You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.
Our passion is to experience and express grace. Join us.
We're going to keep meditating on the cross for the rest of this service,
and in particular on the man of sorrows who was crucified on it.
See, that's what Luke has been focusing on in his gospel since chapter 1, isn't it?
Who is this Jesus?
What did he do?
What did he say?
What is his identity?
And we've been learning about him as a king who has an upside-down kind of kingdom that nobody's ever expected.
We've seen him as a prophet who is mighty in word and is teaching and mighty in deed and is healing and is other acts.
And all along the way, as we've learned all of those things about Jesus,
Jesus has been telling us that the most important thing about him,
the most important thing about who he is and about why he has come,
is coming in Jerusalem where he's going to suffer and die and rise again.
He's promised forgiveness of sins.
He's pointed us to eternal hope.
He's told us of a kingdom that's not of this world but that changes everything about this world.
And now this is it.
We're there.
The greatest events in human history.
The defining moments for Jesus and his followers.
Now, as we've seen recently, he's been betrayed.
Arrested.
Denied.
Beaten.
Found innocent.
And nonetheless condemned to be crucified.
Turn with me to Luke chapter 23.
And we'll read together of his actual crucifixion.
In the middle of the night, Roman governor Pilate has granted the demand of the Jewish leaders
and the crowds to have Jesus killed.
And in the early morning hours of Friday, he hands him over to be crucified.
Follow as I read and listen for the heart of Jesus that tells you more of why he came,
why he died, and of who he is.
Luke 23 at verse 26.
And as they led Jesus away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene who was coming in from the country
and laid on him the cross to carry it behind Jesus.
And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.
But turning to them, Jesus said,
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.
For if they do these things when the wood is green,
what will happen when it is dry?
Two others who were criminals were led away to be put to death with him.
And when they came to the place that is called the skull,
there they 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 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's the Christ of God,
his chosen one.
The soldiers also mocked him,
coming up and offering him sour wine and saying,
If you're the king of the Jews, save yourself.
There was also an inscription over him,
This is the king of the Jews.
One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him,
saying,
Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.
But the other rebuked him,
saying,
Do you not fear God,
since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed justly,
for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds.
But this man has done nothing wrong.
And he said,
Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom.
And he said to him,
Truly I say to you,
today you will be with me in paradise.
This is God's word.
Let's ask for his help.
Holy Spirit,
we do ask that you would help us.
Help us grasp things that are too great for us to comprehend.
Amen.
These are somber words,
but really hopeful words.
They're words that in some ways are very familiar to us,
and in other ways are just so far beyond us.
Father,
I pray that you would not let a single person in this room miss the message of the cross this morning.
The message of the Savior who is on it.
Father,
don't let me miss it.
Don't let us miss it.
May we hear you.
Speak to us by your word,
we ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Luke doesn't,
in this account,
focus our attention much on the details of Jesus' physical suffering.
But as Jesus heads outside the city to be crucified,
we're told something at the very beginning that reminds us what he suffered in the past 12 hours.
Someone else has to come carry the cross for him.
Remember the emotional agony?
The physical torment in the garden,
sweating drops of blood?
That's only maybe 12 hours ago.
He's now been hit in the face and beaten.
He's been scourged with the flagellum whip
to the point that historians tell us bones and cartilage were visible.
A crown of thorns pressed into his head as blood runs down his neck.
He's been so weakened that Simon has to carry that cross beam for him.
Because the omnipotent Creator,
who by the word of his mouth spoke the trees into existence,
has now humbled himself so far in the flesh
to the point that he no longer has the strength to lift the wood that he made.
Just think about that for a minute.
That's where Jesus is.
I don't know about you,
but I'm pretty selfish by nature.
I'm told that not unlike many men,
when I get just a little bit of a cold,
that selfishness spikes,
and I become all about myself.
When I'm sick or weak,
when I'm attacked,
when I'm stressed or hurting,
I become even more self-centered.
I think mostly of myself.
And I've never endured anywhere near
the physical, emotional, spiritual torment
that Jesus is under.
And I want you to watch what happens through this passage.
If you want to know what he's about,
watch now as he puts his heart for others on display
in the midst of his intense personal pain and weakness.
An incredible reminder that he came not for himself,
but for others to be indeed good news of great joy for all people.
The first group he encounters is some women who are mourning.
Verse 27,
there followed him a great multitude of the people
and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him.
But turning to them, Jesus said,
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 until the hills cover us.
For if they do these things when the wood is green,
what will happen when it is dry?
Jesus not getting lost in self-pity
as the consummate prophet
continues to call God's people back to him.
