Transcript
A (0:00)
Luke23,32,34. Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 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. Jesus said, father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. If you've been around church or you've been in the church at all, you may know the story of Jesus getting crucified. This might be familiar. You've probably heard a sermon on this or two. It's really impactful to me for a few reasons. One that sticks out is there's two strange characters that show up in the climax of this story. You've been reading the Gospels. You've seen his miracles, you've seen his teaching. You've seen so many miraculous, powerful moments. And we're leading up to this final climax of the payment of our sins to be on Jesus Christ on the cross. And it says there's two criminals that are to die with him. Now, if you're anything like me, I read the Bible and I try and see it as a movie. I try and go, okay, there was color, there was the dust of the sand that would pop up as they walk. There would be people watching this. And I just imagine being one of these criminals who. Your whole life up until this point, all you've done are bad things. You've sinned. We don't know why they're here, but they've done something bad enough to be killed for it, to be crucified for it. And I just imagine being one of these criminals and hearing the commotion, knowing it's your death day. And. And they're going, who are we being killed with? Like, who's this other person we're about to die with? And you start to kind of peek out and you're looking around and you're going, that's cheap. That's the one they're calling the Messiah. There's this massive crowd. There would have been no one there for these two men. And there's a massive crowd going, who is this? This is Jesus. They call him the Son of God, the Messiah, whatever. I don't believe that. All I know is this is my time to go, whatever. And they start to walk up this mountain. And I. I love this part of the story because I go, jesus, why would you take away from the moment with two random people beside you? And if you read this story in the verses I just read, Jesus lets out One final sermon on the cross. He says, father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Now, other gospel records record that these two thieves, while hanging on the cross with Jesus, were both hurling insults at Jesus. They were both like, if you are the son of God, you could save us. You could take us off this cross right now. If you are the Son of God. Well, Luke is the only gospel account that adds this secondary moment between one of the criminals where he actually changes his mind, and he believes in Jesus. And I want to read this verse because I want to show what salvation really looks like. This is verse 39. It says, 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 were under the same sentence. We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man Jesus, he has done nothing wrong. Then he said, he looks at Jesus. Then he said, jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, the last man Jesus saves. Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise. Why two men? You see it on stickers on the back of cars. You see it outside your church. There's three crosses. I believe the reason, the last picture Jesus gives us is that you and I, every person to live, are one of two thieves hanging beside Jesus. That the Bible says, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. And the payment of that sin is, is death. And if you've ever sinned, like I know I have, we are hanging there in need of someone to save us. One thief says, why aren't you saving me? Will you just figure this out for me? And he's got this hardened heart. But the other one does three things. And I believe that these are the three things that lead to real salvation. The first, he says, is, we are punished here justly. Until you get to the point where you can look at yourself and say, I am a sinner in need of a savior, you'll never walk into true salvation. Step number one, I've messed up. I need someone to save me from my sins. I can't get out of this myself. Look at the second thing he says, but this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, you are the Savior. You are the perfect one. I know I've messed up, but you've not done anything. You're the one that can save me. The third thing he does, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom, ask Jesus to save you. I'm a sinner. You're a Savior. Do you think you could save me? And when you approach Jesus with that honest three step confession, he is the greatest Savior of all time. The greatest job description of Jesus Christ is to save those that need saving. To the only one that Jesus cannot save is the one that doesn't think they need to be saved.