Finding Forgiveness at the Execution: Luke 23:32-43

We're going to start in at verse 32, as we think about Jesus' death.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Jesus to be executed.

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there along with the criminals,

one on his right, the other on his left.

Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him.

They said, He saved others. Let him save himself if he's God's Messiah, the Chosen One.

The soldiers also came up and mocked him.

They offered him wine vinegar and said, If you're the King of the Jews, save yourself.

There was written a notice above him which read, This is the King of the Jews.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him.

Aren't you the Messiah? Save yourself and us.

But the other criminal rebuked him.

Don't you fear God, he said, since you are under the same sentence?

We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.

But this man has done nothing wrong.

Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Jesus answered him, Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.

Let's pray.

Father, these are familiar words.

It's a familiar scene to us.

We've sung about the death of the Lord Jesus.

We've read about it.

And we pray that as we look at it afresh,

that is what it will be.

It will be fresh to us today.

That this event in history would touch our lives today.

And would fill our hearts with joy.

And would send us out motivated afresh.

To live for you.

To serve you.

To enjoy you.

And to look forward with absolute assurance.

That we too will be in paradise.

Father, help us now we ask in Jesus name.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Look at verse 34.

They're the most extraordinary words.

Father, forgive them.

This is why Jesus has come.

This is the climax of Jesus' journey to Jerusalem.

In fact, this is the fulfillment of God's eternal plan.

Just flick back a couple of chapters to chapter 18, verse 31.

As Jesus himself read the scriptures, the Old Testament,

it became clear to him why he had come.

Verse 31.

Jesus took the twelve aside and told them,

We are going up to Jerusalem,

and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man,

that's Jesus,

will be fulfilled.

He will be handed over to the Gentiles.

They will mock him.

They will insult him.

They will spit on him.

They will flog him and kill him.

Back to chapter 23.

And now as Jesus faces into the fulfillment of all that was promised,

as Jesus now faces death,

he prays,

Father, forgive them.

It's an incredible moment because,

well, just picture the scene.

Look at who Jesus is speaking to from the cross.

Jesus is offering forgiveness to those who are killing him and mocking him.

Verse 35.

The people stood watching,

and the rulers even sneered at him.

These were the same people who,

hours earlier,

were vying for his blood.

If you look back at verse 20.

Wanting to release Jesus,

Pilate appealed to them again.

But they kept shouting,

Crucify him!

Crucify him!

But Jesus not only offers forgiveness to this bloodthirsty crowd.

Look at verse 36.

The soldiers also came up and mocked him.

These were the same soldiers who just,

hours before,

had punched him,

beaten him,

and nailed him to the cross.

Father,

forgive them.

Now, I don't know about you,

but if I were Jesus,

I would want revenge.

I'd be asking the Father

to let the same things happen to them.

After all, it's what they deserve.

But not Jesus.

He's not bitter.

He's not angry.

Peter, one of the disciples,

the one who had denied him,

witnessed these events,

and he later wrote about them

and recorded them in his book,

First Peter.

This is what he says.

When they hurled their insults,

he did not retaliate.

When he suffered,

he made no threats.

Instead, he entrusted himself to him

who judges justly.

But what's even more amazing,

Jesus is speaking these words to us.

Father, forgive them.

Forgive me.

Forgive you.

You see,

we all need forgiveness.

We've all turned against God,

blamed God,

ignored God.

Like the disciples,

as we saw,

we betray him.

We deny him.

In fact,

God takes our behavior

towards one another

personally.

God has made us.

He owns us.

We belong to him.

And he loves us.

So every time

I hurt someone

with my words

or harm someone

with my actions,

it's not just

the other person

who is offended.

God takes personal offense

because we belong to him.

So every time

we sin against

another person,

we are acting

in defiance

against God.

We are sinning

against him.

So we just

don't need forgiveness

from others.

We all need to be

forgiven by the Father.

God takes

to be forgiven.

But how can I be forgiven?

