One Man's Plea: Remember Me
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Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.
And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine
and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.
And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine
and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,
while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!”
And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.
And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things.
Introduction: A clergyman, talking about death-bed conversion, said to a Christian woman, "Do you think that a death-bed repentance does away with a whole life of sin?" "No." she answered quietly, "but Calvary does."—Sunday School Times.
The Bible is an interesting book of contrasts. Among many, you have the following:
Luke 23:32-
Introduction:The Bible is an interesting book of contrasts. Among many, you have the following:
Cain and Abel—the first two sons of Adam, one choosing a good path, the other choosing an evil path.
Abraham and Lot—two relatives, one selflessly gives up everything for God, the other selfishly follows his own way.
Jacob and Esau-twin brothers, one was a manly outdoorsman, the other tended to help his mother.
David and Saul—the first two kings of Israel, one choosing not to seek out God, the other choosing to seek out God.
Peter and Judas Iscariot—two of Jesus’ disciples who betrayed him, one sought forgiveness and the other sought suicide.
Today, let us look at yet another startling contrast as we read from the book of Luke…
We are looking at these two thieves that were crucified, one on the left, one on the right of Christ. One cried for mercy, the other, died in his sin. Some might say, “this was a death bed conversion. Is it real?”
Seeing as Christ pronounced that the man would be joining him in Paradise that day settles the matter for me. It was just a real as the converted man who lived for Christ for nearly his whole life.
Perhaps, this is the greatest Biblical example that proves salvation is simply by faith alone in Christ alone through grace alone.
A Similar Predicament (vv. 32-33)
A Similar Predicament (vv. 32-33)
Three men, three crosses...
One man was totally innocent; the other two, not so much.
Two deserved it because of their sin. One, didn’t deserve it but died because of our sins.
Both were thieves.
Not just run of the mill, break in your house thieves either.
The word used in the Greek indicates that they were more like armed robbers - violent men who possibly could have murdered someone while robbing them.
Interestingly enough, tells us of another robber named Barabbas who escaped the punishment of the Cross after Pilate freed him in the place of Jesus. (NOTE TO AV: I will not read this verse. Just show it)
They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
So these two men may have been associates of Barabbas.
So these two men may have been associates of Barabbas.
All three man were condemned to die an agonizing and shameful death by crucifixion.
Crucifixion was preceded by scourging with a whip which had several straps of leather attached and attached to the leather was pieces of broken glass, nails, lead weights and sometimes bone fragments. This would rip through the flesh of the victim tearing skin and muscle from their bodies.
Once flogged, the victim was made to carry the cross beam of their own cross through the city until they arrived at the place of execution - in this case, Golgotha (The place of the skull)
Then the victim would be nailed to the cross beam and it would be hoisted up on the upright and attached.
There the victim would suffer for hours - sometimes for days.
Death came through a combination of blood loss, exhaustion, and asphyxiation as the victim had to push up on his body, against the nails in order to take full breaths.
It was such a cruel way to die, no Roman citizen was to be executed by crucifixion.
Two deserved it because of their sin. One, didn’t deserve it but died because of our sins.
Three men were sentenced to die a criminals death, but only one man was going to come back alive.
Salvation’s Price (vv. 33-38)
Salvation’s Price (vv. 33-38)
As cruel as that cross was for Jesus, we need to understand that there was something else besides an execution going on here. At the cross, we see salvation’s price being paid in full.
Jesus didn’t go to the cross because he was a criminal - although the Pharisees falsely accused him of being a criminal.
Jesus didn’t go to the cross because he had sinned because he was sinless.
He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
Jesus didn’t go to the cross because he failed in his mission…actually, he was fulfilling his mission by going to the cross!
And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
His willingness to intercede for those who crucified him was a foreshadow of what he went to the cross to accomplish.
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
The Bible tells us that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission (Forgiveness ) of Sin. In the Old Testament, forgiveness required an animal sacrifice. However, the New Testament tells us that animal sacrifices were insufficient for providing lasting forgiveness.
