Luke chapter 23. Verse 1 says, And the whole multitude
of them arose and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him,
saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation. He got
there a little late for that. They had done that a long time
ago. And forbidding to give tribute
to Caesar. That too was false accusation. It was Christ himself who said,
render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. and unto God
the things that are God. So they're falsely accusing him
here. Saying that he himself is Christ
a king. And Pilate asked him, saying,
Art thou the king of the Jews? And he answered him and said,
Thou sayest it. You've said it. Then said Pilate
to the chief priest and to the people, I find no fault in this
man. Christ said in John's account,
John 18, my kingdom is not of this world. And so Pilate is
asking him here, are you a king? And Christ is saying, I'm not
a king in the sense that you think of a king. I'm not struggling
for rank among men in this world. See, he had already done many
remarkable things, miraculous things. He had already healed
multitudes physically. He had raised the dead. He'd
cast out demons. He'd fed the 5,000. He'd calmed
the raging sea, controlling nature. And yet men could not see that
his kingship was of a higher order than any earthly king. He said, my kingdom is not of
this world. So our message today from later
on in this 23rd chapter is the King speaking from the cross. The King speaking from the cross. You remember our Lord made seven
statements from the cross. And in the verses we're going
to read now, He makes one of these statements, dropping down
to verse 32. And there were also two other
malefactors led with him to be put to death. And when they were
come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified
him and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other
on the left." Dropping down to verse 39, "'And one of the malefactors
which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save
thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked
him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same
condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we
receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man hath done
nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord,
remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Now here's
the King speaking from the cross. And Jesus said unto him, Verily
I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about the sixth hour,
and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth
hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was
rent in the midst. Seven times our Lord spake. from
the cross. First, in this chapter, in verse
34, a word of forgiveness. Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do. Secondly, in verse 43, where
we just read, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with
me in paradise. And third, From John 19, 26 and
27, a word of affection. He said, woman, behold thy son. And to John, he said, behold
thy mother. Fourth, in Matthew 27, 46, a word of anguish. My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me? In that statement, you note he
did not say my father. Because he's not there representing
himself, he is there in our behalf. So he says, my God, my God, why
hast thou forsaken me? And then fifth, John 19, 28,
a word of suffering. I thirst. And then sixth, John
19, 30, a word of victory. It is finished. And then seventh. from right here in Luke 23, 46,
a word of accomplishment. Father, into thy hands I commend
my spirit. So that's the seven times he
spoke from the cross. I want to begin by saying it
is a very sick mindset of religious thought that Christ on the cross
was a victim in any way. The king did not lay down his
scepter to die. No, he is stretching forth the
scepter, ruling in absolute control and authority as he dies. Remember he had said, no man
taketh my life from me. I lay it down to myself. I lay it down, then I might take
it up again. And so coming on down in this
chapter to verse 38, the superscription written in Greek, Latin, and
Hebrew, this is the King of the Jews. So this is what we're talking
about, the King speaking from the cross. It was customary that
it be on an inscription a criminal's crimes for which he was being
put to death, for which he was being executed. But there were
no crimes to charge the Lord Jesus with. Pilate had clearly
said, I can't find anything wrong with him. I find no fault in
this man. So what is it he's charged with?
What is on the inscription, King? He's the king. Someone had planted
a crown of poisonous thorns, pressed it down upon his head
in mockery that every king should wear a crown. He is a king, but
not as though they suppose he is professing to be. In 1 Corinthians
2, Paul the apostle said, This was the wisdom of God in a mystery,
even the hidden wisdom which God had ordained before the world,
which none of the princes of this world knew. For had they
known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. It was God's work to hide it
from the minds and understanding of men. that this one they were
crucifying was indeed the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It's
by a miracle of sovereign grace, the King on the cross. In the
passage we've read here, he brings one of two malefactors to understand
fully that Christ is the King and that he has a kingdom. We
could spend some time on comparing these two. They were both criminals,
rebels, murderers, insurrectionists. They were both guilty. They were
both condemned to die. They were alike in so many ways.
And yet in the end, there is seen to be a difference in them. And it's not a difference that
one made of himself. It's a difference that God did
put. It was a difference of sovereign
grace. One was given everlasting life
in mercy and grace, and the other one died in his sins and perished
in his sins justly, as we all deserve to do. This one is brought to petition
the king in verse 32. It's 42. And that petition involves
Christ's kingdom. He says, Lord, Remember me when
thou comest into thy kingdom. Note the man's petition is not
if, but when. When thou comest into thy kingdom. He knows the truth. While there
were many learned men, religious men, respectable men that had
the truth hidden from them, There's plenty of outward evidence
to know who Christ is, but it's hidden from their hearts. They
just can't believe in Him. But this one, this guilty, condemned,
dying criminal is given a new heart while he's dying on the
cross. And it's the work of the King.