Here he's warning them of coming devastation.
It would happen first in about 40 years
when Rome ransacks Jerusalem.
And it would be terrible.
Terrible to the point that
even a great blessing like childbearing
will be considered a curse.
If this crucifixion is happening to an innocent Jesus
when the wood is green,
imagine what judgment will come upon rebellious Israel
when the wood is dry, so to speak.
And so the point of what Jesus is saying
is the warning of impending judgment
calls you to repentance.
Just as the prophet Jonah's message to Nineveh,
yet 40 days and Nineveh will be destroyed,
it was meant to call them to repentance
and to find rescue.
So Jesus is calling Israel to respond in repentance.
In fact, if they listen and watch closely,
they'll realize their only ultimate hope
is Jesus himself.
His judgment-bearing death on the cross.
Jesus, on the way to the cross,
preparing to endure the just punishment for sin,
pleads the urgency of repentance.
Perhaps nowhere else better than the cross
can we see the necessity of turning
from our sins so clearly.
As awful as the cross is,
Jesus says weeping should be
for those facing the just judgment for their sin
with no protection from the eternal wrath of God.
Our sin deserves the cross
and eternal death.
Those, Jesus says, are the greater tears.
But they push Jesus onward,
out to Golgotha, the skull,
where verse 33 says
they actually crucify Him.
This means the actual nailing of His hands
to the cross.
One nail through each one.
And after being raised up,
likely then one nail through both feet together.
Most of us can't imagine pain like that.
The torn flesh,
the severed nerves,
literally excruciating pain.
A word just for this form of torture
means pain from the cross.
And I tell you that
so that you can marvel with me
at what comes out of Jesus' mouth
at this very moment.
The words from this passage
that have most stuck with me this week,
Jesus says,
Father,
forgive them.
Perhaps first referring
to those Roman soldiers
who are driving the nails
into His hands and feet,
but there are many
whose actions have led to
Jesus being here on the cross.
and He says,
Father,
forgive them.
There is little worse
that anyone could do
to a person.
In fact,
the crucifying
of the innocent Son of God,
whether they understood it or not,
has to be characterized
as the most heinous sin ever.
At least from a divine perspective,
what else would have incited
God's wrath,
kindled His just anger
more than His Son
being unjustly tortured
and killed.
And to these sinners,
Jesus' heart of forgiveness
is on full display.
Y'all, what's Jesus doing
at the cross?
What's He come to the cross for?
He's coming to forgive.
He's got forgiveness
so much on His mind
as He is nailed to the cross
that He is praying
for those who are causing Him
this intense pain.
I found so much encouragement lately
in Jesus praying for me.
As He prays for Peter
that Peter's faith would not fail,
that Peter's repentance
would actually advance
God's kingdom.
But this may be the best prayer
that Jesus prays.
The one I need to hear
over and over.
Jesus prays,
Father, forgive them.
He pleads for forgiveness
for the worst sinners.
Hear those words clearly
in your heart today,
especially if you think
you've failed God.
You've blown it really big.
You think no one,
especially God,
could ever really love you.
Father,
forgive them.
Maybe you've sung those words
that it was my sin
that held Him there.
And you felt the weight
of being just like those
who yelled,
crucify Him,
and who drove the nails
into His hands and feet
and you felt ashamed
and hopeless
and you've given up hope
for yourself.
You must listen to Jesus
more than to your own condemnation,
more than to the lies
of Satan in your heart.
Jesus says,
Father, forgive them.
Who is Jesus?
Oh, He's a forgiving Savior.
That's why He's walking
this painful road
in the first place,
isn't it?
It's why He came,
praise the Lord,
He came to forgive.
I'll show us that again
in a minute.
But first,
Luke gives us a glimpse
of the people around Jesus
as He's offering forgiveness.
They're casting lots
for His clothes
in fulfillment
of the Old Testament.
Jesus and those around Him
in this passage,
one Old Testament prophecy
after another
being fulfilled by them.
But they're not just
putting Him on the cross,
they're also mocking Him.
He's already got blood
and tears covering Him.
Now there's their spit
and their jeers
just landing on Him.
Verse 35,
the people stood by watching,
but the rulers,
their religious leaders,
scoffed at Him,
saying,
He saved others.
Let Him save Himself.
If He's the Christ of God,
His chosen one,
soldiers are joining in too.
They mock Him,
coming up,
offering Him sour wine,
saying,
If you're the King of the Jews,
save yourself.
And that's what it says,
right?
There's an inscription
over Him,
Pilate's written it.
This is the King
of the Jews.
Mockery
of this supposed Messiah King.
