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Sermon Notes for September 9, 2007

“Who Is God?”

Sermon Series

“The Forgiveness of God”

Luke 23:32-43

Introduction

  1. We Begin A New Sermon Series Entitled “WHO IS GOD?”
  2. Today’s view of God.
  3. I really do wonder what the average person thinks of God today

1. “God is my friend.”

2. “God is my chum.”

3. “God would never do anything to hurt anyone.”

4. “God is not a God of wrath, but a God of love.”

  1. it seems as if we have defined God as “we see Him”

1. because we believe that God would never show His wrath to
anyone, we speak only of His love

2. we have no real concept of a God who would require justice for
the sins of man

  1. Scripture’s view of God.
  2. over the next several weeks we will be looking at the Biblical view of God

1. we don’t want to allow our emotions or feelings define who
God is

2. we want to allow God’s Word to define Him

a. because if God wrote the Bible - then the Bible should
have an accurate view of who God actually is

b. words that are used to describe God are commonly
called “The Attibutes of God”

1. those characteristics that best “describe God”

2. there are many, many attributes of God

3. these will be the particular attributes of God
that we will be looking at over the next several
weeks

a. The Forgiveness of God

b. The Sovereignty of God

c. The Love of God

d. The Holiness of God

e. The Incomprehensibility of God

f. The Justice of God

h. The Wrath of God

i. The Grace of God

j. The Glory of God

  1. hopefully we will have a much more “balanced” view of God at the conclusion of the sermon
  1. We Begin This Sermon Series By First Looking At The FORGIVENESS OF GOD.
  2. One CANNOT understand the true nature of God without looking at the forgiveness of God.
  3. And we will see this forgiveness expressed in the most beautiful story of the thief on the cross.

I. The REALITY Of The Scene.

  1. The PARTICULARS.
  2. We find ourselves in this text at the cross of Jesus on Golgotha.
  3. Jesus Christ had been tried and sentenced to death on the cross
  4. Jesus carried His cross to Golgotha where He was impaled on the cross and lifted up for all to see
  5. As Jesus was being placed on the cross, two other criminals were being crucified as well.

B.The PATHOS.

  1. The Criminals.

Vs. 32 – “Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be
executed.”

  1. these were not common criminals

1. the Greek word for criminals used is evil doers; some say
thieves

2. but they were not common thieves – Rome did not crucify petty
thieves

  1. more than likely, they were thieves who not only stole from others but would possibily murder as well – (as in the man beaten and left for dead in the Parable of the Good Samaritan)
  2. some believe that these criminals may have even been terrorists, who were intent on planning a coup against the Roman government.
  1. The Crosses.

Vs. 33 – “When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left.”

  1. thus, there were three crosses, one each for the criminals and one for the Son of God
  2. to make matters worse, the Roman soldiers placed Jesus BETWEEN these two condemned criminals
  1. The Criticism.
  2. from the crowd

1. it was a circus atmosphere for the people

Vs. 35 - The people stood watching, and the rulers even
sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save
himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."

2. it was a condemning atmosphere for the soldiers

Vs. 36 – “The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They
offered him wine vinegar.”

a. at the Praetorian, the Roman soldiers greeted Jesus as
they would any other King, offering Jesus four things
given any other king

Mark 15:16-20 – “The soldiers led Jesus away into the
palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the
whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on
him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it
on him. And they began to call out to him, "Hail, king
of the Jews!" Again and again they struck him on the
head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees,
they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked
him, they took off the purple robe and put his own
clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.”

1. they gave Him a robe

2. they gave Him a crown

3. they gave Him a septer

4. they gave Him a greeting

b. This mocking continued at the cross. They even nailed
a placard above Jesus’ cross describing Him:

1. THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

2. little did they know how accurate this really
was

  1. from the criminals

1. initially even the criminals hurled insults at Him

Vs. 39 - One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at
him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

2. but notice that BOTH of the criminals initially insulted Jesus

Matthew 27:44 – “In the same way the robbers who were
crucified with him also heaped insults on him.”

3. essentially, everyone was against Him . . . even the criminals
with whom He was being crucified!

  1. The PROPHECY.
  2. Little did anyone know that all of this was God’s foreordained prophecy.
  3. Psalms 22:7-8 - All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."
  4. Psalms 22:16 – “Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet.”
  5. Psalms 22:18 – “They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.”
  6. Little did anyone know that this was God’s foreordained plan.

Acts 2:23 – “This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.”

  1. So . . .
  2. this event, this cross, was not simply the execution of a man who seemed to cause a lot of problems
  3. this was not an event that the Romans could simply “take care of” and “get out of the way”
  4. this was the most monumental event in all of history, an event that God was totally in charge of

1. He had prophesied it

2. He had planned it

  1. so . . . if God was in charge of this scene – WHAT DID HE WANT US TO SEE IN THIS PARTICULAR SCENE?

1. not only would we see the plan of God as seen in the sacrificial
death of Jesus on the cross

2. In the providence of God we would also be forced to see the
grace of God in the salvation of the thief. DON’T MISS
THIS PHENOMENAL LESSON OF GRACE!

