God's Faithfulness in Death

In the days since Palm Sunday, Jesus has cleansed the temple, had His authority questioned, taught a parable concerning Himself and His kingdom, avoided a crafty trap about money, taught truth about the resurrection, questioned the scribes, condemned the religious thievery which taxed a poor widow, taught his disciples about the end times which would announce His second coming. Then Jesus celebrated Passover with His disciples, and instituted the celebration of Lord’s Supper, which replaced Passover, as a sign of the new covenant in Christ’s blood. All prior sacrifices point to Jesus, His is the last and perfect, once and for all sacrifice.

After the supper, he and his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives to pray. There he was betrayed by Judas. He was arrested, tried and though declared innocent, was condemned to death by crucifixion. Consider that, though Jesus’ innocence was declared, they killed Him anyway. We can’t expect different in this world. The sinful world follows the devil, the father of lies.

As they led Jesus away, it became clear that the tortuous beatings He’d endured had taken their toll and he was physically unable to carry His cross all the way to Calvary. So they, laid hold of a certain man, Simon, so that he might bear the cross after Jesus. Notice, that they laid hold of the man. They roughly, forcibly commanded Simon to take Jesus’ cross. Simon was able to carry the cross. He willingly took up Jesus’ cross and bore it. Luke identifies him as a Cyrenian, and Matthew and Mark tell us that his sons, Alexander and Rufus, were with him. This indicates that Simon became a follower of Jesus Christ. Thankfully, Simon wasn’t crucified alongside Christ, nevertheless, having let down Jesus’ physical cross, took it up again by faith, and laid down his life for Jesus. Can we do any less?

Lament

Jesus’ crucifixion drew a large crowd, among whom were women who also mourned and lamented Him. Their mourning and lament were because they knew His innocence. They could not see why this perfect Man of God would be crucified. This is reminiscent of when Peter rebuked of Jesus for talking about his suffering and crucifixion. The women didn’t want to see this terrible thing happen before their eyes. They wanted a happy ending. They wanted Jesus to be their king, and to set the free from all the evils of the world, like poverty, illness, wicked rulers, suffering.

But notice what Jesus does. Though He is experiencing utter pain, though He knows the burden of God’s full wrath is about to be placed on Him, though He ought to be only thinking of Himself, He turns to them and says, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but for yourselves and your children...”. Jesus wanted them to know that it was necessary for Him to go to the cross. If He didn’t then even what they did experience in the near future would be far, far worse. For while mothers lamented the death of their children in the coming destruction of Jerusalem, greater agony would have existed if Jesus hadn’t died. For apart from Christ, all deserve to go to eternal torment in hell.

Jesus was telling them to lament the right thing: lament those who never come to faith in Him. Lament that people are dying in their ignorance and unbelief because the church today is too busy making friends with Satan and his worldly ways. Lament that in a desire to be nice, so many fail to tell people the truth, and instead, tickle their ears to death.

Forgiveness

Jesus’ crucifixion was a right spectacle. Not just one, but three executions! Two others were led with Jesus to be put to death, one on his right and the other on his left. And Jesus prayed for all of them, the two criminals, the executioners, the religious leaders, Pilate, all the crowd, the women, the men, the disciples, all. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

In Leviticus we read “If a person sins, and commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD, though he does not know it, yet he is guilty and shall bear his iniquity” (Lev. 5:17). Is this what Jesus meant? Yes, and no. It is clear that they knew what they were doing. But it is not clear that they understood what they were doing. They thought they were killing a man, a regular guy, who suffered from delusions of grandeur, who blasphemed God by claiming to be God. They probably thought they were pleasing God, glorifying God with their actions. Though Jesus had warned them in the Parable of the Vineyard Owner (Luke 20:9ff). They hadn’t realised, yet, that Jesus is God, fully God, and fully man. That was their not knowing what they were doing. That’s what Jesus was asking for forgiveness.

The soldiers divided his garments and cast lots for them, fulfilling the prophecy concerning Christ in Psalm 22:18 “They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” Which proves that this is part of God’s plan.

The rulers, rather than taking a moment to ask, “What are we doing?” They sneered saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” I’m not sure who these rulers are. It most likely refers to the Jewish leaders, but it could have also included the Roman leaders. There is a coming together of enemies in times like these. Earlier in chapter 23, Luke reports that Pilate and Herod became friends over all these things involving Jesus. Prior to that they had been at enmity with each other (Lk 23:12).

