May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Amen.

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. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 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." There 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!" 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 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. (Luke 23:32-46)

In Christ's name and to his glory, dear friends: The prophet Isaiah once said: The righteous perish but no one ponders it in his heart (57). Every death ought to tell us something-man is sinful, time is flying, seek the Lord now. And if there is a message in every death, then certainly this death, the death of the righteous Son of God, is relevant, important, needed. Oh, for the grace to ponder, to think about, to honestly evaluate our Lord, and ourselves as we stand among the crowd at the Place of the Skull, Calvary. For our strengthening in faith we look at this simple and wonderful Gospel with the central thought-THE BLESSED MEANING OF CHRIST'S DEATH FOR THE WORLD AND FOR ME.

The blessed meaning for the world. In the verses of Luke that I just read I want to narrow the focus and zoom in on just two of the people present there at Calvary. The one is the criminal, his conversion, confession, and the blessed forgiveness that Jesus gives him. This is precious to each of us. And we will get to him in a moment. But first we need to think about the other of the two people, the Lord Jesus. When we see who he is, what he is doing, and for whom he is doing it, then we will understand why individuals like the criminal and us put our hope in him.

Who is this at Calvary? Even the pre-schoolers among us know. This is Jesus. Ah, this is a well-known name, a name that is more than a title. It means Savior. Call him Jesus, the angel told Joseph about the baby growing in Mary, for he will save his people from their sins. As we watch he is doing what his name says--saving. The one unbelieving, blaspheming criminal calls him the Christ. Every Israelite knew that term. In their language it sounded like this: Mesiach - Messiah. The Messiah would be a king-a defender and provider. Even now the Christ was defending the world from the wages of sin and the accusations of Satan. The Christ would be a prophet — one who speaks God's Word to the people. For years now people had been listening to him preach; and still the Christ speaks for he said: whoever listens to you, my disciples, is listening to me. The Christ would be a priest — one who would mediate between God and the people and make sacrifice to God for the people. We hear him pray for the world today: Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. And as our great Priest he is both sacrificer and sacrifice-behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

What was happening at Calvary? You know what was happening here at the place of the skull. Everything points to it - the darkness, the words of Christ - My God, my God, why have you forsaken me - the earthquakes. The Almighty is angry, and justly so. The darkness covers the whole land for there is not a place, not a soul, that does deserve his anger. But there is a wonderful, a miraculous, a divine, thing happening here. The world is watching God's anger, not experiencing it. Only one is pierced, only one afflicted, only one God-forsaken. Even the on-lookers know something is amiss here. Surely this was a righteous man! They beat their breasts and went away. It's not fair! Right! It is grace! He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquity (Psalm 103). God made him who had no sin to be sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

For whom is this happening? Though many accuse God of it, he does not show favorites. It was for the world that he gave his Son. John, who stood there to the end and then took Mary home as Jesus asked later wrote: he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins and not only for ours but for the sins of the whole world. And then Paul adds: God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not counting men's sins against them. Oh, that the world would take notice today and remember it every other day! Sadly, we have no way of knowing how many do not have a clue, how many know of a man who died today but do not ponder it in their hearts. The Almighty and the Lord Jesus do know, each and every one, and Jesus cries over each. If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace - but now it is hidden from your eyes (Luke 19). Oh, that God would help us, cause us, to see that what is for the world is also for me. This too we see in the conversation of Jesus and the one criminal.

The blessed meaning for me. At first both criminals heaped insults on Jesus. Then one grew silent while the other went from insults to blaspheming. Aren't you the Christ? He too knew what Christ was to be; at least what he wanted Christ to be. All he wanted was to get away from today's trouble so that he could go back to his selfish ways. And now he mocked and taunted Jesus for saying he was Christ. Save yourself and us.

The other breaks his silence. He would not let someone else speak what he felt about Jesus. This is a private matter. No one can speak for another, nor dare we let another speak for us when it comes to faith. Don't you even fear God? Our time is up. We can escape the world's judges but now we will stand before the Almighty. Can't you see that!? And think about it, we are getting what our sins deserve. We belong here. He does not. He has done nothing wrong. This is a beautiful confession of sins. Gone is all blaming of others or circumstances. There is no bickering with God-You are unfair to treat me this way! Only the regret and fearful expectation-Now what will God do to me? Ah, but here also is the sweet hope of those in whom God has created saving faith. Jesus, remember me. This is not the end of the Christ. Even as I watch him die, God is letting me know that he is greater than what he endures here. There will be another day for him. And in those days, oh, just to be remembered by him. And finally there is the sweet promise. Today you will be with me in paradise. The Christ is able to do even more than we can hope or imagine. There is another day for the repentant for Christ saves.

How could the one criminal know all this? Faith and trust are beyond our ability to make or even understand. It always puzzles us, especially when we see two, one taken to paradise and other left to continue his suffering in hell. We leave this to the Almighty. One day we will understand, if not we will stop questioning and just perfectly trust. It is enough to know that the Holy Spirit created faith. This Spirit it is who still creates faith. Thank him; ask him to keep on working in you every day. And do as the criminal. Do less talking and more listening, less questioning and more pondering, less arguing and more praying for his blessing. Do so and you too shall know the sweetness of a humble repentance, hopeful faith, and divine promise. For he was at Calvary for the world and also for you.     Amen.