WEBVTT 00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:03.480 Matthew 27 and Luke chapter 23. 00:00:04.180 --> 00:00:06.700 We're using the month of April to look at some of the most... 00:00:06.940 --> 00:00:10.070 well, I would say the most powerful words ever spoken. 00:00:10.780 --> 00:00:14.580 Those words are the final words Jesus spoke from the cross. 00:00:14.940 --> 00:00:22.020 The reason I say it's the most powerful words is, they're not a large statements or seven statements Jesus makes, 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:25.780 but it is for the greatest battle that has taken place in all of history. 00:00:26.020 --> 00:00:27.940 That battle is for your soul. 00:00:27.980 --> 00:00:30.260 So what is stated here matters. 00:00:30.460 --> 00:00:37.720 When we think about Christianity, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is the pinnacle, it is the foundation for which Christianity 00:00:37.720 --> 00:00:39.000 finds itself. 00:00:39.060 --> 00:00:46.080 In fact, the Apostle Paul said in 1st Corinthians 15, "If Jesus hasn't been resurrected from the grave, we're the most pitied of any people group 00:00:46.080 --> 00:00:53.180 because we rest our faith on that hope." What Jesus accomplished on the cross and seeing that to fruition through 00:00:53.180 --> 00:00:57.520 his resurrection is what gives us hope in our own resurrection. 00:00:57.820 --> 00:01:01.460 Jesus speaks these final seven statements from the cross. 00:01:01.460 --> 00:01:08.700 Last week we looked at the first one, which, when Jesus goes to the cross, the first words he utters is a prayer for us, "Father, 00:01:08.800 --> 00:01:15.980 forgive them for they know not what they do." We talked about the power of forgiveness and what that looks like for the 00:01:15.980 --> 00:01:17.730 forgiver and the forgiven. 00:01:18.300 --> 00:01:25.500 Interesting thing about the lack of forgiveness, when we hold on to unforgiveness in our lives, it traps us in the past because we're carrying out vengeance based 00:01:25.500 --> 00:01:26.420 on events in the past. 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:33.500 When we grab a hold of forgiveness, it allows us to walk in the newness of love, and the example for that for us was the cross of Christ, because at the cross 00:01:33.500 --> 00:01:40.600 Jesus paid for your sins and put that in the past so that you could experience forgiveness, and through that forgiveness experience love in 00:01:40.600 --> 00:01:41.070 them today. 00:01:41.800 --> 00:01:43.680 God is Love, God does love. 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:51.200 When we are forgiven in Christ, we get to walk in the appreciation and experience that love for which he desires to lavish on us. 00:01:51.220 --> 00:01:52.640 Forgiveness is a powerful thing. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:02:01.080 We see in Jesus that when he goes to the cross, I think when Jesus prays, "Father Forgive them," the particularity of that moment, I think he's 00:02:01.080 --> 00:02:03.520 specifically praying for those that are around him. 00:02:03.720 --> 00:02:05.760 Now, God's forgiveness transpires beyond that. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:07.040 It is available for all of us. 00:02:07.460 --> 00:02:14.930 But the reason I think when Jesus is at the cross praying, "Father forgive them," that he's just referencing those at the cross is because Jesus is righteous, 00:02:15.780 --> 00:02:20.040 and it is unjust for him to die in those moments at the hand of these individuals. 00:02:20.580 --> 00:02:26.120 Rather than see God bring fury from heaven to bring judgment against these people, Jesus prays for their forgiveness. 00:02:26.920 --> 00:02:34.080 But it's an interesting thought at the cross that when God could call legions of angels to attack, he chooses rather to forgive. 00:02:35.580 --> 00:02:43.120 Today we're going to look now at the practicality of such a statement, that when Jesus prays this prayer, he 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:43.920 also lives it out. 00:02:45.320 --> 00:02:49.580 He expresses this forgiveness in these moments on the cross in a very personal way. 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:55.860 He shows us how forgiveness brings two thoughts; relationship and reconciliation. 00:02:57.820 --> 00:03:03.620 Now, even you as an individual you can be a forgiving person, but you can't force another heart. 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:08.620 Just because you're forgiving doesn't mean the other person is forgiven. 00:03:09.220 --> 00:03:10.840 It's like in relationship to Jesus. 00:03:10.840 --> 00:03:18.040 Jesus is forgiving to us, but it's not until we come to Christ for that forgiving spirit of which he provides 00:03:18.040 --> 00:03:19.270 that were actually forgiven. 00:03:21.200 --> 00:03:22.200 We need his forgiveness. 00:03:22.680 --> 00:03:29.740 In that being forgiven, we find reconciliation and relationship, because God is a 00:03:29.740 --> 00:03:30.260 god of reconciliation. 00:03:30.780 --> 00:03:32.810 We're called to be people of reconciliation. 00:03:34.920 --> 00:03:38.640 Being a forgiving people doesn't mean you go in this world and you try to force people into forgiveness. 00:03:38.820 --> 00:03:42.660 It means we just simply open up the door for those when they are ready to find forgiveness. 00:03:44.900 --> 00:03:52.220 In the book of Matthew, you see Jesus praying this prayer and someone within the context of this story is about the find that forgiveness 00:03:52.220 --> 00:03:53.240 in Jesus. 00:03:55.160 --> 00:04:02.380 If you're familiar with the cross of Christ, most of us are aware that when Jesus was crucified, he was crucified between two criminals. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:04.700 You probably refer to them as either thieves or robbers. 00:04:04.700 --> 00:04:06.880 That's how the text of scripture describes them. 00:04:07.860 --> 00:04:11.280 I don't think it was any accident Jesus was crucified between two thieves. 