You hear what they're doing,
right?
It's His identity
that's in question.
Some King this is.
He's seemingly powerless.
Doesn't seem like a king.
Interestingly,
they acknowledge
that He has saved others.
Perhaps they've seen
or heard of those He's healed.
The demons He's cast out.
Even dead people
He's brought back to life.
And that's worried them
a little bit.
But here now,
finally,
they're back in control.
They finally see proof,
they think,
that He has no real power.
That we're really the ones
in charge.
They have won.
They're stronger than He is
after all.
It always reminds me
of the scene
at the stone table
in C.S. Lewis'
The Lion,
The Witch,
and The Wardrobe.
There's Aslan bound
and being killed
and the wicked white witch
and all the evil creatures
dancing around
the great lion
and calling him
this little bound kitty cat
with no power
to scare them.
It seems victory
is in their hands
and Aslan has finally
and decisively
been defeated
and died.
See,
in the minds
of the mocking
religious leaders
and soldiers,
the Messiah,
the coming King
would have always
been stronger, right?
He would always
defeat His foes
and so
this here
is proof
that He's not
who He claims
to be.
Actually,
it's Jesus
who has read
Isaiah 53,
isn't it?
You remember that
from earlier?
It was long.
It said
the Messiah,
the King,
would actually be
a man of sorrows,
pierced,
crushed,
oppressed,
afflicted,
anguish of soul,
the picture
of a suffering servant,
a suffering Savior.
Jesus has been
telling him
that His entire
ministry,
that this is what
the Messiah must do,
right?
This would have
to happen to Him.
It's absolutely
part of His kingship
and it's the way
that He as a king
actually saves others
unlike any other king
they've ever heard of.
They've never considered
that this could really
be the way a king
saves.
Do you see
who Jesus is?
One of the thieves
does,
doesn't He?
by some miracle
of God
in His heart,
one of those
being crucified
on a cross
next to Jesus
sees through
all the mockery
and realizes
the truth.
He sees through
all the seeming
weakness
of this dying king
and He realizes
Jesus'
ultimate strength
that in order
to save Him,
Jesus can't get down.
He must stay
on the cross.
He has to even
correct the first thief,
doesn't He?
Verse 39,
one of the criminals
who were hanged
railed at Him
saying,
are you not the Christ?
Save yourself
and us.
Get down
and help us out here.
But the other
rebuked Him
saying,
do you not fear God
since you are under
the same sentence
of condemnation?
And we indeed
justly,
for we are receiving
the due reward
of our deeds.
These are not
just petty thieves.
They've committed
capital offenses.
They deserve to die
and the thief
sees that
and knows that.
He's guilty
before Rome.
That's why
He's on the cross.
But even more
ominously than that,
do you not fear God?
He sees He's guilty
before God.
Justly under a sentence
of condemnation
for what He's done.
And He sees that
and somehow
He also recognizes
Jesus' innocence,
doesn't He?
But this man
has done nothing wrong.
It's actually
the fourth time
in this chapter
that someone
pronounces Jesus
to have done
nothing wrong.
one after another
has seen
His innocence
even as He
heads to the cross.
And so the thief
sees a righteous king
even as He hangs
on a cross.
And so what He does
is He begs
Jesus for mercy.
He seems to realize
that even as Jesus
heaves His final breaths
on the cross,
there's much more
to this king
than you see.
There's a lot of life
left in Him yet.
And so He asks
the king for what?
Not for immediate relief
from His death sentence,
but for eternal remembrance
by Jesus.
He said,
Jesus, remember me
when you come
into your kingdom.
And then the glorious,
beautiful,
hopeful words
of Jesus,
He said to Him,
truly I say to you,
today you will be with me
in paradise.
A promise
with the immediate hope
of today,
with the unending joy
of with me,
the eternal comfort
of in paradise.
paradise.
What a word to hear
as you die.
What a promise.
Today you will be with me
in paradise.
Simple faith in Jesus
was all the thief had.
Right?
No record of good deeds.
No pattern of trying
to reform His ways.
No time to balance out
the good with the bad
so maybe things will go well
when I die.
Probably, I think,
not even a perfect grasp
of all the intricacies
of reformed theology.
I don't know.
Probably not.
Only a faith
that if Jesus remembered him,
he would be safe.
If this guy remembers me,
I'll be okay.
I trust that the death
of this king
would somehow give him life.
That's all he had.
He had no other opportunity.
Not Jesus,
get down and save me,
but Jesus,
stay on that cross
and save me.
That's his prayer
and that's exactly
what Jesus does,
isn't it?
