Observe Three Men on Golgotha

No one ever heard a conversation like this before.  The place was Golgotha, where Jesus comes to the point in his mission of paying the damned penalty for your sin.  That thought ought to be enough to sit and shut up for three hours.  But, no one ever heard a conversation like this before from three men on Golgotha.   This was the place used by the Roman government for the execution of criminals.  You know Golgotha is called, “The place of the skull.”   Whether this name comes from skulls of executed criminals that were scattered all over the place, because the hill was shaped like a skull.  But, you aren’t here today to listen to me talk about why it’s called Golgotha.  You’re here because of what happened on this hill.  You want to hear again the 7 words spoken from the cross by Jesus.  Now it is time to listen to the second time Jesus spoke from the cross that is mingled with the words of two other men.  Yes, standing on the blood-stained soil around the cross at Golgotha I invite you to listen to the conversation as you

Observe Three men on Golgotha

The Impenitent Criminal

All three men were processing what was going on around them.  “³⁵ The people stood watching. The rulers were ridiculing him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, the Chosen One! ³⁶ The soldiers also made fun of him. Coming up to him, they offered him sour wine, ³⁷ saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸ There was also an inscription written above him: “This is the King of the Jews.”” Luke records the ridicule of the religious leaders who hated Jesus and mockingly called him the Messiah!  Did you hear what the soldiers called Jesus and what the sign said over his head?  The King of the Jews?

The 1^st criminal heard it all, too.  He no doubt, heard something else Jesus just finished saying, “Father, forgive them!” (Luke 23:34).   He was also a desperate and dangerous man who had broken the law.  Because of his offenses he was hanging on a cross next to Jesus.  He was guilty.  The sentence passed on to him was a just sentence according to the other criminal, “⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done.”  His sentence was in keeping with his criminal record.  But, he also heard what we just heard and saw what we see.  He even admitted to recognizing who Jesus is and what Jesus had done, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”  Oh, that he meant for Jesus to save him from the curse of his sin and the hell he deserved.  Oh, that he looked upon Jesus as the promised Messiah.  But, his words reveal his unbelief and impenitence.  He had no regrets for his criminal activity.  He had no trust in Jesus as his Savior from sin.  He had no desire to change his life from criminal to good citizen.  Even in the hour of death he remained a defiant, damned worldling.

In this 1^st criminal we have a picture of all unbelieving, unrepentant sinners.  The holy law of God, the blessed Gospel of salvation, and even having the innocent Lord Jesus in his sights make no impression upon him.  He was only looking forward to the death to relieve him of his earthly torture and pains of crucifixion.  But, he badly and eternally gambled his life all to hell.

Observe this 1^st man carefully!  He was lost, NOT because he was a criminal, not because he had sinned, not because the civil courts had condemned him, but because he refused to believe.  The words Jesus had spoken were being fulfilled, “The one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).  Let Jesus’ words stand as a warning to each of us as we observe the 1^st unrepentant criminal on Golgotha and with his repulsive words ringing in our ears “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” we turn to the 2^nd person.

The Repentant Criminal

Yes, the 2^nd Criminal had broken the law, been convicted of his offense and sentenced to death on a cross for his criminal activity.  He, also had been an unbeliever, or possibly had at one time been a godly person.  But, like the 1^st criminal he had forgotten the training he had received at home and at the synagogue.  Up to this point at the scene of Golgotha there wasn’t much difference between the two criminals, but, then something happened: “⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same condemnation? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Something happened to the 2^nd criminal as he hung there on the cross.  He heard the ridicule of the religious leaders, the soldiers, and saw the sign above Jesus’ head and also heard his words, “Father, forgive them!” (Luke 23:34).  He heard the Gospel and he was led to repentance!  How do WE know the Holy Spirit worked on his heart??  WE look at the evidence!

1. He rebuked the other criminal “Don’t you fear God?”
2. He acknowledged and confessed his sin “⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done”
3. He confessed Jesus’ innocence “but this man has done nothing wrong”
4. He pleaded for mercy and forgiveness “⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Observe the conversation on Golgotha where are recorded some of the most beautiful and comforting words Jesus spoke, “⁴³ Jesus said to him, “Amen I tell you: Today you will be with me in paradise.”  This man died clinging to Jesus and received the goal of his faith as the angels carried his soul into heaven.

Observe this 2^nd man carefully!  He was saved, NOT because he was no longer a criminal, not because he would sin no more, not because the civil courts had changed their minds and no longer condemned him to the cross, for he continued to hang there as a consequence of his sin, but not as a gateway to eternal punishment. He believed in Jesus as his Savior. The words Jesus had spoken were being fulfilled, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:36).

While we rejoice at the confession of sin and the confession of faith, it is sad that this happened on Golgotha.  The tragedy in this criminal’s life was that he wasted his time of grace in wicked living and deprived himself, his family and his friends the joy of believing and serving Jesus Christ.  That’s why we turn to Observe the 3^rd Person on Golgotha.

The Innocent Jesus

There was the obvious, common connection between these three men—they were hanging on crosses condemned as criminals.  But, were they all criminals?  Who was Jesus?  Well, to the Jews who hated him Jesus was an impostor and blasphemer who they wanted dead.  We know the answer of Scripture: The Promised Messiah who fulfilled every OT prophesy, the Son of God, the friend of sinners, the Redeemer of people, the “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).  Who is Jesus? Jesus is your Savior who came “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

The 1^st and 2^nd criminals were just that—criminals.  But, wouldn’t you agree that Jesus was innocent?  He wasn’t a criminal and he didn’t deserve to die on a cross.  Pilate, the courtroom judge said at least 4 times, “I find no basis for a charge against this man” (Luke 23:4; John 18:38; 19:4; 19:6).  Herod, sent Jesus back to Pilate with the same judgment.  Pilate’s wife sent a message saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man” (Matt 27:19).  These people were not Jews who hated Jesus, and neither were they followers of Jesus.  After their examination of the evidence they all concluded that Jesus was Innocent!

And yet, he was guilty.  The Father in heaven put the punishment of our sins upon Jesus as our Substitute.  Your sins were placed on Jesus.  Your guilt was placed on Jesus.  Yes, “²¹ God made him, who did not know sin, to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor 5:21).  So, we confess, “not with gold or silver, but with Jesus’ innocent sufferings and death” God’s justice demanded for every criminal, yes for you and me, has been met. Observe Three Men on Golgotha and believe the 2^nd Words Jesus spoke from the cross, “You will be with me in paradise.”  Amen.