00:04:11.320 --> 00:04:13.780 In fact, I think an incredible story comes out of this for us. 00:04:14.160 --> 00:04:20.579 But even Isaiah 53:12 says this, that Jesus was numbered with his transgressors. 00:04:21.660 --> 00:04:25.420 But when we relate to these thieves, there isn't much we know about them. 00:04:25.440 --> 00:04:28.360 Not even oral tradition teaches us anything about these thieves. 00:04:28.400 --> 00:04:34.070 We don't know who they were, if they had family, what their names were, what crimes they committed exactly. 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:39.450 In Jesus's Day, the word thief was actually more of a blanket statement for a criminal. 00:04:40.380 --> 00:04:47.100 They most likely had stolen something, but to warrant crucifixion, it had to be something pretty severe. 00:04:48.040 --> 00:04:49.920 I mean, they just didn't still an apple from the marketplace. 00:04:51.560 --> 00:04:58.620 What they stole, it could have been someone's life, it could have been someone's innocence, but whatever it was, it warranted 00:04:58.620 --> 00:05:02.700 crucifixion to satisfy the justice in Rome. 00:05:04.440 --> 00:05:11.620 When you read a story about these two individuals, and I think really anyone in scripture, whether they're someone that's walking in 00:05:11.710 --> 00:05:18.920 truth or someone that's opposed to God, I think it's good for our souls not to distance ourselves from relating to 00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:19.160 them. 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:25.250 Now, that might be a little shocking because this morning I'm going to tell you how you're like the thief on the cross. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:28.700 But don't worry, I want to end this with some hope. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:30.440 You could even ask the question, "Okay. 00:05:30.760 --> 00:05:32.210 Thief on the cross being crucified? 00:05:32.500 --> 00:05:35.380 I know I've done some things in my life. 00:05:35.380 --> 00:05:42.820 But how in the world are you going to relate me to a thief?" But I would say the power of this story is seen and how you connect to what happens 00:05:42.820 --> 00:05:44.600 in the life of this thief. 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:53.400 When you read Jesus's presentation of his kingdom, which the gospels are full of his kingdom, 00:05:53.460 --> 00:05:57.040 you think on Sunday morning you gathered and you went to church. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:05:59.060 Now you didn't actually come to church. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:05:59.660 You are the church. 00:06:00.220 --> 00:06:01.520 Jesus dwells within us. 00:06:01.520 --> 00:06:02.760 Wherever we are, we worship Him. 00:06:02.760 --> 00:06:04.480 We congregate as God's people, as the church. 00:06:04.740 --> 00:06:06.260 But here's the interesting thing about church. 00:06:07.560 --> 00:06:09.560 The gospels only use the word church three times. 00:06:12.080 --> 00:06:15.590 But did you know over 70 times Jesus talks about the kingdom? 00:06:17.620 --> 00:06:21.180 In fact, most of the time when Jesus talks about his kingdom, he's not talking about the future. 00:06:21.180 --> 00:06:22.560 He's talking about the present. 00:06:24.760 --> 00:06:31.800 In Matthew chapter five, Jesus starts this declaration of his kingdom. 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:40.480 In the very first verses, it tells us he goes up on this mountain and he begins to deliver the very first message 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:41.820 he shares with people. 00:06:41.900 --> 00:06:49.440 When Jesus starts his message, it is an incredible beginning because in 00:06:49.440 --> 00:06:56.480 Jesus's Day, religious people, like the Pharisees or even people that worshiped in other religions, they saw things that happen to them as 00:06:56.480 --> 00:06:58.040 either favor a judgment from God. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:02.510 So if they're in bad experiences in life, the gods are against them. 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:06.050 If they're the elite of society, then the gods are for them. 00:07:06.380 --> 00:07:08.820 They're the untouchables in a positive way. 00:07:08.890 --> 00:07:12.580 People look at them and think, they're so wonderful, we could never be like them. 00:07:12.640 --> 00:07:14.340 In the Jewish day, that was the pharisees. 00:07:14.860 --> 00:07:16.420 The pharisees were the religious elite. 00:07:16.700 --> 00:07:18.080 You can't be like them. 00:07:18.500 --> 00:07:19.620 And God loves those people. 00:07:21.800 --> 00:07:29.260 But then when Jesus presents his kingdom in Matthew five, listen to this, rather than talk about the spiritual elite, 00:07:29.260 --> 00:07:36.440 this is where he starts: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom 00:07:36.440 --> 00:07:37.080 of Heaven. 00:07:38.760 --> 00:07:41.500 Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 00:07:43.180 --> 00:07:45.660 Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. 00:07:46.960 --> 00:07:55.120 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." Jesus's 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:57.960 kingdom pictures isn't about the elite. 00:08:00.180 --> 00:08:00.780 It's about the broken. 00:08:03.860 --> 00:08:11.220 In fact, I would even say in looking at the beginning of his introduction of his kingdom in sharing this message that, Jesus 00:08:11.220 --> 00:08:17.820 would rather have one broken spirit, than 10,000 self righteous pharisees. 00:08:20.180 --> 00:08:21.160 God works in that heart. 00:08:22.500 --> 00:08:29.500 To the self righteous, they see no need for Jesus; but to those who hunger, to those who 00:08:29.500 --> 00:08:32.880 are broken, that's what his kingdom is about. 