 Let's open our Bibles together to Mark's gospel chapter 15. We're going to be looking at just a portion of the events that took place on the day that Jesus was crucified and died for us. Obviously, we can't give a thorough study on that. We'll just give a segment, a snapshot this afternoon. And we'll look at that from verses 26, rather 27 through 32 here in the Gospel of Mark. Beginning at verse 27, reading to verse 32, Mark writes, with him they also crucified two robbers, one on his right and the other on his left. So the scripture was fulfilled, which says, and he was numbered with the transgressors. And those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying, aha, you who destroyed the temple and build it in three days, save yourself and come down from the cross. Likewise, the chief priests also together with the scribes mocked and said among themselves, he saved others, himself he cannot save. Let the Christ, the king of Israel descend now from the cross that we may see and believe. And those who were crucified with him, reviled him. Jesus had been delivered up as we know the story. He had been betrayed by one of his followers, a man by the name of Judas. He had been sold for 30 pieces of silver, which was the common price of a slave during the time of Christ. Judas had betrayed him with a kiss. Jesus had been taken. He had been tried, brutalized, ultimately sentenced to die. The sentence took place at six o'clock in the morning and at nine o'clock Jesus was crucified. So we're picking up here in the story where Jesus has been crucified. We need to remember that if there's anything we learn from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the execution of Jesus Christ, we need to learn that that is the greatest proof of man's wickedness, that man would put to death the Son of God. So Jesus suffered what would be called capital punishment. Today we have those who would speak concerning capital punishment and they would say that we need to forbid what is called cruel and unusual punishment. That's understandable, of course. There are various means by which criminals were executed in the past. We know that they could be stoned. We know that they would be hanged. There are those who are beheaded. Some stand before a firing squad. Others will be placed into an electric chair. And others are put to death through lethal injection. But when you speak about cruel and unusual punishment, you need to consider what crucifixion is. You see, a lot of times when we hear that Jesus was crucified, you can say that he was crucified, died and was buried. It's part of our creeds or what are called the creedal statements. Crucified, died and buried. We can say it so quickly, so glibly even. We can say it as if there was no reality to it. We just say he was crucified. There are those who wear a cross called crucifix. It has, you know, an image of Jesus on that cross to remind them. But we really don't understand what crucifixion was. Crucifixion was what would indeed be called cruel and unusual punishment. It was the Roman method of putting a criminal to death. And what they would do is they would take the prisoner and they would fasten them to a cross beam. They would put ropes around them, around their wrists, around the waist. Then they would take nails and they would place them in the wrist so that they could actually place it between the bones in the wrist, fastening the prisoner onto that cross beam without breaking a bone. They would take the prisoner and they would turn them into what would be called a serpentine shape. He would have an S. They would take a nail and place it between the ankles where you could actually, once again, without breaking a bone, put that prisoner in the most uncomfortable and painful position possible. They had a sharpened saddle, a seat, that would be placed there on this particular beam on the post. And once they had fastened the prisoner with that cross beam, they would lift him and drop him into a hole so that when that cross hit, there would be a shudder and the pain would go through the entire body of that individual who was about to be put to death. That person would suffer dehydration. Suffocation was the normal way that they would proceed to die. Their veins would be bulging and they would be going through such excruciating pain that the ultimately would be dehydrated and slowly would die. Sometimes prisoners could last on this cross for two or three days. So it was a prolonged agony and that's what the Lord Jesus Christ was going through. He was going through prolonged agony and Jesus had already suffered. He'd already had wounds. His back had been ripped open because they had scourged him and his head had been wounded. He had a crown of thorns that had been placed on him and his leg muscles are now beginning to cramp. He was dehydrating. He's going into shock and ultimately that would be how he died. And so Jesus Christ went through what we would call cruel and unusual punishment as he died there on that cross for us. And the question obviously has to be asked, but why? Why would Jesus Christ be crucified? Because Jesus did not deserve being crucified. Now there are others who did deserve dying in that fashion and not so much that fashion but did deserve capital punishment. There's one on the right hand. There's one on the left. These are people who are arrested for being criminals and being involved in criminal activity and they suffered justly. But Jesus didn't. Jesus hadn't done anything wrong. He didn't deserve it. These other two did. And so the question is asked, well why would Jesus