1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:06,040 If you have your Bibles, please open up to Luke chapter 23, Luke 2 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:08,280 chapter 23. We're going to be studying a few 3 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:10,760 verses there. And as you turn there, we're so 4 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:12,920 thankful for all who have made it here this morning and 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,800 thankful for your presence and an opportunity to come together 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,080 as the body of Christ to worship our God. 7 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:21,880 And we pray that we have done that so far this morning. 8 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:26,720 And we pray that we continue to do that as we progress through 9 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,760 our service. We're so thankful for those of 10 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:32,000 you who may consider yourselves as visitors. 11 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:36,120 We were teasing Janet before service that she's back. 12 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:38,760 We're so glad to see Janet back or treating her as a visitor if 13 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:40,840 you want to say. But we're so thankful that she's 14 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,360 back here. And if you're a visitor, please 15 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:45,680 consider yourself our honored guest. 16 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:51,040 We're going to be reading Luke chapter 23, verses 32 through 17 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:53,840 43. So if you'd like to follow along 18 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,160 in your Bible, I'm going to have it up here on the screen as 19 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,240 well. It says they're beginning in 20 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,880 verse 32. There were also two brothers, or 21 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,519 excuse me, let me start again. There were also two others 22 00:01:05,519 --> 00:01:08,280 criminals LED with him to be put to death. 23 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,880 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they 24 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,480 crucified him and the criminals, one on the right hand and the 25 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:18,880 other on the left. Then Jesus said, Father forgive 26 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:20,600 them, for they do not know what they do. 27 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,640 And they divided his garments and cast lots. 28 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,720 And the people stood looking on, but even the rulers with them 29 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,200 sneered, saying, He saved others, let him save himself, if 30 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,400 he is the Christ, the chosen of God. 31 00:01:34,160 --> 00:01:37,520 The soldiers also mocked him, coming and offering him sour 32 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:42,160 wine and saying, If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. 33 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,880 And an inscription also was written over him in letters of 34 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,680 Greek, Latin and Hebrew. This is the King of the Jews. 35 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:53,200 Then one of the criminals who were hanging blasphemed him, 36 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:57,040 saying, If you are the Christ, save yourself and us. 37 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,800 But the other answer rebuked him, saying, Do you not even 38 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,080 fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 39 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,240 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our 40 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,320 deeds. But this man has done nothing 41 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,160 wrong. Then he said to Jesus, Lord, 42 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:15,400 Remember Me when you come into your Kingdom. 43 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,160 And Jesus said to him, assuredly I say to you, you will be with 44 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,720 me in paradise. So our focus this morning is on 45 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,240 2 words that Luke records for us here spoken by Jesus from the 46 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,000 cross. We have a prayer from Jesus in 47 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,240 verse 34 and we also have a promise from Jesus in verse 43. 48 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:40,440 So first of all, in verse 34 says Jesus said, Father, forgive 49 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,320 them for they do not know what they are, what they do. 50 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:49,320 You know, of all the cries and all the from all the victims of 51 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:53,840 the execution of the cross. You know, it's pretty amazing 52 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,440 what was said here. You know, these soldiers, 53 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,720 soldiers who probably felt that they had experienced everything 54 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,440 a man could experience in carrying out their duties as 55 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,320 soldiers. They were grown, maybe 56 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,480 accustomed to those they were crucifying, maybe cursing them 57 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:12,600 or, or resisting these soldiers or doing whatever they could to 58 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,360 to push back from being crucified from these soldiers 59 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,360 who were just carrying out their duty. 60 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,680 And, you know, you could imagine one of these soldiers saying, 61 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:24,880 did you hear what this guy just said? 62 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,280 Did he really just say what I think he said from the cross? 63 00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:30,960 The other one said, yeah, I do believe that he did say that. 64 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,800 Now, of course, Jesus had instructed his disciples earlier 65 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,080 in his ministry about forgiveness in Luke 627 through 66 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,360 28. He said, love your enemies and 67 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:45,880 pray for those who abuse you. So in actual fact, we discover 68 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,480 that Jesus is simply just practicing what he preached, 69 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,040 right? Jesus is practicing what he 70 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:53,440 preached. And indeed, this prayer, 71 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,600 forgiveness is in keeping with the emphasis that we see all 72 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,720 through Luke. Luke, there's a few references. 73 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,520 I'm going to go, I'm going to turn to each of them or, or 74 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:03,720 reference them here on the screen. 