As we look at the crucifixion of Christ and think about what it means, we begin to understand why there is no peace in the world. When people hurt us, we want revenge (we usually call it justice).
Peace is harder than war, because it requires you to forgive and actively bury your own pain rather than keep it going by hurting others.
What you’re going to see in Luke 23 is how Jesus brings peace.
The crucifixion of Christ shows you how Jesus comes to his enemies. And if you’re not a follower of Christ, you’re his enemy.
- You might not think it, or feel it.
- But your unwillingness to submit to him or to confess your sins to him shows your dishonour to him.
- There’s no middle ground; he’s your brother by faith, or your enemy.
But there’s good news.
These notes accompany a sermon on YouTube delivered at Bromborough Evangelical Church Wirral in November 2023. You can find more in the series in our sermon index.
Christ has compassion for his enemies (26-31)
Read Luke 23:26.
It seems Jesus carried his cross from the garrison to the road outside, but the Romans forced someone else to carry it the rest of the way. It would have just been the cross-piece he carried.
A crowd had called for the crucifixion of Christ, but not everyone in Jerusalem felt that way about him. Read Luke 23:27.
It was common for women to do that for a condemned man. There was a time when it was common in our own country as someone made their way to the gallows. Jesus is heading to his execution, but not like anyone ever had before or since. Read Luke 23:28-29.
He is shown to be in control of himself, and even of the situation he’s in. Jesus was never a victim of circumstance. He’s in charge. He told the women to weep for themselves and their children.
Jesus had wept
Back in chapter 19:41-44, on Palm Sunday, Jesus himself had wept over Jerusalem:
- Judgment would come on the city: “They will crush you and your children to the ground, and they will not leave one stone on another in your midst, because you did not recognise the time when God visited you.”
- Since then, Jew and Gentile had combined to reject God’s Messiah among them, resulting in this crucifixion.
- We’ve all seen images of parents wailing over their dead children in Ukraine and the Middle East. That’s why Jesus said the childless would be called blessed: At least they never lost their child in war.
He goes on: Read Luke 23:30.
Jesus is quoting Hosea 10:8. In that chapter, Israel are described as a lush vine! Their life came from God among them, but as their vine produced more fruit they abandoned God and turned to more and more idolatry. Hosea 10:3 In fact, they are now saying, “We have no king! For we do not fear the LORD. What can a king do for us?” John’s gospel tells us the crowd had shouted to Pilate, “We have no king but Caesar.”
The result in Hosea’s day was destruction and judgment. People would cry for mountains to fall on them as that would be better than facing such terrible judgment.
Could it be happening again? Read Luke 23:31.
Jesus is the Son of God Most High. He’d been among his people, bringing life to the lush vine. But when he’s gone, and the vine becomes dry, what then? Those women should weep for themselves and their children. Notice how Jesus is deflecting their mourning away from himself – because that mourning is misplaced. He’s not a victim.
He directs their mourning to the judgment that’s coming on them.
And he doesn’t do that with glee (“Just you wait!”), but compassion: “Weep.” Surrounded by enemies, Jesus had compassion and called them to weep for their children. More:
Christ forgives his enemies (32-39)
If you ever watch a film of the crucifixion you might see something pretty gruesome. If you read a book about it, you might read all the gory details. The Bible doesn’t do that. There’s no HD presentation for you to watch: Read Luke 23:32-33.
It’s all very matter-of-fact. The other gospel writers are similar.
The reason is simple: The focus is on what Jesus is accomplishing, namely: forgiveness. Read Luke 23:34.
In fact, the division of his clothes and the offer of sour wine in v36 are actually fulfilments of Old Testament prophecy. This forgiveness that Jesus prays for isn’t a spur-of-the-moment gesture: It’s what he came to achieve. In the next few verses, Jesus is told three times to save himself: Read Luke 23:35-39.
