Criminals at the cross: We need to choose

When I always looked at good Friday, I always wondered why the 2 criminals was also included in the gospels. I mean we know Jesus was at the centre of this story. But I always wondered why there would be time for those 2 criminals to also be in the history of the fundamental of what believe in, and then it also made me think why the 2 criminals had such a contrast view on who Jesus was. So hence we are here, and I really want to answer that question with you guys today.

So today I want to start off by asking you to imagine the following, I want you to in your mind and if you have to close your eyes then please do so, I want you to imagine the moment Jesus was crucified on the cross. I want you to pay special attention to the 2 thieves today. Them hanging on the cross, they pull up their arms and push down their feet as they struggle to breath. Each time their tears a little bit more, the blood vessels open a bit more and at the bottom of the cross you can just see blood spilled as they repeat this action over and over again.

There is no escape, their faith is sealed, eventually they will either lose their strength from the loss of blood and suffocate or the Roman soldiers would come with an iron club to shatter leg bones so they would die quicker.

Today as we look at good Friday, I want to use a different perspective, it is not a perspective that we always think about, but I want to look at the 2 criminals and Christ had to say as they hung on that cross. I want us to put ourselves out there that day, not as a roman soldier, or a spectator but as one of the 2 criminals. Let us face it these criminals were there because of the crimes they committed. Jesus was on that cross for the crimes, transgressions sins that we have committed.

So, if we look at reality we were supposed to be on that cross, but Jesus bled and died for our sins. That day

So, I want to look at these 2 criminals and the different attitudes they had on the cross, what that cross meant for them and what it means for us, based on the choice we make

So, I want to start off reading the scripture peace that this story I am talking about. We can find it in Luke 23 from verse 39. I want to look at the one criminal and then the other, and then the choice we must make.

So, let us start by reading Luke 23:39 this is the words of the one criminal 

Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who had been hanged [on a cross beside Him] kept hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us [from death]!”

If you look at this guy, he had to know who Jesus is, he must have heard about the miracles. The dumb talked, the deaf heard, the blind saw, the lame walked, the dead were raised from the dead. And evil spirits were cast out. I mean he lived in the time that Jesus walked the earth. 

When I look at this story and cannot get my mind around the first thief at the cross. So my mind started thinking.Did he just not believe? Maybe he did not see the miracles first hand? Maybe he lost his faith in the religious establishment of that day. I mean we can just see in the bible how corrupt it was and maybe he did not want to have anything to do with it?

Maybe he though that he would be the one that would be set free? I mean let us look at Barabus. He was also a very big offender a notorious prisoner he was so bad that he was mentioned in all 4 gospels. Talk about being popular for all the wrong reasons. I mean Pilate plan backfired instead of releasing Jesus the crowd chose someone who most probably also deserved to die.

We do not know but what intensity must a person being going through to with your last few hours on earth to start swinging insults at Jesus. He cursed Jesus bitterly. He mocked him, he yelled and screamed at him. His only way of an escape is to curse mock and Yell at Jesus. 

There is no admission of guilt, there is no expression of regret, the only regret he has that he got caught and is paying for the crimes he committed. I look at this man and I see someone who is not repenting for his sins and crimes and for me I see here an unrepented sin is a continuous sin. He just could not repent.

2 Corinthians 7:10 Paul says for [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.

We want to live a happy life that if you happy you good and after all we all serve the same god. Newlife I want to tell you that we only have so many years on earth and that Jesus is the only way we will escape death. I do not know your circumstances that you are going through, but I have seen quite a few. Maybe you heard of Jesus, but you just do not believe. You might be tired of getting hurt when you raise questions in the religious community that goes against what God has shown you in His word. So you given up on a place called church.

You might be upset because a lot of things has gone wrong in your life and let us be honest you are so so mad at God. Maybe it is not fair that God will allow anyone into heaven that accepts Him as their Lord and saviour, but at the end of the day, we need to trust Jesus completely that He died at that cross for you and it does not matter that you right with the world, you need to be right with God. That we need to come to the cross and any unrepented sin we need to repent. 

I mean let us look at the 2nd person on the cross. Let us read verse 40 and 41 of Luke23 but the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41We are suffering justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

So, when reading this this person had to figure out a few things while or before he was crucified? 1. Today was his day to die, Death was coming and there was no escaping that

2. He realized who Christ was and he had faith and believed in Him. You see he might not have seen any of Christ miracles, but he believed?