75 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:08,880 You don't necessarily need to do so, but in Luke 176 through 77, 76 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:14,040 we see that the same genre of forgiveness is at the very heart 77 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,959 of Luke's writing in the song of Zechariah. 78 00:04:16,959 --> 00:04:20,360 Zechariah, Speaking of John, says in you my child will be 79 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,480 called the prophet of the highest, for you will go on 80 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:26,480 before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways to give 81 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,160 knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission or 82 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:32,320 forgiveness of their sins. So right at the very beginning, 83 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:36,560 before we even have Jesus come onto the scene or preaching his 84 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,240 ministry, if you want to say the theme is sound and proclaiming 85 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,240 salvation and the forgiveness of sins. 86 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,960 And when Jesus begins his ministry, he encounters all 87 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:48,320 kinds of people in different situations. 88 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:55,200 In Luke Chapter 7, verse 36 through 49 at the home of a 89 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:59,120 Pharisee, we see that he's been invited over for dinner and a 90 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,640 dreadful thing takes place, at least in this Pharisees eyes. 91 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:06,280 The host, namely a sinful woman comes into the presence of 92 00:05:06,280 --> 00:05:11,120 what's going on here and she's apparently, you know, a a fairly 93 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,000 notorious Sinner, simple woman, if you want to say, and she 94 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,800 crashes this party. So not only is she in the room, 95 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:22,800 but then she approaches Jesus and engages him in in such a way 96 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:26,160 that the, the host of that party is really kind of surprised that 97 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:30,040 Jesus is letting this happen. You know, he's, he, he says 98 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:32,480 himself and, and maybe to the others around him, you know, if 99 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,400 this guy, if this Jesus is really who he says he is, if he 100 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:39,440 really is a prophet and, and, and this woman is approaching 101 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,160 him, you know, he, if he knew what she was doing, he would not 102 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:43,960 let her approach her the way that she is. 103 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:51,000 And the inference, of course, is because that he can't possibly 104 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:56,080 by this individual could not come close to someone who was so 105 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:58,160 divine, if that's what he's saying here. 106 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:03,000 But in actual fact, Jesus says, he says to her, your sins are 107 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:07,880 forgiven in Luke 748. And then he says in verse 49. 108 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,280 And those who sat at the table with him began to say to 109 00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:16,760 themselves, who is this? Who even forgives sins? 110 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:20,640 You know, they, they realize, they said, well, Jesus, you 111 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,360 know, this Jesus, this guy is, he's apparently somebody who can 112 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,200 forgive sins. And then when we go into Acts of 113 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,880 the Apostles, which is Luke's second book, Luke wrote the the 114 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:33,800 book of Acts, we discovered that the, the genre of the motif is 115 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:36,840 still there. So by the time when we get to 116 00:06:36,840 --> 00:06:41,160 Acts 531, we have Peter proclaiming him, God is exalted 117 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,200 to his right hand to be Prince and savior. 118 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,920 Why? To give repentance to Israel and 119 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:52,600 forgiveness of sins. Acts 531 and then in Acts 1042 120 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:57,280 and 43, the very same emphasis we see Peter says again, and He 121 00:06:57,280 --> 00:07:01,000 commanded us to preach to the people and testify that He is 122 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:04,560 who was ordained by God to be judge of the living dead. 123 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:11,320 And then we have it in verse 43. To Him, all the prophets bear 124 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,680 witness that everyone who believes in His name shall 125 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:19,960 receive forgiveness of sins through His name, remission of 126 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,040 sins, forgiveness of sins. So in other words, we have this, 127 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:29,680 this, this, this genre or this motif that comes at the very 128 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:31,960 start of Luke's writing and carries all the way through his 129 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:35,600 writings and acts. So it's no surprise to us that 130 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:40,240 when Jesus from the cross should say this prayer in a way or in a 131 00:07:40,240 --> 00:07:43,720 particular fashion. And they're honestly, it's 132 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:48,360 honestly probably one of the most famous prayers in the 133 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:49,960 world. You know, even people who don't 134 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:52,840 know very much about prayers may actually know that some place 135 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,560 and sometimes Jesus of Nazareth said, Father, forgive them for 136 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:58,400 they do not what they Father forgive them. 137 00:07:58,400 --> 00:07:59,800 That's about the extent of all they know. 138 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:04,480 Father forgive them. So what is Jesus saying when he 139 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:12,000 says Father forgive them? Is he saying, you know, Father, 140 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:15,280 don't don't worry about this. Let's just let these guys off 141 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:20,120 they they let's it's some is this some blanket expression of 142 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,080 forgiveness on the part of Jesus that is unrelated to the 143 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:26,800 response of the hearts and men of of men and women. 144 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:34,000 Well, clearly the answer is no and we're able to affirm that by 145 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,840 the reading in context in which these words are said. 146 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:42,600 Jesus is about to give his life expressly to pay the price for 147 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,160 sin to open up the gateway to heaven. 