252 – Luke 23: How to
Have A Better Life
As they led Jesus away, a man named Simon, who was from
Cyrene, happened to be coming in from the countryside. The soldiers seized him
and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A
large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women…. Two
others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with him. When they came to a place called The Skull,
they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his
right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what
they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 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.” The
soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King
of the Jews, save yourself!” A sign was fastened above him with these
words: “This is the King of the Jews.” 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!” But the other criminal protested,
“Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We
deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then
he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And
Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” By this time it was about noon, and darkness
fell across the whole land until three o’clock. The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly,
the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my
spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last. When
the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped
God and said, “Surely this man was innocent.” And when all the crowd that came to see the
crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. But
Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at
a distance watching. Now there was a good and righteous man named
Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, but he had not agreed with the decision and
actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in
Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took the body down from the cross and
wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had
been carved out of rock. LUKE 23:26-53
NLT
Jesus died to pay the penalty for my sins
For
Christ died to set them
free from the penalty of the sins they had committed…HEBREWS 9:15 NLT
And just
as each person is destined to die once
and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of
many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring
salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. HEBREWS 9:27-28 NLT
Jesus died a real death so I could experience
a real life
A
different life from now on
For you died to this life, and your real life
is hidden with Christ in God. COLOSSIANS
3:3 NLT
…Christ’s
love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who
receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will
live for Christ… 2 CORINTHIANS 5:14-15
NLT
A better
life now
I came so
they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever
dreamed of. JOHN 10:10B MESSAGE
An eternal
life forever
Christ died for us so that, whether we are
dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:10 NLT
Community Group Bible Discovery Discussion Questions