Sermon: "What side of the Cross?"

Audio can be downloaded and listened to at First Baptist Church of Rocklin

Some twenty-eight years ago I accepted an offer to go to a revival at a local Baptist church.  I was told by my friend that it was a great way to meet girls and at seventeen that sounded like a good deal. I met a girl that night and went back again the next night and I met Jesus Christ.  I don’t remember what was said, I just remember praying with the pastor.  A month later I was baptized, and I remember seeing my mother in audience crying.  She hadn’t been in church in a long time and God was speaking to her heart.  

I have never been the same since.  Lord has shown me incredible grace through the years and He continues to be patient with me.  I am very grateful, beyond words.  He saved me from a broken home. He has restore relationships in my life.  He has blessed me with an incredible wife and incredible boys.  He continues to surround me and shower me with His grace, love and mercy.  Christ came to save a sinner like me and sinner like you.  He came to give us a new life in Him, to make us a new creation, a child of God.  

Some two thousand years ago Jesus entered the last week of His life on earth.  Thousands of years of prophecy were about to be fulfilled, the time had come when the Son would crush the head of the serpent. 

“I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

Genesis 3:15 HCSB

He was in His early thirties, for three years he had preached, taught, performed miracles, feed the thousands, and raised the dead.  He had a following, people flocked to Him from all over.  He had fed them and cared for them.  Now he was entering Jerusalem with the thousands of others who had gathered for the Passover.  There was nothing attractive about Him that we should desire Him, the scripture says.  He was humble and gentle, and wept over the city of God as He prepared to enter.  The Passion Week was about to start. 

Passion Week

-Triumphal Entry

As He approached the Mount of Olives overlooking the city, He sent two disciples ahead to get a young donkey and bring it back to Him.  Once they returned He got on the animal and entered the city.  The crowd threw their robes on the ground and waved freshly cut palm branches in the air, saying, “Hosanna in the highest” joyfully they all praised Jesus for the miracles they had seen. 

Some of the religious leaders were watching carefully and were not amused.  In fact they rebuked Jesus for not telling His disciples to stop praising him to which He replied, “I tell you, if they were to keep quiet the stones would cry out!”

Jesus declares His love for Jerusalem and heads for the temple complex.  Once there Jesus begins to throw out all of those who selling saying, “It is written, “My house will be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves!’”.    

-Passover and Betrayal

For the next few days He taught and confronted the religious leaders.  He predicted the fall of Jerusalem.  The chief priest and scribes looked to kill him but they were afraid of the people.  Then Satan entered Judas one of the twelve and he agreed to hand Jesus over for silver.

Jesus sent the disciples to prepare the upper room for the Passover.  He openly told the disciples He was going to be handed over and suffer.  He broke the bread and said this is my body broken for you, do this in remembrance of me.  He took the wine and said this is the blood of the new covenant, do this in remembrance of me.  Judas left to do what he agreed to do.  

Jesus led the disciples to the Mount of Olives, which was His custom, to pray.  He prayed until His sweat became like drops of blood, praying, “Father, if You are willing, take this cup away from Me—nevertheless, not my will, but Yours, be done.”  He was betrayed by a kiss, as Judas identified Him.  He was arrested and taken the high priest house.  

          -Trail and Crucifixion

Jesus was beaten and mocked.  They blindfolded Him and punched Him asking Him to identify who hit Him.  He faced the Sanhedrin a council of Jewish leaders as the sun started to rise.  He was taken to Pilate and falsely accused of subverting the people against Rome, opposing paying taxes to Caesar, and declaring Himself the Messiah, a King.  Pilate found no grounds for the charges and sent Him to King Herod.  

But Jesus refused to answer the Kings questions, so He was sent back to Pilate who brought Him before the people.  Pilate had Jesus whipped and the people continued to demanded He be crucified and so Pilate granted their demands.  

He was forced to carry His cross to the place of execution as a large crowd followed Him.      

