WEBVTT

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 spread throughout the ancient world, Christians were consistently mocked. And they were mocked

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 in particular for worshiping a crucified man. The earliest known visual depiction of Jesus on the

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 cross is not a piece of Christian artwork. It's a crude piece of graffiti from about 200 AD in the

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 city of Rome. To the left is a man raising his hand in worship or prayer. To his right is a man hanging

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 from a cross depicted with the head of a donkey. The inscription says, Alex Aminos worships his God.

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 It's a cartoon scrawled on a wall ridiculing Christians and the cross. Lucian, a second-century

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 writer called the early Christians misguided creatures. They worship a man to this day,

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 the distinguished personality who introduced their novel rites and was crucified on that account.

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 They worship the crucified sage and live after his laws. Even in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul

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 acknowledged that the message of the cross of Jesus was a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness

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 to Greeks. In other words, every culture in one way or another finds the cross of Jesus to be

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 offensive, distasteful, or even ridiculous. And yet today, over two billion people throughout the world

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 profess Christianity. And the cross is the most prominent and universally recognized symbol

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 of the Christian faith. And this weekend, Christians throughout the world gather

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 to declare that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. How and why did that ever happen?

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 Tim Keller once observed that every other founder of a major religion died in peace, old, and successful.

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 Moses lived over 100 years, having brought the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and to the edge of

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 the Promised Land. The Buddha lived 80. Having achieved enlightenment, he died surrounded by his disciples.

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 Muhammad lived into his 60s. He died in his home, having united Arabia into one Islamic kingdom.

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 Jesus died at age 33. He was betrayed, abandoned, mocked, beaten, and finally crucified.

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 Why would anyone look at this man and say, he's the one I want to follow? That's the faith for me.

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 Especially when Jesus had also said, if anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself

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 and take up his own cross and follow after me. What was and still is so strangely attractive

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 about this crucified man? That's the question I want to address tonight.

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 Tonight we've read Luke's account of how Jesus' life ended.

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 Earlier in the part before we read, Jesus was betrayed by one of his followers, repeatedly denied by another.

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 We read of his trial before Jewish leaders and before Roman authorities.

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 And despite two official not guilty verdicts, he was sentenced to death and handed over to a hostile crowd.

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 He was led outside the gate of the city to a place called the skull.

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 And Luke simply says in verse 33, there they crucified him.

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 He doesn't give us the gory details.

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 But everyone in the ancient world knew that crucifixion was both excruciatingly painful and exceedingly shameful.

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 I think we often think about how painful it would have been for Jesus.

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 If you even try to hold your arms out for 10 minutes straight, you start to feel it.

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 How painful it would have been to have nails driven through his wrists and his feet,

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 to be holding himself up by his arms for six hours,

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 gasping for every breath after having been beaten to a pulp and weakened by the loss of blood.

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 And that's all true.

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 But in the ancient world, it was the shame of crucifixion that distinguished it even more than the pain.

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 Pain and suffering were everywhere and mostly unavoidable in the ancient world.

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 But crucifixion was the most humiliating and imaginable.

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 Crucifixion was reserved for non-citizens of the Roman Empire,

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 for slaves, for violent criminals, and for prisoners of war.

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 The victim would be stripped naked, except perhaps for a loincloth,

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 suspended just above eye level of a crowd, poked and prodded, mocked and jeered.

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 Crucifixion was a public spectacle.

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 The Roman authorities intentionally located crucifixions just outside the main gate of a city,

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 in a most heavily trafficked area,

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 because everyone knew it wasn't really justice in any real sense of the word.

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 What it was, was a deterrent.

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 To remind everyone who was in charge,

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 and to warn anyone who wanted to follow a similar path.

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 That's how Jesus' life ended.

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 In humiliation, in pain, and in disgrace.

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 In Luke's narrative of the crucifixion, Luke shows us how several different people reacted

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 and responded to Jesus on the cross.

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 If you look in verses 35 to 39,

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 there are three groups of people who all cast their verdict on Jesus.

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 First, in verse 35, we see the ones he calls the rulers,

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 that is, the Jewish authorities.

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 They scoffed at him.

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 He saved others.

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 Let him save himself,

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 if he really is the Christ of God, his chosen one.

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 Interestingly, the Jewish leaders did acknowledge Jesus' power.

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 He saved others.

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 Now, that word saved can mean delivered, healed, or made whole.

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 Most likely, they were referring to Jesus' well-known works of healing people from sicknesses

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 and delivering them from evil spirits.

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 They acknowledged Jesus' power.

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 The second group of people is the Roman soldiers,

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 the executioners who mocked him.

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 In verse 34, they gamble for his clothing.

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 Verse 36, one of them pretends to be a cupbearer,

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 offering this king cheap, sour wine.

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 They were the ones who posted the inscription in verse 38.

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 The inscription above the cross,

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 which declared the legal charge against the one being crucified.

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 It was treason, for he had claimed to be a king.

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 And so, they wrote, the king of the Jews.

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 And they mocked him.

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 If you really are the king of the Jews, save yourself.

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 Finally, in fiercest of all, in verse 39,

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 one of the criminals hanging there next to him railed at him.

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 Aren't you the Messiah?

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 Save yourself and us.

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 Rescue us all now.

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 Then I'll believe in you.

