October 1, 2006
Rev. Terry D. Campbell

Holy Communion
In the Same Boat
Luke 23:39-43

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!' ⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.' ⁴²Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' ⁴³Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"

Three people were crucified on the hill that fateful day. Two of them deserved to die. One did not. Let's look at their attitudes and actions in the face of death. In reality we were all there with our attitudes and responses to God. We were there on one of the two crosses beside Jesus.

I. One man came to the cross in sin and died in sin.

One man expressed his anger and rebellion against God. "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: 'Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!'" He had no regard for Jesus on the cross. His own self-centeredness, rebellion, and pain of life made him bitter. "I don't want to pay for my crime." "God owes me." He knew nothing of being God-centered. All he wanted or knew in life was to seek for release from pain. Pleasures were his god-ease and self-will. He was in the presence of the Lord of life, the Source of all hope and help, and all he could do was condemn Jesus for not making his life physically easier.

Smoke pack after pack, then get mad at God for cancer.
Gluttony then blame God for your heart attack.
Sleep around then say God is evil for allowing venereal diseases. Lie and gossip and then blame God for not giving you friends.

We want to re-make God in our image and idolize "My Will". I know of a funeral where the deceased wanted Frank Sanatra's "My Way" played. This man on one of the crosses wouldn't humble himself before God. He came before the cross in sin and died in his sins, lost to himself and to God.

II. One man came to the cross sinless, but freely took on all sins and rose victoriously over them. ⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don't you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.'"

Two men deserved to be there, they were convicted criminals. But why was Jesus on the cross? Jesus chose to be in the same boat as us, facing the power of temptation, sin, death and hell. He faced the same sentence of death that we anticipate. He did it because He loves us and wants to draw us to Himself and His eternal life.

John 10:18 -"'No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.'"

2 Cor. 5:21-"God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Though He had NO sin of His own, He chose to endure the painful and hellish death from the sins of all times-so that we who have frequently sinned could be counted free from sin. He paid the debt He didn't owe because we owed a sin debt we couldn't pay. Without Him, we would have been lost in our sins forever.

III. One man came to the cross in sin but found grace in Jesus and God's freedom. ⁴²Then he said, 'Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.' 43Jesus answered him, 'I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.'"

One person went to the cross and remained unchanged. He died not only physically, but also spiritually and eternally.

The other criminal went to the cross in his own sins, but left the cross free because he found the Savior's grace. He realized that he didn't deserve so great a sacrifice, but he knew that he really needed the new hope and life that Jesus was offering.

He asked Jesus for help. And he received a new life, new hope and new destiny.

Three people were crucified on the hill that day. Two of them deserved to die for their crimes and One had no wrongs. But in a greater sense, we were all there on the hill that day . . . in either the face to the left of Jesus or the face to Jesus' right. The cross of Jesus forever stands before us and we respond either saying, "I reject you as the Savior and Lord. All I want is an easier life. Let me live life my own way." Or we can say, "Lord, I'm the one who deserves to die, not you. Please forgive how I have lived so selfishly. I want to be yours whatever the future holds."

What will you do now?
That is our choice in Holy Communion: We can choose to hold on to our sinful and self-oriented ways. But Jesus invites each of us to let go of them and to yield to His leadership so that our lives can be transformed and made right for God. It is asked in Communion, but must be lived out moment-by-moment each day. Amen.