00:08:34.980 --> 00:08:37.500 And then this presentation, Jesus does something interesting. 00:08:37.580 --> 00:08:39.220 We'll get to Matthew 27 in just a minute. 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:41.919 But Jesus does something interesting in Matthew 21... 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:49.980 verse 21 Chapter Five, he then goes here, he says, "You shall not commit murder, and whoever convinced murder shall be liable to the court." Again, 00:08:50.780 --> 00:08:51.840 how is this relevant to you? 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:54.020 I mean, how many murderers we have present today? 00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:56.040 Jesus loves you, but... 00:08:56.040 --> 00:08:56.140 I mean,... 00:08:56.520 --> 00:09:02.500 Then verse 22, "But I say to you, that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court. 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:05.440 You have heard that it was said you shall not commit adultery. 00:09:05.860 --> 00:09:16.160 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her heart has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Here 00:09:16.160 --> 00:09:19.240 we have in this story, Jesus starts with the broken in spirit. 00:09:20.380 --> 00:09:26.920 But then as you follow his message for three chapters, Matthew five, six and seven, Jesus preaches. 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:29.100 Then he goes after the really self righteous. 00:09:30.780 --> 00:09:33.160 He wants them to see their need for God. 00:09:33.160 --> 00:09:35.600 The way he does it is through these verses here. 00:09:35.680 --> 00:09:40.660 He starts with these verses, and he starts talking about the murderer and he starts talking about adultery. 00:09:41.660 --> 00:09:44.170 But then he makes it a little personal. 00:09:44.180 --> 00:09:51.220 In Jewish law, they would look at these laws and be like, "I never killed anybody or I've never committed adultery." Jesus says, "That's great that outwardly this 00:09:51.220 --> 00:09:55.640 has never happened in your life." But the problem isn't just the behavior. 00:09:57.380 --> 00:09:59.160 The problem that rests in your heart. 00:10:00.160 --> 00:10:02.940 So Jesus takes it a step further. 00:10:02.940 --> 00:10:10.280 So rather than just modifying our behavior to sort of self righteousness, Jesus is saying, "What really needs to transform happens with inside of you." 00:10:11.220 --> 00:10:13.750 So I think we can see this in the story, but let me just ask the question. 00:10:13.860 --> 00:10:20.940 I alluded this passage last week, but let me just ask this question, because sometimes I don't think we get the full picture of what Jesus is communicating with these 00:10:20.940 --> 00:10:21.280 thoughts here. 00:10:22.620 --> 00:10:25.340 Have you ever stopped to wonder why Jesus picks these two sins? 00:10:26.760 --> 00:10:31.680 Out of all the things Jesus could have said as an illustration, murder, that seems like a very... 00:10:31.680 --> 00:10:34.060 or are you talking to a jail here? 00:10:34.060 --> 00:10:35.660 This is a very limited crowd of people. 00:10:36.240 --> 00:10:40.940 If you want to get something more relevant for us in alive, I can think of a lot more sense to pick, than just murder. 00:10:41.020 --> 00:10:42.880 Why is Jesus picking this? 00:10:42.960 --> 00:10:51.100 Then he takes it a step further and said, "Anger in your heart is what produces murder?" I think the reason Jesus picks these two sins is because, under 00:10:51.100 --> 00:10:55.840 Jewish law, the punishment for the sins was death. 00:10:58.300 --> 00:11:06.680 What Jesus is doing by taking these sins a step further to talk about anger and lust in your heart, this is recognizing in our lives, all 00:11:06.680 --> 00:11:07.240 of us are guilty. 00:11:09.380 --> 00:11:16.420 So when you think about the thief and you think, "Okay, what do I have relevant with this thief in my life?" Honestly, the difference between us and the thief is that we 00:11:16.420 --> 00:11:18.020 have the same sin that rest in our heart. 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:24.040 It's just the thief played it out in his actions, but on our heart rest death. 00:11:25.780 --> 00:11:31.560 Now let me back away and say that I'm so thankful in reading this verse, that Jesus started where he did in the sermon on the mount. 00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:38.760 Because, rather than just stand before you in the sin and just say, "I'm a piece of garbage," what you see in the beginning of 00:11:38.860 --> 00:11:46.250 Matthew chapter five, and the reason Jesus started here, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Because in the midst of the brokenness of that sin, we can recognize, 00:11:47.160 --> 00:11:47.610 and I'm loved. 00:11:48.940 --> 00:11:51.260 God wants to desire to do something new in me. 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:55.640 God has identity for me, and there is hope for me. 00:11:57.100 --> 00:12:04.280 So when you think about the thief on the cross, what Jesus is doing, in Matthew chapter five, is the consistency of 00:12:04.280 --> 00:12:06.820 something they did throughout all of his ministry, all the way to the cross. 00:12:07.180 --> 00:12:14.300 That in the midst of our sin, God provides a place for all of us to come to him to find that newness in our lives which he is creating 00:12:14.300 --> 00:12:16.280 for us on the cross. 00:12:16.340 --> 00:12:23.480 Here's how it transpires in Matthew Chapter 27, it starts in verse 38, "At that time, two robbers were crucified with 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:24.530 him. 00:12:25.060 --> 00:12:27.220 One on the right and one on the left. 00:12:28.640 --> 00:12:35.800 And those passing by were hurling abuse at him, wagging their heads and saying, "You are going to destroy the temple and rebuild 00:12:35.800 --> 00:12:37.080 it in three days. 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:37.580 Save yourself. 