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 The taunting went from bad to worse.

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 And in each case, the refrain was,

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 save yourself.

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 Now, if you've read the whole Gospel of Luke,

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 you might recognize the echo of another voice

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 that spoke to Jesus three times.

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 Back in the desert.

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 If you really are the Son of God,

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 why don't you take an easier way?

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 And yet, all of these voices

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 were operating on a very common human assumption.

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 Their assumption was this.

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 If Jesus really was the king of Israel,

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 if he really was God's anointed king,

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 if he really was God's chosen servant,

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 his life should be ending in honor and triumph

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 rather than in shame and defeat.

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 Now, we might not want to identify ourselves

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 with the scoffers and the mockers

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 and the blasphemer,

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 but their working assumption

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 is a very widespread human assumption

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 that appears throughout the world

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 and even in many religions.

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 You could call it the law of karma.

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 Whatever you do,

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 for good or for evil,

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 it'll come back to you someday.

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 Or you could put it this way.

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 God preserves the honor

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 of his faithful servants and prophets.

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 That's what God should do, right?

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 Or you could say,

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 because I'm a good person,

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 God should make me happy.

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 However we put it,

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 that's how we usually think

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 God should run the world.

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 God should run the world

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 if he's really good

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 and if he's really in charge.

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 He should make us happy if we're good.

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 He should deal well

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 with his faithful servants.

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 And he should pay us back.

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 He should...

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 You get what you give.

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 And when the world doesn't seem to work

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 according to that principle,

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 that's when we often question

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 the character

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 or the reality

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 or the active involvement of God

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 in the world in which we live.

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 Nobody in the ancient world

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 expected God's chosen one,

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 God's righteous servant,

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 God's anointed king,

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 his own son,

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 to be brutally tortured

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 and humiliated and killed

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 and strung up on a cross.

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 No one expected it.

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 And so most people looked at Jesus

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 being crucified

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 and concluded that he was not

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 any of those things.

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 There's only one person

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 in Luke's narrative

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 who presents

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 a dissenting voice

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 in favor of Jesus.

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 Now, there are others

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 in the story

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 who express sympathy for

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 or even, we could say,

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 solidarity with Jesus.

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 There's Simon of Cyrene

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 in the posture

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 of a true disciple

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 carrying the cross

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 behind Jesus

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 in verse 26.

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 There's the women of Jerusalem

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 who sympathetically mourn

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 for him

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 in verse 27.

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 There's the people

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 who simply stand there

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 watching

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 in verse 35.

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 And later on,

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 after Jesus dies,

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 in verse 47,

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 a Roman centurion

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 will praise God

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 and declare

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 that Jesus was truly

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 a righteous man.

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 But while Jesus

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 is hanging there

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 on the cross,

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 there's only one person

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 in Luke's narrative

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 that says anything

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 positive about him.

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 It's the second criminal

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 hanging next to him

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 on a cross.

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 Luke doesn't tell us

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 much about these

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 two criminals.

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 We don't know

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 their names.

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 We don't know

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 their backgrounds.

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 We don't know

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 the details

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 of their crimes.

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 They seem to have

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 had no prior

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 acquaintance with Jesus.

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 Luke refers to them

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 simply as criminals.

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 The word could also

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 be translated

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 evildoers,

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 bad characters.

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 The gospel of Mark

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 calls them robbers,

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 indicating that their

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 crimes involved violence.

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 The same word

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 was used for revolutionaries

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 like Barabbas

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 who had led

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 violent uprisings.

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 Mark also tells us

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 that those who were

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 crucified with him

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 also reviled him

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 in Mark 15, 32.

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 In other words,

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 at the start of the day,

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 both criminals

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 were hostile

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 to Jesus

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 on both

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 sides of him.

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 But somehow,

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 in the course

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 of the day,

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 one of them

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 switched

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 sides.

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 Now, perhaps

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 the second criminal

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 was troubled

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 by the bitterness

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 and irrationality

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 of the first criminal's

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 attack on Jesus.

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 verse 40 says

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 he rebuked him.

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 In other words,

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 he told him off.

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 He might have used

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 some choice words

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 that Luke perhaps

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 may or may not

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 have preserved

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 exactly.

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 Don't you fear

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 God at all?

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 Don't you realize

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 we deserve

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 what we're getting here?

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 We both know

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 we've done

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 some pretty bad things.

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 how can you demand

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 that he rescue

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 himself

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 and us?

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 You've gone

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 way too far.

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 But he doesn't

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 just tell off

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 his fellow

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 criminal.

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 He defends

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 Jesus.

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 He says,

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 this man

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 has done

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 nothing wrong.

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 And then finally

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 he makes

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 a simple plea.

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 Jesus,

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 remember me

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 when you come

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 into your kingdom.

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 What was so

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 strangely attractive

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 about Jesus

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 to this

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 crucified

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 criminal?

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 What made

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 him switch

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 sides?

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 Like most

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 of the biblical

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 authors,

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 Luke very

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 rarely makes

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 explicit statements

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 about people's

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 motives

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 and inner

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 thoughts.

00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:30.519
 But he gives

00:16:30.519 --> 00:16:31.099
 us one

00:16:31.099 --> 00:16:32.139
 strong

00:16:32.139 --> 00:16:32.859
 hint

00:16:32.859 --> 00:16:35.199
 in verse

00:16:35.199 --> 00:16:35.819
 34.

00:16:40.099 --> 00:16:40.839
 There they

00:16:40.839 --> 00:16:41.599
 crucified him

00:16:41.599 --> 00:16:42.239
 and the criminals,

00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:43.079
 one on his right

00:16:43.079 --> 00:16:44.099
 and one on his left,

00:16:44.199 --> 00:16:45.139
 and Jesus said,

00:16:45.859 --> 00:16:46.279
 Father,

00:16:46.739 --> 00:16:47.379
 forgive them.

00:16:47.559 --> 00:16:49.219
 for they know

00:16:49.219 --> 00:16:50.079
 not what they

00:16:50.079 --> 00:16:50.419
 do.

00:16:52.219 --> 00:16:53.019
 That's the

00:16:53.019 --> 00:16:54.199
 one word

00:16:54.199 --> 00:16:55.000
 of Jesus

00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:56.459
 that the

00:16:56.459 --> 00:16:56.859
 criminal

00:16:56.859 --> 00:16:58.339
 most certainly

00:16:58.339 --> 00:16:58.959
 heard.

00:17:02.619 --> 00:17:03.599
 And it's a

00:17:03.599 --> 00:17:04.539
 word that

00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:05.339
 absolutely

00:17:05.339 --> 00:17:06.139
 sets Jesus

00:17:06.139 --> 00:17:06.539
 apart.

00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:09.119
 It is

00:17:09.119 --> 00:17:09.579
 unique,

00:17:09.980 --> 00:17:10.519
 and it was

00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:11.119
 completely

00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:12.359
 unprecedented.

00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:15.480
 Throughout

00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:16.000
 history,

00:17:16.539 --> 00:17:17.220
 many presidents

00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:18.039
 and kings

00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:18.660
 have extended

00:17:18.660 --> 00:17:19.660
 pardons.

00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:22.600
 But almost

00:17:22.600 --> 00:17:23.220
 always,

00:17:23.480 --> 00:17:24.279
 they pardon

00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:24.799
 people

00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:26.680
 who have

00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:27.279
 shown loyalty

00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:27.980
 to them,

00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:29.420
 or who have

00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:30.180
 many powerful

00:17:30.180 --> 00:17:30.779
 and persistent

00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:31.579
 advocates,

00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:32.660
 or who they

00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:33.240
 judge to have

00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:34.240
 received unfairly

00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:34.940
 harsh sentences

00:17:34.940 --> 00:17:35.680
 for relatively

00:17:35.680 --> 00:17:36.539
 minor crimes,

00:17:36.600 --> 00:17:37.079
 or people who've

00:17:37.079 --> 00:17:37.660
 spent most of

00:17:37.660 --> 00:17:38.259
 their lives in

00:17:38.259 --> 00:17:38.579
 jail,

00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:39.279
 and now they're

00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:40.100
 very old and

00:17:40.100 --> 00:17:40.779
 relatively and

00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:41.559
 probably harmless.

00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:49.079
 many people

00:17:49.079 --> 00:17:49.599
 have faced

00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:50.659
 unjust trials

00:17:50.659 --> 00:17:52.619
 and have

00:17:52.619 --> 00:17:53.200
 even faced

00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:53.759
 death with

00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:54.359
 calmness.

00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:56.179
 You might

00:17:56.179 --> 00:17:56.480
 think of

00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:56.899
 Socrates

00:17:56.899 --> 00:17:58.639
 in Greece

00:17:58.639 --> 00:18:00.960
 who faced

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:01.379
 his death

00:18:01.379 --> 00:18:01.980
 with relative

00:18:01.980 --> 00:18:02.679
 calmness

00:18:02.679 --> 00:18:05.779
 and stoicness.

00:18:05.779 --> 00:18:10.019
 but he

00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:10.420
 said nothing

00:18:10.420 --> 00:18:12.720
 about the

00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.139
 jury that

00:18:13.139 --> 00:18:13.579
 had convicted

00:18:13.579 --> 00:18:13.879
 him.

00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:15.920
 Even the

00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:16.680
 greatest heroes

00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:17.440
 of the faith

00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:18.259
 before Jesus

00:18:18.259 --> 00:18:19.359
 did not pray

00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:20.319
 that their

00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:21.639
 enemies would

00:18:21.639 --> 00:18:22.339
 be pardoned.

00:18:24.539 --> 00:18:25.339
 Probably the

00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:25.920
 most famous

00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:26.399
 group of

00:18:26.399 --> 00:18:26.980
 martyrs at

00:18:26.980 --> 00:18:27.460
 the time of

00:18:27.460 --> 00:18:28.039
 Jesus were

00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:29.379
 the Maccabean

00:18:29.379 --> 00:18:30.000
 martyrs.

00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:32.180
 some Jewish

00:18:32.180 --> 00:18:33.240
 men and

00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:34.099
 women in

00:18:34.099 --> 00:18:34.339
 the second

00:18:34.339 --> 00:18:35.039
 century BC

00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:35.519
 who had

00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:35.940
 died for

00:18:35.940 --> 00:18:36.440
 their faith

00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:37.160
 under a

00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:38.000
 brutal Roman

00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:38.539
 tyrant.

00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:40.880
 They maintained

00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:41.559
 their faith in

00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:42.220
 God even to

00:18:42.220 --> 00:18:42.680
 the point of

00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:43.059
 death.

00:18:45.619 --> 00:18:46.279
 But they

00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:47.859
 also cried

00:18:47.859 --> 00:18:48.180
 out for

00:18:48.180 --> 00:18:48.500
 vengeance

00:18:48.500 --> 00:18:50.640
 and threatened

00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:51.460
 their persecutors

00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:52.019
 with judgment.

00:18:54.099 --> 00:18:54.619
 Very

00:18:54.619 --> 00:18:55.279
 understandably,

00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:59.900
 King David

00:18:59.900 --> 00:19:02.100
 even in

00:19:02.100 --> 00:19:02.960
 Psalm 69

00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:03.720
 prayed that

00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:04.460
 his betrayers

00:19:04.460 --> 00:19:05.140
 be cursed,

00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:06.620
 blotted out

00:19:06.620 --> 00:19:07.040
 of the book

00:19:07.040 --> 00:19:07.700
 of life and

00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:08.300
 not listed

00:19:08.300 --> 00:19:08.740
 with the

00:19:08.740 --> 00:19:09.019
 righteous.

00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:14.000
 There's

00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:14.940
 something even

00:19:14.940 --> 00:19:15.620
 right about

00:19:15.620 --> 00:19:16.259
 the desire

00:19:16.259 --> 00:19:17.080
 for justice.

00:19:18.300 --> 00:19:19.100
 I'm not

00:19:19.100 --> 00:19:19.620
 saying that's

00:19:19.620 --> 00:19:19.980
 a wrong

00:19:19.980 --> 00:19:20.420
 thing.

00:19:21.640 --> 00:19:22.680
 You find it

00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:23.100
 throughout the

00:19:23.100 --> 00:19:23.420
 Bible.

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:26.240
 But no

00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:27.400
 martyr before

00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:28.880
 Jesus prayed

00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:30.420
 that his

00:19:30.420 --> 00:19:31.200
 tormentors

00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:32.380
 would find

00:19:32.380 --> 00:19:33.260
 forgiveness.

00:19:38.980 --> 00:19:39.760
 Of course,

00:19:39.820 --> 00:19:40.280
 those were the

00:19:40.280 --> 00:19:40.800
 heroes of the

00:19:40.800 --> 00:19:41.100
 faith,

00:19:41.320 --> 00:19:42.040
 the martyrs.

00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:44.200
 How many

00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:44.760
 of us

00:19:44.760 --> 00:19:46.620
 have cursed

00:19:46.620 --> 00:19:47.200
 others in our

00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:47.600
 hearts,

00:19:49.040 --> 00:19:50.500
 told people to

00:19:50.500 --> 00:19:51.040
 go to hell,

00:19:52.940 --> 00:19:53.740
 cut people out

00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:54.500
 of our lives

00:19:54.500 --> 00:19:55.600
 with no

00:19:55.600 --> 00:19:56.400
 possibility of

00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:57.440
 future reconciliation

00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:59.180
 for far

00:19:59.180 --> 00:20:00.600
 less than

00:20:00.600 --> 00:20:01.780
 Jesus endured?

00:20:04.600 --> 00:20:05.320
 There's a

00:20:05.320 --> 00:20:05.940
 children's song

00:20:05.940 --> 00:20:07.960
 that puts it

00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:08.540
 very simply.

00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:12.060
 It says this,

00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:12.420
 it says,

00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:13.040
 tell me,

00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:14.980
 would you say

00:20:14.980 --> 00:20:15.820
 what Jesus

00:20:15.820 --> 00:20:17.180
 said if they

00:20:17.180 --> 00:20:18.019
 did those mean

00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:19.180
 things to you?

00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:23.600
 Sometimes children's

00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:24.019
 songs can get

00:20:24.019 --> 00:20:24.379
 right to the

00:20:24.379 --> 00:20:24.599
 point.

00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:28.420
 Would any

00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:29.299
 of us

00:20:29.299 --> 00:20:30.259
 spontaneously

00:20:30.259 --> 00:20:31.420
 and freely

00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:32.639
 pray such

00:20:32.639 --> 00:20:33.379
 a prayer

00:20:33.379 --> 00:20:35.119
 without having

00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:36.319
 first seen

00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:37.160
 and been

00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:37.879
 deeply

00:20:37.879 --> 00:20:38.680
 transformed

00:20:38.680 --> 00:20:39.639
 by Jesus

00:20:39.639 --> 00:20:40.339
 himself?

00:20:43.339 --> 00:20:44.400
 What

00:20:44.400 --> 00:20:45.099
 great

00:20:45.099 --> 00:20:45.740
 mercy!

00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:48.480
 What

00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:49.200
 marvelous

00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:50.059
 patience!

00:20:50.059 --> 00:20:50.259
 love!

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:51.619
 What

00:20:51.619 --> 00:20:53.539
 unselfish

00:20:53.539 --> 00:20:54.200
 love!

00:20:57.919 --> 00:20:59.359
 Who is

00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:00.059
 this man?

00:21:00.539 --> 00:21:01.440
 More

00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:02.099
 concerned

00:21:02.099 --> 00:21:03.059
 for his

00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:03.779
 tormentors

00:21:03.779 --> 00:21:04.220
 than for

00:21:04.220 --> 00:21:04.659
 himself?

00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:07.399
 No

00:21:07.399 --> 00:21:07.960
 wonder

00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:08.720
 the criminal

00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:09.339
 concluded,

00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:11.460
 this man

00:21:11.460 --> 00:21:12.220
 has done

00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:12.940
 nothing

00:21:12.940 --> 00:21:13.559
 wrong.

00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:16.299
 There's

00:21:16.299 --> 00:21:17.259
 no one

00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:17.740
 else

00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:18.539
 like him.

00:21:18.539 --> 00:21:23.139
 but

00:21:23.139 --> 00:21:23.299
 there's

00:21:23.299 --> 00:21:23.639
 one more

00:21:23.639 --> 00:21:24.039
 thing

00:21:24.039 --> 00:21:25.779
 that the

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:26.000
 criminal

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:26.359
 must

00:21:26.359 --> 00:21:26.839
 have

00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:27.159
 seen.

00:21:29.399 --> 00:21:30.059
 Not

00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:30.379
 only

00:21:30.379 --> 00:21:30.720
 Jesus'

00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:31.539
 absolute

00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:32.180
 uniqueness

00:21:32.180 --> 00:21:32.940
 but also

00:21:32.940 --> 00:21:33.279
 his

00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:34.019
 amazing

00:21:34.019 --> 00:21:34.799
 openness.

00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:38.420
 Who

00:21:38.420 --> 00:21:38.720
 was

00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:39.039
 Jesus

00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:39.480
 praying

00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:39.920
 for

00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:40.920
 in

00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:41.180
 verse

00:21:41.180 --> 00:21:41.680
 34?

00:21:44.899 --> 00:21:45.460
 Father,

00:21:45.879 --> 00:21:46.180
 forgive

00:21:46.180 --> 00:21:46.500
 them

00:21:46.500 --> 00:21:47.940
 for

00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:48.099
 they

00:21:48.099 --> 00:21:48.319
 know

00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:48.619
 not

00:21:48.619 --> 00:21:48.880
 what

00:21:48.880 --> 00:21:49.079
 they

00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:49.400
 do.

00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:52.380
 Was

00:21:52.380 --> 00:21:52.500
 he

00:21:52.500 --> 00:21:52.779
 praying

00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:52.960
 for

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:53.160
 the

00:21:53.160 --> 00:21:53.619
 soldiers?

00:21:56.440 --> 00:21:56.859
 They're

00:21:56.859 --> 00:21:57.000
 the

00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:57.359
 ones

00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:57.619
 who

00:21:57.619 --> 00:21:59.380
 in the

00:21:59.380 --> 00:21:59.579
 second

00:21:59.579 --> 00:21:59.839
 half

00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:00.019
 of the

00:22:00.019 --> 00:22:00.240
 verse

00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:00.599
 cast

00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:00.900
 lots

00:22:00.900 --> 00:22:01.059
 to

00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:01.339
 divide

00:22:01.339 --> 00:22:01.519
 his

00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:01.859
 garments.

00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:02.160
 They're

00:22:02.160 --> 00:22:02.279
 the

00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:02.539
 ones

00:22:02.539 --> 00:22:02.680
 who

00:22:02.680 --> 00:22:02.839
 would

00:22:02.839 --> 00:22:03.000
 have

00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:03.700
 nailed

00:22:03.700 --> 00:22:03.900
 him

00:22:03.900 --> 00:22:04.059
 up

00:22:04.059 --> 00:22:04.200
 on

00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:04.299
 the

00:22:04.299 --> 00:22:04.740
 cross.

00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:06.339
 Was

00:22:06.339 --> 00:22:06.500
 he

00:22:06.500 --> 00:22:06.819
 praying

00:22:06.819 --> 00:22:07.059
 for

00:22:07.059 --> 00:22:07.480
 them,

00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:08.160
 the

00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:08.660
 execution

00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:09.180
 squad

00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:09.359
 who

00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:09.500
 were

00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:09.799
 simply

00:22:09.799 --> 00:22:10.099
 doing

00:22:10.099 --> 00:22:10.279
 their

00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:10.660
 jobs

00:22:10.660 --> 00:22:10.799
 and

00:22:10.799 --> 00:22:10.940
 had

00:22:10.940 --> 00:22:11.119
 no

00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:11.400
 idea

00:22:11.400 --> 00:22:11.579
 who

00:22:11.579 --> 00:22:11.720
 he

00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:11.940
 really

00:22:11.940 --> 00:22:12.400
 was?

00:22:12.400 --> 00:22:16.420
 Or

00:22:16.420 --> 00:22:16.580
 was

00:22:16.580 --> 00:22:16.700
 he

00:22:16.700 --> 00:22:16.940
 also

00:22:16.940 --> 00:22:17.320
 praying

00:22:17.320 --> 00:22:17.720
 for

00:22:17.720 --> 00:22:19.080
 the

00:22:19.080 --> 00:22:19.380
 religious

00:22:19.380 --> 00:22:19.840
 leaders

00:22:19.840 --> 00:22:21.780
 who

00:22:21.780 --> 00:22:22.080
 also

00:22:22.080 --> 00:22:22.400
 didn't

00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:22.920
 recognize

00:22:22.920 --> 00:22:23.140
 him

00:22:23.140 --> 00:22:23.300
 for

00:22:23.300 --> 00:22:23.480
 who

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:23.600
 he

00:22:23.600 --> 00:22:23.820
 really

00:22:23.820 --> 00:22:24.280
 was?

00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:27.200
 But

00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:27.460
 really

00:22:27.460 --> 00:22:27.720
 Jesus'

00:22:27.880 --> 00:22:28.140
 prayer

00:22:28.140 --> 00:22:28.440
 in

00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:28.660
 verse

00:22:28.660 --> 00:22:29.120
 34

00:22:29.120 --> 00:22:29.560
 cannot

00:22:29.560 --> 00:22:30.100
 be

00:22:30.100 --> 00:22:30.960
 limited

00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:32.080
 to

00:22:32.080 --> 00:22:32.500
 just

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:33.100
 one

00:22:33.100 --> 00:22:33.680
 group

00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:34.040
 of

00:22:34.040 --> 00:22:34.360
 people.

00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:38.680
 Charles

00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:39.019
 Spurgeon

00:22:39.019 --> 00:22:39.380
 said,

00:22:39.780 --> 00:22:40.960
 I love

00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:41.380
 this

00:22:41.380 --> 00:22:41.780
 prayer

00:22:41.779 --> 00:22:42.180
 prayer

00:22:42.180 --> 00:22:42.799
 of

00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:43.240
 Jesus

00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:44.500
 because

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:44.700
 of

00:22:44.700 --> 00:22:44.920
 the

00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:46.539
 indistinctness

00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:47.019
 of

00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:47.240
 it.

00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:49.099
 Father,

00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:50.420
 forgive

00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:51.339
 them.

00:22:53.139 --> 00:22:53.700
 He

00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:53.879
 does

00:22:53.879 --> 00:22:54.119
 not

00:22:54.119 --> 00:22:54.420
 say,

00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:54.759
 Father,

00:22:54.879 --> 00:22:55.119
 forgive

00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:55.339
 the

00:22:55.339 --> 00:22:55.680
 soldiers

00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:55.940
 who

00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:56.059
 have

00:22:56.059 --> 00:22:56.259
 nailed

00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:56.460
 me

00:22:56.460 --> 00:22:56.819
 here.

00:22:57.519 --> 00:22:57.740
 He

00:22:57.740 --> 00:22:58.139
 includes

00:22:58.139 --> 00:22:58.480
 them.

00:23:00.180 --> 00:23:00.680
 Neither

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:01.000
 does

00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:01.339
 he say,

00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:01.759
 Father,

00:23:01.899 --> 00:23:02.240
 forgive

00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:02.660
 sinners

00:23:02.660 --> 00:23:02.920
 in

00:23:02.920 --> 00:23:03.240
 ages

00:23:03.240 --> 00:23:03.460
 to

00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:03.720
 come

00:23:03.720 --> 00:23:03.859
 who

00:23:03.859 --> 00:23:04.019
 will

00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:04.240
 sin

00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:04.559
 against

00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:04.779
 me,

00:23:04.879 --> 00:23:05.000
 but

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:05.200
 he

00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:05.480
 means

00:23:05.480 --> 00:23:05.879
 them.

00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:07.859
 Father,

00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:08.859
 forgive

00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:09.519
 them.

00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:09.599
 them.

00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:11.799
 Now,

00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:12.460
 into that

00:23:12.460 --> 00:23:12.859
 pronoun

00:23:12.859 --> 00:23:13.619
 them,

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:14.859
 I feel

00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:15.379
 that I

00:23:15.379 --> 00:23:15.680
 can

00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:16.099
 crawl.

00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:19.039
 It is

00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:19.379
 like a

00:23:19.379 --> 00:23:19.819
 chariot

00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:20.099
 of

00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:20.559
 mercy

00:23:20.559 --> 00:23:21.980
 that has

00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:22.240
 come

00:23:22.240 --> 00:23:22.720
 down to

00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:23.139
 earth

00:23:23.139 --> 00:23:24.240
 into

00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:24.700
 which a

00:23:24.700 --> 00:23:25.180
 man may

00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:25.619
 step

00:23:25.619 --> 00:23:26.859
 and it

00:23:26.859 --> 00:23:27.039
 shall

00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:27.559
 bear him

00:23:27.559 --> 00:23:27.799
 up

00:23:27.799 --> 00:23:28.539
 to

00:23:28.539 --> 00:23:28.839
 heaven.

00:23:31.980 --> 00:23:32.660
 Father,

00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:34.000
 forgive

00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:34.740
 them.

00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:37.599
 the

00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:37.859
 criminal

00:23:37.859 --> 00:23:38.339
 heard

00:23:38.339 --> 00:23:39.140
 that

00:23:39.140 --> 00:23:39.819
 prayer.

00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:42.259
 Perhaps

00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:42.440
 he

00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:42.660
 thought

00:23:42.660 --> 00:23:43.039
 something

00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:43.460
 like,

00:23:44.420 --> 00:23:44.859
 if this

00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:45.380
 Jesus

00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:45.779
 is

00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:46.160
 praying

00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:46.539
 for

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:47.000
 mercy

00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:48.039
 for

00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:48.240
 his

00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:49.079
 tormentors,

00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:51.900
 perhaps

00:23:51.900 --> 00:23:52.500
 he

00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:52.700
 has

00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:53.059
 mercy

00:23:53.059 --> 00:23:53.519
 for

00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:53.819
 me

00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:54.259
 as

00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:54.579
 well.

00:23:56.579 --> 00:23:57.259
 Jesus,

00:23:57.700 --> 00:23:58.079
 he

00:23:58.079 --> 00:23:58.460
 says,

00:23:58.900 --> 00:23:59.220
 remember

00:23:59.220 --> 00:23:59.559
 me

00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:01.000
 when

00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:01.120
 you

00:24:01.120 --> 00:24:01.319
 come

00:24:01.319 --> 00:24:01.480
 into

00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:01.640
 your

00:24:01.640 --> 00:24:01.900
 kingdom.

00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:02.019
 Amen.

00:24:02.019 --> 00:24:02.079
 Amen.

00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:02.099
 Amen.

00:24:02.099 --> 00:24:02.140
 Amen.

00:24:02.140 --> 00:24:02.599
 Amen.

00:24:02.599 --> 00:24:02.620
 Amen.

00:24:02.620 --> 00:24:02.680
 Amen.

00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:02.720
 Amen.

00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:02.960
 Amen.

00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:02.980
 Amen.

00:24:02.980 --> 00:24:03.000
 Amen.

00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:03.079
 Amen.

00:24:03.079 --> 00:24:03.099
 Amen.

00:24:03.099 --> 00:24:03.140
 Amen.

00:24:03.140 --> 00:24:03.180
 Amen.

00:24:03.180 --> 00:24:03.200
 Amen.

00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:04.720
 Amen.

00:24:04.940 --> 00:24:05.880
 There's a

00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:06.539
 similar prayer

00:24:06.539 --> 00:24:08.000
 in Psalm 106,

00:24:08.039 --> 00:24:08.720
 verse 4.

00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:11.100
 The psalmist

00:24:11.100 --> 00:24:11.559
 prays,

00:24:11.600 --> 00:24:12.160
 Remember me,

00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:12.799
 O Lord,

00:24:13.740 --> 00:24:14.440
 when you

00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:15.160
 show favor

00:24:15.160 --> 00:24:16.380
 to your

00:24:16.380 --> 00:24:16.799
 people.

00:24:18.059 --> 00:24:18.839
 Help

00:24:18.839 --> 00:24:19.420
 me

00:24:19.420 --> 00:24:20.740
 when you

00:24:20.740 --> 00:24:21.160
 save

00:24:21.160 --> 00:24:21.839
 them.

00:24:26.360 --> 00:24:27.200
 It's

00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:27.600
 purely

00:24:27.600 --> 00:24:28.980
 and simply

00:24:28.980 --> 00:24:30.960
 a plea

00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:31.460
 for mercy.

00:24:31.460 --> 00:24:40.240
 with nothing else attached. The criminal doesn't boast

00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:49.100
 of any personal merit, of any good works, of any moral achievements. He doesn't attempt to

00:24:49.100 --> 00:24:54.720
 impress Jesus with his religious knowledge. He makes no claim to deserve anything good.

00:24:54.720 --> 00:25:05.019
 He only expresses simple trust in a bold prayer, Jesus, remember me with mercy when you finally

00:25:05.019 --> 00:25:17.180
 become king. He looks at Jesus, the man who had saved others but wouldn't save himself, and he sees

00:25:17.180 --> 00:25:24.640
 the one who was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah hundreds of years beforehand.

00:25:26.900 --> 00:25:28.420
 Isaiah wrote this,

00:25:29.820 --> 00:25:38.019
 The righteous one, my servant, shall make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their

00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:38.960
 iniquities.

00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:47.799
 The righteous one poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors.

00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:55.660
 Yet he bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:04.519
 The criminal looks at the man rejected and despised and mocked and condemned and says,

00:26:04.519 --> 00:26:11.099
 That's my king. And Jesus turns to him and gives him the most amazing promise.

00:26:12.099 --> 00:26:17.200
 Truly, I say to you, today, you'll be with me in paradise.

00:26:19.660 --> 00:26:24.299
 One person wrote, Whatever the criminal expected when he made his request, the promise of Jesus is

00:26:24.299 --> 00:26:26.920
 vastly out of proportion to it.

00:26:26.920 --> 00:26:32.800
 It's not simply a hope of some indeterminate future day.

00:26:32.980 --> 00:26:34.460
 It's a promise today.

00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:36.840
 It's not you may be.

00:26:37.039 --> 00:26:38.420
 It's not you can be.

00:26:38.620 --> 00:26:39.840
 It's not you might be.

00:26:40.060 --> 00:26:48.060
 It's truly, I say to you, you will be with me in paradise, in the presence of God himself,

00:26:49.060 --> 00:26:52.240
 in the place of eternal joy.

00:26:52.240 --> 00:26:52.380
 Amen.

00:26:56.920 --> 00:26:59.920
 How could Jesus make such a promise?

00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:08.060
 According to the Bible, paradise had been lost long ago.

00:27:10.019 --> 00:27:12.320
 Adam and Eve had once lived in paradise.

00:27:12.560 --> 00:27:14.720
 They had once dwelt in the garden of God.

00:27:14.840 --> 00:27:18.460
 But then they decided that they wanted a world without God in charge.

00:27:20.140 --> 00:27:22.019
 They desecrated God's temple.

00:27:22.019 --> 00:27:24.759
 They spoiled the garden, and so they were exiled.

00:27:26.920 --> 00:27:37.060
 And we've continued to spoil and pollute the world and take advantage of one another

00:27:37.060 --> 00:27:40.740
 and mess up the good gifts God has given us ever since.

00:27:40.740 --> 00:27:54.099
 When they left paradise, Genesis says God placed warrior angels, cherubim, with a flaming sword

00:27:54.099 --> 00:28:01.140
 flashing back and forth to prevent anyone from ever accessing the tree of life again.

00:28:01.140 --> 00:28:07.240
 You see, we're all born in exile.

00:28:09.640 --> 00:28:12.340
 We're all born far away from our true home.

00:28:15.020 --> 00:28:24.380
 Every religion tries to tell us how we can get back home, how we can find our way back to paradise.

00:28:24.380 --> 00:28:40.080
 But only Christianity says that God Himself came to us and opened the way Himself in the person of Jesus.

00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:51.439
 You see, when Jesus died on the cross, and when He experienced all the humiliation and shame

00:28:51.439 --> 00:28:58.220
 and took upon Himself the sin of the world, He went under that flaming sword,

00:28:58.819 --> 00:29:03.240
 flashing back and forth, the sword of divine justice.

00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:07.859
 He paid the price that we could never pay.

00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:12.900
 He endured what we could never endure,

00:29:13.380 --> 00:29:17.960
 so that we might have a way in to God's presence,

00:29:18.620 --> 00:29:28.099
 so that we might be able to enter into paradise simply on the basis of what He accomplished for us.

00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:29.219
 period.

00:29:33.779 --> 00:29:37.839
 John Christostom, the fourth century Egyptian preacher, put it this way,

00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:48.699
 the criminal made his way into paradise with a mere word on the basis of faith alone.

00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:55.600
 It was not so much a case of His sound values prevailing

00:29:55.600 --> 00:30:01.140
 as the Lord's loving kindness being completely responsible.

00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:04.840
 What did the criminal say?

00:30:05.080 --> 00:30:06.279
 What did he do?

00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:07.400
 Did he fast?

00:30:07.980 --> 00:30:08.799
 Did he weep?

00:30:09.120 --> 00:30:10.360
 Did he tear his garments?

00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:11.620
 Not at all.

00:30:12.360 --> 00:30:16.019
 On the cross itself, He won salvation.

00:30:16.019 --> 00:30:23.339
 He went from cross to heaven, from condemnation to salvation.

00:30:24.559 --> 00:30:29.859
 That's the amazing grace that Jesus offers.

00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:33.639
 Forgiveness of sins.

00:30:34.879 --> 00:30:40.559
 Assurance of eternal life in His kingdom, a life that begins today.

00:30:40.559 --> 00:30:49.700
 For anyone who acknowledges Him as King and cries out to Him for mercy.

00:30:52.839 --> 00:30:55.819
 You see, what's so humbling about Christianity

00:30:55.819 --> 00:31:02.460
 is that the only way you can come to Jesus and enter into His kingdom

00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:09.240
 is to come behind this repentant criminal.

00:31:16.100 --> 00:31:20.340
 Many people wouldn't have wanted to walk into the same room as that guy.

00:31:20.339 --> 00:31:32.819
 The only way in is to come right alongside every other undeserving sinner

00:31:32.819 --> 00:31:37.779
 who acknowledges Jesus' kingly authority and cries out to Him for mercy.

00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:48.700
 But you see, if he can call out to Jesus and be received into His kingdom,

00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:54.660
 a criminal, an evildoer, a man who just moments ago had been cursing Jesus

00:31:54.660 --> 00:32:01.839
 along with everyone else, anyone can come and be received by Jesus today.

00:32:01.839 --> 00:32:09.039
 Father, forgive them.

00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:18.220
 Do you see that in the person of this criminal, God was answering Jesus' prayer?

00:32:20.779 --> 00:32:25.480
 And God has been answering Jesus' prayer ever since.

00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:55.460
 God has been answering Jesus' prayer ever since.

00:32:55.460 --> 00:33:00.200
 If you're a follower of Jesus, would you come and worship at His feet

00:33:00.200 --> 00:33:03.559
 and give Him eternal thanks.

00:33:04.480 --> 00:33:05.340
 Let us pray.

00:33:05.340 --> 00:33:05.360
 Let us pray.

00:33:25.460 --> 00:33:40.059
 Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

00:33:40.059 --> 00:33:40.160
 Amen.

00:33:51.160 --> 00:33:52.079
 Amen.

00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:52.200
 Amen.

00:33:55.460 --> 00:34:01.640
 Amen.

00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:18.400
 Amen.

00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:18.880
 Amen.

00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:20.340
 Amen.

00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:20.920
 Amen.

00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:21.440
 Amen.

00:34:21.500 --> 00:34:21.760
 Amen.

00:34:22.139 --> 00:34:23.400
 Amen.