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A. BACKGROUND  ...  Much in life is a foregone conclusion. We may get side-tracked, go off on tangents. But for most of us, everything has consequences. You do this and therefore don’t do that. As a result, this happens and that other outcome doesn’t. Regarding Jesus, he set his life course inexorably toward the cross, theologically and politically. Politically, he spent his three-year public ministry challenging the religious status quo AND attracting the kind of crowds, support, and attention the political status quo would hate. Going to Jerusalem for Palm Sunday and Passover brought everything to a head. “To a head” in Roman times meant crucifixion.
 
B. TODAY ... Luke 23:32-43
 
C. SUMMARY.   Jesus was force-marched from Pontius Pilate’s Roman headquarters to the crucifixion hill called Golgotha or Calvary. The march route is now called “The Via Dolorosa” (way of sorrows) and is remembered on Good Friday with “The Stations of the Cross” (the stops of happenings along the way). One station is that Jesus was too weakened by torture to carry his cross beam, so an African bystander, Simon, was made to carry it. On Golgotha/Calvary Jesus was nailed hand and foot to the cross between two criminals. On the cross, while dying, Jesus makes 7 statements (the “7 Last Words”). The first is “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (verse 34). At that, one of the criminals being crucified mocks Jesus. The second criminal comes to Jesus’ defense. “We’re getting what we deserve,” he says, “but this fellow is innocent” (vs. 40-43). Then he askes Jesus to remember him in his kingdom, and Jesus assures the criminal that he is saved and will be in paradise that day.
 
D. KEY POINTS

  1. Are you KIDDING ME??? Last week a hate-filled terrorist slaughtered 50 Muslims at prayer. On Monday the dad of one of the victims forgave the slaughterer. Last September we had a woman from the Charleston-Emanuel Church, where a hate-filled terrorist slaughtered nine at Bible Study. She told us how quickly she had forgiven the murderer of her dad. How? Why? Where does such strength of forgiveness come from? We had a local Methodist pastor speak at church; he ended up officiating at the wedding of the man who killed his son. The movie/book “Unbroken” told of an American POW who forgave his Japanese captors and torturers. The Amish forgave the man who killed their children in Pennsylvania. How? The cross. In the middle of his death, looking out over a crowd of torturers, executioners, enablers, tormentors, Jesus issues a blanket absolution – “you’re all forgiven”. No confession, repentance, baptism. Just Jesus’ own love greater than anybody’s own hate. Stunning.
  2.   The GOOD THIEF. Do you think about death? Especially your own? How would you be in your final hours? The two thieves crucified with Jesus had time to prepare themselves. Crucifixion itself is a several hour ordeal at the very least. One chose to use his final hours being bitter, sarcastic, mocking. The other looked into his own heart and saw a life full of sin and guilt; and looked into Jesus’ heart and saw purity and love. Even nailed to his cross “the Good Thief” spiritually reached out to touch that pure love. He is rewarded with Jesus’ undying love, pun-intended. Do “death-bed conversions” count? Last rites, confession with no chance for repentance, or restoration? People are skeptical. But even the skeptic often says, “only God can know the heart”. So God, in Christ, looked at the convicted, capital-punished criminal's heart, and says, “You’re good. We’re good. We’re going to Paradise”. Once again, the personal love of God is far more amazing grace than most religion gives God credit for. We prefer formulas, creeds, rituals, exclusionary barriers, hoops. Hey, groups have a right to make their own rules. Just don’t blame it on Jesus. 



The Cross.
The loss.
The cost.
The gain for me
the win
sin-free,
somehow.

The miracle
the victory
the irony
all done for me
amazing grace,
somehow.

The life
the death
the love
the gift for me
too good to be
true. 
Somehow.

Yet, the blood
         the hurt
         the cause
         too close for me
         too hard to see
         somehow.

Yes, the tree
the curséd wood
shaped to a “ t ”
pounded by nails, by me,
twisted by pain’s travail,
no pain, no gain for me
how quickly I see
the “ t ” becomes an “ i .”

I, the cause and effect,
I, the good thief and the bad,
I the Pilate, I the priest.
I the leper, I the least,
I, St. Peter, I, St. John.
I was there, I was gone
I, the mother
I, the crowd,
one hoping for salvation
one cursing out loud.
I, the centurion,
believing at last
I, me, looking at the tree,
bended knee,
aghast.