How can you be forgiven

of all those

private sins,

the ones we keep

locked up

that no one knows about?

Or even the shameful ones

that, well,

people have seen

and do know?

Well, first,

forgiveness

is costly.

Look again

where Jesus is

when he offers

forgiveness.

Verse 33.

When they came

to the place

called the skull,

they crucified

him there

along with

the criminals,

one on his right,

the other

on his left.

And Jesus said,

Father,

forgive them

for they do not

know what they are doing.

He's offering,

for Jesus is not

offering forgiveness

from the comfort

of a seat

by the pool.

Jesus is hanging

from a cross.

He's being executed.

He is being tortured

to death.

Crucifixion was designed

by the Romans

to make people suffer.

It could take days

for people to die.

You died slowly

in agony

and in pain.

Listen to how

one doctor

describes

what would have

happened

as someone

was crucified.

As the arms

fatigue,

great waves

of cramps

sweep over

the muscles,

knotting them

in deep,

relentless,

throbbing pain.

Air can be

drawn into the lungs

but it can't

be exhaled.

Jesus fights

to raise himself

in order to get

one short breath.

Hours of limitless pain,

cycles of twisting,

joint-rending cramps,

intermittent partial

asphyxiation,

searing pain

as flesh is torn

from his lacerated back

as he moves up and down

against the timber.

The heart is now

struggling to pump

heavy, thick,

sluggish blood

into the tissues.

The lungs are making

a frantic effort

to grasp,

to gasp in

small gulps

of air.

You see,

the point is,

forgiveness

is not easy,

it's costly.

Tim Keller

in his book

The Reason for God

illustrates

the point

very well.

let me read

to you.

Imagine

that someone

borrows your car

and as he

backs it out

of the driveway

he strikes a gate,

knocking it down

along with

part of a wall.

Your property

insurance

doesn't cover

the gate

and garden wall.

What can you do?

There are essentially

two options.

the first

is to demand

that he pay

for the damages.

The second

is to refuse

to let him

pay anything.

There also

may be

middle-of-the-road

solutions

in which you

both share

the payment.

Notice

that in

every option

the cost

of the damage

must be borne

by someone.

Either you

or he

absorbs

the cost

for the deed.

but the debt

does not

somehow

vanish

into thin air.

Forgiveness

in this

illustration

means

bearing

the cost

for his

misdeed

yourself.

So let's

just think

about that

for a moment.

If that's

your car

how would

you respond

if someone

is taking

your car

and crushed

it?

Well

you can either

take revenge

that means

you make

them pay

for what

they did

and they

have to

cover all

the costs

or you

can forgive.

You see

true forgiveness

means that

you refuse

to make

them pay

and you

bear the

cost

yourself.

If it's

revenge

well they

pay

and they

suffer.

If it's

forgiveness

forgiveness

you pay

and you

suffer.

You see

forgiveness

is never

easy

it's

costly.

If someone

hurts you

through the

words they

say

you can

take revenge

and say

hurtful words

back to

them.

You can

make them

suffer

or

you can

forgive

and refuse

to say

hurtful words

back.

You have

to absorb

the hurt.

You have

to bear

the suffering

yourself.

You see

forgiveness

is never

easy

it's

costly

and that's

what's

happening

on the

cross.

Jesus

is taking

my sin

your sin

Jesus

pays

Jesus

suffers

rather

than take

revenge

rather

than pay

back

Jesus

pays

the debt

Jesus

offers

forgiveness.

So

first

forgiveness

is always

costly.

Second

forgiveness

means

death.

If you

or I

are to

experience

forgiveness

then Jesus

must die

instead

of us.

Look at

what the

people are

saying to

Jesus

on the

cross.

Verse

35

the people

stood

watching

and the

rulers

even

sneered

at him.

They

said

he

saved

others

let him

save

himself

if he

is

God's

Messiah

the

chosen

one.

The

soldiers

also

came up

and mocked

him.