It's the work of the King. It's not intelligence. an insight
on this man's part. It's not his craftiness, no.
It's the work of the king that changed this man's heart. Crucifying Christ between two
thieves, the one on the left and the other on the right, it
was meant to add misery to his case. I read that whether there were
three, five, or seven, how many were being crucified, it was
customary to put the most despised one in the middle. The one that society wanted rid
of the most was placed on the middle cross. But what they did, meaning to
increase his misery, shame, It served rather to reveal his majesty. This one who died in his sins
was one cross away from the King of glory. And this one who was
given a new heart to live forever with the King was one cross away
from him dying. And the king would stretch forth
his scepter, the scepter of his authority, and speak peace to
this sinner, even from the cross, with his blood dripping down
to the ground. So there's three things I want
to consider quickly this morning about this. One, it is the king's
prerogative to save. Nobody backs God in a corner.
It is the king's prerogative. If he sends you to hell, he's
done right. You can count on it. You may play religious and
claim, no, that's not fair, that's not fair. But you know in your
heart as well as I do, if God puts you in hell, he's done right.
It's the king's prerogative. It has been said that One of
the thieves is saved in his dying hour that none should despair. Oh yes, there's hope. But then
it said that only one was saved that none should presume. So it's a serious matter. Many
have said of this repentant thief and given him the credit Many
have said it was his last opportunity to be saved and he took advantage
of it. Well, there's one problem with
that. Salvation is not by opportunity. It takes a lot more than opportunity. You've got the opportunity to
jump over the moon tonight if you want to. I won't stop you.
But you don't have the ability. You don't have the power. Salvation
is not by opportunity, it's by the power of God. And left to
themselves, both thieves would have perished in their sins.
And why not? Both were guilty, condemned,
criminals before men, rebellious sinners before God. According
to Matthew's account, you can compare the accounts of this story of the cross. According
to Matthew's account, Matthew 2744, and according to Mark's
account, Mark 1532, at the first, both these thieves were participants
in the mocking and scoffing and reviling of the Son of God. Both were negative. Both were
joining with the mob, the crowd, They deserve to perish in their
sins, both of them. Then why should the Son of God
in this crucial hour bother to extend mercy and grace to anyone
of a fallen race who has crucified Him? Why should He? Why should
He? It is the King's prerogative
to save or to damn. But because he is the king, because
he is the king, he puts a difference between the two. There is definitely no difference
in the two, but he put a difference between
the two. One will take his last breath
and plunge into the pits of the damned alienated from Christ
forever. The other will take his last
breath and be forever in the presence of the King. Why? It's the King's prerogative. I want to say this morning, when
you can find any reason for what God does other than the simple
fact that He wanted to do it, He's the King, you found the
wrong reason. Because that's the only reason
God has to do anything. It's because He's the King. It's
His prerogative. Psalm 115, verse 3, He hath done
whatsoever He hath pleased, not what you please, but what He
pleases. Ephesians 1, verse 11, He worketh
all things, not some, but He worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will. Nahum 1.3, he doeth according
to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of
the earth. Daniel 4.35, it is the king's prerogative. He hath his way in the whirlwind
and in the storm, Nahum said. Who can tell what God will do?
Jonah 3, 9. Who can tell in such an hour
as this? Esther 4, 4. It's the King's
prerogative. The word peradventure. I did some running on this word
this week. Peradventure. It occurs 32 times
in scripture. And what it means is a specific
scenario. What if this should be the case?
What if that should be the case? What if such and such circumstances
arise? What then? Pair adventure. This happened
or that happened. The answer is always the same.
It's the king's prerogative to do what he wants to. Who is to say Christ can't let
both these thieves perish. Who is to say he can't save them
both? Who is to say he has to save
at least one of them? Who is to say he can save only
one of them? The answer is the king's prerogative. This doesn't sit well with fallen
nature that likes to be our own God. But I will tell you, folks,
this is the book. This is who God is. Number two, the king's power. Now, we've already mentioned
that the first both of these thieves are acting in unbelief. What happened then that one has
a new heart? It's very obvious he does. It's
obvious he has been greatly convicted. He has repented of his former
attitude. He has given light. He has a
changed heart. How? It was by the power of God. Do not think that one moment
both of these thieves are mocking and scoffing the Son of God,
along with the multitude. And all of a sudden, one of them
says, I believe I'll turn over a new leaf. That didn't happen. That didn't happen. We're talking
about something God did, something man could not do. It's the power
of God. It is often said of unrepentant
hearts, on their deathbed. You've heard this and I've heard
this. Can he not see? Can she not see? They're about
to leave this world and face God and yet they don't seem concerned
about their own soul. Can he not see? Can she not see?