148 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:49,200 If you want to say, and that picture is going to come vividly 149 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:53,480 in a few verses later when we see the torn curtain in torn in 150 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:57,440 two in the temple declaring entry into the most holy place. 151 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,320 But given that he is about to do this, he's praying to his Father 152 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,560 that those who are involved as such proponents in this act, 153 00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:09,280 those who are carrying it out, and frankly, those who are maybe 154 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:13,120 just standing by letting this happen and watch it. 155 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,200 He's asking his Father that it may be by the grace that they 156 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,840 are, that they will be brought to see that he is actually the 157 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:21,640 Savior. That they will be brought to see 158 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:24,360 that they are actually in need of a Savior. 159 00:09:24,680 --> 00:09:28,640 And they will turn from their sin and, and, and discover that 160 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:32,560 their transgressions may be blotted out completely and may 161 00:09:32,560 --> 00:09:36,600 be pardoned by what's going on. Thus fulfilling what it says in 162 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,320 Isaiah 5312 where it says of the one who is to come and he is 163 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:43,720 made, and he made forgiveness or intercession for the 164 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:47,480 transgressors. Second Corinthians chapter 5, 165 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:51,840 verse 19, as Paul gives to the explanation to the Corinthian 166 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:56,120 readers about the nature of the alienation between a holy God 167 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,160 and sinful man and what Jesus has done in reconciliation. 168 00:09:59,920 --> 00:10:03,120 This is how Paul puts it. He says there in verse 19 of 169 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,520 chapter 5 and 2nd Corinthians, God was reconciling the world to 170 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:10,960 Himself, not counting their trespasses against them. 171 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:16,160 Now those two final words are huge. 172 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:20,120 Those are major, major words in that phrase there. 173 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,200 They're crucial. Paul doesn't stop and say God 174 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:26,040 was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting 175 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,800 men's sins, and he stops there. He doesn't do that. 176 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,720 He doesn't stop there. He says no, not counting men's 177 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,760 sins against them. Why? 178 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:39,280 Because he was counting their sins against him against Jesus. 179 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:45,000 So then we can go on. He goes on to say in chapter in 180 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,920 in verse 21 God made himself. God made him who had no sin to 181 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:52,960 be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness 182 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:58,520 of God. Now when this actually dawns on 183 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:03,680 somebody's mind or grabs a hold of their heart stirs a heart. 184 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:06,400 If you want to say when that when that individual shifts from 185 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:13,880 just a simple belief to or some general generic awareness of the 186 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,680 potential forgiveness of sins to something more personal. 187 00:11:16,680 --> 00:11:21,240 If you want to say or grabs heart of a of a of a person that 188 00:11:21,560 --> 00:11:26,600 they really understand the fact that the death of Jesus here is 189 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,400 the only way for good forgiveness of my sin. 190 00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:32,320 You know, we need we need to make sure we're making this 191 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:35,480 personal what we're understanding here and starts to 192 00:11:35,480 --> 00:11:39,280 sink in. It's a very personal awareness. 193 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:42,320 So it's very important that we understand. 194 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:45,280 Father, forgive him. And then he answers a special 195 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,760 plea here. For they do not know what they 196 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:52,120 do, for they do not know what they do. 197 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,360 Now, I find that hard to believe. 198 00:11:56,600 --> 00:11:57,840 Did they knew what they were doing? 199 00:11:57,920 --> 00:11:59,680 Absolutely. They knew what they were doing. 200 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:02,320 They knew exactly what was going on. 201 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,560 They knew that they had they had trumped up the charges. 202 00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:06,880 They had gone through the whole mock trial. 203 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:11,080 They knew exactly this is the place that they are wanted Jesus 204 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,840 to be was hanging on that cross. They knew that. 205 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:19,320 So what does Jesus mean when he says they do not know what they 206 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:23,480 are doing? Well, presumably was he, what he 207 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,360 what he's saying is this, that they're aware of their actions, 208 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,920 but they're not aware of the extent and significant of their 209 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:34,240 actions. There's something far deeper 210 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,800 going on. The soldiers were aware of the 211 00:12:36,800 --> 00:12:39,800 fact that that here is another victim of execution, but they 212 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:42,160 don't realize that they're actually crucifying the actual 213 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:48,840 son of the living God and Jesus as he prays in this way is 214 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,120 praying to that these individuals will go about their 215 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,280 business in this way that that that that they need brought to 216 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:57,680 an understanding or perspective of of understanding. 217 00:12:57,680 --> 00:13:01,680 They're wrong in a state that they're in and I think as lies 218 00:13:01,680 --> 00:13:05,040 at the heart of the dramatic response to Peter's preaching at 219 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:09,160 the day of Pentecost. You know, when we read the 220 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:13,200 Peter's, Peter's sermon in Acts, it's a really good sermon. 