Speaker 1: Good afternoon.
Speaker 1: It is afternoon here and we are grateful and thankful to God for this season.
Speaker 1: We are in the season of the uncommon justice, spirit-led restoration.
Speaker 1: It's a very interesting season because it is a season we experience the uncommon justice that God has released to us through his son, our Lord and our Savior, jesus Christ.
Speaker 1: Today we want to look at a scenario at Calvary where Jesus is crucified between two thieves, and the scripture we are going to take is from the book of Luke, luke, chapter 23, from verse 32 to 43.
Speaker 1: It's a long passage, but bear with me.
Speaker 1: We are getting to the Passover season Some like to call it Easter, but it's good to just, you know, glean on that text to understand the dynamics of the uncommon justice at Calvary.
Speaker 1: This is what the Bible says Luke 23, 32 to 43.
Speaker 1: Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed Luke 23, 32-43.
Speaker 1: The other on his left, jesus, said, father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing, and they divided up his plots by casting lots.
Speaker 1: The people stood watching and the rulers even sneered at him.
Speaker 1: They said he saved others.
Speaker 1: Let him save himself If he is God's Messiah.
Speaker 1: You know, they said, if you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.
Speaker 1: There was a written notice above him.
Speaker 1: Above him that read this is the king of the Jews, one of the criminals I wanted to take note of that from verse 39, one of the criminals who hung their hard insults at him and said aren't you the Messiah?
Speaker 1: Save yourself.
Speaker 1: And us?
Speaker 1: But the other criminal verse 49,.
Speaker 1: But the other criminal rebuked him.
Speaker 1: Rebuked him, don't you fear God.
Speaker 1: Don't you fear God?
Speaker 1: He said, since you are under the same sentence, we are punished justly.
Speaker 1: We are being punished justly for we are getting what our deeds deserve.
Speaker 1: But this man has done nothing wrong.
Speaker 1: You know Verse 42.
Speaker 1: Then he said to Jesus Remember me when you come into your kingdom.
Speaker 1: Jesus answered him Truly.
Speaker 1: I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.
Speaker 1: It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining and the curtain of the temple was torn in two afternoon, for the sun stopped shining and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
Speaker 1: Jesus called out with a loud voice Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
Speaker 1: When he had said this, he breathed his last Three things.
Speaker 1: Number one the uncommon justice lost.
Speaker 1: Number two the uncommon justice gained.
Speaker 1: Number three the uncommon justice rewarded.
Speaker 1: The uncommon justice lost.
Speaker 1: You see, the second thief lost the moment for his uncommon justice.
Speaker 1: Why?
Speaker 1: Jesus, at that point on the cross, was dying for all sins.
Speaker 1: He was dying for all sinners.
Speaker 1: Instead of these thieves being able to understand that Jesus was giving his life an innocent man dying for the sins of the world.
Speaker 1: He missed that opportunity.
Speaker 1: The moment for uncommon justice for him was lost.
Speaker 1: Instead, he was hurling insults at Jesus and asking him aren't you the Messiah?
Speaker 1: Why don't you save yourself and us?
Speaker 1: This is a reminder that Jesus died on the cross for all sins, for all the sinners.
Speaker 1: The Bible says in Romans 4, verse 25, he was delivered over to death for our sins or for our transgressions, but was raised to life for our justification.
Speaker 1: Jesus was raised to life for our justification that we would no longer be living in our seats.
Speaker 1: Therefore, believing in Jesus gives you uncommon justice.
Speaker 1: But this thief lost the moment for his uncommon justice because Jesus was giving his life on the cross for all sins, including his own sins.
Speaker 1: Uncommon justice was lost for him.
Speaker 1: However, the second thief experienced uncommon justice.
Speaker 1: He experienced uncommon justice.
Speaker 1: Look at the way he connects with Christ.
Speaker 1: He says this, but the other criminal was 40 to 42.