He achieves
and extends
the forgiveness
he spoke of earlier
in praying
to his father.
He promises the thief
his eternal
and immediate presence
in a paradise.
It's a garden.
The cross is restoring
all of creation
to its good design.
Well, there's another
whole sermon there
for not for this morning.
But Jesus' immediate
and eternal presence
is certain
even though
and actually because
right now
he hangs dying
on a cross.
salvation
by grace alone
through faith alone
in Christ alone.
Hallelujah!
What a Savior!
In that moment
he saves him forever.
I want to give you a picture
of this salvation
that has been
helpful to me.
Many pastors have
used a version of this.
Kids,
you can draw this
if you want
to draw a picture.
I think you'll understand
what we're talking about.
It might help you
to draw it.
But there were three
men
who were crucified
who died on the cross
that Friday.
The first thief
had a lot
of sin
in him.
In his heart.
His deeds,
criminal deeds,
his words of hate
to Jesus
and he hung there
on the cross
receiving the penalty
for that sin.
The due reward
of his deeds.
In other words,
his sin was on him too.
He was paying the price,
carrying the weight
and the burden
of his sin.
The second thief
had a lot of sin
in him too,
didn't he?
We don't know
exactly what they were.
Thieving.
Perhaps creating riots.
Insurrection maybe.
And when he came
to the cross
on that day,
his sin
was also on him
as he walked
and hung there.
He was going
to pay the earthly
and then the eternal penalty
for his sin.
But something changed.
And this is what's
really important
to understand.
Something changed.
A man
whose innocence
this thief noticed
who had no sin
whatsoever in him
was actually there
dying on a cross
next to him
in the place
of real sinners.
Taking a punishment
he didn't deserve.
Dying for other sinners
like you
and me
and like the thief
who looks at him
and says
I trust him.
I want my sin
on him.
And so Jesus
who had no sin
in him
actually has sin
placed on him
on the cross.
The sin in particular
in this moment
of that thief
who's trusting him.
he himself
1 Peter tells us
bore our sins
in his body
on the tree.
Jesus
with no sin
in him
has sin
placed
on him.
He bears
the penalty.
He takes
the death
and the
wrath
of his father
for sin
so that
as a result
the thief
who trusted him
still hung there
on the cross
with sin
in him.
That was still
a sinful thief.
But as he
trusted Jesus
his sin
went on to Jesus
there was no
sin
on him
anymore.
Instead what?
An eternal hope
promise
from the one
who took
his sin.
Y'all
every single
person
in this room
has
sin
in
him.
Sin
that
deserves
death
and eternal
punishment.
Every
single one
of us
you
and
me.
The question
is
which
thief
are you?
will you
go to
your grave
with the
sin
that is
in you
remaining
on you?
Or
will you
trust
the Savior
who goes
to the
cross
with the
rescue
and forgiveness
of guilty
sinners
on his
heart?
Please
don't leave
here this
morning
uncertain
about the
answer to
that question.
You've
got to
know.
what's
going to
happen
to the
sin
that you
feel
and know
in your
own
heart?
How
will it
be
handled?
Somebody
will pay
for it.
God
is just
and holy.
The question
is will
you
or will
Jesus?
May it
be
that the
forgiving
Savior
is the
one you
trust
to handle
your sin.
Might you
say
with confidence
and joy
he was
pierced
for my
transgressions
he was
crushed
for my
iniquities
by his
wounds
I am
healed.
The message
of the
cross
of Christ
crucified
is the
power of
God
for salvation
amen?
That's our
hope.
And it's
not just
every single
person in
this room
who needs
Jesus'
forgiveness
it's every
single
person
in your
neighborhood
in your
school
in your
workplace
every
single one
of those
people
has sin
in her
sin
deserving
death
eternal
separation
from their
father
and unless
she entrusts
herself
to the
substitute
who hangs
on the
cross
in our
place
she also
has that
sin
on her
do you
understand
that?