Well you remember in the Gospel of Mark chapter 5 when our Lord crossed the sea
in a ship and he went to the coast there of Gadara. And he
commanded the demons to leave a man, a wild man living among
the tombs there in the rocks and the caves. And he sent the demons into a
herd of swine. The Bible says about 2,000 hogs. Have you ever thought it is not
natural for 2,000 hogs to go running
over a cliff and plunge into the ocean and drown? The demons did that to them. It does not seem natural that
one of these thieves knowing he's going out in eternity, would
continue on in his mockery of the king. But he does. And but for the power of God,
they both would. And but for the power of God,
you would. See? This unrepentant thief, he can't
help it. He's doing all he can do. Actually, by joining in the mockery
of the Son of God along with the mob, he's sort of pleading
their mercy. Let them see he's on our side
rather than pleading the Lord's mercy. Oh, he addresses Christ, but
it's in a mocking accusation in the form of a request. If
thou be Christ, save thyself and us. He's asking for salvation,
but not soul salvation. He's asking to get us out of
this mess, get us off of these crosses, so we can go on with
our life. He's asking for a physical change,
not a spiritual change. But it's in mockery. He don't
really believe Christ is able to do either. He believes he's just a dying
helpless victim like he is. And verse 40 says, but the other,
but the other is the other any different from the one he never
has been, but he is now. Something has happened. The King's power. The King has
reached forth the scepter and given the one a new heart. This man hadn't put a difference
in himself. The King has put the difference. And now note
the difference in these verses. Instead of agreeing with the
other thief as he had done, earlier, he now says to him, does not
thou fear God? Well, the answer is no. The other
thief didn't fear God. He might have been wearing one
of those t-shirts that says, no fear. Y'all have seen all those. It had a bumper sticker, no fear. Paul said in Romans, there's
no fear of God before their eyes. Does thou not fear God? No, he
didn't fear God. Seeing thou art in the same condemnation. He says, man, we're dying. Do
you not fear God? No, he didn't. And this man is puzzled at this.
And this is one of the first evidences of a new heart. It puzzles you that men don't
fear God in this world, but they don't. And then this man confesses his
own guilt. Verse 41, and we indeed justly. He says, we deserve this. We
deserve to be here. For we receive the due reward
of our deeds. This is not unjust for us. And then he confesses Christ's
innocence. He says, but this man, talking
about the Lord Jesus, hath done nothing amiss. We deserve this. He don't. The little word amiss there.
This man hath done nothing amiss. It's found in two other places.
The New Testament, in Acts 28.6, it's translated harm. This man
hath done no harm. In 2 Thessalonians 3.2, it's
translated unreasonable. This man hath done nothing unreasonable,
nothing wrong. This man hath done nothing amiss. At this point, he's through talking
to that fella, has nothing more to say to him, and he now addresses
the king. Verse 42, and he said unto Jesus,
Lord, who told him Jesus was the Lord?
It sure wasn't anybody around there that day. Jesus Christ is dying on a cross
too. He is numbered with the transgressors. He's assumed to be one of them. And that's what the other thief
thought. He's just one of us. He's died like we are. We're
all on the same level. But no, this other thief, he
knows in his heart we're not on the same level. And he addresses
the king as Lord. Lord, remember me. The other thief
has the attitude, nothing is going to matter after
today. This is the end of all of us. But this one knows this is not
the end. Physical death is not the end.
This is the king and he has a kingdom. And I want to be in on it. And
he petitions the Lord. He petitions the King. Lord,
remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. Well, who told this man all these
things? Who told this man that Christ hath done nothing amiss? Who told him Christ is the King? Who told him Christ has a kingdom? Who told him I can plead for
mercy? Who told him I need mercy? Who told this man that the King
would grant him mercy? It was the power of the King
that showed him all these things. The King speaking from the cross
changed his heart. the King's prerogative, the King's
power, a third thought and I'm through, the King's promise.
