Sermon Overview: From the wilderness to the cross, Satan tried again and again to stop Jesus, but nothing could. On Good Friday, we remember the unstoppable love of our Savior, who endured betrayal, mockery, and unimaginable suffering to rescue the lost and offer mercy to even the most broken. Jesus cannot be stopped and He stopped at nothing to save us.

V32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.

· The purpose of crucifixion wasn’t just to sentence someone to death, but it was the maximum level of pain and humiliation possible. The Roman soldiers hammered 7-inch nails into the wrist severing the median nerve causing a sensation like waves of burning fire or electricity through the arms. The victim suffered lacerations in their back from flogging, so their raw exposed flesh would scrape up against the splintery wood of the cross. The position of arms stretched out and hanging led to dislocated shoulders and your chest and lungs were constrained to the point where it was almost impossible to breathe. The victim suffered from insects, pests, and scavenging birds because they were powerless to shoe them away

· These men were more than robbers—they were violent criminals, likely bandits who not only stole but beat, abused, and even killed their victims. They were most likely led by Barabbas, who was supposed to be hanging in the middle cross, but Jesus took his place. It’s not an accident that there are men to his left and right. This fulfills prophesy in Isaiah 53:12 “He was numbered with the transgressors.” Matthew and Mark tell us in their accounts that both of these men hated Jesus and openly mocked Him

V34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

· Jesus was suffering and instead of crying out, Father destroy them, Father curse them, He says, “Father forgive them” Forgive who? The Roman soldiers? The crowd? The religious leaders? They all knew what they were doing, but they were spiritually blind. Jesus chooses to be our advocate even though we willingly fall into sin. When Jesus said, “Father forgive them” we are “them”  

V36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar

· Theologians and historians say that Romans carried a sponge on a hyssop branch for one specific reason, to clean themselves after using the bathroom, that’s what they used for toilet paper. They would then dip the sponge in this wine vinegar as a disinfectant. They used this same sponge to bring it to Jesus’ lips in order to humiliate him, it’s like shoving used toilet paper in his mouth

V39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said

· Aren’t you scared of God? This man understood something. Think about all the crimes we did, this is how we get punished on earth by man. After we die, we have to face God, how much worse will the holy wrath and punishment be from Him? He recognized that He was a sinner and Jesus was sinless. AW Tozer said, “No one can know the true grace of God that doesn’t first know the fear of God”

V42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

· In that culture remember meant to think on someone with favor and act with compassion. It’s similar to Genesis 8 where it says, “But God remembered Noah” God acted to save him. He was calling on Jesus to save him by showing him mercy. This man was acknowledging that Jesus is a king, that when He leaves this world, He is entering into His kingdom. Notice the other thief was just as close to Jesus physically, but He didn’t believe. That’s because proximity isn’t the same thing as faith, nobody can believe for you.

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

· Jesus refused to stop loving, refused to stop comforting, refused to stop serving. Jesus is unstoppable, not just in the mission, but in His mercy. The thief on the cross couldn’t walk in righteousness, because his feet were nailed down. He couldn’t lift his hands in worship, his hands were nailed down. He couldn’t clean up his life, he didn’t have any life left in him. All he could do was believe and that was enough. All you need to do today is believe, and watch how Jesus uses your faith to transform your life