Have you ever seen a spectacle? I bet you have.
You may not realize it, but if you've ever been,
I don't know, driving down the interstate and
suddenly there's traffic and maybe there's some
unfortunate accident that took place up ahead.
Maybe it's on your side, maybe it's on the other
side, but as you get closer and closer to this,
even if it's on the other side of the road and
there's nothing blocking your lane, What do people
do? Slow down. And they look because they want
to see the spectacle. They want to see what is
happening. They want to see what took place.
It was a couple years ago now, I guess. Jolie
and I, we had gone down to Panama City to help
move my son. And I think we had left really,
really early. And we got there really, really
early before people had woken up. because we
left in the middle of the night to get down there
in the morning. And so they weren't awake yet,
and so we're like, well, let's drive over to
the beach. It's just about a five -minute drive.
And so we drove over there, and we saw a spectacle.
We saw a line. People were just lined up. And
we're like, what are they lined up for? I don't
know, but it must be good. And so we found the
first parking spot. We got out, and we got in
line. And then we said, What's this line for?
People are lined up. It had to be something good,
and it was. It was donuts. There was a donut
shop there right on the beach, and so people
were lined up, and so we waited our turn, and
we got donuts for everybody and took them back
because there was a spectacle. There was something
to see, and as we're celebrating the Lord's Supper,
the communion service, which of course took place
in the hours before the cross on that day there
was a spectacle there was a crowd and if you
look on your calendar you may see that day called
good friday but we recognize that in that moment
for for many of the people involved it was not
good and it was only as we look back on the results
of that that we can say yes that was a good day
that was a good Friday. But in the hours after
the Lord's Supper, John 13, it talks about how
Jesus took a basin and a towel and he bent down
and he washed the disciples' feet. And he said,
this do, you should do as I have done for you.
And so that's why in just a few minutes, we're
going to... Divide up. We're going to go, and
if you choose to participate, we're going to
wash one another's feet in something we call
the ordinance of humility. And in those events
leading up to the cross, as Jesus hung on that
cross, he is recorded as saying seven things.
And people kind of refer to it as the seven sayings
of the cross. The seven sayings of the cross.
And you may or may not remember, but at our last
communion, we looked at the first saying on the
cross where Jesus said, Father, forgive them,
for they don't know what they're doing, even
as they were beating him and abusing him and
nailing him to the cross. And today we're going
to pick up the story, and we're going to look
at the second saying, and we're going to be in
Luke 23. And we'll just be here for a few minutes
before we continue on with the rest of this service.
But in Luke chapter 23, There was a spectacle.
And there were at least four different groups
of people that the Bible records that were involved
in this spectacle. They were looking at things.
They were seeing things. And we're going to start
in Luke 23, verse 35, and we're going to see
the first group. And it says, the people. That's
the first group. The people stood looking on.
Even the rulers with them sneered. So this group
has the people. It's got the religious leaders
of the day. And they're seeing this man hanging
from the cross. And this is what they say. He
saved others. Let him save himself if he is the
Christ, the chosen of God. This is kind of interesting.
Because these people had seen Jesus do miracles.
They had seen him heal the sick. They had seen
the lame be able to walk. They had seen the lepers,
their sores healed, their skin was brought back
like new. Some of them had probably even eaten
from the lunch that Jesus had fed 5 ,000 people
with just one boy's little lunch. They had seen
Jesus save people. They had seen miracles. And
yet, for them, it wasn't enough. They wanted
one more. And it's interesting how they say it.
They said, if you are, they said he saved others,
let him save himself if he is the Christ, the
chosen of God. He saved others, save himself
if he is the Christ. And they missed the entire
point that Jesus was on the cross because he
was the Messiah, because he was. the Christ.
They were saying, do one more miracle and come
down, and they were missing the point that Jesus
was on the cross because he was doing the ultimate
miracle of saving us through his death. And so
they missed the entire point of what Jesus was
doing there. Then it goes on, and we see another
group observing this spectacle. Verse 36, it
says, the soldiers, that's the second group,
the soldiers also mocked him. coming and offering
him sour wine and saying, if you are the king
of the Jews, save yourself. Now this was a group
of, you know, soldiers, hardened soldiers here.
They didn't know Jesus. They didn't know the
hope that the Jewish people had and some Messiah
that was going to come and save them. They were
just doing their job. It was not a pleasant job.
It was a job that involved torture and blood
and death. They were just doing their job and
reading a sign. Because the next verse says there
was a sign written over him, and in other Gospels
it says he is the king of the Jews. They just
read the sign. They didn't know anything about
this guy, and they didn't want to know him. Although
later we see at least one of these soldiers said,
behold. surely he is more than we thought, more
than we imagined. So they missed out on what
was happening as they observed the spectacle.
