Jesus on the Cross Promises Paradise
Jesus on the Cross • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Six hours. A painful, humiliating and yet theologically meaningful six hours Jesus spent on the Cross. That is our focus for the next few weeks leading up to Resurrection weekend on April 4th.
Last week, we read in Luke about the Forgiveness Jesus offered to those standing at the cross as well as for you and I. We ended with a challenge to seek out those we need to forgive. I hope you had a chance to wrestle with that challenge from last week.
Just as a refresher, I am going to approach each week with the following format: First, we’ll look at the text for the week and reference back to any Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in that passage. Then, we’ll take a look at what is revealed about the character of Jesus and finally, we’ll end with a reflection on what Jesus did and how we might need to respond to what he did.
Before we get started with our passage for today, I want to give you the passages from each of the Gospels that we’ll cover over the next few weeks. I think it helps to have read what we will study ahead of time.
Matthew 27:32-56
Mark 15:21-41
Luke 23:26-49
John 19:19-30
I recommend you write these down and take a look at these passages over the next few weeks in preparation for our time together.
Today, we’ll read out of Luke again. Turn with me to Luke 23:32-43. Next week, we are going to cover the passages in Matthew and Mark. They both speak of the events of the cross in a similar way…we’ll compare the two next week.
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
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.
Last week, we read a prophecy in Psalm 22:
17 All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.
Let’s keep reading in Luke:
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.
Again in Psalm 22, we read prophetically about this:
7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. 8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
The mocking isn’t just from the crowd though. The mocking also comes from one of the criminals that hung next to him:
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
It is clear that there was not a shortage of mocking and insults from the people present that day. but unlikely supporter emerges...
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.”
First this man sets the record straight with the other criminal that they are going to die justly, but Jesus is not. He then adresses Jesus and asks to be remembered.
We don’t get any detail on how this man knew who Jesus was and that Jesus would be coming into His kingdom. I imagine at some point, this man heard Jesus preach or even heard of Jesus’ preaching. A consistent theme in what Jesus preached about was the Kingdom:
14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him,
43 But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”
27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
28 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”
Surely at some point this man on the cross next to Jesus must have heard in order to know to ask the question. And what a bold question to ask of Jesus - to be permitted to be with Jesus in His kingdom. What right did he have to even ask this? Just before, he recognizes that he has done wrong and Jesus hasn’t...
41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
This man’s request was not because of his own merit, but he recognized the merit of Jesus and therefore knew Jesus could grant his request even if he didn’t deserve it.
None of the passages we read about the kingdom of God come with a date and the criminal making the request leaves the timing ambiguous:
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
“when you come into your kingdom” - The criminal only knew that Jesus was going there and no matter when, he wanted to be with Jesus.
Jesus then responds:
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
The timing of the criminal’s request is made clear. Today…before the sun sets. Not tomorrow. Not some distant day in the future…today.
This verse has been the subject of quite a few debates regarding grammar and sentence structure. You wouldn’t think a comma would mean that much, but consider these sentences:
Let’s eat, Grandma.
Let’s eat Grandma.
A comma is the difference in having a meal with Grandma and having Grandma for a meal.
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
In the original Greek language, there were no commas. They didn’t exist. Sometimes when writing, the writer might leave an extra space or even put a dot where there was a pause, but there were no rules regarding commas. Even in the first translations, there were no commas added. It wasn’t until the fourth century that Bible translators added commas. Here is where the debate exists:
“Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise.”
“Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
If you put the comma after today, the timing for being with Jesus in paradise is not known. The only happening today is what Jesus is saying.
With the comma before today, paradise is happening today.
You wouldn’t think a comma would make that much difference, but there have been denominations formed and split because of this verse and a little comma. The implications are huge. With the first sentence, there may be a place we go when we die that is not paradise. In the second sentence, Jesus says that paradise happens when our body dies. That is good news.
Here are three main reasons why the comma is in the correct place:
To add today on the end of “Truly I tell you” would be awkward and unnecessary. It would be redundant. Why would Jesus need to tell him that he was saying something today…isn’t that clear by the fact he is speaking today...
The phrase “Truly I tell you” was one that Jesus used often
24 “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.
27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”
44 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.
He never added the word today in any of those phrases. This phrase was a popular Greek idiom that just meant…Listen up. What I am about to say is important. In the Greek this phrase is Amen lego soi. Amen means true or certain.
The third reason:
The use of today answers the criminal’s implied question of when. He says when you come into your kingdom. Jesus tells him that today is the day. Paradise is coming today. There is not ambiguity in Jesus’s statement.
I hope that clears this up for any future conversation. I hope also that you have confidence in knowing where you will be on the day your body dies. I hope you have confidence in knowing where loved ones who know Christ will be on the day their body dies.
There is one other major doctrine that we can come to understand by this statement -
Salvation is by faith and not by works.
Paul writes about this in the letter to the Ephesian church:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
It’s not by baptism or getting our lives in order. Not by anything any man might say. If this criminal got into heaven by his faith while on the cross next to Jesus, then anyone - by faith - can be saved.
It doesn’t mean we don’t get baptized - the Bible tells us to. It doesn’t mean we don’t try to get our lives in order - the Bible tells us to do that as well. It does mean though that salvation is available to anyone at any time as long as they are still alive here on earth. As long as someone can profess faith in Christ it is not too late. Even if the person has done something deserving of being executed on a cross like this criminal. Noone is too far gone.
We touched a little on the prophecies fulfilled in this passage. We saw that the grace of God is available to those who would recognize Jesus for who he is and approach him with repentant hearts.
So what do we do with this information?
Get right with God.
He died for you. He died for me. He wants us to come to him and ask forgiveness. In simple terms - Tell him you know he is the son of God and that you know he died for your sins and rose again on the third day. Ask for his forgiveness and commit your life to follow him.
Regardless of circumstances, focus on Jesus
Two men hung on the cross. One focused on what he was losing and was angry and the other focused on what he had to gain. Which one will we be?