221 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:17,520 He really gives it to him. He was really good. 222 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:20,200 He told me, he said you killed him. 223 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:21,800 You handed him over. You disowned him. 224 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:25,400 You killed the author of life. So is he simply telling them 225 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:29,840 what they already knew? No, He was telling them 226 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:34,680 something that they didn't know. They didn't realize the extent 227 00:13:34,680 --> 00:13:36,560 or the significance of what had been done. 228 00:13:36,680 --> 00:13:40,080 And when it dawned on them, when they said having been cut to the 229 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:41,720 heart, well then what should we do? 230 00:13:41,720 --> 00:13:44,720 And he said, well, you should repent and turn of your sins and 231 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,080 you should be baptized. Acts 23738. 232 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:53,920 You see, when John writes about this later, he says he says if. 233 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,800 And that's a conditional clause. If we confess our sin, He is 234 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:01,720 faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from 235 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:06,160 all unrighteousness. So that prayer that Jesus had on 236 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:08,720 the cross was quite remarkable. Father, forgive them, for they 237 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:15,520 do not know what they are doing. Now presumably that had dawned 238 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:19,240 upon somehow or another on one of these two criminals hanging 239 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:24,040 on the cross, the one in whom verse 43, the promise is given. 240 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,480 That promise is given in a response to his request in verse 241 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:30,720 42. We'll get there, but let's focus 242 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:34,480 on this this guy for a moment, if we have a if we could. 243 00:14:35,520 --> 00:14:38,960 So this guy, this one criminal had seen and heard enough about 244 00:14:38,960 --> 00:14:45,560 Jesus in the past few hours, apparently to conclude that that 245 00:14:45,760 --> 00:14:49,080 that he was innocent of any crime, hence his rebuke. 246 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:51,480 He rebuked the other criminal, whether it be in front of it, 247 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,680 you know, leaning around the front of Jesus or behind Jesus's 248 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:56,360 head, rebuking this other criminal. 249 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:00,760 You know, in verse 40, do you not fear God? 250 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,800 And he said to him shouting as it were through Jesus or over 251 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:06,680 Jesus behind Jesus. But the other rebuked him, 252 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:09,240 saying, do you not fear God since you were under the same 253 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,240 sentence of condemnation? And indeed justly, for we are 254 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:14,040 receiving the due reward of our deeds. 255 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:15,600 But this man has done nothing wrong. 256 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:20,040 So we wonder how that came about. 257 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,960 What was it in the presence of the holiness of Jesus and all of 258 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:29,080 his purity and all of his grace that this man all of a sudden 259 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,680 realized how dirty he was as an individual? 260 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:38,440 What was it that induced this, this tenderness of heart of 261 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:42,320 somebody who was clearly a fairly hard bitten criminal, if 262 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:46,880 you want to say, and you could say, well, maybe he heard the 263 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:52,680 prayer of Jesus and Jesus had just prayed, you know, Father, 264 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:54,640 forgive them. Maybe it struck him in a way 265 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:59,480 where he had a change of heart, if you want to say, but is he 266 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:00,920 the only one who heard that prayer? 267 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:06,120 No, both of them heard both of those criminals heard that 268 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:08,480 prayer. So they both hear the same words 269 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:11,720 of Christ and the two individuals respond in two 270 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:16,240 different ways. You have husband and wife 271 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:19,520 attending worship, maybe here at Plans Road or other places 272 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:23,320 routinely, both hearing the same sermons, hearing the same word. 273 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:25,200 Yeah. When they get in the car on the 274 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,680 way home, one says, what do you think about that? 275 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:29,280 What do you think about what that preacher said? 276 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:33,360 Well, I didn't agree with that. And then the other one says, 277 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:37,880 well, I completely agree. Well, how is it that two people 278 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:41,200 hear the same word but have a totally different conclusion in 279 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:45,800 response to it? I don't know how it happens. 280 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,800 The wind blows where it wills. You can hear the sound of it. 281 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:50,760 You can't tell where it's coming from. 282 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,320 You don't really know where it's going. 283 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:56,120 So said Jesus is everyone who is born of the Spirit of God. 284 00:16:57,440 --> 00:17:00,560 There's a mystery in this. It's not a mechanism. 285 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:02,680 It's not an evangelistical process. 286 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:05,400 If you want to say this man, conversion doesn't fit the 287 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:10,359 standard package, right? The things we're told to do, the 288 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:11,760 things that we're supposed to do. 289 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,599 You know, you, you go to church, you read your Bible, you pray, 290 00:17:15,839 --> 00:17:18,160 you do this, you do that, you check all the boxes. 291 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,880 That's not what we're taught. It's a, it's a change of heart 292 00:17:23,599 --> 00:17:30,080 that we see. This first criminal regarded as 293 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,400 regarding the cross as a contradiction. 294 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,160 He was with the crowd. He said if this Messiah was 295 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:37,880 genuine, he wouldn't be on a cross. 296 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:41,920 The second criminal saw the cross as a confirmation because 297 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,720 he's on the cross, he must be our savior. 298 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:49,400 The attitude of the first criminal is similar actually to 299 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,400 many people's response today that we see. 300 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:54,840 You know, if you Get Me Out of this problem, if you Get Me Out 301 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:56,520 of this dilemma, I'll believe in you. 302 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,480 God, if you take care of this thing that I've got, I'm dealing 303 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:03,120 with, then I'll believe in you. I'll become a follower. 304 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:05,800 If you get me off this cross. I have a problem, I have a 305 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:09,120 dilemma, I have a need. Deal with my need and I will 306 00:18:09,120 --> 00:18:11,920 follow you. Save yourself and save us. 307 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,520 We see that response in the world today. 308 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:18,160 There are individuals who believe like that. 309 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,560 It's pretty normal. What's God? 310 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,480 God ever done for me? If he does something for me, 311 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:30,960 I'll do something for him. It's perfectly understandable 312 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,360 question, but it's a very, very sorry conclusion. 313 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:38,240 The second man we see, he now realizes that his predicament is 314 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,520 different from what the two of them formerly thought it was. 315 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:44,240 The two of them are hanging on a cross. 316 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:46,520 Cross. They now say, do we have a 317 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:47,920 problem? Yeah, both of us have a problem. 318 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:49,440 We're hanging on the cross. We're criminals. 319 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,200 We're convicted. Yeah, what do we? 320 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:52,720 But. But listen to this, he says. 321 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:55,160 We are. We are punished justly, for we 322 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:59,160 are getting what our deeds deserve, he says to his friend. 323 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,320 But this man has done nothing wrong. 324 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:09,800 It's remarkable to me that somebody's logic is logic is so 325 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:16,480 clear towards the end of their life, the final stages of their 326 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:19,400 life, they're processing this information so well. 327 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:23,680 So we wonder, what did he mean by this? 328 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,080 You know, what's it supposed to? This is what's supposed to 329 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:30,160 happen to you if you're a rebel of the state, if you're the 330 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:32,120 rebel of Rome. This is supposed to have this 331 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,400 happen when you when you don't follow the laws of Rome. 332 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:39,240 Is that what he's saying? You know, this man, He's saying 333 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,720 this man hasn't done anything. The charges against him were, 334 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:44,840 like we said, trumped up that the charges again against us are 335 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,200 legitimate. Therefore it's legitimate for us 336 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,360 to die. It's illegitimate that he should 337 00:19:49,360 --> 00:19:52,960 die. But I think it's probably deeper 338 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:55,920 than that. I think if push came to shove, 339 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,720 this individual who was an opponent of the state would 340 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,840 still do it all over again. His sense of zealousness and 341 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,440 rebellion against the Romes. Roman authorities was so strong 342 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:10,040 and I think we can't verify, of course, but you know, maybe when 343 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:14,520 we get to that point we can ask this guy, what did you mean when 344 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:19,040 you said that we are getting what we deserve? 345 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:23,720 Were you referring to the punishment of our civil wrong or 346 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,200 were you referring to the punishment that our sins 347 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:31,080 deserve? And I think that's where he gets 348 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:32,880 to this man has done nothing wrong. 349 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:37,560 We deserve to die. The see, that's sometimes where 350 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:41,280 people stop the conversation. If you talk to him, you know, 351 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,240 they say that's what I dislike about religion. 352 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,520 That's what I don't like that sort of admitting that we're 353 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,880 we're guilty and we deserve punishment. 354 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,360 We don't like that. I don't like to think that God 355 00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:53,760 like that. That's why I don't like 356 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:55,360 religion. That's why I'm spiritual but not 357 00:20:55,360 --> 00:21:00,560 religious, is what they say. But that's not actually the 358 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,320 response of religion. The response of religion is 359 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,000 represented in a story that Jesus had told earlier back in 360 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:09,040 chapter 18. Luke sets it up this way. 361 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:13,160 He says he, being Jesus, also told this parable to some who 362 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:16,720 trusted in themselves that they were righteous and treated 363 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:20,800 others with contempt. You see, religion can sometimes 364 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,360 make people overly confident in themselves. 365 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:27,880 Religion made people stand up on chairs and look down on 366 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,120 everybody else. And religion is epitomized by 367 00:21:30,120 --> 00:21:34,600 the response of these religious Pharisees in Luke 736 through 368 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:36,520 50. A Pharisee who welcomes Jesus 369 00:21:36,520 --> 00:21:39,160 into his home and can't understand why Jesus would deal 370 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:42,520 with a sinful woman who anointed Jesus's feet with her hair. 371 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,520 They didn't understand that. Why? 372 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:49,600 Because that religion thinks that God responds positively to 373 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:53,960 people when they do good deeds. And this lady had done a lot of 374 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,760 bad stuff. And if this man was really the 375 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,440 Messiah on the side of organized religion, he would have 376 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:02,120 understood and given no time to this lady. 377 00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:06,120 He should know that. Well, the Pharisee should have 378 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:11,440 known it as well. So the religious approach is 379 00:22:11,440 --> 00:22:15,080 essentially, I'd like to, you know, we see sometimes, you 380 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:17,400 know, I'd like to tell you what I've done. 381 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:19,600 I remember I'm a member of this club. 382 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:22,840 I'd give so much to this, to the Red Cross. 383 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:24,800 My kids are all good. I've got them in school, they're 384 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:29,280 going to college. They're they're giving them a 385 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,200 good education. We don't have any debt. 386 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:34,680 We've done a wonderful job. And we, they think, you know, 387 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:36,920 God. God surely must be pleased with 388 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:43,720 me because of their status. That's the religion that Jesus 389 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,960 was combating in those times. It's also epitomizing another 390 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:51,840 story in Luke 1511 through 23 of the prodigal son. 391 00:22:53,120 --> 00:22:55,880 Remember the two brothers who went away into a far country, 392 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,600 made a real royal mess of things. 393 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:03,960 If you want to say, came back up the road just a a mess, met just 394 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:07,120 by his father and got a whole new outfit and a shower, got a 395 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:10,360 party, killed a fatted calf, Great, we're all having a good 396 00:23:10,360 --> 00:23:12,440 time. Party was set. 397 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:17,200 The older brother out here in the music calls a servant, says 398 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,680 what is all this brouhaha about? What is going on? 399 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:23,520 Oh, the servant says. I'm glad to be the one to report 400 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:24,440 to you. Great news. 401 00:23:24,440 --> 00:23:26,720 Your brother is back. He was lost. 402 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:28,520 He's found. He's dead and he's alive. 403 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:31,400 But do we remember what it says there? 404 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:36,000 And the elder brother refused to go in here. 405 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:40,800 I've been slaving all these years and this guy, my brother, 406 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:43,640 goes away, spends all of his inheritance, blows it in a 407 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:49,440 completely far foreign country, comes back, and we're having a 408 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:51,760 party for this guy. Are you kidding me? 409 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:57,760 I've been here the whole time and I never got a party. 410 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,280 Where's my party at? I've been doing what's right. 411 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,760 No, I don't have the time for a God or a father like that. 412 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:10,240 No, I want a God who reward rewards the religious. 413 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,560 I don't want a God who forgives the Sinner. 414 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:18,440 It's basically what that parable is about, sense. 415 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:25,000 See, a man or a woman cannot and will not come to Christ until 416 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:30,280 they reckon with this personal The first criminal essentially 417 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:34,320 makes a demand upon Jesus for what he thinks he deserves. 418 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,800 The second criminal makes a request to Jesus for what he 419 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:42,960 knows he doesn't deserve. I'm going to say that again 420 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:44,520 because it's very, very important. 421 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,000 The first individual makes a demand upon Jesus for what he 422 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:53,160 believes he deserves, and the second individual makes a 423 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:56,960 request of Jesus for what he knows he doesn't deserve. 424 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:01,880 Augustus Todd Play puts it in masterfully. 425 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:06,440 Nothing in my hand I bring, and simply to your cross I cling. 426 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,040 And they could come to you for dress, and helpless come to you 427 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:12,560 for rest. And I the foul one to your 428 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:16,280 fountain fly. I want you to wash me, Jesus, or 429 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:20,480 I'll die. Now I said this man's 430 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:22,800 transformation comes in a very special way. 431 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:29,560 We look at his request in in Luke 32 or 23 verse 42 that 432 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:33,200 Jesus Remember Me when you come into your Kingdom, Kingdom calls 433 00:25:33,200 --> 00:25:38,480 him by name Jesus, and you will give him the name Jesus for he 434 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:40,240 will save people from their sins. 435 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:45,000 Jesus Remember Me now, what's that man saying? 436 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,400 Well, presumably he's processing the information. 437 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:53,640 You know, if this man is the Messiah, then he is the king and 438 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:58,120 if he is the king, he's going to have a Kingdom and finally when 439 00:25:58,120 --> 00:26:03,840 he gets his Kingdom together and perhaps he will Remember Me at 440 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:07,160 that time. And Jesus reply is great. 441 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,480 It's wonderful. He says in verse 43, truly, I 442 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:13,520 say to you today you will be with me in paradise. 443 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:18,200 So that word paradise, very quickly, this word paradise 444 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,240 refers is referring to the 3rd heaven. 445 00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:23,360 You know, we have 3 heavens, we have the sky, the air we 446 00:26:23,360 --> 00:26:25,240 breathe, then we have the cosmos. 447 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,520 That's the second heaven. And the 3rd heaven is where God 448 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:31,760 dwells. So paradise, when we think of 449 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:35,560 what Jesus is trying to do here, Jesus is trying to paint a 450 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:39,080 picture to this criminal. And paradise is often described 451 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,920 as a garden. It's sometimes compared to the 452 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:45,200 Garden of Eden. And when Persian kings bestowed, 453 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:50,520 honored, they made an individual or a companion of the garden. 