They

offered

him

wine

vinegar

which

was

to

kind

of

kill

the

pain

and

said

well

if

you

are

the

king

of

the

Jews

save

yourself.

well

Jesus

has a

choice

to

make.

Does

he

save

himself

or

does

he

save

you?

He

can't

save

both.

He

must

choose.

If

Jesus

chooses

to

save

himself

then

you

die.

If

Jesus

chooses

to

save

you

then

he

will

die.

the

crowds

the

rulers

the

soldiers

who

are

all

watching

and

shouting

at

Jesus

don't

realize

that

if

Jesus

does

save

himself

they

could

never

be

forgiven.

So

Jesus

chose

to

die

for

them.

He

chose

to

die

for

me

and

he

chose

to

die

for

you.

And

we

need

to

understand

this

no

matter

how

familiar

it

may

be

that

when

Jesus

was

dying

on

the

cross

he

was

taking

the

sin

of

all

these

crowds

all

these

soldiers

all

the

insults

and

all

the

things

that

we

have

ever

done

he

chose

to

die

for

them

he

suffered

for

you

and

for

me

but

the

real

suffering

isn't

the

physical

suffering

it

wasn't

just

the

beating

and

the

nails

and

the

crown

of

thorns

it

was

the

spiritual

suffering

that

he

was

enduring

he

had

to

drink

the

cup

just

the

night

before

as

he

was

in

the

garden

sweating

drops

of

blood

he

cries

out

to

the

father

take

this

cup

from

me

the

cup

being

the

symbol

of

God's

wrath

and

here

and

now

on

the

cross

he

drinks

that

cup

to

its

very

last

dregs

he

suffers

hell

for

you

and

for

me

isn't

that

what

Jesus

was

doing

for

Barabbas

have a

look

back

at

verse

18

you

know

Barabbas

as

Jesus

is

put

before

the

crowd

verse

18

the

whole

crowd

shouted

away

with

this

man

release

Barabbas

to

us

Barabbas

had been

thrown

into

prison

for

an

insurrection

in the

city

and

for

murder

wanting

to

release

Jesus

Pilate

appealed

to them

again

but

they

kept

shouting

crucify

him

crucify

him

for

the

third

time

he

spoke

to

them

why

what

crime

has

this

man

committed

I

have

found

in

him

no

grounds

for

the

death

penalty

therefore

I

will

have

him

punished

and

then

release

him

but

with

loud

shouts

they

intensely

demanded

that

he

be

crucified

and

their

shouts

prevailed

so

Pilate

decided

to grant

their

demand

he

released

the man

who had

been thrown

into prison

for insurrection

and murder

the one

they asked

for

and surrendered

Jesus

to their

will

that's where we

stand

Jesus has

paid the price

for all our

hurts

all our

anger

our selfish

choices

the revenge

that we have

set out on

others

the lies

the greed

Jesus

chose

to save

us

by dying

for us

taking this

suffering

taking that

place

exchanging

places

for us

so that

we can

be

forgiven

so what

are we

going to

do with

this

offer

of

forgiveness

how do

we

experience

this

forgiveness

daily

in our

lives

well let's

read verse

32

these two

other men

both

criminals

were also

led out

with him

to be

executed

when they

came to

the place

called the

skull

they crucified

him there

along with

the criminals

one on his

right

and the

other on his

left

and as

Jesus dies

they engage

in a

conversation

two criminals

two responses

look at how

the first criminal

responds to

Jesus

verse 39

one of the

criminals who

hung their

hurled insults

at him

aren't you

the messiah

save yourself

and us

this guy

is dying

he's about

to face

God's

judgment

but all he

can do

is mock

Jesus

and insult

Jesus

if you're

the Christ

if you're

God's

saving

king

then save

yourself

and us

you see

for the

criminal

the only

value

Jesus

has

is that

he might

be able

to save

him

from this

torturous

death

get us

out of

here

Jesus

well of

course

Jesus

could

save

him

he could

send

an army

of angels

but

Jesus

wants him

to see

that he

has come

to save

him

from

something

far

more

serious

God's

wrath

it's

not that

Jesus

doesn't