00:12:38.560 --> 00:12:45.060 If you are the son of God, come down from the cross," in the same way that chief priests also along with the scribes and the elders were mocking him. 00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:53.800 The robbers who had been crucified with him were also insulting him with the same words." Let's just hear the story, 00:12:53.860 --> 00:13:01.380 when Jesus is hanging on the cross, and he didn't have a friend in the world, everyone's mocking him in these moments. 00:13:02.040 --> 00:13:03.000 Everyone's cursing him. 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:05.020 We were celebrating Palm Sunday today. 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:07.360 This is the day traditionally where they shouted, "Hosanna. 00:13:07.420 --> 00:13:11.540 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," which means save us now, and just a few days later, crucify. 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:15.880 All the way down to the robbers even joining in. 00:13:15.920 --> 00:13:25.500 I mean, they're choosing to use the last hours of their lives, not to say I'm sorry to their mamas, but they curse at Jesus, mocking 00:13:25.500 --> 00:13:27.260 him. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:29.040 Then something interesting happens. 00:13:30.660 --> 00:13:38.860 Luke 23, we'll pickup where we left off last week in verse 39, one of the criminals who 00:13:38.860 --> 00:13:44.340 were hanged there were hurling abuse at him saying, "Are you not the Christ? 00:13:45.460 --> 00:13:52.580 Save yourself and us." But the other answered, rebuking him and said, "Do you not even fear God since you are under the same sentence 00:13:52.580 --> 00:13:59.660 of condemnation, and we indeed are suffering justly for we're receiving what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has 00:13:59.660 --> 00:14:06.660 done nothing wrong." Two thieves ridiculing him, 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:10.830 and now Luke shows us one thief has a change of heart. 00:14:12.940 --> 00:14:13.980 Why did he change his mind? 00:14:15.820 --> 00:14:23.540 When I think about this is a little speculative, but I don't think one thing led the thief to change his heart towards the Lord. 00:14:24.020 --> 00:14:25.640 I think it was likely a series of interactions. 00:14:25.940 --> 00:14:30.660 Most likely the thief was aware of Jesus and heard the stories of Christ. 00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:34.500 The thief heard Jesus speak his few words from the cross. 00:14:35.940 --> 00:14:41.140 I mean, like the Roman soldier, the thief saw how Jesus embraced the cross, which is probably one of the most shocking things. 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:42.930 We shared this a little bit last week. 00:14:43.160 --> 00:14:47.740 These two thieves were crucified before Jesus, and when they went to the cross... 00:14:47.740 --> 00:14:54.820 I mean, think, if someone's about to nail you on the cross and this is your last ditch effort to not hang from a cross, to have nails pierce through your body until 00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:56.280 you suffocate to death. 00:14:56.360 --> 00:14:58.230 I can tell you how that's going to go down for me. 00:14:58.460 --> 00:15:02.280 Every chance I get to bite you, I want to rip off your ear, spit on you. 00:15:02.280 --> 00:15:03.270 Yell at you, whatever. 00:15:03.500 --> 00:15:06.860 If it's leading to the cross, I am kicking and screaming, go to all the way. 00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:08.440 Finally, they get these to pin down. 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:10.700 But then Jesus comes. 00:15:13.780 --> 00:15:14.700 How does he take the cross? 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:18.020 He embraced it. 00:15:20.560 --> 00:15:22.540 It's like he laid his life down willingly. 00:15:25.540 --> 00:15:32.560 Can't tell you one of the most incredible things about what makes Jesus sufficient for you, is that he 00:15:32.740 --> 00:15:33.600 paid for you willingly. 00:15:38.420 --> 00:15:45.100 Before an eternal God, sin is to be paid for eternity, because God is eternal. 00:15:47.180 --> 00:15:51.720 But hearing the story, eternal God pays for our sin in a finite moment. 00:15:53.400 --> 00:15:58.800 The reason he's adequate, it's because, one, he was spotless and two, he was willing. 00:16:01.740 --> 00:16:03.340 Jesus didn't have to go to that cross. 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:05.360 He could've brought himself down. 00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:06.910 No one really crucified Jesus. 00:16:07.160 --> 00:16:08.840 He laid his life down. 00:16:13.400 --> 00:16:18.520 This criminal sees this and he sees Jesus pray for his enemies. 00:16:19.860 --> 00:16:25.080 The thief had even represented himself as an enemy, cursing at Jesus, and Jesus prayed for him. 00:16:26.820 --> 00:16:33.840 And perhaps the thought of the thief is, if God can forgive all these people who mocked and beat and crucified and spit 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:37.320 on him, perhaps God could forgive him. 00:16:39.420 --> 00:16:47.080 And this thief comes to Jesus who modeled that love and forgiveness, and he prays, "Father, forgive them," 00:16:47.100 --> 00:16:52.860 and he comes to this Jesus that declared this kingdom, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst. 00:16:52.880 --> 00:16:58.400 Blessed are those who are broken in spirit." Jesus could have called angels down at any moment. 00:16:59.800 --> 00:17:02.480 Yet Jesus chooses to bear our sins and forgive. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:12.260 I think about the demonstration of Jesus in this moment and how that helped bring the change in this thief's heart. 00:17:14.579 --> 00:17:19.060 I think about our own lives, how we respond. 