The soldiers join in mocking also, and with the crowd, jeered at Jesus, tempting Him to save Himself, as He’d saved others. You see, they knew the stories. They knew Jesus’ reputation. They mocked Him for it. They mockingly called Him the King of the Jews. Little did they realise that what they said is true. But Jesus’ kingdom is not of this earth. He said that to Pilate. He said that in many places. The kingdom is not of this earth.

Sin

I can’t really comprehend how, but one of the criminals who were hanged with Jesus blasphemed Him. How did he get the breath to hurl insults while in such excruciating pain? There he was, guilty of sin, dying of sin, he commits more sin. Just a note on that. In mocking Jesus, who really is the King of the Jews, by mocking, by suggesting He isn’t, they committed blasphemy. The scribes, the Pharisees, the rulers, all were guilty of blasphemy. They denied Jesus, they deliberately refused to believe that He is the Son of God, that He is God. Anyone who denies God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is guilty of blasphemy. Muslims, Cultists like the Mormons and the Jehovah Witnesses, naturalists, Deists, and everyone who rejects Jesus is guilty of blasphemy. This is the sin Jesus asked the Father to forgive them.

Somehow, in the midst of the agony of crucifixion, one of the criminals is able to join in blaspheming Jesus. He mockingly said, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”

The other criminal rebukes him. Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the reward of our deeds.”

Romans 6:23 (NKJV) “For the wages of sin is death.” This man knew it. He recognised his guilt. He recognised the other man’s guilt. His confession of sin fits all of us. All human beings, with the exception of Jesus, are guilty of sin. All of us deserve to be on crosses beside those two men. And yet, do we not complain of what is owed to us? Do we not feel entitled to health, wealth, and prosperity? For what? For sinning just like the rest of humanity? All human beings have an over inflated sense of self.

He continued to say, “This Man has done nothing wrong.” He was given the Holy Spirit, who, moments before death, revealed to him who Jesus really is. He saw his own sin, and he saw Jesus’ innocence. He confessed Christ as Lord. He turned to Jesus and said, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Salvation

As easily as those words were spoken, that’s how easily he was saved. Jesus assured him of his salvation when he said, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” That day, Jesus looked at him, He looked at a man already dead in his trespasses and said, “I have taken your sins upon me. All the Father’s wrath is removed from you and placed on me. I have brought you from death to life, even as you are physically dying on a cross. By faith you will be with me in Paradise.”

Brothers and sisters, two criminals, two men who were guilty of sin resulting in death, were with Jesus on Calvary. And a whole bunch of other sinners were with them. Most refused to believe. From what we see on our text, though salvation was right before him, the other criminal never asked for salvation.

From the sixth hour to the ninth hour, from noon to 3pm, there was darkness over all the earth. Darkness, though in this case literal, is also a metaphor for sin, evil, wickedness, the kingdom of sin and Satan. For three hours, nothing hindered wickedness on the earth. The sun itself was darkened, and the veil which separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place of the temple, was torn in two.

Therefore there is no more separation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Because Jesus committed His spirit into His Father’s hands, knowing that His Father would glorify Him, knowing that His sacrifice was perfect and would be accepted, Jesus died for the criminal, for His disciples, for you and for me, for all who believe in Him.

The centurion glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” The centurion was a man of the world. He was around regular people, and he was in charge of overseeing crucifixions. After a while, such men get a sense of people. I’m sure they can tell the guilty from a mile away. He rightly saw Jesus’ innocence.

Upon hearing his exclamation, the whole crowd regretted that they had been a part of this evil and wicked deed. Evil, it is pure evil that the innocent Son of God was crucified. But in Genesis, in the story of Joseph, we learned that what people intend for evil, God plans for good, for the salvation of many.

God has provided salvation for you, for me. Will you receive it? Will you tell others of it? God the Son, was faithful, perfectly faithful, even in death on a cross. He died so that we may live! Let’s not waste our life. Let’s keep trusting God’s faithfulness in death. Let’s keep trusting that He turns everything in our lives for His glory and our salvation. Amen.

Father in Heaven, I can’t imagine the pain You experienced that day. I can’t comprehend the depth of your love for us. Thank you that in Christ, salvation is accomplished. We boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection—His wounds have paid our ransom. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.