Christ have to be placed on the cross in the first place? The answer is this God's way to provide salvation for man. The Bible tells us very clearly that the God that we worship is a God of love, a God of grace and compassion, a God of mercy. But he's also a God of justice and truth. And the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross because God was satisfying the righteous demands that he had given to man. That if man is going to have a relationship with him, man has to have a perfect relationship. God had given to man a law. It's called the law of Moses. And within the law of Moses it delineates the way an individual can have a relationship with God. It's always been something that was based on faith but obedience to that law was going to demonstrate that they truly did have faith. And yet the Bible makes it very clear that nobody was able to keep that law perfectly. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God is what Paul would say. And so Jesus Christ came in order to satisfy his father's justice and to demonstrate his father's love. The justice is satisfied in that he dies on our behalf. He is an atoning sacrifice. He died for me. The Bible speaks of that as being propitiation. He satisfied the wrath of his father because his father had been suffering indignation through the individuals who were so prone on, so bent on sin and rejection. So Jesus satisfies the righteous demands of his father but he also demonstrates the love of his father. And so he's placed on a cross to demonstrate both justice and truth, justice and love, justice and mercy. And it demonstrates the depth that God would go for him to rescue us. The Bible says God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. God demonstrates his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners and for us is what the Scripture says and Jesus said that that's how God would provide salvation for man. In John 12, 31 through 33 Jesus said judgment now is the judgment of this world now shall the prince of this world be cast out and I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw all men unto me this he said signifying what death he should die. Jesus said in Matthew 20, 28 even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto minister and to give his life a ransom for many. And again the Psalmist prophesied the death of Christ in Psalm 22, 16 simply said they pierced my hands and my feet. Now Mark as we look at this informs us that Jesus did not die alone he died between two robbers. When it speaks concerning the fact that he died between two robbers that word robber there speaks of violent men who are capable of murder. These two are more than likely part of a group of men were following an insurrectionist a man by the name of Barabbas. Barabbas was guilty of sedition and murder they had been arrested along with him and so Jesus didn't die alone he dies between two thieves. But notice what it says in verse 28. Notice how it says so the scripture was fulfilled which says he was numbered with the transgressors. The scripture was fulfilled they had broken God's law besides man's law they're under the death penalty but it's fulfilling scripture. In Isaiah 53 verse 12 a portion of scripture prophetically speaking of this event that was written 750 years before it happened Isaiah simply says he was numbered with the transgressors. When it says he was numbered that word number speaks of being judged supposed accounted or considered. In other words the word numbered deals with that which is reality it speaks of facts and not suppositions. In other words they're considering Jesus absolutely to be a transgressor amongst other transgressors they looked at him in other words as deserving of death they believed that he was a guilty man. Now that didn't bother the Lord Jesus Christ because he had made it a habit of being around sinners that's one of the things that people had such problems with and the fact that Jesus would actually spend time with people who are not perfect who were not good at all as a matter of fact it was one of the charges that was leveled against him that he actually spent time with sinners. In Matthew 9 verses 10 through 13 Matthew writes now it happened as Jesus sat at the table in the house that behold many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples and when the Pharisees saw it they said to his disciples why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners when Jesus heard that he said to them those who are well have no need of a physician but those who are sick but go and learn what this means I desire mercy and not sacrifice for I did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. I didn't come to call those who think that they're already okay he said only those who are ill will go to a doctor and only a sinner will come to a savior so one of the steps to salvation is to recognize that we are sinners there are a lot of people who won't do that but the Bible says all have sin and fall short of the glory of God the Bible says there's none righteous no not one there's none who doesn't do evil all of us by nature do that we admit to it on occasion that the fact is God sees us in that way and we need salvation that's why Jesus said he didn't come to call those who don't think that they need help he said I came to those who do who recognize it who understand it who seek it and ask for it so to be hanging around with with tax collectors and sinners to hang around with those people who are the off scouring of society though those who are self righteous would say that they couldn't understand that