Luke 23:26-56 Four Men One savior

 

Intro: Tonight we are going to be looking at Luke’s account of the 6 hrs that Jesus spent on the Cross .

  1. In this section of Luke’s gospel he gives us insight into the affect that the Cross had on 4 different Individuals – who were there.
  2. As we go through this section of Scripture we are going to pay careful attention to these – 4 Men. Simon / The Thief / The Centurion & Joseph

Right away our attention is drawn to Simon in the Very first verse

v. 26 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.
  1. Spear – Carry one mile - So here is this crowd & Simon of all people gets the Spear
  2. Marks gospel – gives tells us that Simon was the Father of Rufus & Alexander – gives the impression they might have been there
  1. Love that Song by Ray Boltz – Watch the lamb
  1. Paul Romans 16:13 – Greeting to Rufus & Alexander – well known Believers mentioned in Mark / Greeted in Romans
  2. Which tells us that Simon must have become Converted on this day or Shortly after this day that he carried the Cross

 

Now Point this out to you – not just as an Historical footnote – but also because it has some tremendous personal Application

  1. That those who carry the Cross of Christ will find themselves falling in love w/ Christ

    2. B) Jesus DECLARED IN Luke 9: 23 "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

    24 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it .

     

  2. There Jesus was declaring a PIVOTAL TRUTH – that a person who carries his cross daily ( Which means Dying to self in order –Redeem another or bless another )

C) The Person who lives in that way – that MINDSET – will find real Life

    1. But the Person who lives for himself – to Please himself / who puts himself first – is going to not have Life – Misery & Frustration

D)Because just as old Mick Jagger sang – yet to figure out – You can’t get

NO SATISFACTION – in living for Self –

  1. TRY & TRY only Frustration

 

JOY VS YOJ

  1. Joy is Jesus others you – Cross – Die to myself & follow Jesus
  1. Follow Him as my Savior & Lord
  1. I am going to follow His example – Die to Self – Live to build of others – Great JOY
  2. But if you reverse that – put YOU first – YOJ – just like the word – your life is not going to make sense !!!!!
  3. It is a PROFOUND TRUTH - encourage you to Practice this week – More you DIE TO SELF – happier you will be
  1. But the More you LIVE FOR SELF – the more miserable You will be !!!

So here is Simon thinking BUMMER – but in carry that cross – something happened to his life

  1. ALSO NOTE – Mentioned on Sunday – Jesus couldn’t carry the cross - DECLARING OF GUILT
  2. Jesus wasn’t guilty – Ironic – Simon was : We could all put ourselves into Simon’s Shoes !!!!!
  1. Sinners – need of a Savior -
  1. And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.

Here we see these Woman having Sympathy on the Man of Sorrows

  1. Ladies did you know that in all the gospel records no one ever records any women who were enemies of Jesus
  2. Sometimes ladies get up tight about the attention that the Bible gives to MEN / Why All the apostles men
  1. True that all were men - & all forsook Him / Judas Betrayed Him
  1. Gospels always portray women as Jesus Friends – NEAT STUDY –
  1. Every where that the gospel has been Preached & embraced through History / in those Cultures woman have been Elevated
  1. But in those Societies where the gospel was not embraced – Woman are treated like animals & Slaves - ( Seen in Islamic cultures even today)

JESUS GREAT LIBERATOR OF WOMEN – Read v.28- 31

Jesus basically saying here – don’t feel sorry for me – my agony is about to end – but yours is going to be intense

  1. Drawing attention what said earlier – Prophesied Roman invasion took place in A.D. 70
  2. If they did this to me in the Spring – GREEN TREE - wait until the Romans really show their Vengeance upon this City !!!! V.32

32 There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.

33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

  1. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Now note here that the Crucifixion of Christ brought about the fulfillment of many O.T. passages – SUCH AS

Psalm – 41:9 9 Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me. Betrayed by a Friend

Zech. 11:12 12 Then I said to them, "If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain." So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"; that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter.