Won't you
tell her
and show
her the
good news
of a
forgiving
savior
it's our
only hope
it's their
only hope
see as
Jesus hangs
on the
cross
we see
who he
really is
don't we
he's
innocent
undeserving
of death
in fact
the only
person
who ever
stands
that way
before
God
his
father
he's
the
king
the
promised
messiah
the
suffering
servant
who
demonstrates
what he
has
taught
that glory
comes from
going down
that strength
is in
willing
weakness
that those
who appear
most rejected
are most
welcomed
by the
true
king
he shows
us
his heart
for others
that he
came
to rescue
to forgive
even as he
dies
reaching out
to weeping
women
to cruel
enemies
to a
dying
thief
and ultimately
to all
his people
who will
ever
trust
him
by staying
on the
cross
for them
he forgives
and brings
desperate
sinners
into paradise
see the identity
of Jesus
is not
merely a
philosophical
discussion
is it
it's profoundly
personal
ask
ask the
thief
only
the
innocent
son of
God
son of
man
can
suffer
in
my
place
and offer
me
eternal
life
I don't
deserve
he's the
only one
with space
to take
the sin
that is
on me
on to
him
he's the
only one
who can
do that
and the
good news
is
he has
the heart
to do
it
so sorry
Jesus was
committed
to going
to that
cross
and no
taunts
or pleas
for him
to get
down
or appeals
to his
self-love
could get
him down
he is
committed
to staying
there
for you
and for
me
Jesus
paid
it all
if you
trust him
the payday
for your
sin
when the
bill is
coming up
and you
have to
give account
for it
is not
ahead of
you
but is
behind
you
just
read
about
it
judgment
full
and final
and punishment
on your
sin
has been
meted out
on your
savior
and there
is nothing
else to
be paid
you will
be with
him
free
from
sin
victorious
over
death
forever
amen
that's
the good
news
of the
gospel
and we
all
need
this
forgiving
savior
don't
we
no matter
where you
are this
morning
listen
Christian
some of
you are
living
in
shame
you've
known
Jesus
maybe
trusted
him
a long
time
but
you can
hardly
walk
into
church
you drag
yourself
into
your
father's
presence
occasionally
but doesn't
feel good
you're
sure
that he's
shaking
his head
rolling
his eyes
because
your
past
sin
your
present
struggle
lift up
your head
this morning
hear
Jesus
words
father
forgive
them
he forgives
soldiers
nailing him
to the
cross
he forgives
a thief
who has
no chance
to earn
it
he forgives
you
completely
you're
free
free to
sing
joyfully
free to
pray
confidently
free to
live for
him
passionately
some of
you spend
a lot
of time
around
Jesus
you're
very
close
to
him
you come
to
church
you're
near him
a lot
but you've
never
actually
in
faith
asked
him
to
take
the
sin
in
you
on
him
don't
remain
like
that
other
thief
don't
stay
like
the
religious
leaders
who
knew
a lot
about
Jesus
but
left
the
forgiving
savior
at
arm's
length
as
someone
much
less
than
a
real
king
happy
not
to
have
to
deal
with
him
any
longer
listen
your
eternity
can be
settled
in an
instant
and
your
days
here
given
purpose
and
meaning
that
are
eternal
I
suspect
some
of you
are here
this
morning
and
you
have
always
written
Jesus
off
you
have
spent
your
life
ignoring
him
even
though
you
have
heard
of
him
and
some
of
his
claims
I
am
glad
you are
here
I
would
ask
you
to
consider
him
on
the
cross
this
morning
who
is
he
why
was
he
there
either
an
utter
failure
or
there is
eternal
forgiveness
one
of the
most
well
attested
events
of human
history
Jesus
of
Nazareth
on
the
cross
why
he
says
to
forgive
really
big
sinners
you're
not
beyond
hope
in your
brokenness
pain
he
says
to
enter
into
the
sorrows
of
the
deepest
suffering
ones
you're
not
alone
in
your
pain
he
says
he's
there
to
make
right
every
wrong
including
yours
forever
with
him
you're
not
stuck
fending
for
yourself
you've
got
one
who
will
fight
and
win
for
you
over
your
greatest
enemies
there
is
forgiveness
there
is
purpose
there
is
eternal
hope
because
there
is
a
savior
hallelujah
if
you
don't
know
him
you
can
trust
him
today
won't
you
trust
him
if
you
do
know
him
oh
friends
there
are
so
many
not
in
this
room
right
now
who
need
to
know
him
let's
pray
Jesus
for
your
death
in
our
place
we
can
never
thank
you
enough
we
worship
you
we
trust
in
you
and
we
ask
that
you
would
keep
Satan
from
our
hearts
and
allow
us
to
believe
that
someone
could
truly
forgive
us
completely
fully
and
finally
and
forever
that
you
would
love
us
that
much
would
you
so
overwhelm
us
with
the
joy
of
that
we
can't
help
but
shout
it
from
the
rooftops
to
be
the
feet
that
bring
good
news
to
many
who
need
a
savior
we
are
the
first
ones
who
need
him
and
so
father
thank
you
for
sending
him
for
us
give
us
joy
in
him
even
today
we
ask
in
his
name
amen
for
more
information
visit us
online
at
southwood.org