Luke 23:39-43 Thou Must Save and Thou Alone

Last week, we saw that divine grace, divine mercy, is found in a simple prayer of trust in the mercy of God. This week we will go to Jesus’ crucifixion and the brief conversation of Jesus and the thief on the cross will show how divine mercy is found in Jesus and his saving work alone…Salvation for sinners is found in Christ.

Read: Luke 23:39-45

[39] One of the criminals who was hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” [40] But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? [41] And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” [42] And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” [43] And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Prayer of Illumination

Outline:

#1 Context: What are these two criminals seeing? (v. 32-37 Briefly)

#2 What The Argument Reveals? (v.39-42)

#3 The Request & The Promise, The Proof (v. 42-43)

#4 Guarding the Truths of Christ Alone against Common Errors

#1 Context: What are these two criminals seeing? (v. 32-37).

[32] Two others, who were criminals were led away to be put to death with [Jesus].

This is in fulfillment of Isa. 53:12 “he would be numbered with the transgressors and Jesus’ own self-awareness that this would happen to fulfill the Scriptures Lk. 22:37. Jesus was just, he was innocent, he was merciful, but wrongly condemned and counted among the wicked as our innocent substituted…

[33] And when they came to the place that is called The Skull (Golgatha), there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [34] And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

He loves his enemies. While they pettily condemned the innocent, Jesus prays seeking pardon for his enemies. And the thief heard this…Father, God of the universe, forgive my enemies…

And they cast lots to divide his garments [fulfilling Ps. 22:18]. [35] And the people stood by, watching

The crowd bears abundant witness to the historical accounts of the gospels…It is a testimony to the accuracy of the four gospel crucifixion accounts because they were publicly witnessed events. Real History. And …They stood by and watched as an innocent man was crucified…They will have to reckon with this when Peter preaches the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus to them in a few weeks at Pentecost in Acts 2.

V. 35 but the rulers scoffed

Listen to this word for scoff: Blaspheme, blasphemed. This is the word the Greek uses to translate Psalm 22:7-8, which is the famous psalm that Jesus has quoted, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken…” saying Psalm 22 is about me…And it says… Ps. 22:7-8 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

And verse 35 they sneer up at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!”

Remember the temptations of Jesus particularly prepared him for, yes, his ministry of 3yrs, but this particular moment. He is laying down his life voluntarily, and how difficult that is when he does truly have the POWER to make the suffering end…But he lays down his life to save us.

[36] The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine [37] and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” [38] There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

All the events are swirling around the two thieves on either side of Jesus….IS he the king of the Jews? Is he the Christ of God? That has been the claim these last 3 years? That is what all the miracles I have heard about would suggest

And that brings us to our main text, where Luke highlights how one of them wants in on the action of the rulers, the soldiers, and a dying man to “rail” against him. And sparks an argument between two dying men.

#2 What The Argument Reveals? (v.39-42).

[39] One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” [40] But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? [41] And we indeed justly [righteously] judged, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

Hendrickson notes 5 truths here that lead to this man’s conversion

“Do you not fear God” – do