Three Crosses

Sunday morning, April 10, 2022 (First preached this sermon on April 29, 1979, at Eastside Baptist Church, Blacksburg, SC. I would graduate Wofford College on May 20, 1979.)

INTRODUCTION

Seven Hundred years before the birth of Christ, the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah prophesied He “was numbered with the transgressors.”

In fact, Isaiah 53:12 (NKJV) says of Christ, “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

Matthew 27:38 (NKJV) reveals the fulfillment of this prophecy when two thieves were crucified along with Christ. “Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.”

Two thousand years ago, Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. And two others died with Him, each one crucified on their own crosses. While these two men are clearly identified in the Bible as criminals, deserving of their punishment, the man on the middle cross was just as clearly innocent of all charges.

But there are some similarities of these three men and their three crosses that day.

One, each one was dying. Two, each was dying a horribly painful and cruel death. And three, each one was dying in shame for the Bible declares, “Galatians 3:13 (NKJV) Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”). Ref. also Deuteronomy 21.23.

But there were also major differences of each these three men and their three crosses.

· One was dying in sin

· One was dying for sin

· One was dying to sin

Luke 23:39–46 (NKJV) 39 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” 44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last.

At the beginning of this Passion Week, I want us to examine each of these three men and their three crosses. What was it about their crucifixion 2000 years ago that still impacts our lives today?

I. THE DYING SINNER, Luke 23:39 (NKJV)

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

A. His Rebellion

The rebellious nature of sinful man has been his arch enemy since Adam and Eve rebelled against the commandments of God there in the Garden of Eden.

This first man on the first cross is said to be a criminal who was condemned to death on a cross by his own rebellious nature.

B. His Railing

The old KJV actually uses the word “railed,” translated from the Greek word βλασφημέω (blasphemeo). Blasphemeo literally means ‘to demean through speech’,. to speak in a disrespectful way that demeans, denigrates, maligns[1]

This thief railed on Jesus as he hung beside Him there on the cross. “If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” BTW, you do realize this was one thing Christ could NOT do. He could not save both Himself and Us! Of course, He, being God, could have come down from the cross. But He chose to stay on the cross in order to save US!

This dying sinner mocked Christ basically calling Him an imposter and a pretender!

Men have mocked the man Christ Jesus for thousands of years. They mock His virgin birth. Laughed at His miracles. And sneered His resurrection.

Someone once said, “They have tried to take the gold out of Heaven and the fire out of Hell!”

And notice that his degrading comment was purely selfish as well. “Save us!” He was far more interested in getting off the cross so he could go back to a life of sin.

This dying sinner hanging from the first cross deserved his punishment. Warren Wiersbe says the two criminals were crucified with Jesus, men who were robbers (Matthew 27:38). The Greek word means “one who uses violence to rob openly,” in contrast to the thief who secretly enters a house and steals. These two men may have been guilty of armed robbery involving murder.[2]

C. His Retribution

The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:7 (NKJV) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Blinded by sin and hardened with hatred, many have died of rebellion and rejection of the Savior.

T/S—The Second Cross held another man who was the God-Man.

II. THE DYING SAVIOR, Luke 23:44-47 (NKJV)

44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ” Having said this, He breathed His last. 47 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”

It was appropriate that Jesus died on the second cross, a cross placed in the middle of the two dying thieves. For Jesus was and is the Mediator between God and man.

My vision of the Cross of Christ has always been the image of the Savior of all mankind suspended upon a cross that reached to Heaven above and Hell below in order to bring all of creation back to God.

How was He able to do that? How could one man bring reconciliation of wayward mankind back to a Holy and Just God?

Let’s start with His Virgin Birth.

A. His Virgin Birth

The virgin birth of Christ is the first factor of Divinity. If Christ were not born of a virgin through the miraculous conception of the Holy Spirit of God, He would have been born a sinner like the rest of mankind.

Because of the virgin birth, Christ Jesus had no stain of sin flowing through His veins. He was sinless. And He lived a sinless life. The Bibles says, “He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15, NKJV)

He who knew no sin, became sin for us so we could be forgiven of our sins.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

We call this the vicarious death of Christ.

B. His Vicarious Death

The word “vicarious” means an act done or suffered for others; based upon the substitution of one person for another. That’s the message from 2 Corinthians 5:21. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

1 John 4:10 (NKJV) In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Listen to that same verse from the New Living Translation. 1 John 4:10 (NLT) This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 Peter 3:18 (NLT) Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God.

