This morning we come to Luke 23 and the death of Jesus on the cross.  I realize I am out of sync with the season.  Tis the season to be jolly and instead we are going to be anything but.  However, if we can get Jesus buried this morning for the next couple of weeks, as we approach Christmas, we can be jolly in the resurrection and the time Jesus spent with his disciples before the ascension.  Perhaps, next week we can make a connection between the stable and the tomb; that sounds more like a Christmas sermon.  So, let me invite you to put visions of sugar-plums out of your head and focus with me on the death of Jesus. 

I want to begin by doing the end of the sermon first.  Usually, I do the end of the sermon at the end.  But this morning I am going to do the end first because I think it will help us to see an amazing point Luke is making in this chapter.  And, perhaps, it will help us to emotionally connect to that point.  So here is the end of my sermon.

Luke 23:34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

During the excruciating pain of crucifixion, Jesus offered an amazing prayer to God.  It wasn’t what my prayer would have been, “Father, nuke ‘em for they are a bunch of idiots!” or “Father, avenge me! They deserve it!”  or “Father, bring your justice!  Reign it down on these evil people.”  Instead Jesus offered the godliest prayer ever spoken!  “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  And that is the point of this sermon. 

The cross is all about forgiveness.  The cross is all about reconciliation. The cross is all about Jesus bringing salvation to this world.  Remember what Jesus told Zacchaeus? “I have come to seek and save the lost” and that was accomplished on the cross! 

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Wow!  There is our forgiveness!  There it is hanging on the cross! “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  Can you imagine any more perfect demonstration of the essence of who Jesus really was?  He came to be the forgiveness of the world! 

That is the end of the sermon.  That is the bottom line.  That is what it is all about!  Now, I want to go back and do the middle of the sermon and I want to connect this ending to the middle. We have to see all of Luke 23 from the perspective of, “Father, forgive them.”   

Luke is an amazing writer.  He would have been a great screen writer; you know those guys who take a story and put into a movie.  Instead of straight up telling of what happened to Jesus as he went to the cross, Luke records the events as seen through the eyes of a variety of different people.  It is like Luke has 12 different cameras each filming the death of Jesus from a different point of view.  Bam, bam, bam, each person has a different perspective.  Each person in chapter 23 has a different interaction to the death.   So, we are going to look at 12 camera shots of the death.  But, remember we are connecting the end to the middle.  The 12 are the “them” in, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”  Forgiveness is extended to them!

Pilate. 
Luke 23:1-24 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate.  And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."  So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?" "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.  Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."  But they insisted, "He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here." 

We are skipping the Herod part and going to 13.

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.  Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.  Therefore, I will punish him and then release him." 

We are skipping to verse 20.

20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"  For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him."  But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.  So Pilate decided to grant their demand.

Pilate gave into the manipulation of the chief priests.  He knew Jesus was innocent. He knew it! And he wanted to release Jesus.  But he gave into the pressure; he caved.  But Pilate was one of the “them” Jesus asked the Father to forgive.  The forgiveness of the cross is offered to all who have given into the crowd.

Herod
Luke 23:7-12  When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.  When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle.  He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.  The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him.  Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they sent him back to Pilate.  That day Herod and Pilate became friends-- before this they had been enemies.

Herod was curious about Jesus, but he was not a believer.  He reminds me of those “scholars” on the Discovery channel who explore the historical Jesus but who don’t take him seriously. Herod was curious. But you know what?  The forgiveness of the cross is offered to curious skeptics too.

Barabbas
Luke 23:18-19, 24-25  With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!"  (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)    24 So Pilate decided to grant their demand.  He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

Luke, as I said, is a wonderful writer.  Here is the irony.  The one who was really guilty of the charges Jesus was executed for, goes free.  Jesus trades places with the guilty.  Wow!  That’s us!  No matter what you are guilty of, even murder, Jesus offers to trade places with you!  That’s what it’s all about!

Simon
Luke 23:26 As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Simon becomes symbolic of those who would follow Jesus.  It has always stuck me as odd that his name is mentioned.  Why mention the name of this guy who was picked up off the street to carry the cross?  Because he could be us!  We are just people off the street.  The forgiveness of the cross is offered to just average Joes who can then carry the cross of Jesus.  He wasn’t a terrible criminal or a curious skeptic, or wishy-washy tyrant, he was just Simon the country boy.  He became worthy to carry the cross.  In this one verse Luke gives me the hope of salvation.  That’s what it’s all about!

