SPEAKER_06 0:19

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew near, which is called the Passover, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. Then came the day of unleavened bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus said to Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare the Passover for us that we may eat it. They said to him, Where will you have us prepare it? He said to them, Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters, and tell the master of the house, The teacher says to you, Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished. Prepare it there. And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. And when the hour came, he reclined at table and the apostles with him. And he said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, This is my body which was given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, This cup that is poured out for you is a new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed. And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who is going to do this. And so reads God's word.

SPEAKER_03 2:48

And he came out and he and went, as was his a dispute arose among them as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, The king of the Gentiles exercise exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors, but not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the one who serves. For who is the greater? One who reclines at the table or one who serves? It is not the one is it not the one who reclines at the table, but I am among you as the one who serves. You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom, and sit on the throne on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you, that your fate may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers, Peter said to him, Lord, I am ready to go to go with you, both to prison and to death. Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crowd this day until you deny three times that you know me. And he said to them, When I sent you out with no money bag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything? They said, Nothing. And he said to them, but now let the one who has money back take it, and likewise a knapsack, and let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me. And he was numbered with his tran with the transgressors, for what is written about me has its fulfillment. And they said, Look, Lord, here are two swords. And he said to them, It is enough, and so reads God's word.

SPEAKER_08 5:04

And he came out and went as was his custom to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place he said to them, Pray that you may not enter into temptation. And he withdrew from them about a stone's row, and knelt down and prayed, saying, Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. And there appeared to him an angel from heaven strengthening him. And in being in agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and he said to them, Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation. While he was still speaking, there came a crowd and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss? And then those who were around him saw what would follow. They said, Lord, shall we strike with the sword? And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, No more of this, and he touched the ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priest and officers of the temple and elders who had come out against him, have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me, but this is your hour and the power of darkness, and so reads God's word.

SPEAKER_02 7:09

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was followed at a distance, and when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, This man also was with him, but he denied it, saying, Woman, I do not know him. And a little later someone else saw him and said, You also are one of them. But Peter said, Man I am not. And after an interval of about an hour, still another insisted, saying, Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean. But Peter said, Man, I do not know what you are talking about. And immediately while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly. Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, Prophesy, who is that that struck you? And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him. When the day came the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both the chief priests and scribes, and they led him away to their council, and they said, If you are the Christ, tell us. But he said to them, If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God. So they all said, Are you the Son of God then? And he said to them, You say that I am. Then they said, What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips. So reads God's word.

SPEAKER_00 9:22

Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate, and they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king. And Pilate asked him, Are you the king of the Jews? And he answered him, You have said so. Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, I find no guilt in this man. But they were urgent, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee, even to this place. When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man were the Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at the time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod, with his soldiers, treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day. For before this they had been at enmity with each other. Pilate then called together the chief priests and arras and the people and said to them, You brought this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him. But they all cried out together, Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas, a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection, started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, Crucify, crucify him. A third time he said to them, Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him. But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified, and their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will. And so reads the word of God.

SPEAKER_07 12:24

And as they led him away, they sighed one Simon of Seren, who was coming in from the country, and laid him on the cross to carry behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them, Jesus said, Tarah, chosen, do not weep for me, but weep for yourself and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never poor, and the breast that never nursed. Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Follow on us, and to the hills, cover us. For if they do these things when they would scream, 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 is 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 rulers goofed at him, saying, He save others. Let him save himself, 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 were hungry at him, saying, Are you not Christ? Save yourself and us. But the other rebuked him, saying, Do you not fear God, since you're under the same sentence of condemnation? And we need justly, for we're 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 him, Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. And so we read in God's word.

SPEAKER_04 14:09

It was now 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, calling out with a loud voice, said, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit. And having said this, he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, Certainly this man was innocent. And all the crowds that had assembled for the 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 had not consented to their decision and action. And 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, wrapped it in linen shroud, and laid it 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 his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. And so we read Scott's word.

