The Man On The Middle Cross
Things don’t go the way we planned.
Things don’t go the way we expected.
Things don’t go the way we thought they would.
But every once in a while… what looks like everything is falling apart… is actually unfolding exactly the way it’s supposed to.
At the cross, everything looked like it had gone wrong. Jesus was beaten, rejected, and crucified. But in reality, everything was unfolding exactly as it was supposed to.
Luke 23:32-43 NLT
32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull,[a] they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”[b] And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.[c]
35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”
40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:43 NLT
43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(Dismas) cried out to Jesus. And Jesus forgave him.
Jesus wasn’t just dying.
He was paying the price for the sins of humanity.
Every sin….Every failure….Every moment of rebellion.
He was establishing a new covenant.
No longer built on human effort…but on divine grace.
Not based on what we do for God…but on what God has done for us.
Acts 16:31 AMP
31 And they answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus [as your personal Savior and entrust yourself to Him] and you will be saved, you and your household [if they also believe].”
Jesus - the man on the middle cross - said I could come.
NONE of us - not a single one of us deserve salvation!
We don’t deserve heaven!
Yet…He still offers it to us freely…
The Gospel is not for people who have it all together.
The Gospel is for people who know they don’t have it all together…sinners.
Jesus didn’t go to the cross for the cleaned up version of you.
He went for the REAL you!
The question is not - Do I deserve this?
The question is - Will I receive it?
Talk It Over Questions
1. What is one of your family’s traditions on Easter?
2. In the story, the thief reaches a moment where he stops making excuses and takes ownership of his life. Where in your life are you most tempted to justify instead of take ownership—and what would it look like to be honest about it?
3. The thief had no time to fix anything, prove himself, or clean up his life—yet Jesus still saved him. Why do you think it’s so hard for us to accept that salvation is based on grace and not our effort? Where do you still try to “earn” it?
4. The gospel is for people who know they don’t have it all together. Do you tend to approach God more like someone who has to impress Him or someone who needs Him? What has shaped that mindset in you?
5. The thief’s only answer was that Jesus said he could come. If someone asked you today, “Why should you be in heaven?”—what would your honest answer be?
6. The invitation of Jesus isn’t about what we deserve, but whether we will receive it. What does it actually look like in real life—not just words—to fully receive and surrender your life to Jesus right now?
Ask Your Kids
1. Why did Jesus come to earth?
(Hint: Think about our memory verse—what was God’s plan?)
2. What did Jesus do for us when He died on the cross?
(What does it mean that He took our place?)
3. Why is it such good news that Jesus is alive?
(How does that change things for us today?)