Isa. 53:7 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

SILENT BEFORE PILATE & HEROD

Isa. 53: 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

CRUCIFIED W/ TWO THIEVES

Isa.50:6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.

Psa. 22: 16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet;

  1. I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.

Psa.22:18 They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.

So FULFILLMENT OF MANY SCRIPTURES – written hundreds of yrs before – this event & before Crucifixion even invented

35 And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God." 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself."

  1. And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Now the Mocking that takes place here is interesting – because they are unknowingly – Professes truth about Jesus that up to this point denied

A) They say – He saved others - they would never have admitted that had

you asked them – but they MAKE THIS STATEMENT ……..

B)But It was a true Statement – He did save others

  1. Now their second statement - let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.- Implying that He couldn’t save Himself
  2. In fact that is exactly – the way Mark’s gospel puts it – He saved others himself He cannot save
  3. And in one sense – that was also a true Statement !!!!

You see Jesus came to Redeem the World – Faced w/ a Choice – Save others / or Save Himself

  1. See it wasn’t that He couldn’t save Himself – but that He wouldn’t save Himself
  2. His Love for His Father / His Desire to carry out the plan of God / His love for us – made it IMPOSSIBLE

    3. John 10: 18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
  3. See here is the thing that we must understand – when referring to other Religious leaders / Buddha /
  1. Death was the interruption of their plan / end of their ministry
  1. Where as w/ Jesus not the interruption but the CULMINATION it was exactly what He came to do

The death of Jesus Christ on the cross WAS NOT an inescapable series of

events that brought His ministry to an unexpected and tragic end.

It was the predetermined plan whereby God made a way for you and I to be saved from the penalty of our sins!!

E) If Jesus COULD NOT "save Himself" because there was no other way

for to meet the demands of God's justice.......

1) How will you hope to be saved without giving your heart to Jesus?

F) If Jesus WOULD NOT "save Himself" because HE loved you more than He loved Himself........

1) WHY would you want to live without His love?

 

Now in v.39- 43 We are introduced to 2nd man who was impacted by Christ on the Cross that day ( Looked at him on Sunday – thief ) Read

  1. As we noted on Sunday – Matthew’s account – he at first joined in the mocking of Jesus
  2. But he has a change of Heart – No doubt – impacted by Jesus prayer – Father forgive …….
  3. Perhaps recalled – Prophecies - / But one thing is Certain – His heart was changed & so was His DESTINY

 

 

Now we have noted already that it was no accident that Jesus was Crucified between two thieves /( Numbered w/ transgressors)

  1. But Why was this part of the PLAN . – A FEW IDEAS

1.) Perhaps God wanted to give to us a sample of human nature and the response of man to the salvation that God has made available to EVERYONE.

  1. seen in the two RESPONSES OF THESE TWO THEIVES

 

2.) It is possible that God wanted one last witness that Jesus was innocent.

  1. Places a Diamond on Black Velvet – Magnifying the Innocence of Christ w/ the Rottenness of these men

 

3.) Perhaps God allowed Jesus to be put to death between 2 thieves to show us that salvation has nothing to do with works.

A) This man had NOTHING that he could offer to Jesus.

B) There was no way he could REFORM or prove his loyalty to Jesus.

1) He had NEVR been baptized, never received communion, never gave a penny to the work of the church.

C) The words of Jesus to this man should prove once and for all that you CAN NOT be saved by works.

1) Eph. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith;….. BOAST

 

4.) Perhaps God allowed Jesus to die like this to show us that saving faith is a gift from God.

Eph. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

The Story of the two Thieves is also a good illustration of how to & Not to Pray (Looked at on Sunday as Well )

  1. One was focused on the TEMPORAL – the other was the ETERNAL

  2. Result : One Blessed / One Cursed !!!!

  1. Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

  1. The Jews began counting the day at sunrise..... 6:00 a.m./ So "the sixth

    2. hour" would be 12:00 noon.

  2. He is giving to us the time when Jesus told the thief that "this day you will be with me in paradise"

C) Then From 12:00 noon until 3:00 in the afternoon. there was a

DARKNESS over all the earth.

