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1. Believe: He Forgave - (Luke 23: 32-34)
32 Two others—criminals—were also led
away to be executed with Him.
33 When they arrived at the place
called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on
the right and one on the left.
[34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive
them, because they do not know what they are doing.” ]
And they divided His clothes and cast lots.
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Luke highlighted the fact that Jesus maintained an
unselfish focus on the needs of other people during the crucifixion. He
extended forgiveness to those responsible. As Jesus trudged toward the site
of crucifixion, two other victims accompanied Him. Luke identified them as
criminals—literally, “evildoers.” Appropriately, Jesus spent His last hours
in the midst of sinners, the very people for whom He came to die. The
entourage proceeded to a place called The Skull. At this spot they
crucified Jesus. Luke provided few details of the elements of crucifixion.
He preferred an emphasis on Jesus’ spiritual battle. During a typical
crucifixion, death came slowly. The victim could live as long as two days.
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The soldiers suspended the victim from the cross using
ropes and nails. Usually they stripped the person of clothing. Death came
from exposure, blood loss, and dehydration. Crucifixion was a painful,
humiliating death. From the cross
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are
doing.” The declaration certainly suits His character. Jesus’ prayer
probably was a reference to those present who were responsible for this
event—soldiers and religious leaders. He held out hope for a spirit of
repentance from them. They sinned out of ignorance. This emphasized the
supernatural nature of a God who could forgive even the most heinous sin.
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2.Believe: He Obeyed - (Luke 23: 35-39)
35 The people stood watching, and
even the leaders kept scoffing: “He saved others; let Him save Himself if
this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!”
36 The soldiers also mocked Him. They
came offering Him sour wine
37 and said, “If You are the King of
the Jews, save Yourself!”
38 An inscription was above Him: THIS
IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 Then one of the criminals hanging
there began to yell insults at Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself
and us!”
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A crucifixion often attracted curious onlookers. Luke
offered no record of their thoughts at this point. The leaders, however,
responded in character. They kept scoffing at Jesus. These religious
leaders insisted on Jesus’ death and got it. But they kept on the attack
even as Jesus died. The scoffing alluded to Jesus’ claim to be the Messiah.
In His ministry, Jesus performed miracles that saved people from demons,
illness, and death. In the view of the leaders, then, if He truly was God’s
Messiah, the Chosen One, why did He not save Himself? They looked for a
Messiah who represented physical power. They failed to realize that they
spoke the truth. Jesus was God’s Messiah! He could have rescued Himself
from the cross. He refused, however, to use His divine power for selfish
reasons. Instead Jesus chose to obey God’s call to a different purpose—to
give His life in sacrifice. The mob mentality around the cross dominated.
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Roman soldiers carried out the execution on behalf of
the government. They too mocked Him. Then the soldiers took up the taunt of
the leaders, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” As He did
with the leaders, Jesus made no response to this abuse. He let His actions
speak for themselves. Obedience to God requires an unselfish determination
to follow through on God’s plan. Typically the Romans placed an inscription
over the heads of the crucified to identify their crime. Drawing from
different ancient manuscripts, the KJV specifies the inscription appeared
“in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew.” The inscription identified
Jesus as The King of the Jews. One of the criminals hanging there picked up
the theme of the leaders and soldiers. He began to yell insults at Him. He
retained His determination to obey God by a refusal to bow to human
pressure.
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3. Believe: He Saved- (Luke 23:40-43)
40 But the other answered, rebuking
him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment?
41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the
things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me
when You come into Your kingdom!”
43 And He said to him, “I assure you:
Today you will be with Me in paradise.”
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On the cross Jesus fulfilled the ultimate purpose for
which He came—providing a way of salvation for sinful humanity. His
suffering on the cross exemplified the extent to which He obeyed to perform
this saving work. While one criminal mocked Jesus, the other rebuked the
mocker. Although Matthew and Mark in their Gospels recorded ridicule from
both criminals, Luke indicated that one experienced a change of heart. This
second man asked, “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the
same punishment?” The man who chastised the other admitted, “We are
punished justly.” He admitted guilt and deserved his punishment.
Appropriately, this attitude of “owning your sins” is required of all those
who seek forgiveness. Jesus, however, did nothing wrong.
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This proclamation of Jesus’ innocence emphasized a key
truth of the crucifixion—Jesus died as the Just One in place of the unjust.
After a defense of Jesus, the repentant criminal made a request. “Jesus,
remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” This man saw something in
Jesus that impressed him. He asked that Jesus not forget him when He
claimed His future reign. We cannot know how much this criminal understood
about Jesus’ nature. Yet the repentant man did confess an
openness to Jesus’ saving mission. Jesus responded to the man with a
word of assurance, “Today you will be with Me in paradise.” The word today
indicated that no waiting was necessary. Immediately the repentant man
would experience a full relationship with Jesus.
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4. Believe: He Was Vindicated- (Luke 23:44-49)
44 It was now about noon, and
darkness came over the whole land until three,
45 because the sun’s light failed.
The curtain of the sanctuary was split down the middle.
46 And Jesus called out with a loud
voice, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” Saying this, He
breathed His last.
47 When the centurion saw what
happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous!”
48 All the crowds that had gathered for
this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their
chests.
49 But all who knew Him, including
the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching
these things.
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After several hours on the cross, the noon hour arrived.
The Jews marked the start of the day at sunrise. About six hours later,
noon, was considered midday. When daylight normally would have been its
brightest, darkness came over the whole land until three. This supernatural
darkening of the sun over a large area revealed God’s unhappiness at the
circumstances. Evil reared its head to bring about the cross. During this
three-hour span of darkness, the curtain of the sanctuary was split down
the middle. One special curtain separated the holy place from the holy of
holies. The Jews honored the holy of holies as the dwelling place of God.
The curtain emphasized the separation of God from His people. Its rending symbolized God’s accessibility to all. Jesus
brought that to pass through the cross. His death instituted a new way of
relating to God. Jesus spoke to God from the cross in a loud voice,
“Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.” This statement reflected
Psalm 31:5. As He gave His life, Jesus rested in the security of total
reliance on the Heavenly Father. After this statement, He breathed His
last. Jesus died. Death by crucifixion usually took longer than the few
hours Jesus spent on the cross. Certainly He came to the cross in a
weakened state because of the trials and beatings He endured. As Jesus gave
up His life, however, He remained in control to the end.
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The manner of Jesus’ death impacted those who observed
it. A centurion, possibly the commander in charge of the execution party,
saw what happened and began to glorify God. The way Jesus died caused this
man to praise God. The crowds of bystanders at the cross also saw how Jesus
died. They went home striking their chests. What they observed impressed
them dramatically. With public demonstrations of grief they left the hill.
What made them grieve? Watching another person die causes emotional trauma
for most people. In this case, however, these people may have sensed
personal guilt. Had they been among the crowds that called for Jesus death
earlier? Perhaps. This much is sure: they too were people for whom Christ
died. Some friends of Jesus stood at a distance watching these things.
These followers developed into future eyewitnesses who affirmed the factual
nature of the crucifixion. Many became a part of the church that proclaimed
salvation effected by Jesus’ sacrifice. Of immediate concern to them was
what would be done with Jesus’ body. Luke specifically mentioned the women
who had followed Him from Galilee. Other passages in the Gospels indicate
that a number of dedicated people accompanied Jesus in addition to the
apostles. That some of them were women emphasizes the nature of the gospel
for all people, regardless of gender or status. All who repent and express
faith in Jesus become His.
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Conclusion: What Now? My Mission
1. You can be assured that Jesus wants you to receive
forgiveness.
2. You can believe that Jesus’ obedience to God on the
cross provides a way for you to be saved.
3. You can repent of your sins and trust Jesus as Savior.
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