Daughters of Jerusalem
Luke 23:28-31 Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.  For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!'  Then "'they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"'  For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

These women were suffering.  Their hearts were broken.  Things weren’t turning out like they thought.  Their loved one was going to die and that crushed them.  And the sad thing was many of them were going to suffer more when Jerusalem was destroyed.  But even in this scene there is good news.  The cross offers forgiveness to the suffering.  God knows your pains and offers hope.  The hope of the cross is for those who suffer with Jesus!

 

Scoffers
Luke 23:35-37   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." The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."

The cross offers forgiveness to scoffers.  Even those who ridiculed the Chosen One can be forgiven.  Is there any crime as bad as sneering at the crucifixion?  Even to “them” forgiveness is offered! You could not have done anything in the ballpark as wicked as that. 

Insulting Criminal
Luke 23:32-33, 38-39  Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.  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.    38There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.  One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

Even in death some people are hateful! Even as this guy is suffering the same as Jesus, he mocks him.  Some people are mean all the way to the end.  But, guess what, the forgiveness of the cross is there.

Other Criminal
Luke 23:40-43  But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."  Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."  Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

It seems this other criminal gets it.  Even as he is dying he wants to be a part of the kingdom of God.  The forgiveness of the cross brings the hope of paradise.  It brings hope of the big banquet table shared with Jesus! Don’t you wish you were the one who had Jesus speak those words to you; “Today you will be with me in paradise."

Centurion
Luke 23:44-47  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,  for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.  The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man."

Do you see the power of the cross?  Even as Jesus died the power of forgiveness begins to wash out from it. It was a tangible thing. It hammers this callused, cruel centurion with the realization of the righteous that was emanating from the cross. Forgiveness flows from the cross.  

People
Luke 23:48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 

This is the camera angle which shows that some people are touched by the sight of Jesus, who may have even believed, but have walked away. The forgiveness of the cross is still reaching out to those who have walked away from Jesus. 

Women
Luke 23:49   But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. 

Perhaps this is where I find myself.  I may be one of the ones watching the power of Jesus from a distance.  But the power of the cross is drawing all of us in.  “Father, forgive even those who watch from a distance and draw them in.”

Joseph
Luke 23:50- 56 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.  Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.  The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.  Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Then the marvelously good man, Joseph, has the courage to stand up for Jesus and cares for the body of Jesus.  His courage draws these women of who were at a distance into the scene. They want to give Jesus a proper funeral.  The forgiveness of the cross is also extended to the faithful.  You don’t have to be a murderer or pagan centurion to feel the full measure of God’s grace.  It has the power to pull even the long time faithful into the ministry of Jesus. 

We have done the end and the middle, now we are going to do the beginning of the sermon.  This is the part of the sermon where I usually ask a question that we are going to answer in the sermon.  So, here is the question for this sermon, “Who are you?”  Which of the 12 are you?

There are those who know Jesus but really don’t want to go against the crowd.  They reject Jesus because of what others might think. 

There are those who are interested in Jesus but not willing to commit to him.  They are the skeptics, the curious,  who look but don’t touch. 

There are those who have led a rebellious life. They are Barabbas.  Sometimes, they don’t even know he died in their place.

There are those who are just ordinary people who are caught up in the cross.  They become worthy of Jesus.

There are those who are hurting and need to know Jesus cares enough to die. 

There are those who are insulting and abusive to the Son of God. 

There are those who are dying and still mock God.

There are those who have sinned and are paying the price, but now are ready to turn to Jesus.

There are those who are pagans but suddenly see who Jesus is.

There are those who have known what Jesus did, but walk away.

There are those who stand at a distance and watch.

There are those who are faithful and connect to the ministry of Jesus.

Luke lays out 12 groups of the “them” which Jesus asked the Father to forgive, “Who are you?”  The forgiveness of the cross is offered to all.  I have said offered because that is what Jesus did.  He never forces his forgiveness on anyone, he simply extends the invitation.  You have to respond to the offer of forgiveness.  If we cheated and skipped about two months into the future from the death of Jesus, we would see some of the 12 groups, when they realized who Jesus was and what he had done, ask, “What shall we do?” How do we accept this forgiveness?  We would hear Peter say,

Acts 2:38  "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

The power of forgiveness flows from the cross of Jesus all the way over 1974 years and 7,137 miles to here, today and is offered to you…