D) Now This IS NOT a solar eclipse because the Passover ALWAYS takes place at the 3rd full moon after the winter solstice.

E)It is totally impossible to have a solar eclipse during a full moon because

the sun and the moons are on the opposite sides of the globe....

  1. that's what gives you a full moon.

 

NOTE: This darkness recorded by Luke was a real darkness, but the darkness carried with it powerful symbolic meaning.

JN8:12, "I am the light of the World .He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of Life

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

A) But here the light of the world is dying on a cross.

1) Man is EXTINGUISHING the only TRUE light that lights the world.

B) Why ?

John 3:17-20 17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn

the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.18 "He who

believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned

already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of

God.19 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the

world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were

evil.20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to

the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

C) How appropriate that God should DARKEN the earth at the time that man is extinguishing THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

D) God is giving a VISBLE illustration of the spiritual reality of rejecting Jesus Christ.

  1. Rejecting Jesus LEAVES you in darkness.

E)Really to the extent that we reject Him & His word – Extent that we find

ourselves in the Dark – Spiritually speaking

 

V45 Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

46And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit My spirit.' " Having said this, He breathed His last.

Here is another event that transpired that is FILLED with meaning.

  1. Dimensions of the Veil - 60 feet tall / 30 feet wide / 10 inches thick

    2. It was made of 72 Braids each consisting of 24 cords

  2. It was so heavy it took – 300 priest to move it & put it up !!!

  3. HISTORY OF VIEL – STOOD for : NO ENTRANCE

  1. One day a yr. ATONEMENT

  1. Now the Veil ripped in two – Top to Bottom – God declaring OPEN HOUSE – Come in any time you want – Access Available ….

  1. Through the BLOOD OF JESUS

Psa.24: 3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,

  1. It is the Blood of Jesus that Makes us Clean & Pure

Here is what we need to watch out for – that is that we don’t sow up the Veil again

  1. Through Legalism – Only if you do this or do that – quit doing those things ( smoking / Whatever )

  2. Only the Blood of Jesus – makes me Clean !!!

  1. Don’t sow it up through LEGALISM - or through FORMULAS

  1. Formula in Worship – Worship through the Tab.

  1. Enter courts w/ Thanksgiving / Gates Praise –

  1. Altar songs around – Sacrifice –

  1. Basin washed Cleansed – Then move into Holy Place / then Holy of Holies – really Worshipping

  1. Good Model many Worship leaders follow – but not a RULE – shouldn’t be a formula or develop attitude that /

  1. That you are not really worshipping unless only singing those real Worship songs

F) Plenty of Exhortations to Shout – Celebrate – Exalt the Lord

Heb.2:12 Jesus our Worship leader "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will SING PRAISE to You."

47 So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"

48 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.

49 But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

 

v.47 Introduced to our 3rd Person : CENTURION

  1. Centurion’s were man’s kind of man –known for their Bravery / their toughness / their Military Might / Their Physical Ability

  2. Here this Rugged man – spends the day at the foot of the Cross of Christ & His heart was Changed

  1. What affected Him so greatly ? No doubt it was seeing the way that Jesus Handled Suffering

  1. Quiet Confidence – His Prayer of Forgiveness / The way that Jesus just seemed in Control

  1. Know one had to Break His Legs / He just breathed His last –

  1. Surely this man was the Son of God – Mrk

 

Illustration for us – What affects the World ? When they see us Suffer

  1. How we handle Suffering & Pain – Listen the World is not impressed when winning all the Trophies

  2. They really TAKE NOTICE WHEN – IN THE FIRE

 

V. 48-54

 

 

Here we see our 4th Individual - Joseph of Arimathea

  1. Now Joseph of …. Was a wealthy man & a member of the Sanhedrin

    2. Mark calls him a Prominent Council Member

  2. And John Referred to Him as a " Secret Disciple" of Jesus – the reason that Joseph was a Secret Disciple was he was Afraid of the Jews

    3. Psa. 29:25 Tells us that the Fear of Man is a Snare – Trip you up & trap you

  3. The fear of man plays strongly upon the person who feels that he/she has much to lose.

1) A successful business man might be afraid of what a stand for Jesus Christ might do to his sales.