Jesus said that's precisely who I came for I came for the ones who recognize that they need help you see by nature all men are sinners and all of us will break the law of God every day it's what is natural to us salvation's 2-3 tells us we are by nature children of wrath and Psalm 51-5 says surely I was sinful at birth sinful from the time my mother conceived me by his voluntary death Jesus ransomed us he purchased us and he did so with his own blood and that's the way that God was going to provide salvation so that answers the question why was he crucified he was crucified so that we might come to him through faith and he said to me I am the good shepherd I know my sheep and am known of mine as a father knows me even so know I the father and I laid down my life for the sheep well as this is taking place notice verses 29 and 30 there are those who are passing by and it says that they blasphemed him and they began to mock him well Jesus was crucified outside of the city gates in a place that is filled with traffic and so the foot traffic and all are passing by and as they go by they begin to mock him they mock him as he's dying they said in verse 29 save yourself come down from the cross save yourself well this mocking of the Lord actually once again fulfills prophecy concerning how he would be treated in Psalm 22 6-8 it says but I am a worm and no man a reproach of men despised by the people all those who see me ridicule me they shoot out the lip they shake the head saying he trusted in the Lord let him rescue him let him deliver him since he delights in him what does the psalmist say I'm a worm and no man well when he uses that term I am a worm and no man it goes further than to say that I'm a helpless animal that doesn't resist attack I mean how many of us are afraid of worms well some are I understand that others eat them I mean how many of us are afraid of worms I mean I've never seen a sign when I've gone through a neighborhood beware of worm I mean it's just not something that be afraid of being attacked by and so when you read that and it says I am a worm very often what we'll do is we'll think well in terms of his restraining himself from retaliating and indeed that's what's taking place but is that all that's being said and the answer is no that's not all that's being said here because when it speaks of this worm it's a particular type of worm that is being referred to it's a scarlet worm and I was reading how that when the female of the scarlet worm species was ready to give birth to her young she would attach her body to the trunk of a tree fixing herself so firmly and permanently that she would never leave again the eggs deposited beneath her body were in this manner protected until the larvae were hatched and able to enter their own life cycle as a mother died the crimson fluid stained her body and the surrounding wood from the dead bodies of such female scarlet worms the commercial scarlet dyes of antiquity were extracted so that gives us a picture of Christ dying on a tree shedding his blood that he might bring many sons into glory he died for us that we might live through through him now as this is taking place verses 31 and 32 says likewise the chief priests together with the scribes mocked now these of course should have known better they were the priests and they were the religious experts of their day but they were by far the most wicked because they knew better yet they did nothing to stop this as a matter of fact they encouraged this to take place in John 15 22 through 24 Jesus said they would not come and spoken to them they would not be guilty of sin now however they have no excuse for their sin he who hates me hates my father as well if I had not done among them what no one else did they would not be guilty of sin but now they have seen these miracles and yet they have hated both me and my father Jesus could not be accused of sin he could actually speak in front of a crowd and say which of you can convict me of it not a single person could so these people actually had a man die who did not deserve death but they are saying let the Christ descend from the cross notice that we may see and believe once again their insistence on Jesus performing signs reveals their unbelief we want to see in order to believe but Jesus said didn't I teach you that if you would believe and so they are wanting him to do something almost like a carnival act almost like he is a magician do something that will convince us but he had already performed so many miracles he had already done so many things what else could he do actually what he is doing right then and there was the greatest sign of all the demonstration of the wickedness of men a man who would even kill God's son himself and a rejection of the same but what is also tragic notice in verse 32 is those who were crucified with him reviled him these two thieves at first began to join in with the others who were reproaching him but one of them changed his mind now why would this thief and we call him the thief on the cross and we all know his story why would this thief change his mind well when Jesus was initially placed on the cross the thing that was unheard of he actually prayed for those who were killing him even though he was suffering deeply and that thief heard him when Jesus said father forgive them for they do not know what they do and why would Jesus pray like that why would Jesus pray forgive them because God is willing to forgive us our sins God's desire is to forgive us of our sins and his desire we need to understand that today not to condemn us but to save us that's