“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

                                                                                                Luke 23:39-41

1. Criminals/Robbers/Rebels/Thieves à Luke 23:32-34

“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.

Two other men

NIV Two Gospels say “Criminals” and Two say “Rebels”

• “Criminal” from a root that means – [a work that is] bad or severely wrong
• “Rebels” from a Greek word that means – Robber, Highwayman or Bandit
• King James uses “malefactor” and “Thief”

The type of criminal is probably a rebel who supported uprising by waylaying travelers along the road. Essentially, bandits with a cause. Insurrectionists who used crime to support their political goals.

• Common: The valley roads throughout the region were always dangerous places, with bandits and may have been the source of the idea of a Valley of Death, and the reason Jesus encouraged His disciples to have a sword as they travelled

So these are the men set beside Jesus, to be executed, “One on His right, the other on his left.”

• Jesus says, “forgive them, for they know not what they are doing.”

Prays for enemies, both Roman and Jew – Not entirely clear who

2. Rulers and Soldiers à Luke 23:35-38

“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.”

The People Stood Watching: Luke is neutral toward the observers, other accounts have them joining in. Mob mentality of some

• The Rulers Sneered

They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”

• Jewish rulers who had plotted and worked up the crowds
• Acknowledged He saved others
• Equated not saving Himself, with disproving He was Messiah

• The Soldiers mocked Him
• Like parrots/mockingbird

They think He has been disproven, and Luke brings it home by mentioning the sign Pilate had them set above Him: “This is the King of the Jews”

3. One on His left, One on His right à Luke 23:39-41

39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

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.”

Two Responses

• The First
• A Rebellious Spirit:
• Hurled insults, taunting “aren’t you the messiah?”
• “Save yourself”
• A Self-serving Spirit
• Oh yeah, and save us!
• Just in case, maybe?
• The Second
• Fear God
• The Reverence of someone who has done wrong
• Truth spoken
  • The Same Sentence
  • Justice and injustice

How do we respond?

• Do we realize what these men represent?
• We are created in the image of God, for life in His presence, yet we stray.
• We are thieves: Having Stolen our life from the hands of the God who made us
• Jesus came to the cross to pay all for all, even asking the Father to forgive them as He hung there in pain
• And there are two responses
• Accept what He has done, as He has done it, for the reasons He has done it and realize the sign fell short; He IS King of Kings
• Or, make a mockery of His sacrifice
  

4. A Request and a Promise à Luke 23:42-43

42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

This passage ends with a request and a promise and it is the heart of what it means to be a Christian, what it means to be saved and what it means to be in an Eternal relationship with an eternal God

The Request

“Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

• The second man recognized Jesus as LORD and Savior
• The request is the same plea any of us must make to be saved
• Recognize we are sinners deserving of death, accept Jesus’ sacrifice as payment of our debt, ask Him to be Lord and Savior

The Promise

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

• Make the same request and receive His presence now, and Eternity with Him when the time comes

Two thieves

            The difference, the mockery of wanting messiah on his own terms.

            The difference, between the two requests: Three Days

• Jesus did save himself
• Jesus did save the one who accepted Him
• And….Jesus has offered so much more and that is what brings us here today

Having taken our own lives from the hands of the very God who created us, He came in, sacrificed Himself on our behalf and reclaimed all who would accept, for eternity in His presence.

That night, His Body lay broken. Three days made all the difference.

Prayer: