Well, please turn up Luke 23.
If you've closed your Bibles, Luke 23, 8, 8, 8, 3 in the Black Church.
in the Black Church Bibles.
And as it was read for us,
the sense of injustice and suffering
are two of the things that really stick out.
It starts with Pilate in verse 4.
I find no guilt in this man.
And it finishes with Centurion, verse 47.
Certainly this man was innocent.
And yet, between those two, he is beaten,
he's mocked, he's flogged, and he's murdered.
You can imagine the Newsnight segment.
They've managed to get his mother in.
She was there and they interview her.
Mary, thanks so much for joining us this evening.
Tell us, what happened on that night in question?
My son was brought by church leaders to the governor
who had the power to kill him.
Right, okay, and how did you feel?
It was terrifying.
Yes, go on, give us a bit more.
Well, the governor listened to their charges
and he threw them out straight away.
He said he was innocent.
That wasn't the end of it, was it?
No, the governor then turned my son over
to another jurisdiction
because he didn't actually come from the city
that they were in.
And what happened then?
Well, it's the same thing.
Innocent.
No charges.
So tell us, why did that not mean
that he was free to go?
Well, the religious guys got a crowd together
and they protested the government buildings
and they kept shouting,
I can hardly say it now,
crucify him, crucify him,
and they wouldn't stop.
They just kept going.
And the authorities in the end gave up
and gave in to the mob.
He's an innocent victim.
It is gross injustice.
If it was today, it would be in every paper.
Social media would light up.
No doubt there would be protests
all over the place.
And yet, look at verse 28.
The one at the center of it all
says, do not weep for me.
Don't weep for me.
Why not?
This is terrible suffering,
terrible injustice.
Why would we not make a huge fuss?
Write to our MPs.
Make sure that there's an inquiry.
Make someone pay for this.
Well, because actually,
when we look again,
we realize there's something bigger going on
in the midst of all of this chaos
on that first Good Friday.
Once the sentence is passed,
as he is led to the cross,
Luke records Jesus speaking four times.
There are lots of voices.
When you read this account,
it feels noisy.
It feels chaotic.
It feels like people are going here and there.
It feels like there are groups of people
that are trying to hatch plans over here
and push them off over there.
It feels like there's just a huge amount going on.
It feels noisy.
And yet,
on four occasions,
there is one voice that punctuates this melee.
And it is really the one voice
that matters in the whole story
because it reframes,
this voice reframes all that is happening.
So this morning for a few minutes,
let's listen in.
Here's the first word.
It is a word of assurance.
Verse 28.
Daughters of Jerusalem,
do not weep for me,
but weep for yourselves
and for your children.
For behold,
the days are coming
when they will say,
Blessed are the barren
and the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.
Then they will begin to say to the mountains,
Fall on us
and to the hills,
cover us.
Jesus is warning
about coming judgment
for all that's going on here
and
what it will feel like
at the time.
People will say,
I want the mountain to fall on me.
That would be better than my experience here.
He's saying that those who are rejecting him,
the religious establishment,
those who are treating him in this way
are going to be a whole lot worse off
when the consequences of all of this
come back on them.
But the disciples shouldn't weep for him
because none of this surprises Jesus.
None of this is outside the plan.
All that is happening,
all that is going on
and these terrible events
has been on Jesus' mind
throughout his ministry.
It was crystallized back in Luke 9, 51
when he set his face for Jerusalem,
when he set his face to this moment.
He knew what awaited him there.
In fact, there are several places
where we get a glimpse in this narrative.
There are several places
where we get a glimpse
of just how far back
the plan actually stretches.
So when it says that he doesn't speak
in verse 9,
he's silent,
that is a fulfillment of Isaiah 53, 7 and 8.
The mention of the criminals alongside him
in verse 32
is a fulfillment of Isaiah 53, verse 12.
These events have been foretold
by God centuries before,
and here they are taking place.
Jesus came to this moment
for this injustice
and to embrace this plan of suffering.
It is all according to his design.
And that gives us confidence.
It reassures us.
Not just that we go away thinking,
ah, okay, good,
the Bible story,
I can see it all hangs together.
And not just,
well, I'm glad that the cross
wasn't just a terrible accident
in an out-of-control world.
But that when we see God's hand
in the innocent and unjust suffering
of Jesus,
it sheds light
on our own experiences
of suffering and injustice.
You see, what we have here,
what we have on Good Friday
in the punishment and death of Jesus
is the greatest act of evil
and suffering
the world has ever known.
Because of the infinite value
of the one who suffers,
but as we come to see
that what the religious leaders
and Pilate and Herod
and the soldiers meant for evil,
those very same actions
God meant for good,
namely the salvation
of billions of people,
look at verse 45,
the curtain is torn down,
the barrier between God
and humanity is removed.
When we come to see
that all of this,
the purpose of God
is being worked out,
it can reframe
and provide assurance
in our own suffering.
When you suffer,
it can really easily feel unfair
and meaningless,
and you can doubt
the goodness of God.
But if in His infinite wisdom,
God intended the greatest act
of evil and suffering
there has ever been for good,
He can then,
in principle,
use your lesser instance
of suffering for good as well.
Now it might not feel like that
at the time
when the darkness won't lift,
when the pain won't leave,
when the hurt seems to continue.
But if you bring your pain,
if you bring your suffering,
the injustice that you experience
to the cross of Christ,
that is,
if you stop in Good Friday,
don't rush past it
to Easter Sunday,
but stop in the suffering
and the injustice
and the darkness
and think deeply
about what is going on
as you look at the cross,
it will give you
the perspective
that you need
in your circumstances
to trust Him
and to endure.
Some of you know
suffering much better
than you'd like to.
Many of you know
suffering much better
than you'd like to.
We'll go again
to the cross.
Look at what is going on there.
Meditate deeply on that
and be assured
that your suffering
is not for nothing.
Well, Jesus speaks first
a word of assurance,
but He doesn't just speak
to the suffering.
If we keep listening,
we hear Him secondly
speak a word of mercy.
Number two,
mercy.
Verse 34,
Father,
forgive them
for they know not
what they do.
That is a prayer
for God to have mercy.
But the question
we have to ask is
who are the they
that Jesus has
in view here?
Father,
forgive them
for they know not
what they do.
Verse 32,
just go up a couple
of verses.
Two others
who were criminals
were led away
to be put to death
by Him.
And when they,
that is the soldiers,
came to the place
that is called,
sorry,
they were led away
to death with Him,
not by Him.
And when they,
that is the soldiers,
came to the place
that is called the skull,
they,
the soldiers,
crucified Him.
And the criminals,
one on His right
and one on His left.
And Jesus said,
Father,
forgive them
for they
know not
what they do.
And they,
the soldiers,
cast lots
to divide His garments
and the people
stood by watching
but the rulers
scoffed at Him
saying,
He saved others,
let Him save Himself
if He is the Christ of God,
His chosen one.
Who are the they
that Jesus is praying for?
Definitely the soldiers.
This is an astonishing thing
as they hammer the nails
through the tendons
and the nerves
and the bone
in His hands and feet.
He's saying,
Father,
forgive them.
It's astonishing mercy.
But it isn't clear
that it's only the soldiers
that are in view here.
It seems more open-ended.
C.H. Spurgeon said
he loved the indistinctness
of this prayer.
And I think we're supposed
to see this spirit of mercy
is extended
to everybody present.
The rulers
who are mentioned here,
Father,
they don't know
what they're doing.
Please forgive them
for their dreadful treason.
The criminals on either side,
the crowd who look on,
they're all mentioned
in this little section.
He's saying,
Father, forgive.
One scholar says this,
So the Savior prayed
for the priests
as well as the soldiers.
But in praying
for these Jews
and Gentiles,
Jesus was showing
on the cross
how He prays
for us all.
Even if He were
only praying
exclusively for the people
who actually crucified Him,
it would still give us
hope for our own forgiveness
because here we see
the heart of the mercy
of God.
The open-ended nature
of the prayer
is supposed to draw us
all in.
You see,
although we weren't
physically present
on that day,
it is our sin
that put Jesus
on the cross.
One author speaks
about us carrying
His nails around
in our pockets.
He's not there
for His own sin.
We know that.
He's there for your sin
and for mine.
Now, we don't like
to think of ourselves
in that way.
We don't like to think
when we're forced
to confront
the reality of our sin
as we see it
on the cross.
And it is true
that I suspect
not many of us
have perpetrated
innocent suffering
and injustice.
But our nature,
our nature
is to turn our back
on God
and His world.
That is the essence
of sin.
And so,
the wonder of Jesus'
prayer here
is that this
indistinctness,
as Spurgeon says,
invites everyone
who hears these words
to receive
that forgiveness.
That is the
Good Friday appeal.
Come to Jesus
for mercy
and forgiveness.
Come and find rest
for your soul.
Come and find
a restoration
to the God
you were created
to serve
and enjoy.
Listen to Spurgeon
again,
plead with you.
Here he is.
Now into that
pronoun them,
I feel I can crawl.
Can you get in there?
Oh, by humble faith,
appropriate the cross
of Christ
by trusting in it
and get into
that little big word
them.
That's what it means
to be a Christian.
To hear that promise
of mercy from Jesus
and come to faith
in Him.
Put your faith
in Him.
In fact,
it even happened
that same day
as one of the criminals
crucified beside Him
trusted in Jesus.
One of them
railed against Him.
You saw that.
If you're the Christ,
save yourself.
Of course,
in order to save others,
He couldn't save Himself.
But the other criminal,
He shut Him up.
Verse 40,
do you see?
Do you not fear God?
Don't talk like that.
We're the guilty ones here.
We're here
and we deserve to be here
for what we've done,
but He's innocent.
And then,
verse 42,
He cries out,
Jesus,
remember me
when you come
into your kingdom.
It's said that
true wisdom
consists
in two parts,
knowledge of God
and knowledge
of ourselves.
And it is obvious
that therefore
this is a wise man.
He sees Jesus
and He sees Himself
clearly.
And when you see
Jesus clearly
and when you see
yourself clearly,
when you see Jesus
as your Savior
and yourself
as a sinner
with no hope
apart from Him,
you do what He did.
You turn
and you plead
and you find forgiveness.
Here is Christ's enemies
putting their faith
in Him.
Here is Jesus' prayer
for mercy
being answered
and God has been
answering it
across continents
and nations
ever since.
We can see that
here this morning.
Look around
and see
the diversity,
the backgrounds,
the ethnicities
being brought in
under the mercy
of the Lord Jesus.
Jesus brings mercy
for you.
But that's not all.
We go back,
we listen again.
This time,
verse 43,
can you see?
Here,
the Lord Jesus
speaks a word
of grace,
assurance,
mercy,
thirdly,
grace.
Truly,
I say to you,
today you will be
with me
in paradise.
Truly,
literally,
I am putting
my word on this.
I will bring you
to paradise.
If mercy
is not getting
what we do deserve,
grace is getting
what we don't deserve.
And we've seen
that this guy knows,
he knows what he deserves.
He deserves
to be crucified.
It's the worst
form of execution,
due reward
for his deeds.
And yet,
from the agony
of the cross,
this is about
to become
the best day
of his life.
Jesus,
remember me
when you come
into your kingdom.
This might be
the only time
in Luke's gospel
that anyone
calls Jesus
by his name.
But at this point,
it makes perfect sense
that that would be
the case.
Why were Mary
and Joseph,
do you remember,
told to give
their baby
the name Jesus?
Because he will
save his people
from their sins.
The name Jesus
means God saves.
And that is exactly
what this thief
discovers.
