There is always something deeply and powerfully compelling about the Cross of Jesus Christ. Each week words by Chris Tomlin have drawn us to this reality: "Mighty. Awesome, Wonderful is the Holy Cross. Where the Lamb lay down his life to lift us from the fall. Mighty is the power of the Cross." Isaac Watts would write, "See from his head, his hands his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down; did e’re such love and sorrow meet or thorns compose so rich a crown?" (When I Survey the Wondrous Cross) There is always something deeply and powerfully compelling about the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Today we continue our discussion of the people Jesus viewed from the cross. Luke’s story so far has included Simon of Cyrene, and two groups of women who gathered around him. Luke now inserts the conversation that Jesus had with the criminals who were crucified with him. One thing we know is that the sight of sorrow and love flowing from the cross had a life changing effect on one of those two criminals. We know Jesus saw them and that they saw him because of the conversation that took place between them while they each hung on their cross. When Jesus looked out from his cross to see the two criminals what did he see? I believe he saw a picture of why he came: to offer forgiveness, completely and freely to all the criminals just like you and just like me.

Everything about the death of Jesus was designed to bring him suffering and shame. His being crucified between the two criminals was for the purpose of humiliating him. His enemies wanted him presented as a common criminal dying with his kind. As usual he takes the twisted diabolical plans of his enemies and turns them into something good. The presence of these condemned men close to him provide him with an opportunity to demonstrate his grace and forgiveness.

Though the two criminals came to the cross from a common background, and had probably been companions in crime, they responded to their situation differently. While at first both of them joined the crowd in ridiculing Jesus, soon one of them made a dramatic change in his response to Jesus. The way in which Jesus submitted to the abuse being placed upon Him convicted the criminal. It convicted him of his own guilt and of the innocence of Jesus. He knew that both he and his companion in crime on the other cross justly deserved their coming death. He sincerely sought to so impress his companion with their guilt. In his deepest heart he also knew that Jesus was innocent of the charges brought against Him. It was obvious that this man was just different. He was out of place under the condemnation of the Cross. The prayer Jesus kept praying in verse 34 probably made the impression. Jesus kept praying, "Father, forgive these people, because they don't know what they are doing." How could a man have such confidence in God in such a circumstance that he could call Him Father? There was just something about the way He said that word. Then surely He must be different to have such a forgiving attitude toward those who are heaping all of this upon him. All of these impressions led to the request of the criminal.

"Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." It was not a very strong request, but it was directed to the right person—Jesus. It was simply a request to be remembered in the day when Jesus would be coming in his rightful place as King over all humanity. Underneath such a request was an unspoken appeal for forgiveness. Before he could be remembered in such a kingdom, it would surely be necessary for Jesus to forgive and forget all of his crimes and his sins.

This simple prayer brought just that-complete and free forgiveness. "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise." "Today" is in contrast to some far off day of a coming kingdom. He will be more than "remembered." He will be with Jesus in the dwelling place of God. The little word "assure" is a translation of the word "amen" in the Greek. The word was the open response of Jesus that granted the request—"May it so be." In doing this Jesus assumed responsibility for all of the sins of the thief, and granted him this complete and free forgiveness.

This incident provides us with a beautiful example of God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness is the removal of our sins in such a way that they are no longer an issue with the way God relates to us. We have no greater need than the need to be assured of God’s forgiveness.

How much and how far does God forgive? The answer is God forgives completely. When you study what the Bible teaches about forgiveness it is an amazing thing. The experience of this man is typical of what God does for people who accept their own guilt as a sinner. While hanging there on the cross he was forgiven completely by God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s forgiveness is so complete in that God forgives all kinds of sins. This man brought to the cross guilt for many different types of sins and crimes. It is always a mystery to me how a person who is what we call a "repeat offender" begins a life of crime. Some can be explained by the home in which they were raised. There was a cycle there that was inevitable for them to repeat. Others it was the influence of their peers. They began associating with people whose lifestyle seemed exciting and glamorous and they followed it. Regardless of what a parent or grandparent may say they are determined to throw away all the values that anchored them for a lifestyle they never believe will destroy them. This man may have had either influence. We simply do not know. This man probably brought with him a long list of offences against his society and against God. We do know that at some point his crimes began to control him to the point that the Romans saw them as worthy of capital punishment. He was going to die for his crimes. But God’s forgiveness is so complete that it can cover all kinds of sins.

When people are broken with guilt it is good to ask, "Have you ever done anything that you feel that God cannot forgive?" It is always surprising to hear the things people present that they feel God cannot forgive. For one it is adultery, for another homosexuality, for another divorce, for another abortion, for another stealing, and on and on. The account of this criminal’s forgiveness is included to say to us that God forgives all kinds of sins.

God’s forgiveness is so complete in that God forgives all sins, regardless of how many time we do them. Can a person accumulate so many sins that God could not forgive them all? Are there a certain number of sins that mark the limit to God’s forgiveness? The forgiveness of this man stands as a testimony to the completeness of God’s forgiveness. God has no more difficulty in forgiving countless numbers of sins than He does in forgiving one sin. For God to forgive any sin required the sacrificial death of His Son, and when He died on the cross He died for all sin. Being the Son of God His death is strong enough to cover all of our sins.

The prophet Isaiah saw this when he cried, "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool."(Isa.1:18) John assured us, " …if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely. He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world." "All" is the word that reminds us how complete God’s forgiveness truly is.

