The Three Crosses
Intro
144
1)
TEXT: Luke 23:33-43
2)
Story told … little boy … listened intently to sermon on the death of Christ
As the preacher described the scourging, humiliation, crucifixion …
… the child began to cry … soon he was sobbing
His mother … embarrassed by the display … leaned over and whispered …
“Don’t cry, dear … you shouldn’t take it so seriously”
3)
When did we stop taking it seriously?
When did we become “desensitized”…“insensitive” to the cross?
4)
We sing: “On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross”
But … there were THREE CROSSES at Calvary
a)
READ
Isaiah the prophet foretold that Christ would be …
“…numbered with the transgressors” (Is 53:12)
(I am a transgressor … so are you)
b)
The two “convicts” who died with Jesus represent you and me
(1) We are ALL convicted of our sins
Rom 3:23 “All have sinned and fall short …”
(2) We ALL deserve to be punished (Rom 6:23)
“For the wages of sin is death …”
(3) These two men were the First Human Beings
who had to “come to grips” with the cross of Christ
(a) They were not the last … every human being since that
time has had to “Respond” to Jesus’ Sacrifice
(b) Their responses REPRESENT Our responses
They each viewed Jesus in opposite ways
Those two views are the only two views there are
YOU will respond to the cross in one of these two ways
Today … we’ll examine the THREE CROSSES
and see what is represented by each
On the one side … we’ll say … On the Left …
5)
I.
The Cross of Rebellion (vs 39)
A. This man’s heart was “cynical” … “rebellious”
1. He saw Jesus as a SINNER
2. He “scoffed” at Jesus … he DIED scoffing
3. He died IN his sins
B. We might ask him … what caused such a cynical, rebellious spirit?
1. “I had tough breaks in my life” … “I have an excuse”
2. I don’t buy it … Jesus had tough breaks too … everybody does
When life hands you lemons … make lemonade
3. Maybe he was disillusioned by corrupt politics … corrupt religion
Maybe he saw “hypocrites” in the church
Maybe he saw that people weren’t as good as they should have been
Maybe he thought that Jesus looked like a LOSER … hanging
C. Are these some of the reasons YOU are rebellious toward God?
1. Is this why YOU “don’t make commitments” and stay on task?
2. Is this why YOU purposefully Disobey, Hurt & Refuse to Get Involved?
3. Is this why YOU Refuse to “Obey the Gospel of Christ” (baptized)?
“Somebody hurt my feelings one time”
Welcome to life … it’s gonna happen again!
b. “I’ll do it when someone comes and asks me”
Jesus is asking you right now, “Come unto me …”
c. “I will when I over-come all my sins”
Then you NEVER WILL … not without the Holy Spirit
And that’s a gift you receive at baptism … Acts 2:38
d. “I’ll join this church when everything suits me there”
D. Folks … the issue here is the CROSS … not “joining” a church
1. You can’t “Join” the church anyway … (Acts 2:47)
… God ADDS you to the church when you’re SAVED
… and you’re not SAVED until you’re BAPTIZED into Christ
a.
Mark 16:16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved”
2.
3.
What do you think about THE CROSS?
Listen … the issue here is … CHRIST
What do you think about JESUS?
This man Didn’t Think Much of Him …
… And He DIED IN HIS SINS
on the right …
II.
The Cross of Repentance (vss 40-42)
A. This man’s heart was Repentant
1. He saw Jesus as a SAVIOR
2. He still believed that Jesus would reign as King in God’s Kingdom
3. He died TRUSTING … that he would be with Christ in Paradise
4. He DIED TO HIS SINS.
B. This man’s criteria for salvation was different than ours
1. What we BELIEVE is now different on this side of the cross
Rom 10:9 “If you shall confess with your mouth that Jesus is
Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him
from the dead, you shall be saved”
2. What we Must DO is now different on this side of the cross
I Pet 3:21 “The like figure whereunto even baptism
doth also now SAVE YOU …”
3. Our belief and our action may be different now …
but REPENTANCE remains a constant
C. What is involved in Repentance? (turning around)
1. Confession I Jn 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
2.
Sorrow 2 Cor 7:10 “godly sorrow produces a repentance without
regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world
produces death”
Obedient Action Luke 3:8 “bring forth fruit
in keeping with repentance”
a. If you’ve never done so … that action is BAPTISM
b. If you’re already “in Christ” … you should begin
demonstrating traits consistent of godly character
D. This man …
1. … saw Jesus as a SAVIOR
2. … placed his TRUST in Jesus
3. … died TO his sins
4. … was on the Cross of Repentance
3.
in the middle …
III.
The Cross of Redemption
A. Jesus saw Himself as a SACRIFICE
1. Mt 1:21 “She shall bring forth a son and you shall call his name
Jesus, for he shall SAVE His people from their sins”
2. Matt 20:28 “The Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
B. Jesus died … FOR OUR SINS
1. Rom 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us,
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”
2. II Cor 5:21 “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our
behalf, so that we might become
the righteousness of God in Him”
3. I Pet 3:18 “For Christ also died for sins once for all,
the just for the unjust, so that He might bring
us to God, having been put to death in the flesh,
but made alive in the spirit”
C. Beloved, do we really comprehend the Cross of Redemption?
1. We are so Vain to think that we understand how He felt
2. We are so Conceited to think we Know All that Took Place there
D. READ Isaiah 53:4-5 & 12
Concl 1)
2)
3)
WE are the transgressors
Those malefactors … they are US
The Cross of Rebellion … The Cross of Repentance
… they are OURS … we choose which one we occupy
… we must Die on one of them
4)
Heb 9:27 “It is appointed unto men Once to Die … after this comes Judgment”
5)
a) Some will die IN their sins
b) Some will die TO their sins
c) But One has died FOR our sins (there’s no need to be Lost today)
Won’t you take advantage of the Cross of Redemption today?
Rom 6:3-4 READ
If you’re an erring Christian … won’t you repent of your sins?
If you have a need … won’t you come.
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