And note,
it's personal.
Jesus is asked
to remember this man
and his reply,
he says,
I say to you,
today you
will be with me.
He's so personal,
Jesus may as well
have used the man's name.
It's not just personal,
it's also immediate.
The moment this man's
life gave out,
the second he breathed
his last breath,
he would find himself
with Jesus in paradise.
Here's J.C. Ryle.
That word,
today,
tells us that
the very moment
a believer dies,
his soul is in happiness
and safekeeping.
His full redemption
has not yet come.
His perfect bliss
will not begin
before resurrection morning.
But there is
no mysterious delay,
no season of suspense,
no purgatory
between his death
and a state of reward.
In the day
that he breathes his last,
he goes to paradise.
Any hour that he departs,
he is with Christ.
And you know that paradise
is paradise for that reason.
Psalm 16 verse 11
tells us that it is
at the Lord's right hand
where there are pleasures
forevermore.
The believer who dies
trusting Christ
goes to paradise
because they go to be
with the Lord
who is at the place
of eternal pleasure.
This is the wonder
of the gospel.
One for us
through the mercy
and grace
of Christ.
And we can stand firm
on this
because of the last time
he speaks
in this narrative.
Jesus lifts his voice
one last time.
Verse 46,
one final shout
with a word
of hope.
Father,
into your hands
I commit
my spirit.
He gives up
his life.
It isn't taken
from him.
He's in control
the whole way through.
But the point is
his work
at this point
is done.
He kept
the law of God
perfectly.
He bore
the wrath of God
sufficiently
and so he can give
himself to the Father
finally.
And as we hear
these words,
they are words
that assure us
that the mercy
and grace
that he has purchased
for us
through all of this
injustice,
they're not just
a nice idea
but they are real
and they are really ours
if we put our faith
in the Lord Jesus.
This is a cry
of completion
and a cry
of victory
and therefore
it gives all of us
who put our faith
in him
hope.
Assurance,
mercy,
grace
and hope.
The question
for us
this morning
is
as Jesus
calls out
how will you
respond?
The truth
of the matter
is that
we will all
of us
respond
we'll follow
the example
of one of these
two dying thieves.
We will either
on the one hand
focus on our
circumstances
and refuse
to trust God
when life is hard
and we'll rail
against Christ
as a result.
Why are you not
doing what I want
you to do?
If you were
really good
as you say
you are
if you were
really loving
as you say
you are
you would
do things
differently.
You wouldn't
put me
through this.
That's one
option.
We keep
them at a
distance.
We focus
on our
circumstances.
We keep
ourselves
at the
center
of everything.
The other
thing gives us
a better
model
and that is
that we see
ourselves
as sinners
in need
of a
savior
and we
cast
ourselves
on the
mercy
and grace
of
Jesus
who is
the only
one
who can
save us.
Only one
of those
options
will take
you to
paradise.
Luke is
urging us
to trust
our lives
and our
circumstances
and our
hardships
to a God
who is in
complete
control of
history.
He's a
God who
has made
us for
himself and
he has made
a way for
our deepest
problem to
be put
right.
Through the
death of
his son
there is
mercy and
grace for
all who
will receive
it.
One thief
was saved
that no one
should think
that they are
beyond this
mercy and
grace.
Whatever
your life
has looked
like up
to now
you can
find the
same favor
that this
man found
even today.
one thief
was saved
that none
of us would
think that we
are beyond
this mercy
and grace
but only
one thief
was saved
that no one
might presume.
It is only
those who
trust themselves
to the mercy
and grace
of Christ
who will
be saved.
So here
is hope.
Here is the
hope of
Good Friday
for a world
that feels
very thin
on hope
at the
minute.
Jesus
Christ the
innocent
Son of
God
suffered
gross
injustice
in order
to bring
any
who
trust
Him
in order
to bring
you
if you
will
trust
Him
to
paradise.
So come
and welcome
to the
Lord Jesus.