Title: Conclusions From Calvary
Bible Book: Luke 23 : 33-46
Author: Jack Woodard
Subject: Calvary; Easter; Cross; Salvation
Objective:
Introduction
There was a time in America (in the not too distant past) that the Bible was viewed by most Americans as the Word of God and when it spoke, it spoke Absolute Truth. Oh, there were many that denied it and even more defied it, but America as a whole revered the Bible as the Word of God and believed the Bible was Absolute Truth on every subject on which it spoke, whether it be the subject of morals or salvation.
America no longer respects the Bible as the Authoritative Word of God and Absolute Truth. Satan has been just as successful at getting America to doubt, defy, and discard the Word of God for our Human Wisdom and Selfish Desires as he was with Eve in the Garden of Eden. [Genesis 3:1-6]
The Bible has been replaced by “Relativism”; (Webster) {“…any theory of ethics or knowledge which maintains that the basis of judgment is relative, differing according to events, persons, etc.”} It is Situation Ethics and Individual Rights and Feelings that has replaced, “THUS SAITH THE LORD”.
Probably nothing reveals that the Gospel Message has been either missing or muddled in our Pulpits as does Relativism. When we look at Calvary, nothing is more clear, than there has and always will be some Absolute Truths. There are several undeniable CONCLUSIONS FROM CALVARY. Let’s look at several of those CONCLUSIONS in this message.
I. JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION REVEALS TO US THAT ALL MEN ARE WICKED SINNERS
[Luke 23:33]
“And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the malefactors…” [Luke 23:33]
The two malefactors that were crucified on either side of Christ were not the only criminals at Calvary that day; the Religious Leaders, the Leaders of Government, the Brave Soldiers, the Loving Mother, the Faithful Father, the Carefree Children, are the “THEY’s that crucified Jesus. THEY either orchestrated, approved, or voted with their voices for the only Sinless One to be horribly crucified.
It was not just the worst of mankind but also the best of mankind that crucified the Sinless, Son of God on that fateful day. We are all represented by someone who played a part in Jesus’ death that day. You see from Calvary that each of us are not better than we thought we were, but we are actually worse than we ever dreamed we were.
*”There is none righteous, no, not one.” [Romans 3:10]
*“They are all gone out of the way…there is none that doeth good, no, not one [Romans 3:12]
*”For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” [Romans 3:23]
That is certainly part of the Offense of the Cross, [Galatians 5:11] but it is the absolute truth.
I once read as Billy Graham was making preparation for one of his city wide revivals, he sent the Mayor of the city a letter asking for the names of any that he was personally aware of that had a spiritual problem and needed help and his prayers. In response to the request the mayor mailed Billy Graham the cities Telephone Directory. The mayor understood the Bible and believed that when it said that ALL HAVE SINNED, that that was absolute, undeniable Truth.
When we come to Calvary we can leave with no other CONCLUSION than that which tells us that, even the best among us, even the most respected among us, even those who pride themselves in being good people, even believing themselves to be better than others; are wicked sinners in need of a Savior. THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE!
II. JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION REVEALS TO US THAT GOD JUDGES SINNERS
[Luke 23:35,40,41,45]
* “He saved others; let Him save Himself…” [Luke 23:35]
* “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me…” [Luke 23:44]
* “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we, indeed, justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man hath done nothing amiss.” [Luke 23:40,41]
* “He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all…” [Romans 8:32]
Many people take false comfort in foolishly believing that God is too good to judge sinners. What they really mean is that they believe that they are too good for God to judge, but no man can honestly look at Calvary without coming away with the CONCLUSION that; God Judges Sinners! If He spared not His Only Begotten, Sinless, Son, what hope is there for any other to be spared the fires of His judgment? NONE!!
III. JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION REVEALS TO US THAT THERE IS A H-E-L-L AWAITING EVERY SINNER WHO REJECTS CHRIST
[Luke 23:42,43]
* “And he said unto Jesus , Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” [Luke 23:42,43]
* ”…them…that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ…shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord…”
[ 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9]
* “And in H-E-L-L he lifted up his eyes, being in torments…” [Luke 16:23]
In Luke’s account of the crucifixion we are told that the one thief who recognized that Jesus was really God shedding His innocent blood for his sins, and called upon Him for forgiveness and salvation, was promised that upon his death that he would be immediately in His presence with Him in paradise. In 2 Thessalonians 1:8,9 we are told that those we refuse to obey the Gospel, (those who refuse to repent of their life of sin and turn in Faith to Jesus and trust Him and Him alone as their Lord and Savior, trusting in His Shed Blood for the atonement of their sins) will be separated from Christ in a place of punishment throughout all eternity. Luke would later tell us in Chapter 16 that that place is called H-E-L-L, and he reveals to us the awful punishment that the man was experiencing in that horrible place. It is interesting to compare the sufferings of Christ on the Cross with the sufferings we are shown the man in H-E-L-L was experiencing. These actual comparisons leave us with no other conclusion than the CONCLUSION that there is a real H-E-L-L awaiting those who die in their sins.
Look at the eerie similarities of the sufferings of Christ on the Cross and the sufferings of the actual man in H-E-L-L which Luke shows us.
A. Jesus Suffered the Agony of Separation From the Father as Did the Man In H-e-l-l
[Matthew 27:46; Luke 16:26]
* “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me?” [Matthew 27:46]
* “…between us and you there is a great gulf fixed..” [Luke 16:26]
B. Jesus Suffered the Agony of H-e-l-l’s Unquenchable Thirst as He Died Upon the Cross, as Did the Man in H-e-l-l
[John 19:28; Luke 16:24]
* “…I thirst…” [John 19:28]
* “…dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” [John 19:28]
C. Jesus Suffered the Outer Darkness of H-e-l-l as He Died Upon the Cross, as Did the Man in H-e-l-l
[Luke 23:44; Matthew 22:11-13]
* “…and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour” [Luke 23:44]
* “…Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness…” [Matthew 22:13]
D. Jesus Suffered the Agony of H-e-l-l’s Horrible Company as He Died Upon the Cross, as Did the Man in H-e-l-l
[Luke 23:33; Revelation 21:8; Isaiah 53:9,12]
* “…there they crucified Him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left” [Luke 23:33]
* “He was numbered with the transgressors” [Isaiah 53:12]
* “But the fearful, and the abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and socerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone…” [Revelation 21:8]
On and on we could go with the eerie similarities of Christ’s sufferings upon Calvary with the sufferings of the man in H-E-L-L, but we have to come away with the undeniable CONCLUSION that Calvary proves there is a real H-E-L-L, and every sinner who rejects Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior will spend their eternity there, but no one need to go there, Jesus took our punishment upon Himself at Calvary. “I owed a debt I could not pay; He paid a debt He did not owe.”
IV. JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION REVEALS TO US GOD’S UNDENIABLE LOVE FOR EVERY PERSON, REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY HAVE DONE
[Luke 23:34,43; John 3:16; Romans 5:8; Isaiah 53:7]
* “Then said Jesus, Father forgive them…” [Luke 23:34]
* “…Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.” [Luke 23:43]
* “But God commendeth His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” [Romans 5:8]
* “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” [John 3:16]
Salvation is exclusively for those who are believers in Jesus, but it is also all inclusive; whosoever means just that, whosever. Jesus forgave and saved the thief who asked for His forgiveness, and His prayer to the Father showed that He was willing to forgive all who had put Him upon the cold, cruel Cross.
It is His Holiness that demands sins judgment, it is His great love that demanded and provided a Substitute, so that whosoever will, may be saved. No one can look at Calvary and come away with anything but the CONCLUSION that God Loves them, no mater who they are or what they may have done.
V. JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION REVEALS TO US THAT EVERY SINNER CAN BE SAVED IF THEY WANT TO BE
[Luke 23:33,43; 2Peter 3:9]
* “…one on the right hand and the other on the left.” [Luke 23:24]
* “..Today thou shalt be with Me in paradise.” [Luke 23:43]
* “The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” [2Peter 3:9]
Two sinners died beside the Lord the day that He gave up His life at Calvary. Jesus was in the center, giving both of them equal access to listen to His prayer to the Father for the forgiveness and delayed judgment upon His crucifiers; both had equal access to the Gospel Tract that hung above His head; both had equal access and opportunity to call upon the Lord for salvation; one choose to do so and one did not, but if he had chosen to do so he would no doubt have found the same saving grace as did his partner in crime had.