And the third group is actually just an individual,
verse 39. Then one of the criminals who were
hanged blasphemed him, mocked him, taunted him,
saying, if you are the Christ, Save yourself
and us. So this criminal blasphemed. Again, we're
told in other Gospels, mocked. And he said, aren't
you the Christ? Aren't you the Messiah? If you
are, get down from that cross. And while you're
doing it, get me down too. Save me. And so it
seemed like he wanted Jesus, but only in order
to get out of his current situation. I'm about
to die on this cross. I don't want to be here.
Save yourself. Save us. Save me as well. So he
was observing the spectacle and missing out on
the point. And then there's one more group, one
more individual. We'll call him criminal number
two. In verse 40, it says, but the other, the
other criminal, answering, rebuked him, rebuked
criminal number one, saying, Do you not even
fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we receive the due
reward of our deeds. We've done wrong. We've
done the crime. Now we've got to do the time.
In this case, give their life. He's saying we
deserve this. We're getting what is owed us because
of the way we lived and because of the life that...
because of the things that we've done. But he
says, but this man has done nothing wrong. Don't
you fear God? This man has done nothing wrong.
And he has seen Jesus face the abuse, face the
mockery. He'd seen the calm response. Perhaps
he'd heard Jesus in verse 34 say, Father, forgive
them. He'd seen something different in this reaction
of Jesus on this day. And then there's this incredible
request. Verse 42, then he said to Jesus, he
says to the criminal, leave this guy alone, he's
done nothing wrong. But then he said to Jesus,
Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
Here he is hanging on a cross, bloody, nearing
death. And that thief in that moment recognizes
that this isn't the end. This isn't the end of
the story. There's something beyond this current
situation. There's something that could give
him hope even as he was nearing death. And then
we get to the second saying of the cross, verse
43. And Jesus said to him, Assuredly, I say to
you today, You will be with me in paradise. Now,
I've got to pause here for just one moment, because
being how we're in an Adventist church here,
we like to make a point of making sure that everybody
knows that the punctuation in Scripture was not
there until hundreds of years later, and so you've
got to make sure everything lines up. And so
this statement, He can't be saying to you, I
say to you, today you will be in paradise, because
that doesn't line up with the rest of Scripture.
Because historically, people lived on the cross
for four days, seven days before they would die.
And so it's likely that criminal didn't die that
day. But we know biblically in the Gospel of
John, on Sunday morning after the resurrection,
when Mary came and threw herself at Jesus' feet,
his feet, Jesus said, whoa, whoa, don't touch
me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father.
So Jesus couldn't be saying, today you're going
to be in paradise with me, because Jesus didn't
go on that day. And so I think the proper way
to look at this is Jesus saying, I say to you
today, while we are both in this situation, while
our lifeblood is draining out of us, while we
recognize that our breath is growing shallow
and our muscles are hurting and our backs are
shredded from the whips, even today in this horrific
situation, I can give you hope. I can give you
some assurance even when all seems lost. And
I'm telling you today that you will be with me
in paradise. And we have to make sure that in
our zeal to talk about commas that we don't miss,
The incredible promise of hope. That there is
hope for a future. That there is hope for an
eternity. Because this thief, he is never going
to get the chance to say I'm sorry. He's never
going to get the chance to pay back the things
that he took. He's never going to get the chance
to go to church. to be baptized, to pay tithe,
any of those things. He's never going to get
the chance to do any of that, but he appeals
to Jesus, may I be with you in paradise? And
Jesus says, I give you the promise. You're going
to be with me. That is the ultimate goal. That
is the ultimate promise of hope that you will
be with me in paradise. And we too can have that
same promise. of eternity. And no matter what
your life is facing right now, you can have an
assurance that Jesus is with you today and that
you will be with him for all eternity. And you
can have that assurance even right now. Let's
turn over to 1 John chapter 5. This will be our
last passage that we look at before we go into
the next section of our worship. 1 John, back
by Revelation. The book that we're studying on
Wednesday evenings for our time of Bible study
and prayer meeting. 1 John 5, verse 13. 1 John
5, verse 13. It says, These things I have written
to you who believe in the name of the Son of
God that you may... What's the word? You may
know that you have eternal life. and that you
may continue to believe in the name of the Son
of God. We can know, just as Jesus said to the
criminal, you will be with me in paradise. We
read in Scripture that we can know that we have
eternal life. How? Well, if we go back just two
verses, verse 11, 1 John 5, 11, this is the testimony
that God has given us eternal life, and this
life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life.