454 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:53,680 If you want to say so that, for example, you know, we have here 455 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,240 on the right the hanging gardens of Babylon would which would be 456 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:02,640 off limits to the general public, but it would become 457 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:05,520 accessible to those who are made companions of the garden. 458 00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:07,680 And not only would they visit the garden, but they would also 459 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:11,120 visit the garden and the company of the king as well. 460 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:15,160 They would be a companion of this individual within the 461 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:17,320 garden. And when we go back to Genesis 462 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,440 3, Adam and Eve, where they were safely in the garden, they were 463 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:23,720 in a company of God. The creator sentence enters the 464 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:25,320 world and they were banished from the garden. 465 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:28,320 And the cherubim of flaming swords guards the way to the 466 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:31,200 tree of life. Of course, now there's no longer 467 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:36,800 access to God and, and, and the whole Bible then points us 468 00:27:36,800 --> 00:27:44,920 forward to the future of how God reopens that access to himself. 469 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:52,960 We can continue reading that, like we said earlier at the torn 470 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:56,760 curtain, which is a symbol of that opening back into communion 471 00:27:56,760 --> 00:27:58,680 with God. And Jesus says to the criminal, 472 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:01,960 I know that what you are thinking is about some 473 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:05,440 unspecified time in the future, but I'm telling you about this 474 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:09,000 immediate reality. You see, the emphasis here is, 475 00:28:09,240 --> 00:28:11,160 is on the place. But I don't think that's that's 476 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:13,600 also, I don't think that's a complete answer. 477 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,720 You know, yeah, he'll be with him in paradise, but when? 478 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:18,840 When is he going to be here? The emphasis is also on the 479 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:23,040 timing. Jesus says, today you will be 480 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:27,360 with me in paradise. Jesus isn't simply affirming the 481 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:29,880 fact that this man and all the others who are faithful will go 482 00:28:29,880 --> 00:28:34,760 to heaven when they die. He's also affirming when we 483 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,360 remember the death of Lazarus, when Jesus was making his way, 484 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,880 you know, Lazarus is now dead. He he's in the tomb and his 485 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,160 sister comes to Jesus. And and she said, you know, if 486 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:46,520 you would have been here, we wouldn't have to be going 487 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:47,560 through what we're going through right now. 488 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:52,560 Jesus, where were you at? And Jesus says her, you 489 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:54,960 shouldn't worry about this because Lazarus will rise from 490 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,760 the dead. And you remember what she said. 491 00:28:57,760 --> 00:29:00,400 She's well, I know Lazarus will rise in that day, but that's no 492 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:03,920 help to me right now. I want my brother now is what 493 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:09,800 she was saying. What about today and see Jesus 494 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:13,200 is good on today. When you go back to Luke chapter 495 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:15,600 4, Jesus reads from the prophecy of Isaiah. 496 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:20,000 He sent me he sent me to bring good news to the poor, the 497 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,200 healing of sight to the blind and so on. 498 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,240 And and then he gives a scroll back to the attendant and he sat 499 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:27,880 down. That was momentum. 500 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:30,920 That was a huge point in Jesus. That was the start of Jesus 501 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:35,600 ministry, ministry. If you want to say remember what 502 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:39,320 he said, He says in the eyes of the synagogue fastened on him. 503 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:43,160 What was the first word that came out of his mouth? 504 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:48,680 He said today the scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing, 505 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:52,360 not sometime in the remote future. 506 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:55,440 Remember, Zacchaeus upon the tree, meets Jesus, comes down, 507 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:57,600 goes home, has a conversation with Jesus. 508 00:29:57,600 --> 00:29:59,680 Jesus comes out on the porch, and what's the first thing out 509 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:03,440 of his mouth today? Salvation has come to this 510 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:05,600 house. Today you will be with me in 511 00:30:05,600 --> 00:30:08,240 paradise, not in some remote future. 512 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:15,560 Today. You see, this implies that the 513 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:18,800 immediate consciousness of the dead following their past of 514 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:21,240 life is going to be there. We're going to have that 515 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:25,560 consciousness. We're going to know it's not my 516 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:28,120 intent to teach on this this morning, but we noticed where it 517 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:30,600 kind of sends us. If the dead are unconscious, 518 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:33,840 then the assurance that Jesus gives to this criminal that 519 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:37,200 he'll be with Christ after he dies is actually an empty 520 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:38,880 consolation dissolved. That's not true. 521 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:42,080 What Jesus is telling this guy means nothing. 522 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:46,800 I mean, there's no comfort given if he's not going to be with him 523 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:56,540 today. Jesus teaches today and when you 524 00:30:56,540 --> 00:31:00,800 think that is sometimes we think you know why is there such an 525 00:31:00,800 --> 00:31:02,880 emphasis on the word today in the Bible? 526 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,680 Why do we think that the scripture says today is the day 527 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:11,440 of salvation? 