SPEAKER_05 15:44

There are two types of people. There's the people who need to make sure that the house is tidy before they relax. And then there's the people who need to relax before they tidy the house. And they marry one another. There's the person who unloads the dishwasher before they go to bed. So that it's free and clear in the morning. And then there's the people who go to bed and think, well, it's the first job that I'll do in the morning. And they marry one another. And then there's the bigger thing. There's people who are always doing stuff. Always saying manna, many of them. And then there's people who dive right in. There's people who say sometime next week. Maybe one day. Some things that if you delay them too long, you'll miss them altogether. Alanis read for us the story of the two men who were crucified beside Jesus. There were three men dying that day, Jesus and two criminals. And one of those men finds that salvation doesn't come to him one day, but it comes to him today. Either side of Jesus Luke tells us that they're criminals, they're in the same situation. They're both guilty, both suffering the punishment for their crime, both in the same proximity to Jesus. And yet Luke tells us that they have two very different responses. The response of the first criminal is that he joins in on the mockery of Jesus. He derides him too, he scoffs at him as well. Not only that, but he wants to be rescued. He demands salvation. He wants to be diverted away from the suffering that's inflicted. Without any real acknowledgement of what he's done or who Jesus is. The second man has a very different response. The second man sees himself clearly and he sees Jesus clearly. He sees himself clearly because he looks at his friend and says, We are being punished justly. It just knows at us in some corner of our hearts. But for this man, on this day, and for us, salvation begins for him when he faces his limitations, his need. His sin. He sees himself clearly. He sees Jesus clearly. He recognizes that and he tells his friend, this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus is innocent. You know, there's the readings that we have had tonight are full of false accusations. And Luke emphasizes over and over and over again the innocence of Jesus. And the thief sees that. More than that, the thief realizes that he's looking at a king because of what he says to Jesus. That the one who is on the middle cross is a king, crowned with a crown of thorns. That though Jesus is dying, rejected, despised, mocked, powerless, one of the men beside him sees him for who he truly is, that he is the king. The thief realizes in That the thing that Christians have believed all down the millennia that the cross is not a tragedy, nor is it an accident, nor is it just an example for us to follow of sacrificial love. No, it is the purposeful, deliberate, salvivic death of the innocent king for people like that thief. For people like me, for people like you. And when he sees that, when he sees himself clearly, when he sees Jesus clearly, he does one of the most beautiful, simplest things. He speaks to Jesus and says, Remember me. It's not a long prayer. It's not full of religious language. There's no bargaining, no negotiating. He doesn't ask to be taken down from the cross. He doesn't ask for his circumstances to be changed. He asks that Jesus would remember him and bring him into his kingdom. He doesn't ask for a better life. He asks simply to be with Jesus. The first thief wanted something from Jesus. Do you remember? Save yourself and us. The first thief wanted something from Jesus. But this thief, this man, he wanted a future with Jesus. Or because you want him. And what is Jesus' response? He looks at the man to his side and says to him these beautiful words of reassurance, truly, I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise. Again, all the way through Luke's narrative, Jesus is speaking words of hope and grace to those around him. Can you imagine it? That he himself is suffering, mocked in pain, derided and rejected, and yet his concern is so often for the people around him. As he prays, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. As he looks at the daughters of Jerusalem and says, Don't weep for me, weep for yourselves, because of how you're being led down the garden path by your religious leaders. You read something like John's Gospel, where he looks at his mother and who's going to be left destitute and places her in the hands of his friend John. That all the way through the narrative of the crucifixion, the narrative of Good Friday, Jesus sees and speaks hope into the hopeless. I imagine that some of you here are feeling grief, hopelessness. I want you to know tonight that Jesus, the innocent dying King, sees that and would speak peace to it. He speaks to this man and he says, Today, today you will be with me. The salvation that Jesus offers to this man is both gracious and it is immediate. There's no time for this man to change. There's no time for this man to be baptized. There's no time for this man to do good works. There's no time for this man to build up his religious record. None of that matters to this dying king. He says, Today. You will be. The salvation that Jesus offers this man and us is certain. No probation, no ambiguity. You will be today. Where will he be? With me, Jesus says. We read Jesus' response and we get straight through to the paradise bit and think that sounds great. Because we have we have white sands in our mind, we have lapping shores, we have little drinks with umbrellas and curly straws out of them and think, ah, that's what Jesus means. Can't wait to be there. Can't believe that the thief got that. Get to be in paradise. Jesus' emphasis, Luke's emphasis, and the much truer reality is not on the paradise bed. It's on the with me. Because you see, for the Christian, paradise is where Jesus is. Today he says, you will be with me where I am, where I am going, and that will be paradise. The greatest gift that Jesus offers in salvation is not heaven. It is Himself. Today you will be with me in paradise. Some days. It feels like everything changes. Sometimes for the worse. When a loved one dies. Perhaps for the better when someone says, I love you. Or will you marry me? There are days that change the course and directions of our lives. And Luke knows the importance of today. He's talked about it all the way through his gospel. You think right back to the very start, to Christmas. The angels arrive on the scene to some shepherds who are watching their flocks by night, and they declare, what? Today in the city of David is born to you a savior. He is Christ the Lord. Today in Bethlehem, salvation has arrived. Or Luke chapter 19, where Jesus walking into Jericho finds this short king called Zacchaeus, who's up a tree, and he changes Zacchaeus' life, and then he declares to the watching crowd, today salvation has visited this house. And now it all comes together. Now the great Corsendo, as the Son of God dies, he says to this thief who can do no right, who can simply trust in the words of the Lord Jesus. He says to him, Today you will be with me in paradise. Today matters. Today matters because life is uncertain. Today matters because we don't know what way our life will turn. This man didn't plan to meet Jesus that day, but that day decided everything for him. Today matters because delay is so often dangerous. Most people don't reject Jesus outright, they just postpone him. Not now. So often becomes not ever. Jesus doesn't say, come back later. He says today. Where are you? Where do you place yourself with those two men either side of the Lord Jesus? Which would you like to be? The one who just wants from Jesus. Save yourself and me. Joining in in the mockery. None of this makes any sense. How could any of this be any good? Or is it that you identify or want to identify with the other man who knows his need, who knows her need, who has looked in the mirror at how you are and you're ready to come to Jesus and say, Remember me. He comes simply, humbly, and he finds forgiveness. Like that thief. You don't need a perfect life to find salvation. You don't need a good track record of what has gone on in the past. You don't need to know a lot of theological stuff. You don't need a long prayer. And you don't need more time. Because everyone who comes to Jesus and says, Remember me, will hear the promise back to him, back to her today. You will be with me. I pray for us. And then we're going to sing one final song as we conclude our time. Father, I thank you that the cross of the Lord Jesus was the culmination of your perfect plan to save wayward sons and daughters. To cleanse us from our sin and to forgive us. May we not be those who harden our hearts, but those who come humbly, with empty hands as we've sang about, and come simply, saying, Jesus, remember me, in full assurance that in his graciousness, in his immediacy, he welcomes us home and says, You will be with me.

SPEAKER_01 34:45

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