Well, as we've been going through the book of Luke, we come now for the death of Christ, and it's very appropriate as we think about the Lord's Supper that commemorates that death, that we read and think about it. There's way too much to really consider all that's here, but we're going to deal with a few things and see some insights into what was going on. Beginning with verse 26 of Luke chapter 23. And as they led him away at Jesus, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross to carry it behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them, Jesus said, Daughters of Jerusalem, Do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed. Then they will begin to say to the mountains, fall on us, and to the hills, cover us. For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that's called the skull, there they crucified him and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by watching. But the ruler scoffed at him, saying, he saved others. Let him save himself. If he is the Christ of God, his chosen one. The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, if you're the king of the Jews, save yourself. There was also an inscription over him. This is the king of the Jews. One of the criminals who were hanged, railed at him, saying, Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us. But the other rebuked him, saying, Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong. And he said, Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom." And he said to them, truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. While the sun's light failed, and the curtain of the temple was torn in two, then Jesus clung out with a loud voice and said, Into your hand I commit my spirit." And having said this, he breathed his last. And when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, certainly this man was innocent. And all the crowd that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home, beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things. Now, there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man who now consented to the decision and action. He was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of preparation and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how the body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. Someone's final words are often very significant, especially if the person knows they're going to die. You can think of maybe a prisoner who's always asked, do you have any final words? Sometimes the prisoner may apologize for having killed someone, or sometimes you see an attitude of defiance. I think of a man I knew out shopping with his wife. And as they get back to the car, he realizes that something is radically wrong. That he's having a massive heart attack. And he has only a few seconds to live. And so his final words were to address his wife by name and simply say, I love you. And then he was done. Indeed, there have been books that have been written that go through and find what certain famous men and women have said on their deathbeds, their final words, and so you could go and look them up. And some of them are fairly mundane, like the president whose last words was water. But sometimes it's a little more interesting. The believer who saying everything is light, light, light. Versus the unbeliever who is saying it's so dark, everything is dark, dark, dark. Well, the most significant death in the history of the world is, of course, the death of Jesus Christ. And there's much here and we can't look at it, but I want us to look at the words, those final words that surround this death, whether they be uttered by Jesus Christ Himself or someone around Him. Because they form a divine commentary on what was taking place. They point us to the truth of what was happening in the death of Jesus. And some, I'm sure, like the centurion, don't begin to understand the depth of what he is saying. But God causes him to say something very profound. And thus, as we come to this section, we'll be looking at those final words. And those final words point to a death which is like no other. A death that divides all people, all men and women, into one of two categories. And so, the first point, the first group, is the crowd, is the people. And especially as we look at the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as Jesus calls them, the daughters of Jerusalem, it's the townspeople. They come and they're out to watch the spectacle, it's a show. And in that day, execution was often a big show. And you may have seen shows in the Middle Ages and then, where someone being executed publicly was a big show. And so the people go out for the show, but the women especially, I said in verse 27, were mourning and lamenting for Jesus. We're not told their exact words, but we know the attitude. One of grief, and if it was typical of a Jewish rite of death, it would have been a noisy demonstration of how sad this event was, this coming death of someone who is beloved, someone who they respected. And although many in the crowd had called out, crucified Him, there would have still been many that would have heard of Him and wanted to know Him and to hear His teaching, would have respected Him. And so they're mourning. This is confirmed as you look down at verse 48, as they watch Jesus die. It's no longer a spectacle. They returned home, beating their breasts. Again, no words are mentioned, but the attitude that the beating of breasts is a sign of great grief and sorrow. They're deeply saddened by all that had taken place. Can't help but wonder as they go away, are they disturbed and perplexed? Wondering what has gone on? What is the meaning to all that has taken place? And in about seven weeks, Peter is going to preach on the day of Pentecost. And he's going to explain to them what they've witnessed. For the second group are the thieves. One of them is clearly mocking Jesus as you look at verse 39, are you not the Christ? Save us and save yourself. Now, there can be little doubt that he thought he was going to die, that Jesus couldn't save him, and so he's mocking him, that he's expressing his unbelief. And the other one asks him, do you not fear God? Because he sees what he's doing. He's very close to death, but clearly he has no apprehension of God, no fear of God, no fear of standing before a holy God and having to answer for what he is saying. And even today, many face a death penalty, unrepentant, unconcerned about what is going to happen to them. not concerned about the gravity of the situation, just as irreverent as