D) The WANNA-BE successful will be afraid of taking a stand for Jesus because he might not get the big promotion that will make him successful.

E) The person who is popular might be afraid to make a stand for Jesus.

 

NOTE: Joseph was a man who had both wealth and position.

  1. It could very well be that he thought that his wealth could be

    2. threatened by a public stand for Jesus.......

    B) ESPECIALLY when it appears that Jesus was not well received by those with great wealth.

    C) It could be that he felt that his position would be compromised by a public stand for Jesus.....

    1) ESPECIALLY because his position was that of being one of the group that eventually condemned Jesus to death.

    During that period of Joseph's life, he WAS NOT gaining anything by not standing up for Jesus.

    A) He was LOSING!!

  2. While others walked and talked with Jesus.... he watched and listened to Him..... Joseph was no where near to Him.

  1. How many opportunities he must have missed to work WITH and FOR Jesus.

There is another fact we need to know about The FEAR OF MAN.

A) The FEAR OF MAN is related to how much, or how little a person knows the Lord.

Ps. 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do to me.

Ps. 27:1;3 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

Dan. 11:32 the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

In light of this, there is a way in which Joseph serves as an example to us for the good.

  1. His life proves to us that knowing God is the antidote against the fear

of man.

B) LUKE tells us that at Joseph did make a stand for Jesus at the house of the high priest. Luke 23:51 He had not consented to their decision & deed.

C)NOTE: It appears that the testimony of Jesus before the counsel

CONVINCED Joseph of Arimathea that Jesus was the Messiah.

D) Then his FAITH – GREW as he beheld the CROSS!!

John 19:38 And after this Joseph of Arimathea...... besought Pilate that he might take away

The cross of Jesus Christ has the power to change cowards into lions.

WHY? For there man comes to KNOW the love of God for him!!

A) There man sees sin for what it really is....... The horrible consequences of sin....... The unflinching judgement of God against it.

B) There man sees the price God paid for sin - The Son of God nailed to a cross.

C)Joseph beheld the cross of Jesus - He heard Jesus say: "Father forgive

  1. He saw His patience when they mocked Him.... He saw Jesus receive the repenting thief.....

D)He heard Jesus cry in agony when sin separated Jesus from the Father.....He heard the words of victory: "It is finished".....

1) He saw Jesus bow His head at the last and dismiss His spirit.

NOTE: As Joseph beheld the cross of Jesus he threw any and all fear of man to the wind.

1John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear,

He would not only go and ask for the body but he would take Jesus down from the cross and place Him into his own tomb.

A) Fulfilling Prophecy of Isa.53:9 Grave w/ the Rich

B) In doing so he was telling the world that he once feared that Jesus IS right and everyone else is wrong!!

C) The cross COMPELLED Joseph to side with Jesus.

1) The cross COMPELLED Joseph to do ANYTHING for Jesus, no matter how he would look before man.

QUOTE SPURGEON: "The cross of Jesus was like a powerful magnet" that drew Joseph to identify himself with the crucified One.

D) TRUE If you have true faith in Jesus, the cross will finally have that effect upon you.

  1. Just as Magnets can only attract real metal, The cross can only hold

influence over real faith.

 

Today Jesus Christ is not hanging on a cross needing to be buried.

A) But the time that we live in demands that every follower of Jesus step forward and acknowledge Jesus as His Lord and serve Him.

B) EXAMPLE: THE BUOY OFF OF SOUTH WALES WITH A BELL ON IT.

C) It is QUIET in calm weather. But when storms come up it's bell rings and sounds warning for miles in every direction.

D) APPLICATION: We live in stormy times and it time for the true believers to ring out!!

  1. One reason for Joseph coming forward at this moment was because the

enemies of Jesus had gone too far.

 

Paganism today has GONE TO FAR

Mordecai w/ Esther

Esther 4:14,16 Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!"