Two Criminals, Two Crosses, Two Choices...

<sup>Two Criminals, Two Crosses, Two Choices...

I love the allegories in the Bible. The analogies. I have come to learn that everything that happened in the Bible (from the smallest, seemingly most insignificant account to ---> the greatest) has a specific, intended spiritual lesson. I really love the ones that increase the understanding of the significance of Jesus' death. One of my favorites is the comparison of Jesus and Barabbas to the scapegoat and sacrificial goat in Leviticus 16. I would really encourage you to study up on that one. The account of choosing of Barabbas over Jesus seems so insignificant and random that you can totally miss it; I know I did for the longest time. The fact was that the High Priests were the first to cry out "Free Barabbas - Crucify Jesus" (Mark 15:11) while the two men stood at the front of the Temple...and they were literally performing the Old Testament instruction for the Priest to select the appropriate animal for an atoning sin sacrifice at the front of the Tent of Meeting. (Lev 16:7-9)
 
If I asked you "Who was the first person to be set free because of the sacrifice of Christ?" You may flip through your Bible to look for the first disciple who expressed clear understanding after the resurrection. You may look for a name of someone at Peter's speech at Pentecost. A really observant person may even say "the Roman Solider who was at the foot of the cross" and after Jesus died, said "Surely, this man was the Son of God!" (Luke 23:47) Truly the first person to benefit from the sacrifice of Christ, in a very real way, was Barabbas. 


This note isn't about Barabbas (though I should probably write one about that account)...this note is about the first person to be spiritually set free because of the sacrifice of Christ. 

38</sup> There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews. ³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:38-43

The two criminals represent all humanity. All of humanity will be categorized along side of (with) these two criminals...and the determining factor will be how we each, individually, respond to the savoir in the cross in the middle of us.  


Notice how similar they are. Both are suffering the pain of crucifixion. Both are guilty of a crime ("we are getting what our deeds deserve," v. 41). Both see Jesus, the sign over his head ("King of the Jews," v. 38); they hear the words from his mouth ("Father forgive them," v. 34). And both of these thieves want desperately to be saved from death.

Things are then divided between these two criminals and between two categories of people by how they each respond to Jesus on the cross, next to them.

All of us have all these things in common with these two criminals: there is suffering in our lives because of sin and we are dying because of it. We are guilty of many crimes. Most of us have seen Jesus on the cross in some way, shape or form and have heard his claim to kingship and his gracious words of forgiveness. And all of us want to be saved from death and suffering in one way or the other.

The First Criminal

The first criminal says, "Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”   What a picture of a spiritually destitute, worldly man. It is a matter of total indifference to him that he is suffering "the due reward of his deeds." He does not recognize that he is a criminal and that the punishment he is receiving is correct and fair.

To him right and wrong, praise and blame, good and bad are of no interest: his one objective is to save his earthly skin. He might even believe Jesus is the Messiah, the King of the Jews. But, it's only a matter of convenience to him: he'll take anybody as king who can get him off the cross. Just another way to serve his own worldly purposes. He fails to acknowledge that he is on that cross because of his own doing.

Notice however the other criminal: this one is the one Luke and Jesus want us to be like...

The Second Criminal

First, he is not sucked in by the other criminal's response.

He is not basing his opinion or response to Jesus on anyone else's inaccurate babbling about Jesus. The world has a bunch of incorrect notions about Jesus and will babble all day about your "craziness" to believe in such a man. Do not let your individual response to Jesus be swayed by other dying criminals who fail to recognize their situation. 

Second, he fears God.

'the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? '
God was real to this man and he feared the holy wrath of God.

Third, he admitted that he had done wrong and that the penalty he was receiving was correct. 

"We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve."  He had no desire to save face any more; he had no more will to assert himself. He was here and laid open before the God he feared and there was no way to hide his guilt. Not only did he admit to wrong and guilt, he accepted his punishment as deserved. We must admit that we are sinful, we are criminals against the most high God and we must admit that our sentence of death and separation from him is what our deeds deserve.

Fourth, he acknowledged that Jesus was righteous and the King of heaven.  

"But this man has done nothing wrong....Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
It didn't make any difference to the first criminal if Jesus was right or wrong. We must say with the second criminal: "This man has done nothing wrong." This man only does what is good. This man only speaks the truth. This man is worthy of our faith and allegiance and imitation.This man was perfect and died in my (a criminals) place. This man acknowledged that Jesus was who he said he was; the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, righteous and holy as God alone is righteous and holy...and we must do the same. 

And finally, the second criminal does one more thing. He fears God, admits wrong, accepts justice, acknowledges the goodness and power of Jesus. Now he pleads for help.

"Jesus, remember when you come into your kingdom." Both criminals wanted to be saved from death. But how differently they sought their salvation: 1) "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" Prove yourself to us! 2) "Jesus, remember when you come into your kingdom!" If you don't remember me, I have no other hope!!! There is an infinite qualitative difference between "Remember me!" and "Save me!"

Jesus response to these two criminals was almost as radically different as their own responses to him.

To the first criminal, there is no record of response. I take this to mean that Jesus didn't reply. He didn't respond. Jesus did not reply to the first man. Jesus did not save this man, or give any promise of future deliverance. The man did not come to Jesus in the way that God demands. Neither will Jesus respond to any sinful criminals alive on earth today who do not come to him the way that God demands.

Jesus does reply to the second man.

He promises this second man that today, this very day, without delay...the man will be with Jesus in his kingdom. If we too reply like the second man, today, this very day, we can be brought into the kingdom of God. We can be called children of the King, sons and daughters of the most high God. We can be removed from the punishment that is due our deeds.