· Our sins nailed Him to the cross.

· Our hands are free because His hands were crucified.

· Our brow is painless because His brow was pierced by a crown of thorns.

· We receive Heaven and eternal life, because He endured Hell and death for us.

C. His Victorious Resurrection

Verses 44-45 use the work “darkness” on two separate occasions. When Jesus, the Son of God died on the cross, it was a dark day both on earth and in heaven.

Luke 23:44–45 (NKJV) 44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

At this moment in Luke chapter 23, it seems that all hope is lost. Jesus, the Light of the world, is dead. But turn the page to chapter 24 and you find a glorious new morning like the world had never known before. The tomb of darkness that once held the lifeless body of Jesus is empty.

In Luke 24,

· the women found it empty,

· the angels said it was empty,

· the guards declared it empty,

· the Jews admitted it was empty,

· Peter saw that it was empty,

· But best of all, Jesus proved it was empty!

T/S—But before we get too excited about the resurrection, recall the first cross and the dying sinner. And remember the second cross and the dying Savior, but finally, there’s a third cross and on it is the dying saint!

III. THE DYING SAINT, Luke 23:40-43 (NKJV)

Luke 23:40–43 (NKJV) 40 But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

A. The Plea of the Sinner, Luke 23:42 (NKJV)

Luke 23:42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

This thief was as much of a criminal as the first thief. He too, had once railed against Christ. But somehow and at some point there was a change that came over this second thief. Hanging for hours beside the dying Savior, this man came to repentance.

The first thief continued to rebel and reject the dying Savior, but this man, repented of his rebellious spirit and by faith embraced the reality of who Christ truly was and is. So, he cries out to Jesus.

And unlike the first thief, this man on the third cross wanted to be saved from sin, not just suffering.

B. The Promise of the Savior, Luke 23:43 (NKJV)

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Jesus promises this man several wonderful things: “Assuredly”

· Forgiveness

· Grace (unmerited favor)

· Heaven

His forgiveness is immediate. This man was dying. He didn’t or couldn’t come down from the cross to be baptized or join a church! He didn’t have to take communion or go through a confirmation class! There was no time to be spent in purgatory to cleanse him for a life of sin! No, this man received immediate forgiveness and was promised heaven with Jesus after his death!

Let’s look closer at this paradise or heaven Jesus promised this man and all who trust in Him as Savior and Lord. The Bible says, Romans 10:13 (NLT) For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

C. The Paradise of the Saint, Luke 23:43 (NKJV)

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

The word “Paradise” is the word used in the Old Testament for the original Garden of Eden which was a heaven on earth before sin entered the world. The New Testament concept of Paradise is Heaven. And Heaven is the eternal home of all saints of God.

It’s interesting that Jesus described Heaven as a place “where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:20, ESV)

CONCLUSION:

Three men. Three crosses.

Two were guilty. One innocent.

One dying in sin.

One dying for sin.

One dying to sin.

One went to heaven.

One, likely, went to hell.

And the reality is that each of us will die as one of these two men.

Heads are bowed and eyes are closed. (Prayer)

[1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 178. [2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 275.

Northgate Sermon Notes

TEXT: Luke 23:39-46

TOPIC: Three Crosses

Pastor Bobby Earls, Northgate Baptist Church, Florence, SC

Sunday morning, April 10, 2022

Isaiah 53:12 (NKJV) “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”

Matthew 27:38 (NKJV) “Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.”

I. THE DYING _______________, Luke 23:39 (NKJV)

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

A. His _______________

B. His _______________

“If you are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

C. His _______________

II. THE DYING _______________, Luke 23:44-47 (NKJV)

A. His _______________ Birth

“He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15, NKJV)

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

B. His _______________ Death

1 John 4:10 (NKJV) In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 4:10 (NLT) This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

1 Peter 3:18 (NLT) Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God.

C. His _______________ Resurrection

Luke 23:44–45 (NKJV) 44 Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

III. THE DYING _______________, Luke 23:40-43 (NKJV)

A. The _______________ of the Sinner, Luke 23:42 (NKJV)

Luke 23:42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

B. The _______________ of the Savior, Luke 23:43 (NKJV)

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

C. The _______________ of the Saint, Luke 23:43 (NKJV)

Luke 23:43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

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