00:17:20.540 --> 00:17:24.349 No doubt in your life you have people that may not like you. 00:17:24.760 --> 00:17:26.460 If you don't, now you might in the future. 00:17:28.660 --> 00:17:29.280 How do you react? 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:37.640 What's motivating you in response to that honor to yourself or to the Lord? 00:17:37.800 --> 00:17:44.980 I mean, has your attitude been one where you feel even when someone's against you have the opportunity 00:17:44.980 --> 00:17:47.800 still to share the gospel to that person without shame. 00:17:49.040 --> 00:17:56.240 I mean, could you imagine this thief in this moment, if Jesus had just responded with fury because he would have been just 00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:57.090 to do so. 00:17:58.740 --> 00:18:06.300 But rather it's in grace that when his heart finally is sensitive to the Lord, that 00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:08.410 Gospel of grace and forgiveness resonates. 00:18:10.460 --> 00:18:11.860 It's like this. 00:18:11.900 --> 00:18:18.790 Someone cuts you off on the interstate, and the next section you have to get off for gas and Lo and behold, you're standing behind them in line. 00:18:20.760 --> 00:18:22.770 How would you feel if you had to share the gospel with them? 00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:31.300 What if they were just saying to the cashier in front of them, "Man, I really need to know Jesus." You're thinking, "Aw man, I told you were number one when you went by with 00:18:31.300 --> 00:18:37.240 the wrong finger." Ashamed to share? 00:18:39.660 --> 00:18:41.120 Or did you walk with grace? 00:18:43.460 --> 00:18:45.360 Jesus in this moment does this for this thief. 00:18:45.460 --> 00:18:47.860 Here's the most incredible thing, the irony of this all. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:55.820 When you think about Jesus' crucifixion, all his friends, the crowds that follow him, the irony of this story is, the only person 00:18:55.820 --> 00:19:03.060 that stands to defend Jesus in these moments, not that Jesus need is defended, but the only person that rises up and says anything, 00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:05.240 it's the criminal. 00:19:07.460 --> 00:19:08.490 It's the one on the cross. 00:19:08.560 --> 00:19:15.740 I mean, the only words that you have positively spoken relating to Jesus, to anyone that's connected to him at all in these final moments of his life, it's the criminal hanging 00:19:15.740 --> 00:19:16.580 on the cross. 00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:26.700 Then he utters these words in verse 42, and he was saying to Jesus, "Remember 00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:33.760 me when you come in your kingdom." Now, we may not catch it in 00:19:33.760 --> 00:19:37.300 this phrasing, but these words are very powerful in the day of Jesus. 00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:40.780 I mean, he's referencing Jesus's kingdom which Jesus talked about. 00:19:41.420 --> 00:19:44.380 But when you talk about a kingdom, you're automatically representing it. 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:51.040 If Jesus is the one who uplifts this kingdom, who rules this king, and then that makes Jesus the what? 00:19:52.240 --> 00:19:52.460 King. 00:19:53.900 --> 00:19:58.340 Every kingdom has a king, and in these moments, he's confessing Jesus as king. 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:03.140 In the time of Christ, the word that we will read in scripture when they're referencing Jesus as King is Lord. 00:20:05.320 --> 00:20:11.320 But the interesting thing about this statement is, in Jesus's Day, to confess the statement about Christ, I mean, that would get you killed. 00:20:13.020 --> 00:20:20.020 In time of Jesus, in the early church to say, "Jesus is Lord," was to go against Rome, because during the time of 00:20:20.020 --> 00:20:22.660 the Romans, Caesar was Lord, Kaiser Kurios. 00:20:22.660 --> 00:20:25.000 They showed loyalty to him because he was the king. 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:27.020 It was his kingdom, and they believed Caesar to be God. 00:20:29.320 --> 00:20:35.080 To pronounce another king in his kingdom, that could be the end of your life. 00:20:37.760 --> 00:20:42.200 Here's this thief turning to Jesus in submission. 00:20:43.620 --> 00:20:47.260 I am no longer lord of my life, but you are. 00:20:49.380 --> 00:20:51.880 Jesus gives this incredible statement. 00:20:53.820 --> 00:20:58.960 This thief on the cross has an incredible story to share, not just at the Easter, but at anytime with anyone. 00:20:59.540 --> 00:21:06.630 Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today, you shall be with me in paradise." 00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:10.420 What does that mean? 00:21:13.020 --> 00:21:17.200 This shocking statement of pronunciation Jesus gives over a criminal. 00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:21.620 In the story you see how powerful Jesus's forgiveness is. 00:21:23.020 --> 00:21:24.140 Jesus prays, "Father forgive them. 00:21:24.380 --> 00:21:32.360 They know not what they do." Jesus demonstrates the incredible grace of his forgiveness by coming to this criminal and saying, "Forgiveness. 00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:40.980 Today you'll be with me in paradise." Some people don't like the statement by Jesus because the thief, if you think 00:21:40.980 --> 00:21:43.120 about it, he never did a single work for God. 00:21:44.900 --> 00:21:47.080 He never served God, he never tithe, he's... 00:21:47.140 --> 00:21:47.920 baptized. 00:21:47.920 --> 00:21:48.700 No religious work. 00:21:50.340 --> 00:21:52.200 Yet, what does Jesus say and promised him? 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:54.880 Today, for you, paradise. 00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:57.280 What exactly is paradise? 