 Newlife on this day as we speak about the death of Jesus I need to remind you when our day last day on earth will come we clearly read it in Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed and destined for all men to die once and after this [comes certain] judgment, 28so Christ, having been offered once and once for all to bear [as a burden] the sins of many, will appear a second time [when he returns to earth], not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly and confidently waiting for Him.

This criminal knew that Jesus was the promised messiah. Jesus was who He said He was, or He pulled of the greatest scam of all time. You see today you cannot argue that Jesus walked the earth and died. Never mind the bible there is plenty historical writers who talk about Jesus.

The QUESTION is, do you believe Jesus was who He said He was. That He had a sinless life, that he was raised from the death after being dead for three days. Where He ascended into heaven. That is the question today?

12 apostles that has spent 3years of their lives walking and talking with him. 10 of them died as martyrs proclaiming His name to a lost and dying world. The Apostle Paul faced the chopping block with joy with joy because He believed who Jesus is.

Newlife Jesus is not some guy in history, a prophet, a good man, no no no He is and will always be the God of the universe. This man got it. Let us look at verse 42 of Luke 23:42 And he was saying, “Jesus, [please] remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” He put his trust in who Jesus is. He knew He was helpless on his own. He did not ask for His sentence to be taken away or for a pardon. He knew He was guilty. He did not to try to justify his action and why he should go to heaven because according to his standards he was good. He knew he did not deserve it.

This bring me to what does this whole story mean for you and me. If we look at the 3 crosses what does that mean to us? Well we need to make a choice. And what you’ll do with Jesus Christ in salvation is a choice only you can make. We can see in the bible that people even though they knew God they chose different. 

• Cain and Abel were both sons of Adam and Eve, but Abel chose the way of faith and Cain did not.
• · David and Saul, both kings in Israel, but David chose to pursue God and Saul depended on himself.
• A rich man named Zacchaeus accepts Christ joyfully while a rich young ruler walks away with sorrow in his heart.
• A well-to-do Pharisee named Nicodemus accepts Christ while hundreds of others refuse and even crucify Him.
• Peter and Judas both betrayed Christ; one chose forgiveness and service – the other chose suicide.
• A narrow gate? Or a wide gate?
• A narrow road? Or a wide road?

One criminal chose Christ that day while the other cursed Him. This man cursed Jesus Christ while He watched Him pay for the sins of the world! He was paying for this man’s sins and he cursed Jesus all the while!

· Both these men were convicted by the same legal system.

· Both were guilty of their crimes.

· Both were condemned to die the same death.

But one made the right choice. 

The first criminal was just moments away from death, angry and foul, reaping the wages of his sinful life when he says, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us.” This wasn’t the talk of doubt – it was mockery . “You think you’re some kind of saviour – then prove it!” Maybe you remember another character in the gospels who talked like that. “If you’re the Son of God then turn these rocks into bread. If you’re the Son of God, then jump off this tower and let the angels save you.” This man was talking the talk of the devil, the one who had blinded him so much that he couldn’t see the Saviour hanging there beside him.

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. We can take that word god and replace it today technology, with social media with money. 

It says in Luke 8:12 that the devil comes “and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” Some of you in here today have never made a decision for Christ. Oh, maybe you’re not guilty of cursing against the Jesus, mocking Him directly, but you hear the gospel, you know what He’s done for you, but you refuse and refuse time and time again. Do not believe the lie that the world is telling you that you are fine or that because you a good person you will be ok. That does not matter who you believe in that we all serve the same God. The devil is a liar and he using the same tricks over and over again to try and blind us from the truth.

What about the other man? Look at verse 40 again. He rebuked the first man saying, “Don’t you fear God? Can’t you see that you’re hanging there in judgment too? You and I are hanging here because we deserve it. We’re just getting what was coming, but this man didn’t do anything wrong. Then he looked at Jesus and said, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

What made the difference between the two?

He recognized God for who He was and Jesus for who He was too. He acknowledged that Jesus was without sin and didn’t deserve to die on the cross. Salvation begins with an acknowledgement of Jesus Christ. 

 2. He saw that he was guilty and condemned. He told the other man that they were on their crosses because they were guilty and were just getting what they deserved. 

3. He admitted his sin and then turned to Jesus and asked Him to deliver Him, and that’s exactly what Jesus did! Today you will be with me in paradise!

THERE IS ONLY ONE SAVIOUR.