2nd Corinthians 6 Two, because 528 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:14,960 God deals in the immediate he did. 529 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:17,960 He deals with the now and in this day, in this very day. 530 00:31:18,800 --> 00:31:21,600 This is the day of salvation for those who believe and we see in 531 00:31:21,600 --> 00:31:26,520 John 1724 Jesus prayers, praise Father, I desire that that also 532 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:30,400 you whom gave me where I am, that they may behold my glory 533 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:36,720 which you have given me. Ephesians 26 says and raised up 534 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:40,600 together and made us sit together in heavenly places in 535 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,000 Christ Jesus. And so Jesus says to this man, 536 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:48,040 to this criminal, you know, I can do far better than get you 537 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:49,520 taken care of in the remote future. 538 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:57,160 He says today you can be in my company, today you can be with 539 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:00,280 me. Forgiveness is possible because 540 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:04,040 Jesus came and took our place. We sung about that this morning. 541 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:06,960 He was on the cross and the place of sinners. 542 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:10,640 In order that we might take his place, that he might that we 543 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:12,640 might be in his place, He took what we deserve. 544 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:16,120 In order that we might get what he deserves He hang naked in 545 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:20,200 order that we might wear royal robes we don't deserve and the 546 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:22,840 righteousness of God through faith in Christ Jesus for all 547 00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:29,640 who believe Romans 322 and that word there in Romans 322 that 548 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:38,040 word believe that is a verb, not a noun that's a verb and some of 549 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:40,800 us have learned or know the what what a verb is. 550 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:46,440 A verb is a function word. It demands something to happen 551 00:32:46,440 --> 00:32:49,200 because of the type of word that it is. 552 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:54,000 Believe. You know, using the word believe 553 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:59,040 as simply an acknowledgement of something to be true falls far 554 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:00,640 short of what this word means here. 555 00:33:00,640 --> 00:33:03,880 The demons believe who Jesus is. Yeah, they believe. 556 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:07,240 They know who Jesus is, but they're not saved just because 557 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:10,200 they believe. No, they don't act upon or they 558 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,880 don't respond to that word. Functionally believe. 559 00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:19,120 So may I ask you, as we close here, do you believe? 560 00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,120 Do you believe? And this is righteousness from 561 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:26,880 God in Christ comes to all who believe the faith not of a 562 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,440 religious hopeful, but the faith of a trusting Sinner. 563 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:37,880 Well, we may say to ourselves, you know, I've had these 564 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:41,720 feelings long ago. My heart was stirred long ago. 565 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:46,320 I was, I was, you know, in spirit for the Lord. 566 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:49,480 I was doing all I can and now I think maybe it's a little too 567 00:33:49,480 --> 00:33:52,920 late for me, Not as late as this fellow. 568 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:59,240 There's time. The other gospel writers tell us 569 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:02,080 that this guy was actually in cahoots with the other criminal, 570 00:34:02,840 --> 00:34:05,440 with the first guy in just within the past hour. 571 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:07,360 The two of them were working together, if you want to say, 572 00:34:08,159 --> 00:34:10,040 and it was as Jesus kind of it was. 573 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:12,679 They were given to him on both sides in stereo. 574 00:34:12,679 --> 00:34:17,560 If you want to say if you're the Messiah, get off the cross, who 575 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:20,120 do you think you are? Why don't you save yourself and 576 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:23,520 save us? 3 minutes before this guy was 577 00:34:23,840 --> 00:34:26,800 speaking like that. Now he says, Jesus, Remember Me? 578 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:34,320 The poet put it into words in the mouth of the central 579 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:37,719 character of this poem. He says a character who dies 580 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:39,440 falling from headlong from a horse. 581 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:43,239 And the poet gives him these words betwixt the stirrup in the 582 00:34:43,239 --> 00:34:46,239 ground. Mercy, I asked, and mercy I 583 00:34:46,239 --> 00:34:49,800 found. There is nothing like this in 584 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:55,560 all religious religion. It is foolish to the religious 585 00:34:55,560 --> 00:34:59,720 hopeful. It is to rubbish to the signal 586 00:34:59,720 --> 00:35:03,280 by the one who believes it is the power of God, CS Lewis said. 587 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:06,400 I believe in Christianity in the same way that I believe in the 588 00:35:06,400 --> 00:35:10,120 rising of the sun. Not simply because it's going 589 00:35:10,120 --> 00:35:13,720 to, I can see it, but because I buy it. 590 00:35:13,720 --> 00:35:15,600 I can see everything else properly. 591 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:19,200 That's the kind of transformation. 592 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:24,160 What a promise, what an opportunity we want to offer the 593 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:27,960 invitation. Do you believe believe is a 594 00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:29,680 loaded word like we just talked about. 595 00:35:30,720 --> 00:35:35,160 It demands a response. It demands an action demands us 596 00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:39,280 changing the way of our life to repent from our our way of life 597 00:35:39,280 --> 00:35:42,520 that we're living out as a sinful and we wanted to turn to 598 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:44,840 Jesus. We want to start living for him 599 00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:50,680 and doing what he asks of us. Change of heart, repent of our 600 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:54,480 sins, confess our sins, confess the name of Christ and then be 601 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:56,360 baptized for the remission of our sins. 602 00:35:57,360 --> 00:35:58,600 There's one who needs to do that. 603 00:35:58,600 --> 00:35:59,760 We're going to offer that invitation. 604 00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:02,200 If there's one here who needs to just have the prayers of the 605 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:05,680 congregation or needs to make a public confession anyway, Please 606 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:07,200 come while we stand and while we sing.