See, Hear, Think • Luke 23:26-43

1:11:43 Teaching begins

Notes

Luke records three incidents of the crucifixion of Jesus that don’t appear in the other gospels. He also includes things common to the other gospels, but Luke shows us people who don’t understand Jesus, and he shows us people who do understand Him. Those who don’t understand Jesus are headed for destruction. Those who understand Jesus turn to Him to be saved, and they know that they are saved.

It’s because they were willing to see, to hear, and to think.

I’m reading in Luke 23, from verse 26.

1. Jesus rejects emotionalism without understanding, vv. 26-31.

A. The Romans get Simon of Cyrene to carry Jesus’ crossbeam because Jesus is too weak. He’s been beaten, kept awake, flogged till His bones are exposed in places, most likely has had no food or water.

B. A crowd is following Jesus to the place of execution.

1. There are always people who watch for the entertainment value. These times are not very enlightened.

2. There is a group of women mourning Jesus and weeping as they go. Evidently it is loud, demonstrative, emotional. Jesus is a good Man being executed unjustly, He’s suffering greatly, it’s a pathetic sight.

C. Maybe if it were me being crucified I might feel like, “Wow, at least somebody cares,” as I indulge in self-pity.

D. Jesus does not indulge in self-pity, He’s not thinking about His situation.

1. He knows that He is dying for the sins of the world. He came for this purpose, to give Himself as a substitute for every human being. He is going to really die, too. Not just kind of dead, really dead, in a tomb, for three days.

2. He also knows He’s blameless before God, that God is going to raise Him from the dead. He’s looking forward to the resurrection, that’s the joy set before Him.

E. He’s concerned that these weeping women don’t understand how His execution affects them more than it does Him.

1. He says stop weeping for Me; weep for yourselves. Being a mother is going to become a curse, not a blessing. You’re going to watch your children die. It’ll be better to be barren than experience your children getting killed.

2. They’re killing Me now, but this wickedness of men will grow until it overwhelms you, and then comes the judgment of God.

3. The context for calling the mountains and the hills to fall on you is to shield you and protect you from God as He approaches in judgment. Save me from Him! Hide me! But judgment is inescapable. When you enter into judgement with God, nothing can save you.

4. Jesus sees horrible wickedness and judgment coming, but these women weeping for Him don’t realise that.

F. This is emotionalism, indulging in feelings, just letting go and really having a cathartic experience. Some people feel that’s all religion is, just a way to get your feelings out, and then you feel better.

G. Jesus is not pleased with emotional display and outward show of feelings because when it’s over nothing has changed, outwardly or inwardly. He would rather that they understand who He is and what He is doing. Then they would not lose their children or be consumed in judgment.

2. Jesus shows compassion on the ignorant who don’t understand, vv. 32-38.

A. The soldiers have carried out their task of crucifying three men, and they have to stay there to ensure their death.

B. Jesus prays to the Father to forgive them, because they don’t understand what they’re doing.

1. Crucifixion is exceedingly painful. It makes your nerves all go off at once. You know the feeling when you hit your elbow a certain way. Imagine that happening all over your body. The pain from being nailed to wood. The crown of thorns, hanging in the heat of the sun. You can’t breathe because your muscles go into spasms and stop working, so you have to manually pump your lungs, pushing up on your feet, which are nailed, and running your lacerated back along the wood of the upright wood beam.

2. Jesus is concerned because the soldiers are ignorant of what they’re doing. They’re still guilty. Ignorance is no excuse. So He’s praying for them.

3. He preached many times, pray for those who persecute you and treat you spitefully, love your enemies. You are to be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.

4. With all that pain and suffering, Jesus has compassion on ignorant people who don’t know what they’re doing is bringing them into judgment.

C. If you asked the soldiers, “Are you understanding what you’re doing here?”, they would say, “What do you think we’re doing? We’re executing convicted criminals. Trying to say we don’t know our job? Get out of here before we stick you up there with them!”

D. Ask the priests, “Do you know what you’re doing?” Of course, they know. They’re getting Jesus killed, they’ve succeeded, they’re relieved. “We don’t have to worry anymore. We won!” They’re so happy they’re mocking Jesus, “He saved others, He can’t save Himself!” He’s helpless!

E. The soldiers are getting into the general atmosphere, making fun of Jesus, too. “If you’re the king of the Jews, save Yourself!”

F. Even the criminals being executed with Jesus make fun of Him. They tear Him down, they tear everyone down.

G. Jesus is suffering, but He’s thinking of all them around Him. They don’t know what they’re doing. Ignorance is no excuse, they’re heading into judgment. Forgive them. That is love, thinking of others, not thinking of yourself.