Speaker 1: The other criminal rebuked him and said don't you fear God?
Speaker 1: He said since you are under the same sentence, we are punished justly.
Speaker 1: Listen to that statement.
Speaker 1: We are being punished justly for we are getting what our deeds deserve.
Speaker 1: You know, this second thief understood that they were being served the common justice.
Speaker 1: The common justice then would be that this man, who was a criminal now would be facing the justice of the Roman system of governance by being crucified on the cross because he was a thief.
Speaker 1: So he's saying there we are actually paying for our wrongs and therefore we are facing the justice of the system because it is right.
Speaker 1: However, there is a paradox here.
Speaker 1: This man says don't you fear God.
Speaker 1: You know, don't you fear God?
Speaker 1: He's telling the other thief don't you fear God.
Speaker 1: There is a conviction there about God and therefore he says don't you fear God.
Speaker 1: Then he said to Jesus this man has done nothing.
Speaker 1: He's saying Jesus is innocent.
Speaker 1: He's been crucified for sins he has not committed.
Speaker 1: You know, pilate could not declare Jesus free.
Speaker 1: But at the cross this second criminal said this man is innocent.
Speaker 1: And in saying that he was able to recognize the place of Jesus in his redemption.
Speaker 1: He was able to recognize that Jesus was being crucified for sins he never committed and because of that conviction, he says to Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom.
Speaker 1: And what is Jesus' answer?
Speaker 1: Jesus' response to him is today I will be with you in the paradise.
Speaker 1: This second piece was able to receive uncommon justice At the cross, where Jesus is being crucified for all sins.
Speaker 1: He was able to receive that uncommon justice of being set free from his sin, even though he was on the cross suffering for a sin he committed.
Speaker 1: But again, because Jesus was on the cross being crucified for all sins, this second thief was able to receive uncommon justice and Jesus promised he will be within in paradise.
Speaker 1: Now you can imagine this thief who was actually hanging on the cross for sins he's committed, receiving uncommon justice for Jesus himself.
Speaker 1: What a miraculous moment for him.
Speaker 1: Finally, uncommon justice, rewarded.
Speaker 1: You know I'm trying to imagine this other thief who was listening to this conversation.
Speaker 1: He would have said okay, even me.
Speaker 1: I want Jesus, please don't forget me, remember me in paradise.
Speaker 1: That was a good moment for him to confess and be able to receive the reward of uncommon justice and during the whole conversation I wish he could have said even me, jesus, remember me.
Speaker 1: Jesus would have still remembered him.
Speaker 1: But the second thief actually Jesus gives a promise Uncommon justice is rewarded.
Speaker 1: Today you will be with me in paradise.
Speaker 1: Can you imagine within hours that the second thief will be with Jesus in paradise?
Speaker 1: And yet he would have died a criminal.
Speaker 1: But the uncommon justice released to him is rewarded.
Speaker 1: He enters paradise with Jesus.
Speaker 1: I want you to imagine that this criminal is entering heaven and yet probably the person whose goods were stolen by him or probably even murdered, murdered was in heaven.
Speaker 1: He would have been asking hey, how come this man has entered heaven and is a criminal?
Speaker 1: Uncommon justice was rewarded to him.
Speaker 1: Uncommon justice is available to you.
Speaker 1: Believe in Jesus Christ, who died for your sins, and you will receive uncommon justice, will receive uncommon justice.
Speaker 1: The Bible says in 2 Corinthians, 5.21,.
Speaker 1: He who had not sinned was made sin for us.
Speaker 1: You know that we may become the righteousness of God.
Speaker 1: Jesus has taken all our sins away and we have been justified and you have become the righteousness of God.
Speaker 1: Receive uncommon justice, believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and you will receive this uncommon justice and your sins are atoned for and you have been made free.
Speaker 1: May God bless you as we consider the uncommon justice that has been released to us through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Speaker 1: God bless you and have a blessed day, amen.