He who does not have the Son of God does not
have life. And I've written these things to all
that believe in the name of the Son of God that
you may know that you have eternal life. So let
us hear that word of Jesus from the cross. Today,
no matter what is going on in your life, you
can have the assurance that you will be with
Jesus in paradise. It's our time now that as
we practice our communion service, as we celebrate
the Lord's Supper, some may not have done this
before, but as we look at John chapter 13, where
Jesus washed the disciples' feet, we do that
practice. And if you choose to participate, we're
going to have three different places that you
can go. And please someone correct me if I say
this wrong, but I believe the gentlemen are going
to go up to the fellowship hall. And the ladies,
if you want to just be with ladies, are going
to be in the primary Sabbath school room. And
then if you would like to participate with...
Ladies are going to be in the youth room. Sorry
about that. Thank you. And if you would like
to participate with your spouse, go into the
primary Sabbath school room. I flipped those.
So men up, ladies to the youth, couples to the
primary room. And we will go there and participate
in this ordinance of humility. just to remember
the humbleness that Jesus had for us. And in
a small way, remember a cleansing that we receive
from the blood of Jesus. And then we'll gather
back here, and when we come back, let's try to
sit every other row if we can. That'll just make
it a little easier to pass things out. And in
the Adventist church, we practice an open communion.
Everybody that has accepted Jesus as their Lord
and Savior is invited to participate with us.
So let's have a prayer, and then we will divide
up and gather here soon. Dear God, we thank you
so much that you've given us a promise that we
will be with you for eternity in paradise. And
Lord, as we move to this next section of our
worship, let us remember how you became a servant,
how you humbled yourself, and let us humble ourselves
before each other. Let us remember how the blood
of Christ cleanses us, cleanses our sins in our
heart. And may we remember that your blood continues
to cleanse. And be with us as we go from this
room and return soon. In your name we pray. Amen.
So, gentlemen, up the steps to the fellowship
hall. Ladies to the youth. Couples to the primary
room. And then we'll gather back here. So it
was at that night before the cross. at a Passover
meal that Jesus brought his disciples together
and created something new using some of the elements
from the Passover meal. If you were at Sabbath
school last week, we talked about Passover meal.
It included what kind of bread? Unleavened bread.
And we have that here. It included bitter herbs.
We don't have any bitter herbs. It included a
lamb that was sacrificed and roasted. Where's
the lamb? Well, Jesus himself is the lamb. And
the bread and the juice of the vine represent
the body and the blood, represent the suffering
of the bitter herbs and the sacrifice that was
made. And so we're going to read some verses
from 1 Corinthians 13, and then we'll pray over
the bread and the wine, and we will distribute
those and then partake of this Lord's Supper
together. 23 and 24. For I received from the
Lord that which I also delivered to you, that
the Lord Jesus, on the same night in which he
was betrayed, took bread. And when he had given
thanks, he broke it and said, Take, eat. This
is my body, which is broken for you. Do this
in remembrance of me. And continuing to the next
verse. In the same manner, he also took the cup
after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant
in my blood. This do as often as you drink it
in remembrance of me. If the congregation will
remain seated, we will kneel as we pray over
these elements at this time. Father God, you
are love. And in love, you gave us Jesus. And
Jesus was willing to sacrifice himself. And his
body is represented, the bread here. And in partaking
of it, we partake of him. You have promised to
give us the son to live within us. And as the
son, he lives with you. And by faith, we live
with you. And we thank you. For the bread. In
Jesus' name. Amen. Lord, we thank you for this
remembrance. That it's your blood. Your blood
that was put on the doorpost so many years ago.
That protected those people inside. And it's
your blood that saves us. Your sacrifice. We
thank you for it. the shedding of your blood.
We ask this in your name. Amen. The Lord Jesus,
that same night in which he was betrayed, took
bread. And when he had given thanks, he broke
it and said, Take and eat. This is my body. And
Jesus took the cup. He said, this is my blood
of the new covenant. Drink ye all of it. These
symbols point to the entire plan, the entire
history of salvation. They look back at a lamb
slain from the foundation of the world, that
Jesus died for the sins of the world. But then
we also recognize that all of us have sinned
and are falling short of the glory of God. And
we appreciate the grace and the blood that covers
our sins. But it also looks to the future. Because
in 1 Corinthians, it says, For as often as you
eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim
the Lord's death until he comes. So it's looking
forward. to the future. And Jesus said he would
not drink of the fruit of this vine until he
can drink it with us in his kingdom. So as we
remember these symbols, let us remember the all
-encompassing presence that Jesus has for us.
Let's pray together. Dear God, we thank you so
much for this service. We don't do it all the
time. Help us to remember what you have done
for us. Help us to remember that even though
we stumble, we make mistakes, that you love us,
that you lift us up, that you invite us to be
with you. And Lord, we can't wait for that day
when you come again and we can drink with you
in the kingdom that we may be with you in paradise.
In your name we pray. Amen.