#THREE MEN AT THE CROSS

Luke 23:39 One of the criminals (malefactors) who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Messiah? 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, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

The Cross of Rejection
The One died with sin in him and on him represented by the man in Luke 23:39; (Pamoja na adhabu ya maovu yake hakutaka kusurrender kwa Yesu, na Yesu hakuwa na haja nae isipokuwa alisema tu Ee Mungu wasamehe kwa sababu hawajui walitendalo). This man on another side of Jesus our Lord was a victim who was scoffing at him. "And one of the malefactors railed on him saying, Art not thou the Christ? Save thyself and us" (Lk. 23:39). Jesus had only done good throughout his sojourn upon this earth (Acts 10:38). He had done nothing to deserve the venom that was being spewed from the mouth of this hostile malefactor. The sarcasm in the words of this dying impenitent man depicts the enmity of many toward Jesus today. It reflects the impudence of infidelity. This ingrate did not plead for mercy, but rather he chose to blaspheme the precious Son of God in his dying breath. For one to die in this condition is a tragedy indescribable of human lips. It is difficult to imagine a creature of God Almighty denying creator at any time, but to express his rejection in the moments of death is incredible. It is on this cross that many others have perished and are perishing today.

The Cross of Repentance 

The One died with sin in him but not on him represented by the man in Luke 23:40.

On the other side of Jesus was another dying thief. In writhing pain he looks to the center cross, but with an entirely different attitude than that of his fellow malefactor. He did not scoff at Jesus, but rather he turned to him in penitence. He had a contrite spirit and a humble heart. This law violator rebuked the other criminal when he said, "Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?" (Lk. 23:40) Both men may have at first joined in with the rulers and the people in hurling reproaches at Jesus, but we see a different man now. He is penitent as he looks to Jesus. He gave his crime partner a scathing rebuke for not fearing God. This thief did not try to side-step or excuse his crime. He said: "for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss" (Lk. 23:41). He came to the defense of Jesus, declaring his innocence before those present in those crucial moments. He refused to blame anyone but himself for his punishment. He acknowledged that he and the other man were getting what they deserved. It is significant that men recognize sin for what it is and acknowledge it. This is a prerequisite in coming to Christ. When man realizes and acknowledges that he is a sinner, he has taken the first step to recovery.

The middle cross - The Cross of Redemption
The One died with sin on him but not in him/ He died with the weight of the world's sin on Him but not the slightest wrong in Him. It is the cross of hope. It was the cross of suffering upon which the redeemer of the world was dying. He was dying for the sins of the world, and while he had never committed a sin, he suffered the penalty for sin in all of its aspects - he paid the full price! "God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin" ("or, as an offering for sin," footnote in ASV; Rom. 8:4) Sin separates (Isa. 59:1,2) and Jesus even paid this penalty when with a dry throat and parched lips he broke the silence of the darkest hour and cried out: "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?""(Matt. 27:46) He was our lamb and perfect sacrifice. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him striken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed" (Isa. 53:4,5). Thus we behold the vicarious suffering and death of our Lord. It is one thing for one to die for those he loves, but it is another matter for one to die for his enemies. This Jesus did. "For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:7,8). The death of our Lord upon that cross was God's plan from eternity. ". . . the Lamb slain from the foundations of the world" (Rev. 18:8).

Conclusion
Learning from above, we see a man on one side of Jesus who was rebellious and derogatory. Hence was a man dying in sin. On the other side of Jesus was a penitent man. Here was a man dying to sin. As we look to the middle cross we see our Redeemer who was dying for sin.
It has been well stated that the first malefactor saw Jesus only as a man, while the other saw him as Lord. The first saw him as a mock king, but the second saw him as "King of Kings." The first saw Jesus as a sinner, but the other saw him as a Savior.

The two men, one on each side of Jesus, represent the reactions of the world to our Savior's life and teaching. Truth divides. Jesus said, "I came not to bring peace, but a sword" (Matt. 10:34). The testimony of Jesus today produces acceptance on one side and rejection on the other.

Three days later, He rose from the dead to show that His death, tragic as it was, was not a mistake. With a nail-scarred, resurrected body Jesus gave hundreds of His disciples all the evidence they needed to believe that He had taken their place in death. The judgment of God had fallen on Him instead of on us. We can be saved - born again -- because He was made sin for us. He became our sin bearer. And the depth of His anguish did not come from the physical sufferings of the cross, but because His soul was made an offering for sin. He was the ransom price paid for our iniquity, He was bearing the Father's judgment upon our sin, iniquity and transgressions in our place that we might be set free. Our Savior died with our sin on Him, but no t in Him. He is the sinless, perfect, Lamb of God given for you and me. (John 1:29)

The words don't make the difference; the faith does. If you don't have that faith, but want it, ask God to give it to you. You won't be the first to cry out, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief" Call upon Him today -- ask Christ to save you, take away your sin and give you His eternal life. (Mark 9:24; Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9-13; John 1:12-13).