00:21:59.080 --> 00:22:06.120 Out of a disdain that to think that someone could be in the same presence and eternity with a thief, they assume that obviously there 00:22:06.120 --> 00:22:12.060 is heaven and then there's paradise, and paradise must be a lower form of heaven because the thief doesn't deserve God's best. 00:22:12.060 --> 00:22:15.980 I mean, it's nice Jesus is being gracious to him, but where exactly is this thief? 00:22:17.420 --> 00:22:23.410 Truth is, no one's getting to heaven by what they do. 00:22:25.820 --> 00:22:28.060 We get to heaven because of what Jesus has done. 00:22:30.800 --> 00:22:37.560 That's the shocking, profound, powerful, gracious, forgiving statement of the story. 00:22:40.040 --> 00:22:42.710 Then our self righteousness when we like to think it's about us. 00:22:45.360 --> 00:22:52.100 Though we're created in God's image, and though we are important, it's about Him. 00:22:53.060 --> 00:22:58.740 In fact, when you look at the word paradise, I think it's important just to get an idea of exactly what Jesus is promising this thief. 00:22:59.520 --> 00:23:06.520 Paul in a wonderful passage of scripture, in 2nd Corinthians chapter 12, he really defines for us what paradise is and 00:23:06.520 --> 00:23:13.780 he starts off in 2nd Corinthians 12:2, he says, "I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in body 00:23:13.780 --> 00:23:20.920 I do not know or out-of-body, I do not know, God knows, such a man was caught up to the third heaven." What 00:23:20.920 --> 00:23:22.080 in the world is that? 00:23:23.740 --> 00:23:25.760 Jesus had an interesting way of describing heaven. 00:23:25.820 --> 00:23:33.280 You can imagine in a day and age where you didn't have a telescope to look into outer space, how you might look into the expanse of the sky and conceive 00:23:33.280 --> 00:23:34.540 what weights out there. 00:23:36.340 --> 00:23:39.420 Here you are on earth and you see the glory, the radiance of God and all of his creation. 00:23:40.980 --> 00:23:46.440 The Jews in describing and thinking about God in heaven, what they did is they categorized layers to the atmosphere. 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:52.920 Some Jews had as many as seven, but the most popular view which Paul holds here for the Jewish people is three. 00:23:53.880 --> 00:24:01.040 The way Jews categorically saw heaven is, they talked about the expanse where the birds dwelled and the clouds were, that was referred to in their theology as 00:24:01.040 --> 00:24:01.720 the first heaven. 00:24:02.520 --> 00:24:04.940 The place where the stars were, that was the second heaven. 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:11.140 But the place where God dwelled and the only place where God's dwelled was the celestial, and that was referred to as the third heavens. 00:24:12.340 --> 00:24:17.300 So in Jewish mind, when they talked about the being in the presence of God for them it was always the third heaven. 00:24:18.540 --> 00:24:21.680 In fact, you can read about the expanse of the heavens, like Psalm 19. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:28.720 It talks about the heavens declare your glory God, and they're thinking about all of creation, everything beyond us and all that God 00:24:28.720 --> 00:24:35.220 has made, layers where the birds dwell to the stars, to where God himself is, the presence of God. 00:24:37.560 --> 00:24:38.180 The third heaven. 00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:43.120 Then Paul does something interesting because he's writing to a dualistic audience here. 00:24:44.460 --> 00:24:49.110 So whether outer body, I do not know, God knows, such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 00:24:49.300 --> 00:24:56.360 He says this, verse three, "And I know how such a man, whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know, 00:24:56.460 --> 00:24:58.820 God knows." verse four, "Was caught up. 00:24:58.820 --> 00:25:06.980 Look at this, into paradise, and heard the inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak." What's 00:25:07.040 --> 00:25:07.440 Paul doing here? 00:25:09.120 --> 00:25:10.860 He's writing to both Jew and gentile audience. 00:25:12.260 --> 00:25:15.300 The Jew they understood what the third heaven was as a slush to presence of God. 00:25:16.440 --> 00:25:18.820 To the Gentile world, their picture of Heaven was paradise. 00:25:19.960 --> 00:25:21.340 It was a Persian word in this derivative. 00:25:22.760 --> 00:25:26.440 Their idea of this blissful garden of which they would live. 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:33.640 So Paul is taking both of these pictures of heaven and is showing them as one word by interconnecting or intertwining these two words, 00:25:33.640 --> 00:25:35.960 just using them as exchangeable within this text. 00:25:37.060 --> 00:25:40.820 In our culture today, we don't have multiple words to refer to the... 00:25:40.900 --> 00:25:46.090 well, I mean we have words, individual words to refer to the atmosphere into the end of the universe and the galaxies. 00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:48.400 Then we have one word to talk about heaven. 00:25:49.980 --> 00:25:52.840 When the Jews talk about third heaven that is their picture where God dwells. 00:25:52.840 --> 00:25:59.960 In fact, I would say it like this, the Christian picture of Heaven is one place in 00:25:59.960 --> 00:26:01.020 the presence of God. 00:26:01.040 --> 00:26:03.280 It's the most inclusive heaven of God's people. 00:26:03.280 --> 00:26:10.360 When you think about religions and their pictures of heaven, different religions have different ideas, what happened is like, but for the Christians because of not what 00:26:10.360 --> 00:26:17.540 we do, but because of what Jesus has done, and we trust in that our promise is all of us together as one big family in his presence forever. 