Three people on three crosses - The Lord Jesus Christ and “ two other,
malefactors” - vs32).
The original word
for “other” means “of a different type”.
By the end of the day, all three would be dead.
The two malefactors had a very different journey to the
cross. The reason being they were guilty,been caught and deserving the price of
their crimes – death by crucifixion.
The Lord Jesus Christ was completely different to these
“other” - He is a one of one.
He was
there also for a different reason, and His pathway to His Cross was with
purpose.
He set his face as a flint to go to Calvary ’s
Cross.
“But for this cause came I unto this hour” – John’s Gospel
ch12 vs27
.
On the way there He made the lame to walk, the blind to see,
walked on the water, and many other miraculous things, which proved to all who
He was – the Eternal Son of God. It was God the Father’s fixed purpose for His
Son, Jesus Christ to be at The Cross. It was a total injustice, but by
determined council the date was fixed in eternity for Christ to be there...
Some had tried to kill Him, but His time was not yet come - Salvation was His time.
Jesus Christ was sinless.
Pilate found no fault in Him
Pilate’s wife told him “have nothing to do with that just man”.
One malefactor said “This man hath done nothing amiss”.
Jesus Christ was perfect.
We often need to apologise for things in our own lives, but
in Christ’s life nothing was out of place.
The centurion would have crucified 100’s of men previously , but he knew
this one was different - “Truly this man
was the Son of God”. – Mark’s Gospel ch15 vs39.
There was no anger in Christ – He went willingly to The
Cross without any resistance.
Even though He knew exactly what He was to face there.
God became flesh to die for our sins, but He never ceased to
be God.
“For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily”.
– Colossians ch2 vs9.
When we think what Christ has done for us, it should melt us
to tears and bring us to our knees.
Earlier, when Peter defended Him at His arrest, Christ told
him to put the sword away.
On The Cross, Christ could have had 72,000 angels come, but
never made that call.
He stayed on The Cross for you – and this is God’s great
love towards us that The Lord Jesus Christ who had no sin, took all our sins and
our punishment upon Himself, that we might be forgiven through being repentant
and having faith in Him and His holy sacrifice.
The two malefactors were angry, selfish and just wanted to
escape. They railed on Christ using inappropriate language. However, even to
the end Christ was compassionate, thinking of others – vs34) “Father, forgive
them; for they know not what they do”.
Christ suffered so much. Mocked and beaten – His back was like
a ploughed field and He ceased to resemble how a man should look.
The Lord Jesus Christ cried with a loud voice “It is
finished”. He desired to finish the work of His Father’s will. Salvations work
was completed – He had fully paid the price of our sins in His own body and by
His own blood shed. Our debt was completely dealt with, nothing left owing.
Christ did not die in weakness, or have His life taken – He
laid it down and had the power to take it back up again.
He dismissed His spirit and entered into a controlled death.
The speaker told of one who did not accept she needed a
Saviour. She thought herself a good person that never harmed anyone and her
heart was in the right place. But God’s word tells us that “all have sinned and
fallen short of the glory of God” – we All need a Saviour!
Compare your life to Christ’s – there was no fault in Him at
all, but all of us have done wrong.
Faith in His sacrificial death and resurrection saves us
from our due judgement, because it was all placed on Him. He took our place as
our substitute, and was raised with the ability to save anyone who will repent
and believe.
One malefactor went to Hell and he is there both now and forever.
The other malefactor had a change of heart – vs40/41) “Dost
not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed
justly; for we receive the due rewards of our deeds: but this man hath done
nothing amiss”.
He was soon to die and meet God. He realised he was not ready, and
made that decision to repent and believe – vs42) “Lord, remember me when thou
comest into thy kingdom”. He was now acknowledging Jesus as God and aware of
his sins -
“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved” For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation” – Romans ch10 vs9/10 .
He called and he was saved!
He knew Jesus Christ was sinless, and that there was an
eternity to follow.
He knew that he was not just going to return to dust –
“And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement” –
Hebrews ch9 vs27.
He had paid for the consequences of his actions, but he was
going to Heaven. Forever to be in the presence of The Lord… what a wonderful
prospect for every believer!
This malefactor could do nothing to help or save himself,
and such are all of us. We need to call upon The Lord and be saved from God’s
wrath which is to come upon all those with unforgiven sins.
When Christ saves us, He forgives us totally. Then He gives
our lives a purpose.
We gather together and serve Him as Lord and Saviour.
The two malefactors had the same opportunity and time
scale…but they ended up in the complete opposite places.
Today, you have the same opportunity to put your faith and
trust in The Lord.
The choice is clear -
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on
him” – John’s Gospel ch3 vs36.
Nothing elaborate or fancy is needed to accept Christ – the
malefactors words were simple ones of repentance and faith towards Christ as
Lord.
The speaker told of a man who took his children to Sunday
School and wanted to leave them there, go to the public house for a drink, then
return for them. However, the children were quite shy and Dad had to stay with
them. He heard the Gospel spoken often and came to the end of his tether,
realising his need of repentance and a Saviour…. He simply cried out “Lord, save me!”.
In all the time of eternity we could never pay the price of our
sins, But Christ paid them all in that short time upon The Cross.
Is Jesus Christ YOUR Saviour tonight? Have you called upon
Him?
Receive Him tonight!
“Who his own self, bare our sins in his own body on the
tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes ye are healed”. –
1st Peter ch2 vs24.
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