care

about

his

physical

pain

but

Jesus

wants

him

to know

eternal

life

you see

we can

be like

the first

criminal

sometimes

we treat

Jesus

like this

that the

only value

that Jesus

has is to

help us

when we're

in trouble

to give us

something that

we want

help me get

that job

Jesus

take away

this suffering

that I'm going

through

Jesus

help me

win my

match

Jesus

help me

find a

partner

Jesus

but that's

not how

Jesus

works

Jesus

is not

a magic

genie

who grants

everything

we wish

for

Jesus

is not

there to

meet our

physical

and material

desires

on our

demand

he comes

to give us

something

greater

forgiveness

of sins

and life

with him

how do

you treat

Jesus

look at

the response

of the

second

criminal

verse 40

the other

criminal

rebuked him

don't you

fear

God

he said

since you

are under

the same

sentence

we are

punished

justly

for we

are getting

what our

deeds

deserve

but this

man

has done

nothing

wrong

the criminal

knows he

is about

to die

but what's

more troubling

is he

knows he

will face

God

that's why

he shouts

out

don't you

fear

God

dying

on the

cross

will mean

separation

from his

friends

and from

his family

but facing

God

without

forgiveness

would be

something

much

much

worse

separation

from God

separation

from his

gifts

suffering

for all

eternity

he knows

he is

facing

hell

and knowing

his situation

he cries

out to

Jesus

verse 42

and he

said

Jesus

remember

me

when you

come into

your kingdom

him

he knows

he knows

Jesus

is innocent

and he

knows

he's

guilty

he's

heard

Jesus

offer

a

forgiveness

from the

cross

father

forgive

them

and he

has come

to see

that he

needs to

be forgiven

too

and he

knows that

Jesus

is the

only one

who can

deal

with his

sin

and he

comes

with simple

words

Jesus

remember

me

and

Jesus

response

is quite

incredible

verse 43

Jesus

answered

him

truly

I

tell

you

today

you

will be

with

me

in

paradise

to

be

in

paradise

is

well

it's

to be

in

the

new

creation

God's

eternal

kingdom

it's

this

world

that we

live

in

made

new

this

world

made

perfect

a world

without

suffering

or pain

or death

no

funerals

no

hospitals

a world

without

evil

and sin

a world

full of

joy

and peace

and happiness

forever

and forever

and that

day

that

criminal

would be

with

Jesus

and

everyone

who is

forgiven

by the

father

will be

with

Jesus

in

paradise

that is

our

future

that is

our

destiny

with

Jesus

we will

see him

we will

be with

him

and we

will

rule

with

him

in the

new

heavens

and the

new

earth

into

John

are

running

tell you

about

and

i know

the

ones

i

don't

want

you

to

know

come before him

listen to his words

father

forgive them

listen to the promise

with me

in paradise

know the joy of forgiveness

live as free people

know the joy

know

sins forgiven

let's pray

it's a familiar scene

it's a stunning scene

to see Jesus

crucified

executed

tortured

to listen and hear his words

father forgive them

father we confess

that we have denied you

betrayed you

we have treated you

like as we talked about

a magic genie

demanding our wants

ignoring you

when we have nothing

to ask for

father forgive

forgive the times

forgive the times where we

have spoken

out of turn

where we have

taken revenge

with our words

on other people

where we have held them

at distance

refusing to forgive

and wanting them to hurt

and pay

father forgive us

father forgive us

and may we know

that fresh

beginning

the slate

wiped

clean

as far as the east

is from the west

you remove our sins

from us

thank you that because

we are forgiven

we can look forward

to paradise

itself

with Jesus

forever

and forever

thank you

in Jesus name

amen

we are going to sing

we are going to sing

about the cross

but we want to

celebrate

the cross

to see

to listen

and to know

that we can be

forgiven

let's

stand as we sing