00:26:20.360 --> 00:26:25.540 And to the thief, Jesus promises this. 00:26:29.660 --> 00:26:37.280 What was the thief's worst day of life has become filled with the greatest expectation of 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:42.100 hope because of the grace of God in his life. 00:26:43.500 --> 00:26:45.360 You ask people today, how do you get to heaven? 00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:49.180 The response often is, because I'm a good person. 00:26:51.120 --> 00:26:58.580 The unfortunate part of that statement is it bypasses the cross altogether and identifies us as the one that merits our salvation 00:26:58.900 --> 00:26:59.680 based on our ability. 00:27:00.760 --> 00:27:07.920 But the Christian answer isn't I get to heaven because I'm a good person, but rather I get to heaven because 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:08.920 I'm a forgiving person. 00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:12.500 It's not what we do, it's what's been done. 00:27:13.820 --> 00:27:18.820 That's why for us, the thief becomes the greatest illustration of the grace and forgiveness of God. 00:27:20.360 --> 00:27:23.480 Not even able to lift an arm because it's nailed to a tree. 00:27:25.620 --> 00:27:31.960 God forgives and promises him any eternity with him. 00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:39.300 Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 5:8, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." I love this phrase and Hebrews 10:14 that 00:27:39.300 --> 00:27:41.440 says, "For by one offering, one offering Jesus made. 00:27:41.980 --> 00:27:46.810 He has perfected forever those that are sanctified or set apart for Christ. 00:27:47.920 --> 00:27:55.360 Jesus in one offering covers my past, present, and future sin that would separate me from him so that I could experience that joy for 00:27:55.360 --> 00:28:02.520 which he has created me for in him." I want to be frank and say, well, I love the promise of paradise for 00:28:02.520 --> 00:28:02.820 believers. 00:28:03.980 --> 00:28:08.340 The most powerful thought in Jesus's statement isn't the idea of paradise. 00:28:10.040 --> 00:28:17.060 The most powerful thought and the statement is the words Jesus speaks right before that when he says, he says in this, "Truly I say to you 00:28:17.060 --> 00:28:23.060 will be with me in paradise," because the only reason paradise can happen is because the presence of God is made known in his life. 00:28:23.700 --> 00:28:26.400 The truth is what makes Heaven Heaven is God's presence. 00:28:27.180 --> 00:28:34.000 Revelation 21 that, "We will no longer have tear in our eye, but we will be present with our king." Jesus makes Heaven Heaven. 00:28:37.240 --> 00:28:44.240 For us today, that phrase is still important, that Jesus 00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:46.620 is with you. 00:28:48.400 --> 00:28:49.430 God is with you. 00:28:51.380 --> 00:28:53.180 You think about this as a thief on the cross. 00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:56.910 People mocking you and shaming you. 00:28:57.280 --> 00:29:00.000 In these moments on public display is your fall. 00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:03.200 What does he hear from God? 00:29:05.120 --> 00:29:05.720 You are wanted. 00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:08.070 You are loved. 00:29:09.800 --> 00:29:11.000 God has a plan for your life. 00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:16.870 Now, on the mind of the thief, the idea of paradise is important because he's at the end of his life. 00:29:17.260 --> 00:29:18.140 And what hope does he have? 00:29:19.320 --> 00:29:20.400 He's just moments from his breath. 00:29:20.820 --> 00:29:24.700 So he knows the final moments that he closes his eyes, what awaits him? 00:29:25.620 --> 00:29:28.780 The promise of paradise is important for you. 00:29:29.860 --> 00:29:31.500 What's going to happen to you when you die? 00:29:33.380 --> 00:29:37.280 Knowing that secure helps you walk a little more confident in your day. 00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:39.040 God loves me. 00:29:39.040 --> 00:29:43.440 I mean, if he can forgive the thief that's nailed to cross, never did anything, God can forgive me. 00:29:43.680 --> 00:29:44.540 He cares about me. 00:29:44.540 --> 00:29:45.540 He wants to be with me. 00:29:45.540 --> 00:29:46.450 He created me for that reason. 00:29:46.840 --> 00:29:50.260 But when we think about paradise, here's the danger guys. 00:29:51.940 --> 00:29:54.240 Sometimes Christians see the Gospel just in terms of paradise. 00:29:55.620 --> 00:30:01.140 Meaning, the Gospel's preached, salvation is brought, Jesus rescues our soul. 00:30:01.540 --> 00:30:02.800 Eternity is promised. 00:30:03.060 --> 00:30:05.820 Then we sort of forget about today because we're thinking about tomorrow. 00:30:06.860 --> 00:30:12.210 Or even the Christian hymns, we'll get together and we'll sing songs sometimes and everything's singing about, "When we all get the heaven... 00:30:13.180 --> 00:30:17.160 " however that goes, or I mean, "I'll fly away." Just pick a song. 00:30:17.380 --> 00:30:18.240 All about getting into heaven. 00:30:20.800 --> 00:30:23.310 Here's the problem if you focus so much on heaven. 00:30:25.720 --> 00:30:29.340 Christians that are just focused on heaven become no earthly good. 00:30:32.620 --> 00:30:34.280 You just hear the Gospel and think you got your... 00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:36.980 get out of hell free Card, your twitter your thumbs just waiting for the day. 00:30:39.190 --> 00:30:44.010 But the important part to think about and consider is Jesus's kingdom is bigger than that. 00:30:45.660 --> 00:30:51.880 When Jesus talked about his kingdoms, over 70 times in the gospels and most often when he referred to his kingdom, it was dealing with the present. 00:30:55.380 --> 00:30:58.260 Jesus's presence is with you. 00:31:00.500 --> 00:31:07.560 Even the disciples, when they thought about Jesus and what he represented in his kingdom, look what they said about 00:31:07.560 --> 00:31:08.820 Christ in Acts 1:6. 