The Characters of the Cross: The 2 Criminals

Context- Execution. 3 men condemned to die in full public view.

Soldiers taking the clothes of Jesus and casting lots for it.

The other 2 criminals watching the events take place.

The crowd of people watching the criminals and going about their business.

It is so wild how time continues and life continues in the midst of tragedy.

Jesus is doing what He does: Praying to the Father- “He embodied pray without ceasing”

Other soldiers Mocked Jesus and His reply “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”

The scene really is quite representative of an Easter service.

Some are there in adoration of Jesus.

Some mock.

Some are completely oblivious, they are just witnessing a good bit of entertainment.

Some are thinking about Ham and the days festivities and yet others are truly thinking about their own soul and eternity.

And This is the scene that we find our 2 characters: Both criminals.

Both condemned to die.

Both by execution by the cross- (Describe the torture)

1 criminal joins in the mocking- Yea Jesus, save yourself and us!

Maybe slightly hopes for a miracle.

The other- Don’t you fear God?

- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

This criminal has just begun to experience wisdom, but it changes everything.

There is a movement of false teaching- Claims one shouldn’t fear God.

Paints God as a giant teddy bear.

God is a God of justice- No wrong doing can be smoothed over like a dad- don’t tell mom.

If you have experienced trauma at the hands of an evil person, you actually take some solace in this.

It’s interesting how We want to receive forgiveness for our sins, but judgment for others who have wronged us....

Truth: There has never been one sin, that was missed by Him.

Every single one, He meant what He said. The wager of sin is death.

1 sin caused death for humanity. His judgment. Not to be trifled with.

The reason God can both judge our sin and forgive us is exactly why Jesus is on the cross next to these criminals.

Every sin was being paid for. The wager. God judged our evil hearts, actions and words. He became sin for us.

God’s judgment of that sin, not the cross killed Jesus- we know this because the soldiers came to break the legs so they would die before sabbath. He was already dead. He breathed His last after his prayer “my God my God why have you forsaken me?” The first time ever that the Father turned His face from Jesus. Judgment of sin.

So it is wise to fear a God who can destroy your soul for eternity.

How can one love God and fear him?

A good father - after a whipping is still loved by his child.

So our criminals have 2 different views of God:

1 fears and the other mocks.

1 thinking of the temporal, the other thinking eternity.

Then the criminal continues- “We are being put to death justly as we committed our crimes, but Jesus is innocent.”

In faith, we call this confession. He is admitting his faults and failures.

I have sinned.

The other criminal doesn’t acknowledge his offense and only mocks Jesus.

Christians are Holier than Thou-

Not true Christians. We know our shortcomings. We are much more like the criminal on the cross than we are like Jesus.

One must fear God, the beginning. And one must acknowledge and realize their sin.

After this rebuke to the mocking criminal, the penitent criminal, turns to Jesus with a request.

When you enter your Kingdom, will you remember me?

What a different request than the one from James and John’s mother- will they sit on your right side and left side- pining for position.

Jesus heard the ask and later rebuked the disciples for even talking about position in Heaven. This child- He said.

This request by the criminal is much more like the request of the prodigal son- “I hope to even be a servant in my Father’s house”

If you go to church and serve God hoping for position, you have missed it.

This request by the way, acknowledges the Messiah-ship of Jesus.

Your Kingdom-

This criminal undoubtedly heard of Jesus, the miracles, the teaching. Maybe he was there. Pick-pocketing the people as Jesus stood and preached to the crowds.

So to a man who has done much wrong in his life-

Who fears God now.

Who has confessed his sins.

Who has asked for mercy and remembrance from Jesus.

Who acknowledges and believes Jesus is the messiah.

Gets this response from Jesus-

I tell you the truth, you will be with me today in paradise.

Today- instant upon death.

The man had received salvation.

The place, heaven is a paradise.

When you find yourself at the cross, in your life. Where do you find yourself?

Doing business- going on like nothing has happened?

Mocking? like the crowds and the soldiers.

Angry like the other criminal because some one has said you have done wrong, Who are you to judge me?

Or do you find yourself hanging next to him. Justly condemned but willing to receive from Jesus forgiveness that is undue.

Luke 18:9–14 LEB

And he also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and looked down on everyone else: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed these things with reference to himself: ‘God, I give thanks to you that I am not like other people—swindlers, unrighteous people, adulterers, or even like this tax collector! I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far away, did not want even to raise his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than that one! For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Who will humble himself today, Lord?

Have mercy on us, when it is more popular to “fake it” than be real.