II. The REACTION Of The Thieves.

  1. The CURSES Of A Lost Man.
  2. The cries of a desperate man.

Vs. 39 - One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

  1. one of the thieves had no respect for Jesus at all
  2. BECAUSE he knew that he:

1. was going to die

2. was guilty of his own crimes

3. wanted to make Jesus appear that He was as bad as he was

a. “If I am going down, then you will too.”

b. he wants to think that there is someone out there that is
as guilty or more guilty than he.

  1. The curses of a dying man.
  2. the Greek word used in verse 39 is blasphemo
  3. the meaning of the word is to:

1. rail against

2. bring curses upon

  1. this particular thief was full of vengeance; cursing, vile language directed at Jesus
  1. The CONFESSION Of A Lost Man.
  2. He addressed his fear.

Vs. 40a – “But the other criminal rebuked him. Don’t you fear God?”

  1. the other criminal was impressed by Jesus

1. somewhere between the time that the thief was placed on the
cross and the time of the day, this criminal had changed his
mind about Jesus

a. perhaps he had heard about Jesus and His miracles

b. perhaps he had even heard or seen Jesus personally

c. I believe it was three reasons:

1. One – before his statement to Jesus, the criminal
had heard Jesus speaking to His heavenly
Father

a. V. 34 - “Father, forgive them for they
know not what they are doing.”

b. Mark 15:34 - “My God, my God, why
have you forsaken me?”

2. Two – but also, the thief had seen the earth
become dark –

a. in the middle of the day – at high noon

b. perhaps he began to “put it all together”

3. Three – perhaps it was the evidence as seen in
the person and attitude of Jesus Himself – He
was only a few feet from Jesus Christ Himself!

2. the criminal was SO IMPRESSED with whatever he saw from
Jesus that he rebuked the other criminal who blasphemed Jesus

  1. whatever it was, the criminal became convinced that Jesus WAS INDEED the King of the Jews
  1. He addressed his guilt.

Vs. 41 – “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.
But this man has done nothing wrong."

  1. unlike the other criminal, who seemed intent to spread out the blame, this criminal admitted his own guilt

1. if they were simple thieves, he would never have made the
statement, “We are getting what our deeds deserve”

2. he knew that whatever he had done was punishable by death

a. the word justly:

1. is the Greek word dikaios

2. the word means righteously, agreeable

b. the word deserve:

1. is the Greek axios

2. it means due penalty, befitting; congruous;
consistent with the crime

  1. this thief, unlike many dying criminals, ADMITTED HIS GUILT
  1. He assessed his need.

Vs. 42 - Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your
kingdom."

  1. his own physical state

1. consider the physical predicament of the criminal

a. he had been sentenced to death by crucifixion

1. one of the most brutal ways that man had ever
devised to execute another man

2. because of the way that a man is positioned on
the cross, the man would either die by:

a. suffocation because he couldn’t breathe

b. or a heart attack because of the strain on
his body

3. ultimately, if a man were not dead after being on
the cross for a few hours, the Romans would
break the man’s legs (crucifracture) to speed up
his death

b. THIS MAN KNOWS THAT HE IS GOING TO DIE!

2. consider the physical pain of the criminal

a. even though he knew that he was going to die,

1. and he was suffering greatly and painfully,

2. his life was literally ebbing away from him.

b. he began to deal with his own inevitable eternity

  1. his own spiritual need.

1. NOTICE WHAT HE SAID TO JESUS. “Jesus: remember
me when you come into your Kingdom.”

a. “Jesus”

1. this is the ONLY TIME that any person in all
of Scripture ever addressed Jesus Christ by
His first name – “Jesus”

a. as it were, His “personal” name

b. the name Jesus’ own mother would have
called Him

c. the only other times Jesus was addressed
this way was by a demon-possessed man

1. Mark 1:24 – “What do you want
with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have
you come to destroy us? I know
who you are—the Holy One of
God!”

2. Mark 5:7 – He shouted at the top
of his voice, “What do you want
with me, Jesus, Son of the Most
High God? Swear to God that you
won’t torture me!”

2. every other time that Jesus was addressed, He was called:

a. Jesus Christ

b. Lord

c. Rabbi

d. Teacher

e. Master

3. apparently this criminal wanted to talk to Jesus
in the most personal way that he could

b. “remember me”

1. the criminal uses the Greek word mnaomai

a. be mindful

b. recall in your mind

2. DON’T FORGET ME!

3. NOTICE . . . THIS IS ALL THAT THE
CRIMINAL SAID REGARDING HIS
FAITH IN JESUS! REMEMBER ME!

a. Not - “I submit myself to your Lordship.”

b. Not – “Will you come into my life to be
my Lord and Savior.”

c. Not – “Forgive me of my sins.”