For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near.
Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
But when referring to Christ’s sacrifice, the Bibles says:
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
It is interesting that the people in the crowd, the soldiers, and even the first thief dying on the cross all said, “He saved others, why can’t He save himself?”
It is not that Christ didn’t have the power to save himself - he did.
Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?
In a sense, he couldn’t. Why? because he was paying Salvation’s price by willingly laying down his life on the Cross. He paid salvation’s price for you and me!
A Sinners Plea (vv. 39-42)
A Sinners Plea (vv. 39-42)
Now the first thief began to rail against Christ:
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
Luke 23:
While the second thief rebuked him:
But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
Luke 23:
These two condemned men represent the two types of people in the world: Those who reject Christ and those who are open to receiving Christ.
The big question is, which one represents you this morning?
The first man had a hardened, unrepentant heart. The second man, even though he started out persecuting Christ, had a change of heart while he hung from the cross.
You say pastor, “I think I am some where in the middle.” I get that. Here is the problem. There really is no middle ground here.
Illus. “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, in the end, "Thy will be done." ~ C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce
I know the second man had a change of heart because I read his words to the other thief.
He recognized how sinful he was. He rebuked the other theif saying, “we are receiving the due reward of our deeds...”
Sin is serious business to God - a lot more serious than we want to recognize or acknowledge.
While you may have been fortunate enough to have a teacher in school that graded on a curve, God doesn’t grade on a curve. God insists that we rise to His standard.
As sinners, we deny God’s right to rule us. We enthrone self instead.
While we may look good on the outside - to other people - God knows what is on the inside - the heart.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
In a moment of clarity about his spiritual condition, the second thief prayed a humble prayer: Remember me…when you come into your kingdom.
No thees and thous. No flowery language. He wasn’t on his knees. Just a simple sinners plea: remember me?
The second thief recognized that he had some to the end of himself and all other options were exhausted. That is when he turned to Jesus.
Salvation starts where we end. It begins when you reach rock bottom and discover that Christ is the rock at the bottom.
The Savior’s Promise (v. 43)
The Savior’s Promise (v. 43)
As we think about the words of this thief, we realize that all he had hoped for was some kind of help in the future.
Jesus, however, gave him forgiveness that very day. He died and went with Jesus to paradise.
And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke
My friend Thomas Mabiala puts it this way, the thief prayed, “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus said to the thief: “I’ll see you soon!”
My friend Thomas Mabiala
“I’ll see you soon.”
You might say, “Jesus didn’t say anything about forgiveness here.”
Oh yes he did, he spoke volumes about it.
No one can enter into the presence of God - into paradise - with unforgiven sin.
But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
So before this man could experience the promise of paradise, he first had to experience the promise of forgiveness.
Christ had the power to forgive sins while he was here on earth.
Illus. 4 men who brought their friend to Jesus - had to lower him down into the house from the roof. Jesus said, son, your sins are forgiven. Pharisees questioned. “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive...”
Both thieves had equal access to Christ. Equal opportunity to ask for mercy. Just as we have equal opportunity
Illus. ODB: Picture of the three crosses. One in the middle was higher than the other two.
Only one thief asked for mercy…only one!
And he received it by grace alone. He certainly didn’t deserve it.
Neither do you and I deserve it. It is because of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection that we are able to experience it.
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Colossians 2:
God has a record of everything we have ever done and said. Does that concern you? It should.
If you are like me, that record went on for multiple volumes.
But Christ came along. He said I will pay Darrel’s Davis’ debt with my blood. And he did. He died for me. And I humbled myself before the cross…recognizing that he took my sins and nailed them there.
God took his big red stamp, inked with the blood of Jesus, and marked my sin debt: PAID IN FULL!
Can you say the same this morning? Has your debt been paid in full through faith in Jesus Christ?
Illus. “On Friday, Jesus wrote the check that was needed to cover our debt. On Resurrection Sunday, that check cleared the bank.” ~ David Burton