When we look at Calvary we have to come to the CONCLUSION that every sinner can be saved if they are willing to repent and call upon Jesus, as did the one thief. All who go to H-E-L-L do so of their own volition and against the will of God, there is no other CONCLUSION we can come to.
VI. JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION REVEALS TO US THAT GOD HAS ONLY ONE WAY OF SALVATION FOR ALL MEN
[Luke 23:35; Romans 5:8; 6:23; Acts 4:12]
* “He saved others; let Him save Himself…” [Luke 23:35]
* “For the wages of sin is death…” [Romans 6:23]
* “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby, we must be saved. [Acts 4:12]
* “Jesus saith unto him, I am THE WAY, and THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” [John 14:6]
Not only must all men be saved, not only can all men be saved, but as we look at Calvary we have to come to the CONCLUSION that regardless of what the rebels or the religious say; ALL MEN MUST BE SAVED THE SAME WAY, and that way is Jesus and Jesus alone.
VII. JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION REVEALS TO US THAT ABSENT FROM THE BODY PRESENT WITH THE LORD
[Luke 23:43; 2Corinthians 5:8]
* “Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me…” [Luke 23:43]
* “…absent from the body, present with the Lord.” [2Corinthians 5:8]
Jesus gives the same promise to every child of God that he gave to the repentant thief; the moment you die you will find yourself face to face with Jesus in Heaven.
When we look at Calvary we have to come to the CONCLUSION, that if we would die before the Rapture, at that very moment we will not find ourselves asleep in the grave or in purgatory, but face to face with our Savior in His Heaven.
For a Christian there is only two places they can be; in his body or in the presence of the Lord. What a comfort to the thief that promise of Jesus must have given him in his hour of death, what comfort that must of given his loved ones who had to give him up on that fateful day.
VIII. JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION REVEALS TO US THAT TODAY IS THE ONLY SURE TIME YOU HAVE TO BE SAVED
[Luke 23:43; 2Corinthians 6:2]
* “…Today…” [Luke 23:43]
* “For He saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; behold now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” [2 Corinthians 6:2]
* “Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart…” [Hebrews 3:7,8]
* “He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” [Proverbs 29:1]
* “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” [Proverbs 27:1]
* “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow (next day). For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” [James 4:14]
Many people have used the dying thief that was saved, as an excuse for putting their salvation off until the end of their life as he did. The only thing those kind of people fail to realize is, that his last opportunity to be saved was also his first opportunity to be saved that we know about. The first time may be the last time, the Lord is not duty bound to speak to you about your salvation over one time if you willfully reject Him. If the Lord is so gracious to speak to you another time, that next time may also be your last time as well. Because salvation is all of grace, no man can afford to presume upon God’s Grace.
These verses and hundreds of others reveal to us that it is dangerous to put off ones salvation to another day, even one more day. We see that death could catch you unaware and unprepared at any moment. You could so harden your hearts by one more rejection that you could no longer hear His voice calling you to salvation. You could so offend the Lord by one more willful rejection of His salvation, that you could very well Sin Away Your Day of Grace, leaving you without any hope of the Lord ever speaking to you about your salvation again. You could also miss the imminent Rapture, left behind without any hope of ever being saved.
As we look at Calvary we have to come to the CONCLUSION that TODAY is the only sure time anyone has for being saved. We cannot conclude that there will be another opportunity. That is false and foolish hope. Millions upon millions hoping to be saved tomorrow have awakened in H-e-l-l, only to realize it was eternity.
CONCLUSION
For any of you who may read this message that have never repented of your life of sin and unbelief in Jesus and turned to Jesus for salvation, I want to lovingly warn you not to be deceived by the Relativism and Unbelief of our day. Calvary shows us that there are some CONCLUSIONS we must come to. I have shared them with you in this message and if you would take them to heart and in this moment turn to Jesus and Him alone for salvation, I can assure you upon the authority of God’s Word, that you, as the dying thief at Calvary, will be saved at that very moment and just as sure for heaven as if you had been there for ten thousand years already.
Let me also warn you not to procrastinate or look to another for salvation. We must Conclude from Calvary that all who are so foolish, will just as surely end up in an eternal h-e-l-l, without Christ and without any hope of ever being saved. All Hope for you will be gone.