00:31:10.120 --> 00:31:17.280 So when they had come together, they were asking him saying, "Lord," this is after Jesus, his resurrection, he's been with his disciples 40 days and 00:31:17.280 --> 00:31:18.180 they're talking with Jesus. 00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:20.580 This is his last moments on earth before he ascends into heaven. 00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:21.500 They'd come together. 00:31:21.640 --> 00:31:28.640 They're asking him saying, "Lord, is it at this time you are restoring the kingdom into Israel." And he said to them, "It is not for you to know 00:31:28.640 --> 00:31:35.740 the time or epics, which the father has fixed by his own authority." It's like, "Look guys, you guys are all just thinking about you 00:31:35.740 --> 00:31:42.760 know what's coming tomorrow." But he says in verse eight, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and 00:31:42.760 --> 00:31:51.060 you shall be witnesses both in Jerusalem and all Judea and Sumeria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." What 00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:54.660 Jesus is saying is that his resurrection doesn't just matter tomorrow. 00:31:56.840 --> 00:32:00.000 It makes right now matter today. 00:32:01.960 --> 00:32:09.660 Jesus is saying, "Stop focusing on tomorrow, to the neglect of where God wants to lead you today." 00:32:09.940 --> 00:32:16.940 In fact, Paul said in Romans 8:11, "The spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells 00:32:16.940 --> 00:32:24.060 in you." You think about the story of the thief on the cross, "You will be 00:32:24.060 --> 00:32:29.600 with me in paradise." What an incredible power? 00:32:31.280 --> 00:32:32.670 What an incredible forgiveness? 00:32:34.080 --> 00:32:35.720 How great is that God? 00:32:38.100 --> 00:32:45.180 And then you think about your home life and now you can say, and thinking about Romans 8 and Act 6, and that same resurrection power that move 00:32:45.180 --> 00:32:52.020 that way in the life of the thief to transform his life for all of eternity is with me right now. 00:32:54.360 --> 00:32:54.800 What does that mean? 00:32:57.060 --> 00:32:57.640 How should you respond? 00:32:59.860 --> 00:33:00.680 How should you pray? 00:33:02.840 --> 00:33:03.460 What should you do? 00:33:06.420 --> 00:33:13.580 You think about the thief, God's promises this thief his presence for eternity because this is all 00:33:13.580 --> 00:33:15.400 the remaining hope that the thief had. 00:33:16.480 --> 00:33:17.310 His days were done. 00:33:19.030 --> 00:33:25.590 But for those that don't have to worry so much about tomorrow because they have the ability to focus on today. 00:33:27.260 --> 00:33:32.850 It's good to be reminded we can be so heavenly minded, that we are no earthly good. 00:33:34.900 --> 00:33:42.100 Sometimes when we think about the life of this thief, I know religious tendency within our heart wells up to say, "I'm 00:33:42.100 --> 00:33:43.080 not that guy. 00:33:44.860 --> 00:33:51.780 I'm better than that." But when I think about this story as it relates to our lives, I like the thing guys... 00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:54.860 sometimes, some of as Christians we confuse our battlefield. 00:33:57.520 --> 00:34:04.700 Jesus I think has these moments at the end of his life, the cross, so that this story can shock us to 00:34:04.700 --> 00:34:08.920 say to us, "Look, the thief isn't the target for us because we're against the thief. 00:34:09.580 --> 00:34:16.800 Rather the thief is the target for us because we're for him." Just as Jesus fought the battle on the cross 00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:18.139 for his soul. 00:34:18.980 --> 00:34:26.060 So Jesus fought the battle for your soul and he calls you to join him in that battle for the souls of others just like 00:34:26.179 --> 00:34:34.560 this thief, because all of our hearts, all of our hearts, need 00:34:34.620 --> 00:34:35.290 that grace. 00:34:37.100 --> 00:34:40.580 That's what the presentation of His kingdom was about in Matthew chapter five. 00:34:42.199 --> 00:34:44.380 So you think about gathering as God's people. 00:34:45.320 --> 00:34:45.940 Here we are on Sunday. 00:34:48.239 --> 00:34:55.340 Sunday for us shouldn't be the ending point to our week, but rather the starting point 00:34:55.340 --> 00:34:58.490 in the call of Christ to make a difference. 00:34:59.900 --> 00:35:06.900 Jesus went to battle for this thief and in relating to Christ in our lives, Him as king and 00:35:06.900 --> 00:35:09.640 His kingdom, we belong to this kingdom, now represent this kingdom. 00:35:10.200 --> 00:35:14.690 So we go into battle representing our king, who by His grace transforms lives. 00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:21.520 If the thief matters, everyone matters. 00:35:24.440 --> 00:35:31.800 In this room, how we encourage, how we see the stories, launching a point for what Jesus wants to do on our soul, recognizing 00:35:31.800 --> 00:35:38.120 that resurrection power that brought Jesus from the grave rest in us today because presence is with us. 00:35:38.420 --> 00:35:38.660 It's important. 00:35:41.740 --> 00:35:48.800 And greater than that, beyond these walls, the relationships that you have, 00:35:50.460 --> 00:35:55.700 the way that you react when you stand in line at the gas station having told people they're one. 00:35:57.480 --> 00:35:58.600 Are you using the right finger? 00:36:01.780 --> 00:36:09.020 The story of this cross, there's hope for everyone, so than we can rest in the power 00:36:09.240 --> 00:36:10.920 and the presence of Jesus today. 00:36:12.500 --> 00:36:15.880 Paradise is great and I'm glad in Jesus, we belong there. 00:36:17.560 --> 00:36:24.660 But so is His presence right now and His kingdom made known in your hearts that you could release it into this world by caring for the 00:36:24.660 --> 00:36:25.700 souls around you.