always. And so that's one of the response of unbelief. But the second thief is different. He points out, first of all, that he and the other thief are guilty. They deserve what they're getting, but Jesus is not guilty. And the simple request is in verse 42, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And that's the idea of remember me for good. In some way. When you're in your kingdom, look upon me with favor. Consider what a remarkable indication of faith this is. All three of the men were on a cross. They were clearly dying. They would all be dead within a few hours. But this thief knows that that death is not the end. That Jesus, in some way, is going to be coming into a kingdom after he dies. And he's going to be somehow a leader in that kingdom. who can grant requests. And so he's looking in faith at Jesus. These two men and their words form a very remarkable contrast and remind us that there are two categories of people. Those who have faith in Jesus Christ and those who don't. One is symbolized by this cynical, unbelieving thief and the other It expresses true faith that we see in this repentant thief. A third group that we see are the rulers, the religious leaders. In verse 37, the Jews. And what are they doing? In verse 35, they're scoffing at Jesus. He saved others. Let him save himself. if he is the Christ of God, his chosen one. And their words of scoffing are consistent with all that they have shown in the gospel, how they've been opposed to Christ and his ministry, have not believed his testimony, the fact that they demanded his death. And the irony is although they say, although they think the exact opposite, they pronounce a profound truth. That Jesus is indeed the Christ of God, the Chosen One. Now he doesn't save himself. It's not because he's not able to, but just as he saved others in his death. He is ultimately saving others. And that's the meaning of His death. His death was to save His people from their sins. And so He doesn't save Himself. So He can save you and me. Well, the next group that we can see are the Romans. And they're different ones. They're the Roman soldiers. And they mock as well. You know, if you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. And so they go along with this mocking and offer him a sour wine to drink. Making fun of the agony that he's going through. The second group is Pilate. And he's the one that has them inscribe on three different languages the words, this is the king of the Jews. And we read elsewhere that the Jewish leaders didn't like that. They wanted him to change it to say, this man says that he's the king of the Jews, but Pilate wouldn't change it. He wanted those exact words. And the other part of it would be, for political reasons. If it somehow got back to Rome and there were some questions asked, why did you execute this preacher that was going around? He seemed harmless enough. Well, he claimed to be king of the Jews. I executed a king. So he wouldn't cause you trouble, Caesar. That's how I'd be politically expedient. But I also think, looking at the interaction that Pilate has had with the religious leaders, and as they have basically forced him to do what he didn't want to do, and he tries to negotiate, and, well, can't I just beat him and release him? And they say, no, he must die, he must die, he must die. Well, this is a way of getting back at them. They don't like that, that it's above Christ that says, this is the King of the Jews. But a third, and most important reason, ultimately, is God-directed. So that on that cross is a very profound truth. Who is it that's dying? It is that one who's the ruler and the leader. of the Jewish nation, who is the king of the Jews, is the one to whom all Jews should give their loyalty, their highest allegiance, should recognize him as their sovereign. And so at Jesus' death, Pilate rightly places those words, proclaiming in reality who Jesus is. Well, there's another Roman who testifies, and that's the Centurion. And we read how he praised God, saying, certainly this man was innocent. And the other Gospels add that he also said, this would have been a son of God. from his Roman background wouldn't have meant it how we would understand the term son of God. They would have seen many as being sons of God, of being righteous and that sort of thing, upstanding, and the Caesars would claim to be God, and so for a Roman, it wouldn't have meant that much to see someone being a son of God. But God is causing him to state something that is incredibly significant. That this is no ordinary person, but God the Son, who is giving us life for the sake of his people. Did you notice this is the sixth time that Luke has recorded someone proclaiming the innocence of Christ? We talked about it last time. There were four times in the verses that we read earlier in the chapter, Pilate three times said, he's innocent. He's innocent. I found no guilt in him. And Herod as well finds no guilt. And in verse 41, one of the thieves says, he's not guilty. And now the centurion, Jesus has done nothing. worthy of death. But the fifth point is that the next thing we can see speaking is Jesus himself and how significant are each one of his communications as he nears his death. The first is found in verses 28 to 31. That's a response to the mourning and lamenting of the women, the Terrans, the daughters of Jerusalem, the townspeople. And basically what he says is, look out for yourselves. He's not thinking about himself, he's not thinking about his execution, but what is going to happen in the future of the people. And Jesus doesn't want their sympathy or their pity, but he wants really their repentance. It's wrong to mourn over him or to mourn over death. But how much worse is what's coming? And that's what Jesus is saying. And He's using images from the Old Testament of how incredibly tragic is what's going to come. What is going to befall the nation because of their sinfulness. Because the Messiah has come and they've rejected Him. Not only rejected Him, they put Him to death. Very graphic if you read through. You know, it's better not to be born. Wanting to have mountains fall upon you, to be caught up in an earthquake or something and be swallowed up alive. But compare it to standing before God and facing His judgment. It's much better. And really the appeal is consider what you're doing and repent before those days of judgment come. In 70 A.D., the first judgment did come with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple being torn apart and the city being broken into. But that's just a precursor to the final day of judgment, when an even greater judgment is going to come upon all who do not repent, all who are not found in Christ. Well, the second statement of Jesus is found in verse 34. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. We see the attitude of Jesus. of concern, even for those who are in the act of executing him. The Roman soldiers, the religious leaders, the people, as they've all combined together to have him executed. And of course, there's a sense in which you and I are part of that group, because of your sins and my sins, it was necessary for Jesus to be put to death. And it's only by the death of Jesus and by His intercession for us that we have forgiveness. We sinned, and we don't fully understand the consequences of our sins. If we did, we wouldn't sin. And just as they needed the prayer of Jesus, for the Father to forgive them. So we need that same prayer for our sins to be forgiven. Third statement of Jesus is found in verse 43. It's the penitent thief. He says to him, surely I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. Jesus goes far beyond the simple request of the thief who just asked to be remembered. that somehow Jesus would show good to him? Truly, it's the word Amen that Jesus uses to call attention to something very important. And he's saying, today, not some time in the distance, Today, you'll be with me in paradise." And that word paradise is from a Persian word that means garden. And so it was used in the Old Testament, the Greek translation, for several of the gardens that are mentioned, but especially for the Garden of Eden. That place of fellowship with God that was at the beginning. is looking really to the fellowship that this thief, who is a great sinner, but who expressed his faith in Jesus Christ, the fellowship that he would now have that very day. Jesus was assuring him of a heavenly blessing. a state of bliss that would be His. And the final saying of Jesus is that which is in verse 46. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. Now, we sang earlier Psalm 22, verse 1. And it's the words of Christ that are cried out and are recorded in Matthew and Mark which emphasizes really the terrible nature of his death, of the separation that he feels from the father, the death for the salvation of his people. And that's true. And we can't begin to imagine how painful it was. But Luke here as he quotes Jesus' words, is pointing us to another truth that we need to see. And as we know that Jesus never once sinned, even during this time of darkness, the time when our sins were placed upon Him, and so Jesus was estranged from the Father, Jesus never once sinned. stopped trusting in his heavenly Father. And we see that reflected here at the very end. As he's about to breathe his last, he's still confident, still trusting in the Father. And notice, as Luke says, Jesus breathed his last. It's a remarkable thing, as you look at the four Gospels that talks about Jesus' death, none of them say He died. None of them use that phrase. And why is that? Well, it seems to be, we're not to associate the death of Jesus with any other death. The death He died was not like the death that Plato died, or that Moses died. that George Washington died, it was unique, unlike any other death. And the final person who is a speaker really doesn't speak with words, but with visible actions, and that's God the Father. The two things we should note, first is in verse 44. Descending of darkness over the whole land for about three hours. Now some would say, well maybe it's a solar eclipse. But the Passover is held at the new moon and it couldn't be an eclipse. So it's not just some sort of natural occurring phenomenon. It's something that God has done to cause the sun to be darkened. And it's pointing to the deeper meaning of what is going on. There's been an epic battle going on between light and darkness, between good and evil. That's been recorded from Genesis, the very earliest chapters. Now we've come to the climax of that battle. The decisive battle is taking place when Jesus' fellowship with the Father is broken. And Jesus conquers in His life once again. The second communication from the Father is that at the end of verse 45, the curtain of the temple was torn in two. And we know when Matthew was torn from the top to the bottom, indicating that God was doing this, was being torn from on high. And that curtain would have been the curtain that separated the holy of holies from the outer court, and the rest of the temple. That curtain would have symbolized the separation of God's people and even the priests from God. It was never entered into except once a year, and that was with blood, and only by the priest. It symbolized the separateness, the remoteness of God. That is, that holy place symbolized God's presence. Man could not draw near to God, a holy God, without blood. And by caring from top to bottom, God had done all that was necessary for the way to be opened up. It was a symbolic expression of what Christ's death was doing, opening the way to the Heavenly Father. And it symbolizes, in essence, you're in one of two categories. You're those who approach the Father, can come into the Father's presence by the blood of Jesus Christ, by trusting in Him. And that way is abundantly open to all who would come. Or you're standing on the outside. You're separated. And you cannot enter. you will not enter heaven. As I think about the application, I think about communion this evening, it's a reminder to us of what Christ's death accomplished, of who He was, that He was the King of the Jews who came as the Christ, the Chosen One, the Messiah sent by the Father, to engage in that great spiritual battle where He wins the victory and opens the way to the Father. And as we come to the Lord's table, we'll celebrate that fact. But it's a reminder that we can only come legitimately in one way, and that is by trusting in Jesus Christ. And so as we partake Each one of us needs to be trusting in Jesus Christ alone. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we do give thanks for that work of Jesus Christ on the cross. That he could have saved herself. But he did not, and so that he may save others. And we're part of those others that he saved by bearing our sins on the cross. We give you thanks for that and pray as we would now commemorate it, as we would now be spiritually feeding upon Christ. we would realize these truths and what it means to be one of His children by faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's in His name we pray. Amen.