Look at verse 43. And Jesus said unto him, verily,
that word verily, if you'll note it when you're reading the four
gospels, our Lord used it often. Verily, it means surely. It means, this is a fact, Jack, Verily, surely, know this, count
on this. You can depend on this. Verily,
today, not way out yonder in some foolish ideology of what
they call the kingdom age, but today the king is right here,
mister. The king of all the ages is speaking. He's stretching forth His scepter
of power and authority. He's ruling and reigning from
the cross. And He says to this man, today
shalt thou be. Not maybe. Not there could be
some hope for you. No, this is very emphatic. Today
shalt thou be. Verily, it cannot be otherwise. Today shalt thou be with me in
paradise." And of course, to be with Him is paradise. The emphasis here
is not on a place, paradise. Certainly not mansions and crowns
and all that. No, the emphasis is with me. with me. Today thou shalt be
with me and that's paradise. In what way? Today thou shalt
be with me in full approval and acceptance with my Father. Did you know this morning if
you're in Christ you don't have to wonder about what God thinks
of you. He thinks as much of you as He
thinks of His Son. Near, so very near to God, nearer
I could not be. For in the person of His Son,
I'm just as near as He. Dear, so very dear to God, dearer
I could not be. For in the person of His Son,
I'm just as dear as He. were accepted in the blood. Today
shalt thou be with me. With me in perfect righteousness.
With me in having done nothing amiss. Oh, I know all about your sins. We go way back. With me in having done nothing
amiss. Satan, our accuser, would go
to our father. What about his sins? What about
her sins? What about this? What about that? Our father says, what sins are
you talking about? I see that sinner in my son and
he hath done nothing amiss. He does always those things that
please me. And then Christ is saying, Thou
shalt be with me as a part of my body, my glorious church,
not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, with me, holy,
unblameable, unreprovable in my Father's sight. My Father
is going to receive you just as He's received me. What a promise,
what a promise. I hear these works preachers,
and I know y'all have heard this, talk about all the crowns you
can win for your faithfulness. Here's the truth. All our winning
was done by the King on the cross. And all will be for eternity
and have for eternity is in Him, the King who spoke from the cross. I hear Him talk about the crown
of righteousness. The King is my righteousness.
I hear Him talk about the crown
of rejoicing. The King is my joy. I hear Him talk about the crown
of life. You can win that. Christ is our life. I hear Him talk about the crown
of glory. Christ is our glory. They show you nothing glorious
about you apart from Him. Christ is our glory. And then they talk about the
incorruptible crown. Well, Christ is the only incorruptibility
there ever has been or can be in this world. Everything else
is corrupt. Everything you are and can be
in this flesh is going to die and rot. There's not but one part of a
body that wears a crown. And that's the head. Christ is the head of his body. He's the king. He wears the crown. He holds the scepter. His is
all power in heaven and in earth. He's the king even when he was
on the cross. He's the king. I'll comment quickly
on his dying breath. And this assuring us that he
was no victim of cruel men. John tells us, John 19.30, that
he was not, and you see this on the pictures and on the movies,
it was not with a hanging head. and unconscious, strength all
gone, that he managed to lift his head. Uh-uh. Uh-uh. But rather, with head lifted
all the time, he said, it is finished. Then the scripture says, and
only then, he hanged his head. He bowed his head and gave up
the ghost. Luke tells us here in this chapter,
23-46, that it was not with a faint whisper, strength almost gone,
that he manages to speak. No. After six hours on the cross,
the King is very much the King. No rest all the night before.
beaten and abused all night long, he still cried with a loud voice,
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having said thus,
he gave up the ghost." Mark's account, Mark 15, 37. And Jesus
cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. Matthew's
account, 27-46, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli,
lama sabachthani, that is to say, my God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me? Later in verse 50, Matthew 27,
Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, none of these
sayings were whispers. Oh, no. When he had cried again
with a loud voice, he yielded up the ghost. The king rent the
veil of the temple entwined from the top to the bottom. The earth
did quake. The rocks rent. Graves were opened. And the centurion said, truly,
this was the Son of God. The King has spoken, spoken from
the cross. So I want us to understand today,
he was not a victim in no sense of the word. He's very much in
control, doing what he had purposed to do from eternity. God coming
down in the body of flesh, Emmanuel he shall be called, which being
interpreted is God with us. He's the king all the way, ruling
and reigning in his kingdom. May the Lord be merciful to each
of us here today, selling in our heart that salvation
is by grace. We have nothing wherein to recommend
ourselves to God. but we plead for his mercy alone.
Amen. Would you stand with us?