4. stories:

a. Pastor Raoul Comninos – “In fact,
when I hear the words spoken to a
desperate and lonely man, it is as if my
entire Christian life suddenly comes
flooding back to me.”

b. my own story

1. I didn’t use Christian jargon.

2. I simply said, “God, if you are
there, I invite you into my life.”

a. I did not confess His
lordship.

b. I did not say that I was
sorry for my sins.

c. I did not get on my knees
to pray.

d. It was “an arrow sent up
in faith” by a desperate
person.

c. “When you come into your Kingdom”

1. “when”

a. Greek – houtan

b. as soon as, when

2. “you come”

a. Greek - erchomai

b. to arrive, go from one place to another

3. “into your Kingdom”

a. Greek – basileia

b. dominion, rule, the territory of a ruler

c. without a doubt, the criminal fully
believed that Jesus was a King and that
He would “soon” be ushered into His
Kingdom

d. the dying thief was the first person on
this earth to actually believe in the
crucified, resurrected Savior and
King!

2. notice what the criminal DIDN’T say

a. what a simple, desperate choice of words . . .
“remember me”

b. that’s all that he said – because that’s all the faith that
he had

1. he spoke from his heart

2. even if he didn’t know the “right words” to use

III. The RESPONSE Of The Lord.

  1. Jesus FOCUSED On The Thief.
  2. We MUST realize that Jesus was undergoing tremendous physical pain.
  3. unlike the other criminals, He had already been beaten half to death
  4. BESIDES the torture of crucifixion
  5. We must realize that Jesus was undergoing tremendous spiritual strain.
  6. Jesus’ greatest fear was not the physical pain of the cross, but the spiritual strain of:

1. sin being placed on Him

2. separation from His heavenly Father

3. He was there dying for the sins of the world!

  1. AND YET:

1. JESUS CHRIST, THE LORD – the creator of the world;
through whom all things were made and for whom all things
were made

2. Jesus Christ, to whom every knee would bow and tongue
would confess

3. IN A DYING STATE – FOCUSED ON A:

a. NOBODY

b. a common criminal

c. one who deserved his sentence

d. one who had lived a live of disobedience and
ungodliness

e. one who had never been to church

  1. Jesus FORGAVE The Thief.

Vs. 43 - Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

  1. His salvation is a fact – “I tell you the truth.”
  2. Jesus uses the words truly, (NIV – “I tell you the truth”)
  3. this is the Greek word amen

1. this is a word derived from the Hebrew; it then was adapted by
the Greek

2. in turn it became a Latin word and eventually an English word

3. the word “amen” has been called the best known word in
human speech

4. it is a word of absolute trust and confidence

5. what Jesus is about to tell the thief IS A FACT

  1. His salvation is fast – “today.”
  2. the Greek word semeron means today - this very day
  3. Jesus is telling this thief that:

1. ON THIS VERY DAY THIS THIEF WOULD BE IN
GLORY

2. he would not have to wait:

a. one nanosecond

b. no purgatory

c. no waiting period

3. TODAY!

  1. His salvation is focused – “today you will be with me in paradise.”
  2. Jesus uses two personal pronouns –

1. “you will be”

a. Greek éson

b. the first person singular future tense

2. “with me”

a. with – meta, with, among

b. me – emou – me, my, mine

  1. Jesus personalizes this so that there can be no mistake – what He is saying to the thief.
  1. His salvation is futuristic – “today you will be with me in paradise.”
  2. the definition of Paradise

1. the word Paradise actually comes from the Persians

a. the word paradise meant walled garden

b. a Persian King would often honor some of his subjects
by inviting them to walk with him in his beautiful
protected garden

  1. The application of Paradise.

1. NOTICE THE IMPACT OF THIS STATEMENT! (as seen by
English preacher, Charles Spurgeon)

a. the thief on the cross would be THE LAST HUMAN
BEING that Jesus would speak to on this earth before
His death

b. BUT . . . the thief on the cross could well be the FIRST
PERSON THAT JESUS SAW AS HE RETURNED
TO HEAVEN

c. Charles Spurgeon – Who is this that entereth the
pearl-gate at the same moment as the King of glory?
Who is this favoured companion of the Redeemer?
Is it some honoured martyr? Is it a faithful apostle?
Is it a patriarch, like Abraham; or a prince, like
David? It is none of these. Behold, and be amazed at
sovereign grace. He that goeth in at the gate of
paradise, with the King of glory, is a thief, who was
saved in the article of death. He is saved in no
inferior way, and received into bliss in no secondary
style. Verily, there are last which shall be first!

2. what an extreme change:

a. from dying for a crime you committed

b. to being in heaven with a Savior you confessed

c. to go from the brutality of the cross to a place that Paul
described – II Corinthians 12:2-4 – “I know a man in
Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the
third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of
the body I do not know--God knows. And I know
that this man--whether in the body or apart from the
body I do not know, but God knows--was caught up
to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things
that man is not permitted to tell.”

Conclusion:

  1. What do we learn from the thief on the cross?
  2. ONE – we learn that the thief on the cross was providentially put there by Jesus to teach us the MAGNIFICENT GRACE AND FORGIVENESS OF GOD

1. was this event simply an accident, with the thief crucified right by
Jesus?

a. if God is truly God, can you imagine the placement of the thief
to Jesus as being an accident?