach Jesus.

And the difference between the 2… In fact…is all the difference in the world.

It’s the difference between Life and death, heaven and hell.

And so it makes sense that the most important question you will ever ask yourself is: What kind of person am I? Let’s look at it together today.

Our scripture passage is found in .

The night before, Jesus has been betrayed by his disciple Judas, (SLIDE: I think we have a screenshot of Jesus WhatsApp chat.)

He has been denied by Peter, and he has been abandoned by the rest of his disciples.

He has been brought before a religious court who wants to have him killed, and then brought before a Roman court who wants to have nothing to do with him.

Both Herod and Pilate…the Jewish official and the Roman official have declared his innocence, but the mob is demanding execution.

They secure a trade.

They demand the release of Barabbas, a murderer, and demand that Jesus is taken instead.

Finally, Pilate washes his hands and agrees to the execution.

While all this has been going on, Jesus has been mocked, beaten, spit upon and cursed.

He has been flogged until he is unrecognizable.

And now, he is being led, like a lamb to the slaughter, to a place just outside the city wall of Jerusalem—to a hill called Golgotha.

Following behind him is a large, chaotic crowd.

Some in the crowd are spitting and hurling insults at Jesus.

Women are wailing and clinging to each other…soldiers are yelling orders and holding back the crowds.

Thousands of visiting bystanders are in Jerusalem for the Passover festival, and they are just watching with wide eyes because they don’t know what is going on.

The Roman soldiers yank one of visitors—Simon the Cyrene—to carry the cross because by this time Jesus is physically not able to carry it.

It’s hot, dusty, loud and chaotic, and they are winding their way outside Jerusalem.

Let’s pick up the story in

32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him.

33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross.

And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”And

the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.

35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed.

“He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine.

37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”

38 A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you?

Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Let’s PRAY.

There are 2 kinds of people in the world.

One person encounters Jesus, meets him, even talks to him—but he is never WITH Jesus.

The other person encounters Jesus, and is told, “I assure you, TODAY, you will be WITH ME in paradise.”

What’s the difference?

What does that second person do differently?

On this Good Friday…THE ONLY RED LETTER DAY that changed ETERNITY…we’re going to ask this question, “how can I be someone who is WITH Jesus in paradise?”

Not SOMEDAY but TODAY…How can I be someone who is WITH Jesus in paradise?

I want us to look at 3 things the second criminal did that made the difference.

3 things from our passage:

Wake Up to Jesus.

See your Need.

Fall on his mercy.

First….we

need to Wake Up to who Jesus is.

Let’s think about this crucifixion scene.

I already mentioned the chaotic crowd that followed Jesus through Jerusalem on his way to Golgotha.

Now, they have all gathered to witness the execution.

Verse 35 tells us that there is a crowd watching…they are surrounded by onlookers…some probably curious, some hostile.

It says there are religious leaders there…the wealthy and culturally powerful ones…and they are scoffing at Jesus.

They’re mocking him.

They see this crucifixion as righteous retribution.

“Serves him right!”

Because these leaders believed that THEY were the righteous ones of Israel.

And yet Jesus came telling them that nothing they were doing was earning them any points with God.

In fact, sinners— were better off with God, than these so called righteous.

And so these religious leaders hated Jesus.

They wouldn’t miss the crucifixion because this is their chance to gloat.

“Who do you think you are now, Jesus!”

And then it says there were soldiers.

The muscle…the representatives of the empire.

THEY were mocking Jesus too.

“Ha…What a great ‘King’…can’t even get himself off a cross.”

They put a sign above him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

They were being sarcastic, because they thought Jesus was weak…nothing more than a JOKE.

And then there are two Criminal’s….

Both started by mocking Jesus.

Sometimes these criminals are called “thieves,” but many scholars will tell you that they were just as likely insurrectionists.

They were Jewish nationalists who wanted to kick Rome out of their country.

It’s likely these 2 men were friends…partners in the Resistance against Rome…fighting together to bring liberation to their people.