God's desire somewhere along the line many people got an idea of God somewhere perhaps it was through bad Bible teaching or simply the human nature that they possessed themselves but somewhere along the line we got the idea that God hates us when the fact of the matter is God hates our sin he hates it so much he did something for it he sent his son to dine across so that I might have a relationship with him but God is not willing that the scripture says but that all should come to repentance the Bible tells us in Ezekiel 1832 I take no pleasure in the death of anyone declares the Lord repent and live Psalm 51 17 says the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart Psalm 34 18 says the Lord is near to those who have a broken heart saves such as have a contrite spirit God's desire is to save Jesus said I have come the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which is lost Jesus spoke concerning a woman who lost a coin he spoke concerning a man who lost a sheep he spoke concerning a father who lost a son and in those parables in that single parable really broken into three segments he's speaking of a seeking God who waits with mercy for the one who would return to him who seeks until finding and makes it possible for that one to return to him and to have life understand that today when Jesus is there on the cross and his arms are spread out and he's praying Father forgive them it wasn't simply for those who were living at that time it was a prayer for us too we don't know what we're doing now that doesn't mean that our universal all of us will just immediately go into heaven there needs to be a response to that we need to respond to that invitation that we might receive forgiveness now as this is going on it's been going on for several hours one of the thieves became desperate one lashes but the other one doesn't the other one his companion has a different response he heard Jesus pray he saw the manner in which he was dying and that had an incredible effect on him it was what would be called an efficacious conviction Luke 23 39 through 43 he says one of the criminals last being Tim saying if you're the Christ save yourself and us but the other answering rebuked him saying do you not even fear God seeing you are under the same condemnation and we indeed justly for we received the due reward of our deeds but this man has done nothing wrong then he said to Jesus Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom and Jesus said to him not too late no he didn't he said I say to you today you will be with me in paradise the first thief at the heart of his cry save us take us down from this cross was simply this let me remain as I am take me off of this cross there's no fear of God there's no sorrow there's no repentance for his life there's no sense that he deserved his punishment that's a picture of a sin hardened man with no desire to repent and no desire for forgiveness save yourself and us that's a primary preoccupation of people looking out for number one Jesus said whoever will save his life shall lose it whoever will lose his life for my sake will find it for what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul what shall a man give in exchange for his soul what is it worth to you for some people the exchange of my soul what would I give my soul up for drugs some alcohol sleeping around whatever right now we sell our souls cheaply for things that don't last but the other was watching and he became aware of his own sin and he knew that Jesus Christ was the one who could save him and so he recognized his own sin that's what he's saying do you not fear God because the fear of God is the beginning of knowledge then he's recognizing the innocence of Jesus he said we are dying justly which is another way of confessing his sin then he recognizes Jesus as a king because he says remember me when you enter into your kingdom in other words he's confessing him as Lord and then he says to him forgive me when he said remember me remember me and Jesus's response was today you will be with me in paradise that's what was taking place on that Good Friday even though Jesus was hanging on a cross he was still doing his ministry he was still reaching out he was still praying still caring and still saving even though he was dying on that cross so Good Friday what makes it so good why do we call it good it's good because God has done something on our behalf that we couldn't do for ourselves and he sent his son Jesus Christ to take upon himself my sin it wasn't works of righteousness which I've ever done it was according to his mercy he saved me by washing me with regeneration and renewing me with the Holy Spirit it's Jesus's way for us to have a relationship with God because he said unless a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die it abides alone but if it dies it brings forth much fruit and by on that cross for us he paid the penalty that I could not pay to give me something I could never receive on my own strength he paid that penalty and gave me what I don't deserve what makes Good Friday Good Friday it's good because God has done something for us God has so loved us that he gave his son he has so loved us that Jesus died on the cross how much do you love me Jesus we could ask and Jesus says I love you this much and he stretches forth his arms and he dies Good Friday God has saved us if we turn to him that's what makes it good and if there are any in this room that need to get right with God this is your opportunity Jesus died for us and if you have yet to take that which he offers you this is your opportunity