God is a God who forgives completely. Let’s ask another question, "How much does it cost me for God to forgive me?" The answer is it costs me nothing because he forgives not just completely but freely. This incident exposes more of the crooked ways we think about how a person receives forgiveness than any other incident in the Bible. I am sure that is the reason the Holy Spirit caused Luke to include this. God forgives people freely. There was no other way this condemned man could have known forgiveness.

God’s forgiveness is given to us in such a way that we can’t earn it or deserve it. This man had no opportunity to do anything to cause him to qualify for forgiveness based on what he did that was good. Again and again I encounter people who have the feeling that if they will just do enough good things, God will forgive their sins. They see God as being the great evaluator of life. When they feel pangs of guilt concerning the sins of the past, they re-double their efforts to cover their sins with a multitude of good things. They give money, attend church or start serving. Many years ago in another church a person who was very wealthy had become a member of our church. They had been in our home and noticed that our furniture was very worn. They called one day and told Kathy to come down to a furniture store and pick out all the furniture she needed for our living room. We were astounded at someone’s generosity and kindness. It was only later that I sat across from this very generous person as he poured out his confession of a secret sin that had become exposed. Did I give the furniture back? No, but I told my friend that God’s forgiveness wasn’t something he could ever earn or deserve. God forgave this criminal crucified with Jesus though he did not do one single thing for anyone at anytime. God didn’t go back and check the records of his past to see if the good in his life was greater than the bad. He received the forgiveness of his sins from Jesus absolutely free.

God’s forgiveness is given to us in such a way that the church we attend or the rituals we have observed are not a factor. There was no opportunity for this man to receive communion or to be baptized, so such a ritual must not be necessary to receive God’s forgiveness. This man did not have opportunity to join any religious group or institution, so such a relationship must not be necessary for God’s forgiveness. Forgiveness is given as a free gift apart from any aspect of institutional religion. When I say that it does not discount the faith traditions of anyone here. They are very important, but they are not the basis upon which God forgives our sins.

How do you receive the forgiveness of sins then? There are only two things involved. There is repentance that is expressed when a person admits their sins. This man openly admitted his guilt and the justice of the punishment that had come to him. This is the most difficult thing. It is coming to the place that you can sincerely admit, "I have sinned. I am the sinner." This is an absolute essential, for God cannot forgive a sin that you will not admit. God forgives sinners, not people who will not admit having any sin. The other criminal died without forgiveness because he refused to admit to Jesus that he had done anything wrong.

After admitting the sin in repentance, then there must be the turning to Jesus for the forgiveness. This means that you must do what the criminal did. You must ask Jesus for it. Though he did not express it in exact words, Jesus knew what the man meant and wanted. This tells us that it isn’t important that people say what we consider to be the right words when they approach God for forgiveness and salvation. God has a way of receiving and forgiving a person whenever they turn their face toward God in faith and repentance whether they get the words right or not. God is concerned with our admitting our sin, and the turning to Christ alone for the deliverance from the sin.

The fact that forgiveness is given freely makes it possible for all people to be forgiven at any place in life and at any time in life. Though this experience surely does not encourage a person to wait until they are breathing their last to turn to God, it surely does encourage us to believe that it is never too late if a person will turn to Christ. God forgives freely and completely.

The movie Dead Man Walking is based on Sister Helen Prejean’s mission to care for the soul of death row inmate Matthew Poncelet. Poncelet awaits execution for brutally killing a young man and woman. Throughout the movie Poncelet vehemently denies any wrongdoing, even though the evidence contradicts him. At one point, Sister Helen gives him a Bible and tells him to read the Gospel of John. She persistently tries to help him face the truth, but he resists, blaming anyone else he can think of. In one emotional scene---the climax of the movie—Poncelet finally admits his guilt. Grieved by guilt, Poncelet begins to confess, but lapses as tears flood his eyes. As Sister Helen probes him further, Poncelet admits to the murders and confesses.

"Do you take responsibility for both of their deaths?" probes Sister Helen. Poncelet responds, "Yes ma’am…When the lights dim at night, I kneel down by my bunk and pray for those kids…I’ve never done that before." Sister Helen comforts Poncelet, saying, "There is a place of sorrow only God can touch." Sobbing deeply, Poncelet says, "I just hope my death can give those parents some relief. I really do." "Well," continues Sister Helen, "maybe the best thing you can give to the Percy’s and the Delacroix’s is a wish for their peace." Poncelet says, "I never had no real love myself. I never loved a woman or anybody else. It about figures I would have to die to find love."

"There is a place of sorrow only God can touch." It is in that place where a person realizes the full weight of their sin and guilt and admits that to God that the forgiveness of God comes completely and freely. It is in that place that God most clearly wants to touch us. The criminal could have never imagined that he would as well need to die before he could find love but he did. Our grief may be so deep that it feels like we are going to die but it is there that we find his love the greatest.

God is a God of forgiveness. He will forgive completely and freely. In the death of His son upon the Cross, God did everything required for the forgiveness of your sins. Jesus willingly and gladly took all of your sins to that cross. Now God waits for you to come to receive this forgiveness, which he freely offers. Will you, like the criminal, just now, ask Him to forgive your sins? This may be the first time you have done this or it may be that your life has gone so far away from a relationship with him that you feel you just need to be clean. Whether for the first time or the hundredth time you need forgiveness completely and freely.

"Mighty. Awesome, Wonderful is the Holy Cross. Where the Lamb lay down his life to lift us from the fall. Mighty is the power of the Cross." It is there that forgiveness is offered completely and freely to everyone even criminals who have only a prayer. There is always something deeply and powerfully compelling about the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Sunday, April 2, 2006

Dr. Bruce Tippit, Pastor

First Baptist Church, Jonesboro, Arkansas (btippit@fbcjonesboro.org)