Two Criminals (v.32-43)

“Two others —criminals —were also led away to be executed with Him. When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.”  And they divided His clothes and cast lots. The people stood watching, and even the leaders kept scoffing: “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked Him. They came offering Him sour wine and said, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” An inscription was above Him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 

Then one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!”But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God, since you are undergoing the same punishment?  We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.”Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”And He said to him, “I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.” [Luke 23:32-43]

All the gospels agree He was crucified between to criminals, Mark and Matthew say thieves, but Luke says criminals.  Luke says it was at the place called Skull, one on the right and one on the left.  One commentary said the word used for thief describing the two criminals suggested they might have been ‘open’ thieves, armed robbers, who used violence and may have murdered someone. There is little doubt these men were being crucified because they were guilty of criminal actions.  Jesus was an innocent man.    

          -Both Mocked

We know from the gospels Jesus was mocked by both men in the beginning.  The roman soldiers also mocked Him and offered Him wine vinegar, drugged, but he refused, fulfilling the palmist “Instead, they gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. (Psalms 69:21)

The same crowd that cheered Him now mocked Him.  The religious leaders mocked Him.  Pilate had a sign hung above Jesus in three different languages, which read “This is the King of the Jews” 

          -Jesus Prays

In the middle of all this Jesus or all through the crucifixion Jesus kept praying “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do” He was living what he taught and fulfilling what was written, “intercession for the transgressors” (Isa. 53:12).  Maybe while watching all the events around him one of the thieves, has a change of heart. 

          -Change of Heart

Maybe he reasoned that if Jesus was the Christ, if indeed He did have a kingdom and He can save people, maybe he could save me!  Maybe the weight of all his sin broke him on the cross and he knew Jesus could forgive him and he wasn’t ready to die.  However you reason this out this thief had the courage to break away from the influence of his friend and the crowd, it took tremendous faith to believe in a dying King!  

He was saved by grace, it was a gift of God!  He did not deserve it, He did not earn it.  Jesus forgave him right there hanging on the cross and secured his future.  The thief boldly proclaimed Christ in a setting hostile to Him.  He stood up in faith and confessing his heart believed.  Maybe you’ll reason, that the man was about to die and he was being crucified!  He would have said anything.  You may be right on some levels, I don’t think many people are saved sitting comfortably on a couch. It is usually when we find ourselves in an impossible situation that we cry out to God.  Nevertheless, the thief declared Christ in his heart and with his mouth and was saved. 

     

In Paradise

The thief asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His kingdom, he believed there was something there after death.  I don’t think he expected, what Jesus said to him, but he got more than what he asked for.   

          -With Me

“I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise” Image being that thief for just a moment and hearing those words from Jesus.  Today you will be with me in paradise, in your immediate future, not down the road, not in the distance, TODAY, soon you will be with Me!   

I can’t help but to think about Isaiah 60:18-19

“Violence will never again be heard of in your land; devastation and destruction will be gone from your borders. But you will name your walls salvation and your gates, praise. The sun will no longer be your light by day, and the brightness of the moon will not shine on you; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor.” (Isaiah 60:18-19)

This thief was greatly blessed!  I take great comfort in this story.  When I think about all the people around the cross, all had equal access to Christ.  All are equal at the foot of the cross.  Jesus asked the father to forgive them all.  One we know of listened and had a change of heart, while the other rejected him.  So the question becomes….

What Side of the Cross?

What side of the cross are you on?  Have you believed in Jesus and are willing to submit your life to Him and His kingdom or do you reject Him.  It depends on what side of the cross you’re on.  

Are you ‘religious’ and do you cling to traditions and the ways you think make you righteous  or are you surrender to the Lord who was hung on the cross in perfect submission?  It depends on what side of the cross you’re on.  

Have you openly mocked Christ, or are you just been silent.  Have you boldly proclaimed Christ, regardless of what others may say, it all depends on what side of the cross you’re on.  

What side of the cross are you on this morning?