So why didn’t he save himself? Because he came to save you. And the only way you can be saved is for a number of things to happen, none of which can you control:
- You need God to forgive you your sin.
- So you need God to find a way for his justice to be done, your sins punished, if you’re to be forgiven.
- You need a saviour who is himself utterly innocent of all wrong – someone who deserves no punishment.
- And then you need that saviour to be your substitute, to die in your place, taking your punishment.
That’s the cup Jesus came into the world to drink, and that cup could not be taken from him if you are to be saved. And Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners like you.
The charge sheet
The inscription wasn’t a title or a sign of respect: It’s the charge against him. The whole scene is ugly and grim. But so is your sin, and this is what it takes for God to forgive you.
What would the charge look like above you? For most of us, it would be a hefty book, full of bad things done and contemplated, unworthy thoughts and words, good things left undone on purpose. All condensed into a certificate of debt against God that you can never repay.
But this is where the crucifixion of Christ is your hope: Colossians 2:13-14 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.
Imagine that. Satan wants to shove the certificate of your debt against God right in your face, and say “Aha! What hope have you got?!” And you say, “No, God has nailed that to the cross. Away!”
God himself took the punishment of the sins of his enemies. For God to forgive his enemies (all sinners), he took their punishment on himself.
Peace and reconciliation.
Colossians 1:19-20 says For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in [Christ], and through him to reconcile everything to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Peace through his blood. That’s the Lord of Peace, Prince of Peace, King of Peace. He bought it for you with his blood. That is how you forgive your enemies: You absorb the cost.
And that is why we will always have wars: You want revenge more than you want to forgive, because forgiveness is costly.
Christians should be known for being incredibly forgiving. Knowing what God has done for you, there is no excuse whatsoever for long-term grudges or ill-feeling between Christians. If you’re not speaking to another Christian for whatever reason, then remember this: Love makes the first move.
Get over yourself; repent of your unforgiveness. Sort it out.
And if you’ve never quite got there with Jesus, or you think maybe that you’re not good enough for him, look at what’s next:
Jesus offers you Paradise (40-43)
One crucified criminal yelled insults at Jesus. It seems both did, initially. But one of them changed.
Read Luke 23:40-41. It was clear that they were suffering at the hands of the Romans for what they’d done, but the second criminal knew something important: They were about to face God. “Don’t you even fear God?”
The thing is, he could see that the three men were suffering the same punishment before men, but certainly wouldn’t be treated the same before God, after death. So the man prays: Read Luke 23:42.
Could this man, crucified for his crimes, possibly enter heaven?
- He’d never been to church, sang a hymn, or read a Bible.
- You can be sure he wasn’t baptised.
- He certainly never did any evangelism, or offer hospitality in Jesus’ name.
- There were no charity donations, no good works.
- He was just a guilty sinner who acknowledged his sin, and asked Jesus to remember him.
There’s a lovely sermon by Alistair Begg that imagines this man at the gates of heaven and being asked what he’s doing there. It looks like the man has no right whatsoever for thinking he could possibly enter heaven. And his answer? “The man on the middle cross said I could come!”
Read Luke 23:43.
Salvation
Salvation is as simple and as profound as that. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
- No priest required. You speak to Jesus.
- In your sin, in your unworthiness to come.
- He came to save you, his enemy by your sin.
- And he has dealt with that, reconciling you to God by taking the punishment you deserve.
Can there be peace on earth? Christ came so that you can have peace with God, bringing you peace of heart and mind. Until hearts are changed by bending the knee to Jesus as Lord, people will always be at war with one another. Funerals will continue to take place before their time. Tears will continue to flow.
Jesus says you’re to weep for your yourself and your children. Weep in the light of judgment to come. So weep at your own sin, and go to him.
Was there ever a more profound show of faith than “Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom”?
Was there ever a lovelier promise than “Today you will be with me in Paradise”?
Today, turn to Jesus and praise him for his death in your place.