3. In the midst of all this ignorance, arrogance, and not understanding, one man comes to understand, and Jesus saves him, vv. 39-43.

A. Both Gospels of Matthew and Mark notice that both of these criminals on either side of Jesus were mocking Jesus. Everyone was.

B. But you can still see and hear when you’re dying by crucifixion, and you can still think. And that worthless person sees, hears, thinks, and changes his mind about Jesus. We don’t know his process of thinking, but what he saw and heard made him think.

1. He heard Jesus be concerned for the mourning women. He’s more concerned about them than He is for Himself.

2. He heard Jesus forgive the soldiers who nailed Him to wood, who divided up His clothing and gambled for the seamless robe. He killed men, heard men beg for their lives, beg for mercy, nobody ever said, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing.”

3. He’s heard the rulers sneer and mock Jesus and say, “He saved others, let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the Chosen One of God!” He saved others. He did good things. Nobody is accusing Him of any crime. The inscription says, “This is the King of the Jews.” What’s wicked about that?

4. He can see the way Jesus suffers. He’s not cursing anyone. He’s not angry, bitter, vengeful. He’s at peace with God while suffering excruciating death. Nobody ever died like Jesus.

5. Especially not the criminal himself. He is scared to death. He is not at peace with God. He is going to be judged by God for his crimes. He is not just going to die, he is going to Sheol, the place of the unrighteous dead. He is going to lie in darkness in the Pit until it’s time for the judgement of God. He will rise from the dust and be thrown into punishment forever, with shame and everlasting contempt.

6. I think he sees clearly the difference between him and Jesus. I’m guilty, I’m scared to death I’m undone, I’m freaking out, I’m getting what I deserve, but He’s at peace.

C. At some point the criminal understands who Jesus is. He is completely convinced that Jesus is the Messiah, the king of Israel, the Son of God, the Saviour. Because he understands, he repents. Repent means change your mind and change the direction of your life.

D. He rebukes his fellow worthless criminal.

1. “Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?” Don’t you understand what’s happening to us? We’re not going to go poof at the end! We’re going to hell! Don’t you get it?

2. We deserve everything we’re getting because of what we’ve done. We’re wicked, we’ve lived worthless lives.

3. But this Man has done nothing wrong, ever, ever, ever. He is the Righteous One. He defends Jesus, sticks up for Him. You’re wrong about Him. He really is the Messiah.

4. We don’t have a reaction from the other criminal, but I wonder what he thought: “Fear God? What?! What’s got into you?”

E. And then the criminal says to Jesus, “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

1. The Messiah knows him because He knows all men. They’ve never been introduced. He knows Jesus knows him, knows all his wickedness, the worthless way he’s lived. He knows Jesus knows he has completely blown his life, wasted it completely.

2. You’re going to come into Your kingdom, the one that will never pass to another. You’re going to rule on the throne of David forever. Even though Jesus is dying, He will live forever. The criminal knows this because he is convinced Jesus is the Messiah, the Saviour.

3. “Remember me when you come into Your kingdom. Please save me. Please take away all my sins. Please don’t let me go to hell. Please let me be with you.” That’s pretty audacious, isn’t it? “We both know I don’t deserve it, but save me anyway, because You’re from God. You’re good.”

F. And Jesus says, “Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” The soldiers and rulers mock Jesus because they think He’s helpless. He’s not helpless. He is taking a sinner with Him to heaven. He will purify him and glorify him. Nobody can do that except Jesus.

4. So what?

A. Isn’t it amazing how willing Jesus is to save! He’s willing to save a worthless person, written off by the government and everyone else, and about to be executed. He is helpless and unable to do anything to save himself.

B. How powerful Jesus is! Even while He is physically dying He saves that worthless man out of his sins completely. Today you will be with Me in Paradise.

C. You’ve seen and heard. Now think and understand.

1. If you understand how good Jesus is, then you understand how good you are not. You don’t measure up to Jesus at all. You are in danger of God’s judgment. You won’t survive it. You are guilty. You are dying right now.

2. Because you understand this, you turn to Jesus and ask Him to save you, and He’ll do it immediately. He delights in saving you. This is the only rational response to Jesus.

D. You can hear all this and know it, but not turn to Jesus and ask Him to save you. Do you realise you’re in the same group as those women, the soldiers, the rulers, and the other criminal. Like them, you think you know what you’re doing. You’re not convinced Jesus is the Messiah. You are walking away into destruction. You should be scared to be unreasonable.

E. That criminal should not be there in Paradise, but he was willing to see, and hear, and think, and turn to Jesus.

Let’s pray.