One man openly and defiantly rejects the Saviour; the other humbly receives Him. Today every one of you is making a choice about Jesus Christ. You either reject or receive Him, and on that cross of redemption there are some eternal lessons you need to learn before you make your choice. Jesus always gives you the freedom to choose.

Did Jesus know this man’s destiny? Did He care that he was making a choice that would land him in hell? Why didn’t He just determine that this man had to be saved and make it happen? Does that make Jesus unfair or unloving? I mean, if this man had been given all the facts about his lostness and destiny maybe he would have seen things differently, right? Well we could say that about anyone for that matter. If God loves man so much, then why doesn’t He just provide a Damascus Road experience for every lost soul and so overpower them that they can’t help but be saved?

Well the answer is quite simple really – because God doesn’t work that way. His way has always been the way of faith, not by sight. Listen, if there was ever a man who had opportunity to be saved by sight it was this man who was watching Jesus die for His sins right there in front of him! He was looking with his physical eyes, but he couldn’t see what was going on. He was hearing with his ears, but he couldn’t hear the sweet call of the Saviour to come unto Him!

Jesus is not going to argue with you.

This man was cursing and blaspheming Jesus to His face. Had I been Jesus I might have just zapped him, but Jesus did the same thing He did when Judas came to turn Him over to the mob – nothing! “If you really are the Christ…” When the other rebuked him and said, “We’re hanging here because we deserve it, but not Him…” Jesus could have said, “Yeah, that’s right! I’m the perfect, sinless sacrifice for your sins buddy! I’m hanging here for you – you really need to think through what you’re saying and put your faith in me.” He didn’t do any of that, not a word – He just did what He’s going to do with you today, let you make your choice.

You are never too far-gone to be saved.

No one ever is. As long as they are still breathing there is still hope for them. (Look for a story) 

We should never give up on anyone. This man hanging next to Jesus was a thief and a murderer, and who knows what else. The Apostle Paul persecuted and murdered Christians, and Peter denied the Lord three times, and yet the Lord mightily used all of them. Jesus can save you today. It doesn’t matter what you may have done or been in your life. Jesus Christ came to save sinners, and if you’ll confess your sin and place your faith in Christ you can be saved right now.

All God requires is simple faith in Christ.

We can’t earn salvation, we can’t ever be good enough, we can’t work for it, and we can’t buy it. In-fact no one could ever meet the requirements that God demands for salvation. No one except for God Himself could do what needed to be done, so God came in the flesh in the person of Jesus Christ and He personally fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law, and then He paid for our sins by shedding His blood and dying on that cross two-thousand years ago, and all we have to do is believe that and put our trust in Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul spoke of the simplicity that is found in Christ – you see, it is man that tries to complicate things, tries to make salvation harder than what it really is, but salvation is about a decision you make to confess your sins and place your faith in Christ. “For by grace are you saved through faith, and not by works…” In fact, if a person refuses to accept salvation solely on grace by placing their faith in Christ, what they are really doing is saying that what Jesus did was not enough to save them, that His blood is not enough, and that they can improve on God’s plan. While so much of mankind is crying out to you to be good and do this or that, all God requires is that you place simple faith in His Son Jesus Christ.

Which one of those men are you today? Which one of those responses is yours? As you consider the Saviour Jesus? Do you have plenty of time? Do you have something better to do with your life than to follow this man Jesus Christ? If you can look at the Saviour and reject Him in salvation then the Bible says you are making a foolish decision, you’ve been lied to and deceived by Satan, the father of lies. He’s blinded you, deceived you, and though you may be fully alert, hearing and seeing this morning, you’re running full speed ahead with your eyes wide shut.

My appeal to you today is to recognize your destination – where is it that the road you’re on is taking you? If you’re saved today already don’t tune me out – where is the road you’re on taking you? You see, even though you know Jesus Christ, your life may be very much like the man who rejected Jesus. You name His name and pray the prayers and come to church, but the road you’re on is the road to destruction and empty living. It is an empty, powerless life, and you know that you’re tired of living in defeat. You want victory over sin – you want a stronger will or more determination to put into practice the teachings of the Scripture, but you keep falling in defeat, so you try harder, only to fail again.

You need to come to the cross of redemption this morning – not to be saved again, but to bring all your self-effort and self-will to Jesus, to lay it there at His feet and cry out to Him, Lord Jesus, I can’t do it! I’m completely helpless and I need you! If you’ll come to Jesus this morning empty of yourself – my friend, today, you will find deliverance in Christ